Exposure

EX:15

Chapter 15

Angie's Perspective

"Good decisions come from experience. Experience comes from making bad decisions."-Mark Twain

•••••

RUNNING water and soap bubbles filled the tub as I folded up a towel and washrag. As I was placing the towel next to the tub I witnessed Jamal's feet running back and forth throughout the hallways. This little boy could never sit still. I turned off the water walking out of the bathroom to find him.

"Jamal stop running before you fall and hurt yourself."

"It's okay mommy I'm not going to fall."

"What did I just say? Matter of fact come in the bathroom and sit on the toilet while I finish running your bathwater."

He sighed stopping his actions following me back into the bathroom.

As I started running the water again Jeremy came into the bathroom handing Jamal a few toys for him to play with when he takes his bath. We had both decided that it would be a good idea to spend the whole day with the kids, especially Jamal. He had been acting out recently which only meant he desired attention. Jeremy wanted the family day to be at his house, so this was actually my first time over here since our separation.

I stopped the water making sure the tub was filled with enough colorful bubbles to entertain Jamal before drying my hands. Jamal threw the toys into the tub after jumping for joy, he always got excited about the smallest things.

"Alright, Mal remember to scrub yourself good and don't stay in the tub too long daydreaming and stuff."

"Yes, I know mommy I won't!"

Jeremy and I left out the bathroom closing the door behind us giving Jamal some privacy. I followed him downstairs to go sit in the living room. Things had been super awkward between us considering the last time we actually were around one another involved conflict, but when was it not like that?

Being in this house was bringing back so many memories both negative and positive, but I wanted each one of them to disappear.

"I already changed Jayla's diaper, she's becoming a little less fussy." Jeremy brought up sitting down next to me on the leather sofa set.

"That's good, thank you."

There was a long moment of quietness because neither one of us knew what exactly to say.

"So I was thinking about taking Jamal and Jayla to do something fun today, like to an entertainment center or a theme park," Jeremy said.

"Yeah that's a good idea, he'll like that."

As Jeremy looked around trying to occupy his eyes with something other than me I took the time to bring up another subject matter that had crossed my mind briefly.

"I apologize for the way I acted a few weeks ago, you were only trying to be a concerned and caring father and I degraded your character... like I always do."

When he jumped down my throat a few weeks ago about Jamal almost burning down my condo I had no choice but to snap, especially when it involved my parenting skills. I was doing the best I could so he offended me, but I shouldn't have reacted so fast. I was trying to work on having mature discussions with Jeremy instead of arguing but that rarely happened.