Sprousehart one shots

Because You Are Never Home!

(Gracie is 7 years old. Cole works from home and Lili is a model but is never home. Cole and Lili are 10 years married.)
Cole's POV
Lili has missed another big event. Gracies 7th birthday. I can't remember the last time she was home for more than 2 weeks. She always says the same thing "I have a shoot or I have a meeting" but because I love her I always said it was okay. When she didn't come home yesterday for Gracies birthday Gracie cried for hours because she missed her mom. She has got to the point we're she doesn't even call Lili mom anymore she just calls her Lili. Every time she cried "I hate Lili" or "nobody loves me" my heart breaks but after about 1 hour and a half of crying it always ended up with us cuddled up in my bed fast asleep. Lili had also missed our 10th wedding anniversary and I was not happy. I have now realised that the next time Lili can't come or just shows up out of the blue I'm talking to her.
26th July- Last day of school.
It was Gracies last day of school and I was waiting for her to come out. When she come out she didn't look happy. She run over to me and I picked her up. She just laid her head on my shoulder.
C: "what wrong love?" I ask worried.
G: "my tummy and my throat hurt and I'm cold" she whispers shivering. I just sigh
C: "oh baby let's get you home!" I say grabbing her school bag. We walk to the car and I place her in her seat and she just looked at me and said
G: "I love you daddy" she smiled. I laughed she was always extremely sweet when she was sick.
C: "I love you too hunny so much" I say kissing her head. I walked round to my seat and we drove home. When we got there she was asleep so I carried her in. When I walked in I saw Lili sitting on the couch. She looks at me and smiles walking over to us. I didn't want her to come near us so I put my hand out and said
C: "stop don't come any closer" I whisper shouted. She just frowns. I sigh when Gracie wakes up. She looks up and sees Lili and whispers in my ear
G: "make her go away, I don't feel good and she makes it worse" I nod and look at Lili.
C: "can you go please go, I'll text you later because we need to talk!" I say seriously.
L: "oh okay" she said nervously walking out the door. I feel Gracie smile in my neck and I laugh
C: "now let's get you some medicine and into bed missy!" I say walking to the kitchen. I grab the medicine and she takes it. We walk to her bedroom but she says
G: "I wanna sleep in your bed daddy." I nod and walk to my room and place her in my bed, I go to her room and grab her some pyjamas. I walk back and she gets changed. I lay beside her and we talk about her day until she falls asleep. I go downstairs and make her so soup for when she wakes up. I take this time to talk to Lili so I text her.
C: you can come now but just nock on the door don't ring the doorbell.
L: okay
I waited a minute and then there was a knock at the door. I walked over and opened it. There she stood smiling. I stepped back so she could walk in. We walk in to the living room. She looks around the room and sighs
L: "I've missed home" I just scoffed, she looked at me
C: "this isn't your home Lili like where was the last time you were here for more than 2 weeks? Or you were here for a special day like birthdays or our wedding anniversary" I say but she just looks at the floor.
C: "sorry let me introduce myself because you probably don't remember who I am, Cole Sprouse supposed to be your husband and the father of your daughter and she is called Gracie Sprouse but she is only your biologically cause your not a mom your a mother Lili. She cried for an hour and a half on her 7th birthday because of you. I had to hear her cry "I hate Lili" or "nobody loves me" and that kills me." I say louder but not shouting. She just looks at me
L: "she calls me Lili?" I look at her
C: "yes and she also hates you and soon enough she won't be the only one that hates you. Like your supposed to be her mother but no Barbra is more of a mother than you are!" I say loudly. She looks at me
L: "who's Barbra?" She questions quietly
C: "oh yah sorry you'll have missed that piece of information. Barbra is Dylan's wife and they have twin girls. Gracie was flower girl and was gorgeous in her dress. You weren't even invited because everyone knew that you won't turn up!" I sigh she just bits her lip nervously
C: "I know your a model and would sometimes have to travel for a shoot but not this often. You lie too because where were you on out 10th wedding anniversary?" I ask knowing that she was out clubbing but she told me she had a shoot. She just looked at me
L: "I told you I had a shoot and I couldn't miss it!" She shouts. I sigh
C: "Lili I have friends that you still let see your private stories and they tell me that your out clubbing and I saw it! You know I'm shocked you haven't filed for a divorce yet because you probably hook up at these clubs. Like Lili tell me when was the last time me and you had an time alone?" I shout now full of anger. She just looks at me.
