What He Left Behind [edition 1]

What He Left Behind - Six

Chapter Six

He Was The Mistake

          "Goodmorning, Max!" Suri screamed as she rushed past his legs and toward Chester. I smiled as I watched her tackle the dog to the ground and giggle in joy. I stole a glance toward the kitchen and saw Elzbeth stirring something at the stove. 

          "Hey." I said to Max, avoiding eye contact. 

          "What's wrong, Kat?" He asked blocking the way into the house. I just shook my head, causing him to groan in frustration. "Look, Kitty Kat, I know that look in your eyes. You won't even take a second to smile at me. Come on, what?" 

          I gripped his shirt and pulled him out the door, shutting it behind us. I looked him straight in the eyes, letting the pain show on my face. By the way Elzbeth was acting - fast movements, happy humming - I knew they had sex last night despite my warning to Max yesterday. 

          "Kat..." He said, slowly, knowing what I was thinking. 

          "You didn't listen to me, did you?" I snapped and he sighed, looking at the sky for awhile before his gaze returned to mine. 

          "Let me explain, Kat." He pleaded and I crossed my arms, staring at the wall behind him. I didn't want to hear his excuses, but I was actually a bit curious of why he decided to do it with her. I told him she didn't love him and all she wanted was sex, and I would never lie to him. 

          "Why should I, Max?" I asked, my voice raising slightly. "Look, I give you this advice so you don't make mistakes like I made. So you don't end up being a father at such a young age!" 

          "M-mommy?" I heard a small whimper from the door and looked up to see Suri standing there with tears in her eyes. I immediately knew she heard me say I made a mistake and felt so much guilt at that very moment that I crumbled inside. 

          "Ladybug..." I whispered, not being able to be any louder in my tone and words. I watched her small face as she walked up behind Max before clutching his hand.

          "I'm... A m-mist-take?" She asked and I felt a pange of pain soar through my body. 

          "Oh, no..." I mumbled and held my arms open, "Ladybug, please... Come by mommy so she can explain what she meant... Please, sweetheart." 

          She rushed up to me and swung her small arms up and around my neck. Burying her face in my hair, I shot Max a go-away look and he nodded before heading into the house. I moved to the stairs and sat down on the second one, craddling Suri in my arms. 

          "Ladybug, you were not a mistake, do you hear me?" I asked and she shook her head "yes". Continuing on, I placed her on my knee and she gazed into my eyes. "Sweetheart, you really weren't the mistake. I know mommy shouldn't bash your dad in front of you - especially at such a young age - but he was the mistake. You weren't." 

          "Wh-" She whispered before I cut her off with my gentle words. 

          "If I had the chance, I would've waited a few more years and found someone as amazing as Max and had you with someone like him." This made a small smile spread across her face, and my own crept to my lips. 

          "Max is pretty cool..." She said, trailing off with his sentence. 

          "Ladybug, I am so sorry you had to hear mommy say that..." I whispered to her and hugged her close to my chest. She gripped my shirt and sniffled, whipping her nose with the hem of my shirt. I didn't care, she was upset and it was my fault.