Fall

Goodbye 23

As promised we were on our way to the Lents house for dinner before my flight to New York. I wore some sweats and a hoodie to dinner since I would be on a plane after. Justin has been in a funky mood since this morning. It's probably because I'm leaving for a month but he will be okay. Justin slowly drove into the driveway of the Lents house and we both hopped out. I went to the back and took Elisa out of her car seat. Justin waited for us as I took her hand and walked over to him.
"Babe?" I questioned. He looked down at me.
"Mmh?"
"You good?"
"I'm fine and I wish you would stop asking me that," he snapped. I looked at him and nodded walking straight to the front door. I rang the bell and waited for someone to answer. A women opened the door with a warm and welcoming smile.
"Oh my goodness come in!" she welcomed us into the home.
"Justin's it's so good to see you," she gave him a hug. She reached over to me and hugged me.
"I'm Laura, and you must be Isabella,"
"You can call me Bella," I returned the smile. Laura bent down to Elisa and hugged her.
"You must be Elisabeth,"
"Yes," She said shyly. Laura directed us into the house and we sat in the living room.
"Let me go get Carl and check on dinner," she said before jogging away. I smiled as I watched her disappear. I looked over to my husband who looked like this was the last thing he wants to do.
"Justin you've got anything you want to get off your chest?" I asked. He just looked at me then looked away.
"Snap at me again like that in front of our daughter and you're gonna find yourself sleeping alone for a very long time," I whispered to him. He scoffed and played in his phone. Carl and Laura had just walked back into the living room.
"Justin my man!" Carl hugged Justin. He came over to me and kissed my cheek. Bending down to Bella he picked her up.
"I have some people for you to meet," he said to her.
"Really!" She replied. He nodded as he called his children down to the steps. Two girls and a boy appeared before us.
"Bella, Elisabeth meet Ava, Charlie, and Roman," he introduced. I smiled at them and gave them a hug.
"Dinner will be ready in a few Bella would you mind helping me in the kitchen," Laura asked.
"Yea sure,"
"Char and Ava take Elisa with you guys," she instructed her kids.
"Justin my man come talk to me," Carl said patting him on his back as he lead him down the hall. Laura guided me to the kitchen and I sat down at the bar as she poured a glass of wine for herself and I. She slid the glass over to me. I accepted the glass and sipped from it. She looked at me as I slowly placed the glass on the counter top.
"What's going on with you and Justin? I heard you guys arguing outside on the porch," she got straight to the point. I sighed and looked back up at her.
"Justin's upset because I'm leaving to New York for a month. What I'm trying to explain to him is that it's for work. I don't have an option, this isn't some vacation away from him," I tell her. She nodded her head.
"I get it and you're right! This whole marriage thing is hard when you're held accountable for someone else's feelings and emotions. The time apart is healthy though because when you guys are constantly together you can kind of step on each other's toes and you'll argue over everything. I'm sure Carl is in there talking to Justin about it right now. But I can say this Carl has been saying that since this whole arrangement he has seen a change in Justin. The way he carries himself is different. His smile is different," she said. I couldn't help but smile. Laura took the chicken out of the oven.
"Come help me set the table she handed me the forks and knives. I helped her arrange the food and silverware onto the table. Once we were finished she pressed the button on the intercom informing her family dinner was ready. A few minutes later Elisa came running into the kitchen with Ava and Charlie.
"Did you girls wash your hands?" Laura asked.
"Yes," Charlie answered for them. They sat down at the table. Laura and I took a seat as we waited for the guys to come join us. From the corner of my eyes I could see Carl coming out of the room with Justin who sniffled and wiped his eyes. He had been crying and that made my heart hurt. Once they finally reached everyone's view they stopped. Roman made his way to the table and sat down next to his sisters.
"Bella," Carl got my attention. I looked up at him and over to Justin who looked everywhere but at me.
"Bella would you mind coming with us for a few minutes Justin has something he would like to say," I nodded and got up.
"Make it quick honey, dinner is out on the table ," his wife said. He nodded as I walked behind them to his office. Once we were inside of the office I leaned against Carl's desk and stared at my sneakers.
"Justin," Carl edged. I heard him sniffle one more time before clearing his throat. He walked over to me.
"You know I love you right?" He asked and I nodded my head.
"I'm so afraid that you are going to leave me. I know legally we have to be together. But I'm scared you'll fall out of love with me. Like one day you'll just decide you don't want to deal with my shit anymore. I'm scared when you leave that you'll realize that life is easier or better without me. A month will make you see that I come with too much drama or spotlight and you'll just want things to go back to being an arrangement," my heart hurt hearing him say those words. Why did he think I would give up on him so easy? I took his hands and brought him to me. I looked up at him and I looked into his eyes.
"Justin Drew Bieber I am completely and utterly in love with you. I promise you that no matter how hard it gets I'm not leaving you. You're the only man I want to be with. I gave you my virginity and so now I'm bonded to you. I know me kissing Micheal now has made you insecure and I'll take full responsibility for that. I'm so sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry for even giving you a reason to doubt me. I'm not going anywhere. I want to raise our children together and love you and them for the rest of my life. Even when our contract runs out," I tell him I hugged him tight.
"I told you that you were being paranoid," Carl laughed at Justin. I laughed with him too and kissed my husband.
"Now let's go before my wife comes down here and we don't want that," I grabbed Justin's hands and we walked to the dinner table. I sat down and Justin set beside me.
"Daddy are you crying?" Elisa asked Justin.
"I'm going to miss you and mommy while you're gone," he told her. She got up from her chair and sat in his lap and hugged him.
"I'm gonna miss you too, but when we get back we're gonna hang out all day everyday," she kissed him and went back to her seat. We prayed over the food and enjoyed dinner.

After dinner Justin made his way to the airport with us. Jay was meeting us at the airport. Justin Elisa and I sat in the airport parking lot. It was quiet for a few minutes before Elisa broke the silence with tears. Justin held her in his arms and kissed her forehead.
"What's wrong baby?" I asked. I rubbed her head.
"I don't want to go," she sobbed.
"You want to stay here with daddy?" I asked her and she nodded her head. I looked at Justin.
"You can stay with daddy," I tell her and she lights up with excitement.
"But who's gonna stay with mommy?" He asked her.
"Uncle jay and aunt Ming," she said.
"It's fine she can stay, whenever you can't have her you can take her to my family's house and she can be with them," I say. I was a little upset on the inside but I didn't want to show it. Jay had arrived meaning it was time to get on the plane.
"Well Jay is here," I sigh. Justin leaned over and tongued me down.
"I'm gonna miss you so much," he said
"I'm gonna miss you to baby," I tell him. My eyes were getting glossy as tears threatened to spill. I bend down to kiss my baby girl.
"I love you mommy," she hugged me and kissed my cheek. I pouted looking at the two of them. I stepped out of the car and looked back and they waved at me through the window. I waved back and stepped onto the plane. I watched Justin reverse out of the parking lot.
"No bitch you will not be a sad bitch with me," Jay laughed sitting next to me on the plane. I smirked knowing this month away would be long.