The Way We Were

The Way We Divorce

Thirteen year old Mercedes Jones was no fool but she could get as confused as the best of them. As she and her siblings stood in the kitchen, watching their father stare into the refrigerator, she was confused pure and simple. "Daddy? What are you doing?"

Marcus started and shut the doors to the refrigerator. "Do you want to go out for dinner?"

Marc Jones was his father's son and knew his father better than most sixteen year olds knew their dads. Something was going on. "Dad? What's up? Where's Momma?"

"We should go out." Marcus nodded.

"Is it because of me?" Marcy's voice was small.

"Sweetpea." He looked at her in pain.

"It is, isn't it? She told you and now you hate me!" She burst into tears and ran upstairs.

Marc and Mercedes were in total shock. Marcy wasn't one for tears so this was out of the ordinary.

Marcus sighed. "Princess? Will you get her down? We'll go to Breadstix and I'll reassure her that I don't hate her."

"I'll go." Mercedes was totally blown away but she went upstairs to do it.

Marc stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked at his father. "What's going on, Dad? Really?"

Marcus sighed. "We'll talk over dinner."

"Is it bad?"

"It's new."

"It's bad." Marc knew.

Marcus sighed again. "It's bad. Go get your things on."

Marc walked out, wondering how bad it really was.

W.W.W.

Marcus looked over his children eating quietly and decided now was the time to do this. "Your mother and I are getting a divorce."

Forks clattered to the table in shock.

"Why?" Mercedes asked.

"How?" Marc asked.

"Is it because of me?" Marcy asked.

"Yes and no." Marcus wiped his mouth on his napkin. "Your mother and I have different views on raising children. Mine is humane and hers is... completely crazy."

His children stared at him like an alien. "Huh?"

"Sweetpea, do you know what sociopathy is?"

Marcy looked down. "I don't know."

"I think you do." He stared at her.

"Momma says I can't talk about it. That the doctors are the devil at work."

Marcus breathed through his nose. "Which is why she's staying at a hotel right now."

"I don't understand." Mercedes freely admitted. "What's going on? What's sociopathy?"

"It's a disease. One of the four your sister has. It's not her fault but she's going to need help. It's a sickness. And while we're helping her, I want you and your brother to get help as well."

"We're sick?" Her eyes widened.

"You might be. You'll have to be tested."

"Is that the crazy?" She whispered. "Momma says it's the devil trying to recruit you to hell."

Marcus rubbed his temples. That woman ruined his children. "That is not true. Mental illness can be caused by genetics, trauma or a chemical makeup in your brain. I know because my mother has chronic depression."