Ever After

Chapter 1: A Not So Happy Beginning

Where do I even begin? Currently I have one hand locked with my now eight year old daughter Sadie and I'm holding my now six year old daughter Emma on my hip as I wait for the elevator to reach the highest floor in my fiancées business. I huff. Life just seems so sudden and all at once. I some how thought life wouldn't be so run together and filled with less anxiety. The elevator dings and Sadie runs up to the big door that read Jackson Peters on a plaque. She opens the door rushing in. "Daddy!"

He drops his pin scooping her up. "Hey there! How my little kola?" I set Emma down and she runs over to him too. He scoops her up as well placing one on each knee. "How was school kiddos?" Emma giggles as I flop down on the couch. "I got to paint in art. It was pretty but my teacher said it had to dry before I could bring it home." He kisses her head. "That's okay. I'll clear a spot for it to hang in the meantime. What about you Sadie?" She smiles. "It was good we had pizza for lunch." He gasps. "Pizza! That's your favorite!" He tickled them both. He glances at me and smiles widely at them. "Hey why don't you go ask Mrs. Brenda for some juice boxes?" They nod and Sadie takes Emma's hand running off. I hear him get up but my arms cover my face to block the light. "Love what's wrong?" I huff. "Don't talk I'm trying to, for the first time in awhile, relax." He sits down sliding my shoes off to rub my feet. "Have you had a long day?" I remove my arms from my face. "I've had a long life Jackie. Listen it's great and all that you are who you always wanted to be but what if I'm not. Sure I always wanted to be a mom but I was so caught up with making your dreams come true I forgot about my own." He watches me carefully. "Are you saying you don't want to be apart of this anymore?" I shake my head. "No no Jackie I love you. I've devoted my life to this family but that's just it a stay at home mom. That's all I'll ever be. That's not what I dreamed of Jackie. But I'm rambling. It's not like we can change it now." I slide my shoes back on pecking his lips. "I'll gather the kids and head back home. I'll see you for dinner."

He stands pulling me into him before kissing me harshly. "Baby I'm so sorry..." I shake my head tears pooling as I flatten out his shirt. "You go manage your company. Don't worry about me. I'm not going anywhere. I'm think lasagna for dinner." He just nods slightly. I hum turning away to head for the door.

He stops me again though. "Baby girl?" I hum. "I love you." I smile. "I love you too Jackie." I step out finding the girls just outside. "Come on girls daddy has to finish working and we get to go home and make lasagna." I scoop Emma up taking Sadie's hand. "Does that mean we can go to the store?" I nod. "We need to. You can pick one thing each and it can't be lunchables okay?" They nod sipping on there juice boxes as the elevator doors close.

*

"Guys I'm home!" "Daddy!" I hear simultaneously. "Hey daddy missed you guys so much!" He says rolling around on the floor with them. "We missed you too!" I set the table and he steps in loosening his tie. He looked very handsome in his attire I couldn't lie. "Hey baby." He says pecking my cheek. "Hey. How was work?" He hums. "Hard but I loved every minute of it." I check the lasagna and garlic bread that's in the oven. "Lucky for you dinner won't be done until after you change." He takes a sip of his water that he retrieved from the fridge.

"Listen I..." "Mommy?" Emma says tugging on my ankle. I pick her up. "Yes dear?" I spilt juice on my pants. I fake a smile. "That's okay. Let's get you changed okay?" I look up at him. "Get changed yeah?" He nods softly as I step off. I get Emma cleaned up and I set the plates for dinner. Once Jackson comes down I call the kids and we eat exchanging small talk. Once dinner is over I clean up while Jackson sets the girls up to do their homework together in the living room. "Hey..." he says snaking his arms around me as I place the dishes in the dishwasher. "Hey." I say simply.

He wedges his head in my neck. "If this is your way of asking for sex tonight than okay." He looks at me simply. "What?" I huff. "It's part of being a housewife right?" He turns me to him some. "We really need to talk." "Mommy I need help!" I tap his chest. "Maybe later." I dry my hands heading over to help the kids. As I'm helping them I see him frown softly at me and I just stare back before turning my attention back to the kids. Once everything's put up and the kids homework is finished they head off to Sadie's room to watch movies together. If it wasn't for the age difference you'd think they were twins. I head into the bedroom pulling my hair into a pony tail watching Jackson step out from the bathroom. "Teagan do you have a minute?" I hum softly flipping through the tv channels when he snatches the remote from me. "Oh is it that time. Okay well let me at least get ready." He grabs my wrist as I go to get up. "Dammit Teagan I'm not forcing you to have sex with me and I'm not forcing you to stay and live this life you hate so much! I tried my hardest to get where I am which I could not have done without you! I thought I was doing right by you! I'm sorry Teagan! I'm so sorry you aren't happy but you know just as well as I do that I have never forced you into sex and I at every waking moment try my hardest for you! For gods sake we were supposed to get married!" I huff tears forming in my eyes.

