Starting Over

Chapter 4- The Meltdown

Chapter 4- The Meltdown

It’s been a couple of days since I got the lectures from Bridget, Jason, and Momma. Things have gone rather smoothly. I’ve been spending a lot of time at the studio recording my new album, but I’ve been home in the evenings with the kids and Bridget. Our normal evening routine puts all of us getting home around the same time. I typically sit down with the Kenzie and work on homework while Bridget gets supper started. I try to cook at least every other day, just to give Bridget a break. Today is a little different. Bridget had a bad day at school and it seems like I can’t do anything right. While I was helping Kenzie I was doing something wrong and Bridget just went off on me.

“Just let me help her. Go watch after the boys,” Bridget yelled.

“I can figure this out. Just give me a minute,” I responded.

“Luke, just go on. I’ll just help her myself,” Bridget said in an aggravated tone.

“Bridge, you have got to let me help. You can’t do everything by yourself. I’m here. I am trying to step up. Would you just fucking let me?” I questioned her.

“Kenzie, go in the other room. I need to talk to Luke,” Bridget told Kenzie. She got up from the dining room table and went down to the basement.

“Bridge, just because you had a bad day don’t mean you have to take it out on me. I’m done with you treating me like shit. Kenzie isn’t even my kid, but sit here every night and help her with her homework,” I exclaimed.

“Then fucking don’t. I never asked you to do that. You took it upon yourself to do that. All I asked was that you keep an eye on the boys,” she explained.

“What is your deal? I enjoy helping you in any way I can. You’ve been rude and ungrateful since you walked through that door this afternoon. That’s not the person you are, nor have ever been. So, would you just tell me what the hell your deal is already,” I demanded.

Evidently I struck a cord with Bridget. She is staring at me with a look on her face as if I just called her out on all her dirty laundry in front God and everyone. Oh my! She’s crying. I’m not prepared for this. I must have really upset her. I haven’t seen her cry, but a few times and they were all over the loss of someone. I don’t know what to do. Do I go up to her? Hold her? Tell her it will be ok? Do I dare ask if I made her cry? She’s shuffling her feet as she leaned up against the wall. She never does that.

“Luke, it’s been crazy today. Cole and I broke up. I have no clue if I’m going to be able to go home for Thanksgiving. Or even Christmas for that matter,” Bridget said as she slide down the wall and laid her head down on her knees.

I slowly walk over to her and sit down next to her. I laid my hand upon her back and gently rubbed it in a circular motion. It’s what momma always did when I was feeling down and somehow it always made things seem just a little bit better.

“Bridge, you can go home. I can handle things here. Go be with your family,” I softly told Bridget.

“No I can’t. Luke, you’re not ready to be left alone with the boys. You don’t have their schedule down yet. Everything has to go precisely according to schedule or everything goes crazy. Bo won’t even hardly go to you. He is getting to know you again. That’s going to take time. Besides, your mom would kill me if I left the kids with you for a week or more,” Bridget said as she fought back the tears.

“We’ll just have to figure out something then,” I said as I pulled her into my arms. I have no clue what we can do, but I have to make this better. I can’t think of anything right now. I just want to make her feel better. What can I do to make this better? Bridget crying was so hard. To see someone who is so strong and brave to completely break is something that has always killed me. That’s it. It’s the answer to everything.