Our Roots SAMPLE

Chapter Two- Shut Up

Mia

"For WXTV, I'm Mia Masterson. Have a good evening, Atlantic City."

"And....we're out. Good job, Mia," my producer, Alice, says pulling her headset around her neck.

"Thanks, Al. I'll see you tomorrow," I tell her as I start towards my dressing room.

"Oh, I meant to ask you; are you still interested in the ESPN job?"

I look down and try to think of a quick response. Heck yeah is what I want to say, but I'm in no position to move to New York and take on a job like that right now. I shake my head. "Things are still crazy at home. I'd love to, but I just...I-"

"Mia, the sitter just called. Torrance is a no show again," my assistant, Carmella, says.

I mumble a few profanities under my breath. "Excuse me," I tell Alice as I start back towards my dressing room.

Carmella scurries behind me, going over my schedule for tomorrow, but I can't hear a word she's saying.

Once I make it to my dressing room, I grab my purse from the vanity and slam the drawer shut. I take out my phone to call the sitter, but Carmella holds her hand up to stop me.

"I already took care of it. I told her you'd be there in twenty and I went ahead and ordered take out from Chino's since it's Gabby's favorite."

I'm left with my mouth gaping.

Not only is Carmella the perfect assistant, she's gorgeous. Her family is from Puerto Rico so her skin is naturally a glowing caramel color. She has thick black hair, stunning brown eyes and lips that would make Kylie Jenner jealous. To top it all off, she's genuinely nice.

"Thank you so much. I don't know what I'd do without you," I say after I've finally pulled myself together.

She smiles. "Anytime."

As I'm walking out to my car, I make a note in my phone to do something nice for Carmella. She's been my assistant for six months now and she's managed to learn every detail of my routine. While she was hired for work-related errands, she's branched out to more personal ones lately.

I unlock my car and open the door to get in, but I catch his reflection in the window just before I do. I sigh and slam the door shut.

"What the hell do you want?" I ask, not bothering to turn around.

"You won't answer my calls," he slurs.

Drunk again.

I suck in my anger before I turn around to face him. "Torrance, you didn't pick the kids up, again."

"I know and I'm sorry. I just...forgot."

I laugh sarcastically. "Oh, so you just forgot about the three children you've been living with for the past six years? If it's so easy to do, why don't you just forget about me too? I sure as hell forgot about you."

I turn around to get into my car, but he grabs hold of my arm and jerks me away.  At one time, those intense hazel eyes really did a number on me, but now, they fill me with nothing but rage. I can't remember when I started hating him so much, but now I can't remember what it felt like to love him.

"You did this to me...to us! You chose this fucking job over your family!" he shouts.

"No, Torrance. I'm still home with our kids every single night. You couldn't stop drinking and that's what happened to you and to us."

"I started drinking when you decided you didn't love me anymore. Or don't you remember that?" he asks, stumbling backwards.

A pang of guilt shoots through my heart, but in a second, it's gone. I've managed to repress those feelings over time so I could do what's best for my family. Torrance isn't capable of being a father or a husband and no matter how much I once loved him, I have to accept that. "Torrance, don't. We can't keep having this same argument."