Where's My Happily Ever After?

“Mommy? Mom? Jade? Juliette? Mama? Mother? Momma?” Monique rambled, poking the back of my head with each new term. We had been riding in the car in silence until Manny had started having a fit in the backseat. I saw Edwin’s knuckles whitening from gripping the steering wheel too tightly. I sighed, putting an end to her nonsense.

“Yes, sweetie?” I asked, leaning out of the seat to look back at her. I heard Edwin let out a breath of relief.

“Is church everyday?” she asked, grinning from ear to ear.

“It’s only on Sundays,” I murmured, turning around so I could see out of my window.

“Can we go back next Sunday?”

“I don’t think that would be possible, honey.” I felt a pang of guilt, but after that scene we couldn’t go back.

“Why not?” she whined. “Why not? Why not? Why not?” she kept chanting, bouncing in her seat. I bit my tongue, trying not to yell at her. I saw Edwin do the same, but, after her seventeenth time of asking the same thing, Edwin snapped.

“God damn it! Monique, just shut the fuck up!” he hissed, glowering at her. She immediately grew quiet and Edwin focused on the road again.

“Honey, you didn’t need to yell at her,” I mumbled, glancing back at Monique. Her face was in her hands and her shoulders were shaking. She tried to hide it, but she was sniffling and sobbing.

“Don’t start with me,” he snarled, keeping his eyes locked on the road. I gave up and returned my gaze to the window.

“Manny, it’s okay. Daddy’s just PMSing. Do you still want to go ice-skating?” I asked her after a few minutes had passed and she was still crying. I saw her face light up.

“Yes! Yes!” she cheered, all despair gone.

“Babe, take a right here,” I told Eddie, pointing at the road. He grumbled something under his breath, but took the right anyway. We pulled into a rather empty parking lot. “Come on, honey.”

As soon as we stepped out of the car, Monique seized my hand, but refused to take Edwin’s. He seemed a little put off, but just grabbed my free hand. Manny tugged us towards the entrance, squealing in delight and groaning in impatience.

We got our skates (though it took a lot of talking sense into Edwin to make him let me get mine) and headed for the rink. There were only three other people, so Manny took of and jumped onto the ice, sliding away perfectly.

“Has she ever skated?” I whispered to Edwin.

He shook his head. “I don’t think so. I bet you’ll be okay at it.”

Oh, but he was horribly wrong! As soon as I stepped onto the ice, I stumbled and scrambled over to the wall, holding onto it for dear life. Monique and Edwin glided effortlessly over to me.

“Mommy’s a wall-hugger!” Manny taunted, sticking her tongue out at me. I tried to glare, but ended up laughing as she grinned absurdly.

“Oh, shut it!” I joked, reaching out to ruffle her hair. She slid out of reach. “Showoff.”

“Honey, this really isn’t safe for you to be doing,” Edwin murmured as soon as Manny skated to the other side of the rink.

“Oh, it’ll be fine. Loosen up.” I let go off the wall and stood, finding my balance. “See? I’m fine.” I slid forward once and smiled. “I’m getting the hang of it!” I slid once more and again and again until I was skating almost one-eighth as good as Manny. I got a bit to cocky and I cried out as my feet flew in front of me.

“I told you!” Edwin shrieked, catching me right before I fell.

”But I’m fine, aren’t I?”

“You’re done, Jade.”

“No!”

I skated away from him and to the other side, grasping the wall again. People stared at me, but that’s probably because they’d never seen a pregnant klutz embrace a wall before. I started thanking the thing for saving my life and people laughed as they passed me. I rolled my eyes as Edwin started skating over to me. I pushed off the wall and cut across the floor.

All of a sudden I felt something—someone—smack into my right arm and my feet slipped again. I screamed as I felt my butt hit the ice.

“Ice in my pants!” I cried, laughing. Manny came up giggling. I glanced up and saw Edwin staring wide-eyed at me. He saw my smile and his eyes narrowed as he made his way over, a permanent scowl on his face. My grin faded away as Edwin came up to us.

I guess some people didn’t find it so funny...