the coach

i don't love you anymore, maria

prologue

"Mama, a bed time story?"

Maria looked down, smiling softly as she watched her son turn in his small car shaped bed to face her. His dark hair was brushed neatly out of his face and he had a wide smile across his small little face. Maria chuckled, kneeling down next to his bed and running her finger through his hair, "Noah, it's a little to late for a bed time story."

Noah sat up in his bed, his small hands reaching out to cup his mother's face and he tilted his head, squeezing his eyes shut, "Please!"

Maria chuckled, nodding her head, "You naughty little boy, get back into your bed."

Noah giggled, crawling back under his iron-man-themed blanket and watched as his mother tucked him into bed again. Shaking her head, Maria stood up and pulled one of Noah's favorite books from the shelves before going to kneel next to her son's bed again.

"You'll sleep after this, won't you?"

"Si!"

Maria smiled, chooing before she leant down and kissed Noah's forehead. Before she leaned back and opened the book, starting to slowly read in a soft voice. One she knew would lull Noah into sleep. She listened to his breathing, hearing it slowen and smiled, closing the book when she saw Noah was out cold. Chuckling, she placed the book on his nightstand and kissed his head one last time before closing his bedroom door and making her way towards her bedroom.

But she froze in the doorway when she saw her husband packing his clothes in suitcases. "Honey, what's going on?"

Lucas's head snapped up at the sound of his wife's voice and he started packing faster, "I'm leaving."

Maria's heart dropped and she quickly made her way over towards her husband, "What do you mean, leaving? Is it a business trip?"

Lucas ignored her, picking all his clothes up from the shelves in his cupboard and placing them untidily in his bag. Maria didn't know when she had started crying but her cheeks were wet and she couldn't see Lucas clearly.

She knew it wasn't a business trip, he was leaving her, leaving his son.

"I can't anymore, Maria. I'm not happy."

Maria's heart dropped, "B-But what about Noah? You can't leave, Lucas!"

Lucas shook his head, zipping up his suit case and pushing past Maria towards the door, "You'll look after him."

Maria ran after him, "Just let me now why you're leaving. Why are you leaving, Lucas? Is it me? Did I do something wrong? Just please—"

Lucas turned towards his wife, "Maria, shut up! I'm leaving and I don't need to tell you fucking why!"

Maria shook her head, sobbing into her hands, "Is it because of my weight? You know I've been struggling after I gave birth to Noah—"

Lucas scoffed, "He was born five years ago! You can't use that excuse anymore!"

Maria flinched, shaking her head before reaching out, trying to reach for her husband, "Please don't go, Lucas. We—we won't survive..." Maria hiccuped, a sob escaping her, "I don't work, Lucas. I'll lose the house—"

Lucas sighed, pulling out of Maria's arms, "I—I don't love you anymore, Maria."

The world seemed to stop, her cry chocking her as she gasped. Her chest started to burn, the pain too much to handle, "You can leave me, Lucas but please, don't leave Noah."

Lucas shook his head, "I can't be here, this place is suffocating—"

Maria suddenly stood up, her hands clenching at her sides, "You found someone else, didn't you?! The late nights at work! Why you refuse to touch me! You're always busy the weekends too!"

Lucas's eyes widened and he immediately shook his head but Maria knew. "Why, Lucas?" Maria sobbed, pushing her hands into her eyes, hoping the tears would stop following.

"Why do you have to leave Noah?"

Lucas bowed his head, moving to say something when they both heard a soft voice, "Mama? Papa?"

Noah was standing at the edge of the hallway, watching as his mother and father argued. Or, as his mother cried and screamed.

Lucas bit at his lip, "Come here, son."

Noah shook his head, running towards Maria who couldn't stop weeping into the palm of her hand. Looking down at Noah, Maria decided that maybe they were better off without him. He was barely there for Noah growing up even when they lived in the same house.

Raising her head, Maria cleared her throat, "Just go."

Lucas's head snapped up, slightly surprised and moved to leave when Maria stepped forward, "He still needs you."

Lucas ignored his wife, looking down at Noah one last time before he left. Maria couldn't move for a while, her body numb before she looked down at Noah and picked him. Holding him closely towards her, "Why don't you sleep with mommy, tonight?"

Noah smiled, nodding his head. Laying his head down on Maria's shoulder, he whispered, "Where did daddy go?"

"I don't know, baby. But I'm sure he'll come back to you."

Noah nodded, hoping he would too.