One Shots + More

Living With the Walker Boys

My Entry

What if Rob had hit Mason?

Emma's Point of View

Prologue

Have you ever felt hollow? Empty even? Yeah, well that's how I felt when I walked in and saw my husband slap my son across the face. Yes, of course I screamed. We fought. Then we came upon a compromise. Divorce. Telling our seven sons and Zoe about such a compromise was. . . tough. Quite nearly impossible. Though we accomplished this feat. Though, from the coldness in my family's eyes, I'm not quite sure they'll ever forgive me for it.

-_-

The seat beneath me was cold. Actually, quite freezing. No matter my attempts, I could not prevent myself from shivering, out of both fear and cold. A thin baby blue sweater was wrapped around my slim shoulders. I wore a pair of loose fitting white and periwinkle plaid shorts. My shirt was once a dark purple, but is now weathered to a pale shade of periwinkle. I was quite aware of how poor my choice in clothing for such a day was. I looked like a grandma, which I was hoping that I wouldn't be any time soon. My seven sons, Mason, Chase, Carson, Ethan, James, Joseph, and Cody, and Zoe sat in the stands. My lawyer, Ms. Alice Crowe, sat by my side. She wore a tight fitting black pencil skirt around her thin waist. A rather puffy yellow covered her top half. Her dark brown hair was done into a tight bun on the top of her head. Her eyes were scanning her notes carefully. "It's alright, Emma. The children are almost yours," said Alice.

I nodded. "Oh, God, I hope I gain custody over them."

Alice narrowed her pale blue eyes at me. "Emma, you could easily win custody over them if you told the police about Rob's. . . actions. It's child abuse. The bruise on Mason's face proves so."

I sighed quietly. "I just couldn't do that to Rob," I whispered. "We're not actually d- d-" I couldn't get the word out. It would make it all seem too real. "I'm still his wife," I whispered.

Alice's eyes looked over me disapprovingly. "Do you really want to do this, Emma? You don't really seem all for it. Maybe this whole divorce idea was simply a 'in the heat of the moment' situation. Maybe the anger and tension got to you?"

"You sound like Lizzi, my therapist. I went to her for about a week after I saw Rob slap Mason, but I need to do this. I can't live with a child abuser." Tears pricked my eyes. "Oh, God, not more tears." Alice patted my back gently. Her eyes were softer now. I turned slightly. Immediately I spotted Zoe fiery red hair that stood out against the rest of my family's black and brown hair. She was looking at me with a sad expression that looked so unnatural on her pretty face. She rubbed Mason's back in a calming circular motion. Her head was placed on Mason's shoulder. Mason's eyes were fixed on the back of Rob's head. That night he had screamed at Rob repeatedly for both making me cry and slapping him. Every time he looked at Rob his hand twitched, as if he was silently wishing to slap him in return.

"It's going to be okay," said Alice quietly.

"Recess is now finished," announced Judge Arthur Morris. "Ms. Crowe, please come and. . ." Yes, I kind of lost interest and began to think. . .

Thoughts of the day I met Rob for the first time invaded my mind -

He was handsome. With his perfect dark hair and his gorgeous hazel eyes, I fell in love. I was in a small cafe near the section of the mall that sold my line of clothing. He was sitting a mere two tables away from me. My eyes wandered to his face continuously throughout the time I was there. Carefully I peeked over the top of my fashion magazine from time to time to get a glimpse of him. A poster board shaped and designed to look like a life-size me was place at the entrance of the cafe.