The Workaholic

Chapter 2

"Have you gone Christmas shopping yet?" asked Sophia as she ate opposite Karen, who looked gloomy for a while now.

"No, but I promised to take the kids this weekend though," she replied tiredly, sighing deeply.

"You're not feeling too festive, are you?" she asked already knowing the answer.

"Not really. I haven't seen Eric in a week," she replied. "he came back on Saturday, but he wasn't really there, you know?" she sighed defeatedly, giving Sophia a 'the weight of the world is on my shoulders' look despite herself.

"Yeah, unfortunately," said Sophia, frowning at the state this man was putting her best friend in.

It was similar to how she was a few years back.

Karen sighed deeply, knowing exactly what was going on in Sophia's mind. "I just wish he was here." she lamented.

"I know. I hate to say it, but you need to talk things out," said Sophia, making Karen want to sigh again at the thought of talking to her husband, who was unapproachable even when he was right in front of her.

"I know, I know," she replied, waving her hand around as a sign to just drop the topic.

She was too tired to talk about this.

Dragging herself out of the staff restroom and back to work, Karen went on with her usual routine until it was time to leave work.

About time; she was drained.

At home sometime after the kids went to bed, Karen was waiting up late for Eric hoping he'd come home.

Seeing midnight pass, Karen grew very tired and frustrated.

"Again!?" she snapped standing from the sofa. "I stay up every night for this idiot and nothing!" she raged, storming over to the food that had grown cold on the dinner table. "I cook for him, clean, and raise his kids! What does he think I am!?" she continued to rage, ready to just pack up the food and head to their cold, spacious bed.

Staying here wouldn't change anything anyway.

Just as she was about to pack up and go to bed, Eric passed the door alerting her.

"Hey," he said, setting down his briefcase on the living room coffee table.

"You're back?" she asked, shocked to see her husband.

"Yeah, is that a problem?" he asked, not understanding her confusion about him returning to his home.

"No, you just haven't been around lately. I was beginning to think that you had forgotten us," she admitted, walking over to him.

"What? Babe, no way would I forget about you and my beloved kids," he reassured hugging her.

"Right," she said unconvinced as she hugged him back.

"What's with that tone? Don't believe me?" he asked, his face buried in her neck as he inhaled her familiar scent.

"Oh no, I do, I'm just tired, I'm going to bed," she replied, her tone bitter and unsincere.

Moving out of his grasp, Karen left to go to their room.

She felt defeated. Even with him back, there was a distance she felt she couldn't fix.

Is this how it's going to go? she wondered depressed as she headed upstairs. Are we just going to drift apart like my parents did? Is the family we promised to build together just going to fall apart?" she wondered now laying down, her back to the door.

Realising that thinking about it just made her feel worse, Karen closed her eyes and went to sleep.

Two days later, Eric had dropped off the map again.

"Mom, what do you think we should get Dad?" asked Carla, who was looking through magazines for gift ideas.

"I don't know honey, it's up to you; just pick something from the heart."

"Is he even going to be there?" asked Annabelle with a hint of bitterness attached to her question.

"Of course he is. He's your father, he wouldn't miss it for the world," she reassured, desperately trying also to convince herself of that fact, since she herself began to doubt.

"Really? Cause he didn't stay last year." she reminded, looking up from her magazines to search her mother's expression for the truth.

Annabelle knew by now that their mother never spoke ill of their father in front of them or even argued with him in their presence. She did everything to try to maintain whatever good image they had of him even if it hurt her more in the process.

"This time will be different, trust me," she reassured again, giving her daughters her iconic smile.

"Alright," said Annabelle, knowing not to push her mother, especially not on this sensitive subject.

Having convinced them, Karen's heart tightened; she felt horrible for making promises she probably couldn't even keep.

Coming home from shopping, the girls ran upstairs to wrap their gifts while Karen sat downstairs thinking of solutions before Eric passed the front door.

"I'm back!" he shouted as he passed the door.

"Hey," greeted Karen from the sofa.

Eric put down his stuff and kissed Karen on the forehead before he sat next to her.

"You'll be here for Christmas, right?" she asked as soon as he sat, her gaze on the TV as she anticipated his reply with fear.

"Yeah, of course. Why would you ask that?" he asked confused.

Karen gave him a look. "Because your daughter asked," she replied, wondering if he was asking because he really didn't know or because he simply didn't realise the weight of his actions. "you left halfway through the day last year saying it was too important, so that's why I'm asking."

Eric felt somewhat guilty and took a moment to answer. "Look, I'm sorry about last year," he said trying to soothe her. "I promised to make it up to you guys and I will, so don't worry," he reassured giving her a sincere look.

Karen sighed and looked back at the TV. "Alright. I hope you're right because Christmas is in a week." she reminded making him sweat slightly.

"As I said; it'll be fine." he insisted, placing a hand on hers.

"Okay," she said, getting up to go to the kitchen and begin cooking. She had no desire to feel his touch right now. "well the girls will be happy to have you here for dinner," she added, her back turned to him as she washed some vegetables.

"Where are they?" he asked, settling in front of the TV comfortably.

"Upstairs wrapping presents," she replied. "you should go take a shower; you must be exhausted."

"Yeah I am," he said, getting up.

Leaving Karen to her cooking, Eric went to shower and for the first time in a while, they all sat down as a happy family around the dinner table.