Too Broken to Love

9

The next morning after breakfast I sat all the kids down in the living room to explain the separation.
"Hey guys, so daddy is okay, but he's not going to live with us anymore." I explained trying to figure out how I was going to answer questions.

"So will we ever see him again?" Anna asked
"Yes baby, I just don't know when right now. Me and daddy will have to talk about it when we have the time" smiled at her. A part of me desperately hoped we would be able to remain civil for them, but I knew that right now civil was not an option.

"So what are we going to do when you're at work?" Jacob asked.
"Well Bailey is going to watch you, and maybe Uncle Zac can help you build a treehouse here?" I replied.
"Can Mr Spencer help too?" Anna asked
"Yeah can he?" Riley smiled
"I'm not sure guys." I said hesitantly.
Their faces dropped.
"But I can ask him." I smiled as they smiled back up at me.

They quickly went back upstairs and got ready for school. Riley was the first to come back down and I could tell by his face that he had questions.
"Riley baby what's wrong?"
"Dad's never coming back is he?"
"No baby. But listen everything is going to be just fine. Things are just going to be a little strange at first."
"Does that mean I can't have a party for my birthday anymore?" he asked.
"Of course you still get a party! I tell you what, when you get home from school we can plan it out and fill out invitations! You only turn 8 once!"
"Can I have a water party with a big slide?" he asked, a look of excitement in his eyes.
"I'll see what I can do okay?" I replied.

I would have to go back to work soon just to pay the bills let alone afford a giant water slide.
"You're the best!" he smiled hugging me tightly.
"You're welcome now go get your shoes on and get your brother and sister, we need to leave."

Riley left the kitchen and before long we were on the way to the school. The drop off took longer than usual because I had to go into the schools and explain that Chris was not to pick them up from school from now on. The Resource officer being a personal friend from the department assured me that he would make sure that he would call if anyone other than myself or bailey picked them up.

I then returned home and cleaned up a little, throwing some laundry in the wash, putting away some of the kids clothes, and loading the dishwasher. It was strange being home alone, the silence would have been welcomed under normal circumstances but today it just made me crave human interaction. I sat on the couch when the doorbell rang.

It made me jump and when I looked through the peephole there was no one there. Cautiously I opened the door and looked around. No one was there but when i looked down there was a wrapped box and bouquet of sunflowers mixed with pink roses. I picked them up and walked into the house setting them on the kitchen counter as I sat on the kitchen barstool.

There was no note on the flowers, so I decided to unwrap the box. Inside the box was a rose gold bracelet. I turned it around in my fingers and noticed it had been engraved. 'Live happily, laugh often, love with all you have - S'. I ran my fingers over the shiny inscription in the metal and slipped it onto my wrist as my phone began ringing.

"Hello?"
"How is the most beautiful woman on the planet today?" Spencers playful voice came over the phone.
"Its going great, I got an unexpected gift this morning, but they didn't leave a note?" I teased, knowing that it was from him.
"No note huh? Strange." He replied.
"Yeah I guess it must be a secret admirer?"
"Could be, or maybe you just didn't check under the lid of the box? " He laughed.

Instantly I turned over the lid of the box the bracelet was in and sure enough there was a message. 'Dinner tonight?"
"Spencer I would love too but I don't have a babysitter, and even if I did I really need to be here for the kids right now, I haven't seen them since I told them about Chris this morning and I want to make sure they are taking it okay." I explained.
"Averleigh," He chuckled "I would love to take you out, but I meant what I said, we can take this as fast or slow as you want. I was actually offering to come and make dinner for you and the kids."
"Spencer I don't .. "
"Listen they already know me as your friend now, so think of it as a friend making dinner for a friend and her kids because they are all going through a rough time okay? No funny business, just dinner and company." He stated.