Like We Used To (Book 1)

28. You can't change the way you feel, but you can't tell me this isn't real.

A few weeks later.

Mandy’s POV

I lied in my bed thinking over and over again about mine and Alisha’s conversation. I knew that she was right, but was I honestly ready to leave this life to be the one to walk away from everything.

Brian wasn’t the one that I was concerned about it was Joel and Jimmy and everyone else that had been so great to us. Everything was slowly falling apart, but Alisha was right this was not the life for us, and it definitely wasn’t a good environment to raise Robin.

What was I to do? I couldn’t convince Alisha not to go, if this was really what she wanted then there was no stopping her. She had done it before and I knew that she would do it again.

Alisha’s POV

I had gotten up early to get myself ready before Robin woke up. I didn’t know how I was going to tell Joel that I wasn’t cut out for this life with him.

I refused to ask him to give it up.  I just didn’t know who he was anymore. He was trying so hard to be the guy I fell in love. The boy with a dream from Maryland, but he wasn’t anymore and I think I was finally able to accept that.

Once I was ready and had Robin dressed for the day, I went downstairs to make Joel his favorite breakfast.

A few minutes later I heard him come down the stairs and into the kitchen. He picked Robin up out of her high chair.

“Hey Babe. What are you making?” I smiled and tried to hide the fact that something was wrong, which was very difficult with him.

“Your favorite!” He smiled. “French toast?”

I nodded and continued to make a bunch of food.

“What’s all the food for? Looks like you’re ready to feed an army?”

I shook my head. “You know I am always prepared. The guys always come over here in the morning.”

Not even a second after I said that the doorbell rang. “Are you psychic or something?” Joel laughed.

God, things were going to perfect today for my liking. I wanted it to be easy for me to leave. Pack up and get on a plane, but he wasn’t going to make this easy. None of them were.

I just had to keep the smile on my face and hope for the best. No one could know that something was wrong.

After everyone had showed up I served breakfast. Today was probably the last one that we would all spend together. I didn’t know if Joel would be able to forgive me for what I was going to do tonight. I looked around at my family and wondered how this could be, how I got here. Everyone seemed happy.

I noticed Tal and Mandy were acting a little too comfortable with each other around us. I was sincerely hoping that I was seeing things because Tal and Mandy together wasn’t going to go down with everyone else. Especially not Matt.

Joel’s POV

I sat in silence while the rest of my family joked around and had a fun time. I looked over at Alisha and she was doing the same as me, but the expression on her face made me think there was something else going on behind those beautiful brown eyes, then I noticed her and Mandy exchange a worried glance at each other.

Deciding not to let it bother me for now, I continued to have breakfast.

Mandy’s POV

Linz and Billy had offered to clean up after breakfast and everyone else went out to the pool.

I noticed Alisha rush upstairs with the baby and I went after her.

I walked in to Baby Robin’s nursery to find Alisha already packing. I stopped her. “Ali, you can’t do this now.”

“Mandy I have to do this now.”

“Why? Alisha. Why do you have to do it now when everyone is here?” She looked at me so broken up.

“Because if I don’t, I won’t.” And with that I let her go.

I started helping her when I heard someone come up the stairs and of all people it had to be Joel and Jimmy.

Alisha’s POV

I turned around to see Joel standing there as confused as ever.

“Ali what are you doing?”

“Joel. I’m sorry. I need to do this, I have to do this.”

“I’m confused. Do what exactly?”