𝒢ℯ𝓉 ℳℯ 𝒪𝓊𝓉

𝟸𝟸.

Justin's POV
"You want to keep it down or put it in a braid babe?" I ask Melanie as I was getting the kids ready for bed. "Braid!" She says excitedly and I begin to brush her hair. "Dad it's your turn," Jackson says as we were playing a long game of tic tac toe. Jackson had created a ten by ten square and we were playing for a little more than it should be with just the nine squares on it.

"Ow," Melanie whines as I accidentally pulled her hair with my arm as I leaned to write the 'x' on a square. "Sorry," I say as I move back and I comb her hair and split it into three parts. "Where's mom?" Melanie says and Jackson says, "yeah, she won't be able to tell us good night." "Mom is at work," I say honestly unsure of where she was.

I have been calling her for a few hours as it was already 8pm. But she won't answer. I guess she is angry about our very heated argument earlier. I know I was still angry about it, obviously. More so just heartbroken. I do want to get a divorce, as any sane person would. I don't think cheating in a relationship is something you consider the ups and downs of it.

You only cheat if you never loved someone. And I can't be married to someone who doesn't love me.

"She'll be home soon," I tell them and they just stay quiet. I was then finished with Melanie's braid, Jackson had won me at the tic tac toe. "Alright, to bed," I say as I put the hair brush away and Jackson crumples up the paper we were using.

I turn off the light and they both go into their own rooms. Starting with Jackson's room, I tuck him in and we tell each other our good nights along with our I love you's. I then go to Melanie's and I do the same with her.

Walking down the hall, I check my phone to see what time it was. It was already going to be 8:30 and still no call back from Ana. I sigh as I assumed she would just be coming home late tonight if that's what she wanted. Luckily I had showered earlier in the afternoon so I just laid in bed to watch some TV to ease my mind about everything.

***

It was now 11pm and I was on like my tenth episode of Rick and Morty. I laugh at the scene of Morty and Rick crying dramatically in a time traveling space ship regretting their recent traveling.

I became thirsty, so I got off of the bed and I went down stairs to go get a glass of water. As I stood in the kitchen drinking from the cup of water, I looked at the family photos we had on our fridge. I then walk over to the living room, I look at the twins first ultra sound photos. The photos Ana and I took while she was still pregnant. Our wedding photos.

Is this what Ana wanted to leave? Leave all this, for one guy?

I blink a few times to get rid of the tears that were to fall from my eyes, but they fell anyways. I bit on my bottom lip to refrain it from wobbling, already causing it to slightly bleed. My nostrils flare and my vision was becoming blurry from the tears. I let go of my lip and I choke on a sob as I eventually fell to my knees as my heart felt like it was torn apart.

"Why?!" I whisper as I felt so alone, I just wanted everything to be okay. But it seemed like no matter what I do, I fuck everything up. I regret reading those papers so I could think she was still in love with me. I'd rather her lie to me and me fall for it, than her tell me the truth and me be heartbroken.

"I'm so sorry," I say at nothing as I stared at our wedding photos. If only we could go back. But what's done is done. It's what she wants. And it seems that I've failed as a husband to always make her happy.