Alone This Holiday

I sat on the couch in the living room, watching the driveway for any car to pull into it. I didn't know if Anna would be in her brother's car with him, or be in her own car, but either way the thought of seeing her made my heart beat faster, and my stomach fill with butterflies. I was holding Zack and Connah while Riley and Daniel slept, then once they were both asleep they joined their siblings in the nursery.

By two in the afternoon, I was starting to worry, they were supposed to be here by noon, yet they weren't here. Scotty trudged into the living room, a blank look on his face, he took a seat next to me and looked at Zack.

"What're you doing?" I asked him, as he just sat there, he didn't answer. "Scotty?"

"What's a divorce and why're you and Mum getting one?" My eyes widened, he wasn't supposed to find out about all of this, not yet.

"Jimmy was talking about it to Leana. So what is it?"

"Um, I'll tell you later, okay?" He shook his head. "Scotty it's hard to explain,"

"But Dad, I want to know,"

"Not now - look your mother's here now," I smiled, her and Zacky pulled into the driveway, but instantly my smile faded. She and I aren't a couple anymore, she's just the mother to my kids. I put Connah and Zack back to their beds as they were asleep, and carried a wide awake Aedan out to his mother as she hugged Scotty close.

The first thing I noticed was that her light brown hair that I adored was now black, and instead of going to her lower back, now was only just past her shoulders. She looked to be, and her eyes were hollow, like there was nobody in there anymore, like she wasn't someone I knew.

"Hi," She muttered. I passed her Aedan, turned around and went to the kitchen to where I stood waiting for something to happen. I didn't know what I was waiting for, just something. "How've you been?"

I spun around quickly, and saw Zacky standing there, arms folded, and a look on his face that made me nervous. "I've been, um, alright, I guess. What about you?"

"I've been fine. Where are the others?" I pointed to the open nursery with my head, watching him go in there, followed by Anna who just walked straight past me.

"Anna?" She turned to face me, but not making eye contact. "You, um, look nice,"

Rolling her eyes, she just went to the nursey. Suddenly I felt as though my heart was on fire, and I knew I was about to cry for the hundreth time that day.

"Daddy okay?" Aedan asked, as he stood infront of me. I scooped him up and cuddled him close, he giggled and placed a kiss on my cheek. "Love you," He said, making me smile.

"At least someone does," I said, in a small voice. Aedan looked into my eyes, and wiped away a tear that I didn't know had escaped.

Anna emerged a few minutes later holding Riley, who was awake, and looking up at her mother. Without a sound she left the house, put Riley in the car, and before I knew it, all my kids but Aedan were in the car, ready to be taken away from me.

"Anna, you can't just stroll in here, and take them," I pointed out, she shook her head and laughed.

"Well I am, aren't I. So bad luck," This was a breaking point for me, she was taking my kids and I couldn't do anything about it. She held her arms out to take Aedan, but my son held on tightly to my shirt and kept on saying 'dada' over and over. "C'mon, Aedan," She cooed, but he didn't want to move.

"Anna, just let him stay here," I suggested. "Please?"

"No, he's coming with me," Soon Aedan was screaming, he really didn't want to leave, but Anna took him anyway, despite my pleas for him to stay.

"When can I see them again?" I asked, choking on my own sobs. "Anna?"

"I'm not sure," Then she was gone, my house was empty.

"I'm going to Johnny's," I mumbled, getting my car keys and leaving, not bothering to lock my house up. There wasn't anything anyone could steal, everything I cared about had just left.