L: "I don't know" she says
C: "exactly but I do know it was the night of Gracie. So if your remember 7 years ago. Tell me why do you have to be away so much because I miss my wife and my anchor because now every time I have an attack it's always Dylan I have to phone. Gracie cries all the time missing you but hating you at the same time. She doesn't call you mom it's Lili. Lili when was the last time you actually asked us if we were okay because you just show up out of the blue when you want here at my house and because I loved you I let it slip but I'm done with it!" I say loudly because I want to shout but don't because Gracie was asleep. Lili looks at me sadly.
L: "loved? Cole your my fucking husband!" She yelled. I just scoffed
C: "don't yell or swear and yes Lili it is getting to the point were I'm falling out of love because your never home and I never see you. Your supposed to be my wife but when your a wife you be home with your family, you help take care of your children, you care about your husband, you keep in touch with family and you want to meet your nieces. You aren't being a wife Lili you treating us both more like far out family that you only visit every so often. Like how am I supposed to love you when I only see you once every two months!"
L: "because I'm your wife Cole your wife. The person your married 10 years ago!" She yelled. I was about to snap back but I was interrupted by Gracie saying
G: "I don't want to be rude Lili but from the pictures and videos that daddy and grandma Amy have showed me, you are a different person and a person that I don't like and a person that have made me and daddy cry. Uncle Dylan always says "people who make others cry are people that you stay away from because it's better to be happy all the time with out that person than be sad and with that person". Everyone misses my mommy. I do, daddy, grandma, grandpa, Tessy, Chloe, Addy, Chrissy even Dylan. My mommy looks like you. You are her rude, selfish twin. My mommy is kind, funny, caring, pretty and has love for everyone." Lili just looks at her. I think I'm the proudest dad now. She runs over to me and motions me to pick her up. I pick her up and kiss her head.
C: "I'm so proud of you Gracie! Well done baby! But are you okay? How do you feel?" I ask worried she just sighs.
G: "I'm hungry, cold and I want cuddles. I was also thinking we could watch a movie?" She looks at me smiling. I just laugh.
C: "of course we can! How about I heat up some soup, you go grab one of my sweatshirts and a blanket then we can cuddle up and watch a movie?" She nods and jumps out of my arms. Lili is just standing there in awe of the little girl. I just look at her and say
C: "she misses you, well the old you. So do I. You also have missed a lot of moments like this one. I'm going to talk to her about you and if she agrees to it I'm going to give you 2 months to either file for a divorce or get the old Lili back that loves us. You can choose but that's only if Gracie is okay with it." I say walking away. When I'm in the kitchen she comes in and says
L: "if Gracie agrees do I have to quit my job?" I just look at her.
C: "if Gracie agrees, you will have to show me that you aren't going to break our hearts again. You won't have to quit your job if you don't want to but you will have to show us, well me that you aren't always going to be gone. Lili we live in LA there is loads of places for you too get photos taken. Children don't stop your live Lili they begin it, that's something I've learned about being a dad. I've also learned that space definitely does not make the heart grow fonder, well not when your wife is never home. I'm giving you the choice to either get your head out of your ass and start to see what's in front of you which is all the family stuff you've missed and how many people you need to apologise to and appreciate or to file for divorce and live your life the way you are now but just without seeing Gracie and i whenever you want. If you did do that I would bring Gracie up on my own like I have been doing for a while now and we would cut complete contact. Of course I would still let her see your family obviously but the only time I would talk to you is if it was an emergency about Gracie." I say whilst heating the soup. I hear her sigh. I am so scared because I love Lili but I can't keep letting Gracie get hurt because of her. Gracie came walking down the stairs and said.
G: "daddy can we watch frozen?" She asks her eye brows raised. I just sigh playing her soup.
C: "we sure can! Do you want some water with ice or do you want some warm juice?" She pouts as I turn around. I laugh as I see her drowning in my sweatshirt.
G: "can I just have water but with out ice please?" I nod and pour her water. I walk over to the living room and place the things on the coffee table and prop Gracie up on the couch. I take her temperature and she has a small fever so I write it down. I walk over to her and she lays her head on my chest. I turn on frozen and she eats her soup. I text Lili as I don't want Gracie to hear what we are talking about.
C: can we talk over text as I don't want her to hear what we say?
L: yep and she is adorable
C: she sure is, well really I just gotta say that I still love you and I do want you to be a part of Gracies life but I need the old Lili back for that to happen. If you decide to divorce but change please don't take her off me I couldn't live without her. I look up at Lili with pleading eyes. She just shakes her head.
