When It's Over

12

Jewel slid off of the bed, Jeston's snoring rang in her ear drums as she placed the duvet over his sleeping body, his father on the other side of him.

A smile graced her lips, and the book on parenting said her fifteen year old would never sleep in bed next to her from the moment he turned eleven.

Well they were wrong.

She knew this week was a lot on him mentally. She slid her feet into her slippers and tiptoed down the staircase.

She needed some time for herself before she reverted back to the role of mother and wife.

She turned on her coffee machine and sat on the barstool in front of her counter.

This week had been a lot to digest and she was still trying to comprehend it all. After celebrating eighteen years of marriage, her husband walked out on their family.

She no longer knew how to feel where it concerned their marriage.

Where did he go?

Did she still trust him?

Did she still want to be with him?

They had not even spoken and Jewel already knew that because of the two tiny humans upstairs, she couldn't just walk out of this marriage.

Her phone rang and as Jewel saw the number, she placed the device to her ear as she made herself some coffee.

"Hello."

"You've avoided me all week, ignored my text messages and my calls and then I see you last night and I can't even say hi?"

Ryan didn't even wait a minute before he drilled her, but he was right, after their last conversation, the last thing the man deserved was to be ghosted, but Jewel knew she had to do what was best for her family.

She unlocked their back door and stepped out onto the patio.

"Ryan you know I value your friendship and I value the kind of person you are. But we can't be friends."

The phone went silent as she said those words.

"Is this what he wants or what you want?"

"This is what is necessary for my kids. I can't keep arguing with their father over you."

A sigh escaped his lips.

"Because I care I'm going to respect what you want Jewel. But the moment I see you're not happy, this conversation is null and void."

Jewel ended the call before entering her home. Carlos was standing in front of the counter, his eyes on her.

They had not spoken since they both returned home and Jewel didn't have the energy to argue with the man. He'd won, she'd cut ties with Ryan.

"The kids are afraid that we're going to get a divorce."

He said causing her to pause in her tracks.

"Well you did say you were only with me so that Ryan couldn't get me."

She retorted as she walked to their pantry and got started on breakfast.

The silence was one she wanted. She still had not cooled down from their last argument.

"Jewel I was angry and upset. I didn't mean that."

She turned to look at him, her eyes cut into slits at the man.

"You packed a bag and left Carlos, how am I ever supposed to trust you? Who were you even with?"

"I stayed at Shawn's."