"Were Jackie! Were! It's been six years and everyone just assumes your screwing the secretary! That thought hurts enough but what also hurts is everyday your out doing whatever you please and I'm stuck here smothered by the years of crap I've been swallowing to get you where you are!" He scuffs. "So now I'm a cheater?! Really Teagan?! People lie because the truth isn't pleasing enough for them! People called you a whore for years and I never once believed them! So now I'm a horrible fiancée because of some stupid rumor?! Or maybe it's because I never married you like I promise?! News flash Teagan I never once took that ring off my finger! That was you!" I slap him. "Screw you!" I throw the ring at him. "Keep your broken promises with someone else!" I say letting the tears pour down my face.

He huffs. "Teagan I didn't mean that..." I sit on the bed balling. "So now I'm a whore because I've given you everything?! Because I barely get to see you some days so I get a little insecure?! Because some nights I fall asleep hugging your pillow because I don't want to be alone while you work through the night?!" "Teagan..." I wipe my eyes standing. "No Jackie I'm sorry you wasted your time." He grabs my wrist pulling me into him. "I want to waste every second of my life with you baby. Do not apologize. I'm sorry. You are my world." I cry into him softly. "I miss you so much sometimes. I call you sometimes when you've been away awhile so I can hear your voice even if it's just your voicemail." He kisses me softly wiping my face. "Hey I'm here. I'm here baby girl. I'll take some days off easy. Done." I smile. "It's not that simple Jackie." He huffs. "What do you want baby?" I shake my head. "You've given enough." I step past him. "Let's get married baby." I stop softly. "What?" He pulls me back to him. "Yeah I'll take some time off. You can plan it. We can honeymoon and everything. May even go for a long relaxing honeymoon?" I look up at him. "You know this doesn't fix anything right Jackson? I mean it's great it makes me happy but when it's over I'm back in the same boat. I can't let you pay for that distraction only for it to fade a week later." He presses his nose to mine. "Then tell me how I can fix it." He says more seductive than anything.

"I can hire you as my secretary but let's be honest who could get work down with you parading around?" I smile. "Jackie I told you. I didn't want to be that girl that just sat back and let you enjoy life and have all the fun while I took care of the kids and kept my pretty little mouth shut." He smirks touching my lips. "You know I love that pretty little mouth open." I huff rolling my eyes. "Jackson..." He sighs. "Sorry sorry. You're right baby what would you like to do then?" I bat my eyes. "Can I do anything Jackie?" He nods. "Anything baby." I smile. "Can I tell you a story?" He sits pulling me down into his lap. I open my mouth and he holds up his hand sliding my ring back onto my finger. "Okay. Go ahead." I hum. "When I was little me and Zane had this dog. His name was Sage and he was a rescue. Ever since the day we saved him when me and Zane found a dog in trouble we would bring him home and dad would take us to the shelter to drop him or her off. It became this big thing. I've always wanted to keep it alive." He smiles. "Baby I'd love to open you up an animal shelter but I think you need a vet degree for that." I pout. "But you don't need one to open a farm. We can buy some land and keep your rescued animals out there. We can find them homes and it would be the same thing. I think it's something that I will happily look in to on my days off." I hum. "You meant that taking time off?" He nods. "Yes baby. I am the owner." I smile softly. "And we really are getting married?" He hums. "Whenever you say ready."

I press my nose to his. "And you aren't screwing the secretary?" He press his lips to mine gripping my hips. "When your my wife why would I?" I hum. "You have been very busy lately Jackie." He hums. "If I'm too busy for you than I'm way too busy for anyone else. You and the kids come first." He kiss me. "You know what though? I'm not busy now. And I could use a little mommy daddy time." I look at my phone seeing the kids passed out in Sadie's bed. "Lucky for you handsome the kids are passed out. So you may just get exactly that." He moves me in his lap so it's easier for me to press my lips to his. "I love you more than life some days baby." I hum. "I know how you feel Jackie. Trust me." He smiles reattaching his lips to mine. "Is this how all our arguments are going to end?" I smile. "You're complaining?" He shakes his head. "Simply asking." I hum. "What can I say? You make me weak." I state softly. "You have no idea baby girl. None at all." He whisper before pulling me to fall back with him on the bed as he reattaches our lips softly.

Enjoy!