L: I wouldn't dream of it. She couldn't live with out you. Especially when she's sick. She is literally on top of you.
C: Thank you and well she is always like this but I wouldn't have it any other way. I kiss the top of her head, she looks up at me and smiles.
L: when are you going to ask her is she would be okay if old Lili comes back?
C: If you go to the spare bedroom I'll ask her now? I'll text you when to come back in?
L: sure
C: be quiet I don't want her to know you left the room
L: okay. When Lili left the room I paused the movie Gracie looked up at me.
G: "hey mister I was watching that" I laughed
C: "hey missy I need to talk to you" she looks at me.
G: "oh no what did I do?" She laughs so do I.
C: "oh baby you did nothing but i need you to listen okay?" She nods. I take a deep breath
C: "okay well would you be okay if your mom come back? Now I'm just asking cause I'm curious so I don't know if she will but she might! And if she doesn't that's okay because you have me, Dylan, Barbra, your grandparents, Tess, Chloe and all our friends so you have loads of people. If something was to happen that your mommy would come back and live with us all the time would you be okay? I completely understand if not and that's okay but I was just wondering." She looks at me and then at the tv.
G: "would she stay at home like you do?" I think slightly
C: "I'm not sure but she might work or stay? She'll be here more often hopefully though."
G: "would she love me?" I smile sadly.
C: "of course she would everyone loves you!" She smiles
G: "well I think if she got to know me and I liked her yes but if I don't like her I just want it to always be me and you! If she does come home will you go?" She asked nervously. I just looked at her.
C: "oh baby no I'm not going anywhere! And if she does come home I will definitely not love you less. I love you so so much"
G: "I love you too dada! Can we start the movie now?" She asks smiling. I laugh, kiss her head and play the movie. I wait a couple of minutes before texting Lili to come back in.
Lili's POV
After Gracie said all that stuff to me I realised that I have hurt the people I love. I don't even know why I lied so many times and wasn't there for my family. I feel awful. I see how Cole and Gracie get on and it makes me feel worse. They get on so well. Gracie is gorgeous, she has Cole's eyes and his dirty blond hair. She is the girl version of Cole. She has my personality though, well my old personality. I definitely want to change and try to reconnect with my family. When Cole gave me the options I knew what I was doing straight away but he had to check with Gracie first. I am going to quit my job as I have loads of money saved and work on getting my old self back. If it's okay with Gracie I will take a week and fix myself alone and then come back to my family. I know I'll always be a third wheel but it's better than not being a part of her life. When Cole told me to leave the room I wanted to stay so I could hear what he said so I stayed outside the door. When I hear him talking to her I hate myself for leaving them. I sigh of relief when I hear her say if she got to know me. I wait until Cole texts me to come back in. I text him when I'm in.
L: what she say?
C: she'll get to know you so we'll take things slow if you want to stay?
L: okay and yes I still love you both surprisingly. I'm so sorry for what I've done but I want to watch her grow the rest of her life but I will take a week to change and get my old self back and then take it from there. I will be back of course. I'm quitting modelling but I have enough money saved from over the years so I can help you with money.
C: okay
3rd persons POV
Over the next couple of months the family started to grow closer. Gracie started to call Lili mom as Lili had changed back to the old self. Lili met her nieces and Barbra and they all loved each other. The couple never had another child but were happy with Gracie. Lili went back to modelling after a couple of years but only done local shoots.
10 years later- Gracies first breakup.
The family was all sitting on the couch sad for their daughter. Gracie was sitting cuddled into her fathers chest crying over a boy. It broke Cole's heart every time she cried. Lili was sat beside her rubbing her back. A while had passed and she had stopped crying when Cole said
C: "this reminds me of a time before" he says quietly. The family always laughs at the time that Lili was partly out of the picture.
G: "what dad? She says looking at him. He laughs
C: "it was one of the times you were crying because you hated but missed your mom" he said laughing. Gracie giggles and so does Lili.
L: "god that was ages ago!" Lili said shocked.
C: "yah 10 years!" He says
G: "god dad your old now!" She says laughing
C: "Gracie I'm only 44. God that is old!" He said laughing.
G: "I love you dad." She says hugging him.
C: "I love you too sweetie, so much" he said kissing her head. She laughs. Lili sighs
L: "I will always be a third wheel in this family won't I?" She questions laughing.
G: "we love you but yes, yes you will." She says laughing. The rest of the night the family stayed on the couch eating ice cream and helping their baby get through her first breakup.