Father Figure
Nine
The moment the words left my mouth, Vero broke into action.
"Okay, you and t'e boys will come here for tonight. I have our guest rooms all made up. I will put on some tea so when you get here t'e boys can go right to bed and you and I can talk," she rushed out.
I nodded my head even though she could see me. "Thank you, Vero," I whispered out. I could feel the urge to cry finally coming forward. I was so angry with him and so hurt at the same time. "Damnit! It was two years of a relationship and he just threw it away like it was nothing!" I softly exclaimed to her.
"Hey, shhh. Calm down. It's okay. T'is is for t'e better. Just stay collected until you get the boys to sleep and t'en we'll get it all out," she said calmly.
Yet again, I nodded my head. I pursed my lips and looked at the ceiling, hoping my tears would disappear. "Okay. I'm going to feed them dinner and I'll text you for directions afterwards," I told her.
We said goodbye and hung up after that. Three pairs of feet came pounding down the stairs, but stopped short in the kitchen. "Maman?" Kris began softly.
I turned around and plastered a smile on my face. "Oui?" I responded.
They all stared at me for a few seconds. "Where is Joe?" Beau finally asked.
I ran my hand over my jaw. "He, um... Guys why don't you sit down at the table. We'll talk while we eat," I told them. They nodded their heads before lining up at the sink to wash their hands for dinner.
I stirred up the sesame tofu dish I'd made a little before taking it to the table. I put down four plates with forks before going back for drinks. One by one, my sons circled the table to get up into their chairs. I followed their actions after getting four glasses of milk poured.
"Where's Joe at?" Gab asked. Why now of all times were they so curious about him?
I cursed myself softly. Of course. He'd just taken them to see their heroes play a game. They all probably loved him now. "Joe... Boys, mommy and Joe aren't going to get married anymore," I told them gently. I watched their faces carefully for their reactions.
I wanted to roll my eyes when they looked like they'd just been told we were getting a puppy. "Really?" Beau asked so excitedly he almost fell off his chair.
I nodded my head. "Yup. And tonight we're going to have a sleep over," I told them carefully.
Kris's eyes lit up. "With Miss Vero?" he squeaked out.
I smiled finally. "I'll tell you who after you all finish your dinner and we get out stuff packed," I promised.
And just like that, they all were in a rush to get food into their stomachs. I served them their pasta and some for myself. I zoned out of their discussion as I began eating.
Two years. Like it meant nothing. Had I really been that bad to be with? I knew the boys were considered 'baggage' to most men, but I thought Joe had been okay with it. I thought he had accepted the fact that when we got married, he would be getting not only me, but three sons in the process.
I wanted to go curl up in my bed in Seattle, or even better, my bed at home in Nova Scotia. The places that were home to me. The places I felt safe and happy at.
Looking at Beau, Gab, and Kris made me realize I couldn't let this get to me too much. In the grand scheme of things, Joe didn't matter nearly as much as my sons did. So like my mother told me, I would let the insignificant things roll off my back and carry on.
In record time, dinner was over. We all went upstairs to pack for the night. As I looked around our bedroom, I could feel just how impersonal it felt to me. This wasn't where I belonged. It never had been.
"Mom! I'm ready!"
"Me, too!"
"And me, too!"
I laughed to myself. "Okay. Take your bags downstairs and get in the car," I told them.
They all ran off to the car, ready to get their sleepover started.
"Okay, you and t'e boys will come here for tonight. I have our guest rooms all made up. I will put on some tea so when you get here t'e boys can go right to bed and you and I can talk," she rushed out.
I nodded my head even though she could see me. "Thank you, Vero," I whispered out. I could feel the urge to cry finally coming forward. I was so angry with him and so hurt at the same time. "Damnit! It was two years of a relationship and he just threw it away like it was nothing!" I softly exclaimed to her.
"Hey, shhh. Calm down. It's okay. T'is is for t'e better. Just stay collected until you get the boys to sleep and t'en we'll get it all out," she said calmly.
Yet again, I nodded my head. I pursed my lips and looked at the ceiling, hoping my tears would disappear. "Okay. I'm going to feed them dinner and I'll text you for directions afterwards," I told her.
We said goodbye and hung up after that. Three pairs of feet came pounding down the stairs, but stopped short in the kitchen. "Maman?" Kris began softly.
I turned around and plastered a smile on my face. "Oui?" I responded.
They all stared at me for a few seconds. "Where is Joe?" Beau finally asked.
I ran my hand over my jaw. "He, um... Guys why don't you sit down at the table. We'll talk while we eat," I told them. They nodded their heads before lining up at the sink to wash their hands for dinner.
I stirred up the sesame tofu dish I'd made a little before taking it to the table. I put down four plates with forks before going back for drinks. One by one, my sons circled the table to get up into their chairs. I followed their actions after getting four glasses of milk poured.
"Where's Joe at?" Gab asked. Why now of all times were they so curious about him?
I cursed myself softly. Of course. He'd just taken them to see their heroes play a game. They all probably loved him now. "Joe... Boys, mommy and Joe aren't going to get married anymore," I told them gently. I watched their faces carefully for their reactions.
I wanted to roll my eyes when they looked like they'd just been told we were getting a puppy. "Really?" Beau asked so excitedly he almost fell off his chair.
I nodded my head. "Yup. And tonight we're going to have a sleep over," I told them carefully.
Kris's eyes lit up. "With Miss Vero?" he squeaked out.
I smiled finally. "I'll tell you who after you all finish your dinner and we get out stuff packed," I promised.
And just like that, they all were in a rush to get food into their stomachs. I served them their pasta and some for myself. I zoned out of their discussion as I began eating.
Two years. Like it meant nothing. Had I really been that bad to be with? I knew the boys were considered 'baggage' to most men, but I thought Joe had been okay with it. I thought he had accepted the fact that when we got married, he would be getting not only me, but three sons in the process.
I wanted to go curl up in my bed in Seattle, or even better, my bed at home in Nova Scotia. The places that were home to me. The places I felt safe and happy at.
Looking at Beau, Gab, and Kris made me realize I couldn't let this get to me too much. In the grand scheme of things, Joe didn't matter nearly as much as my sons did. So like my mother told me, I would let the insignificant things roll off my back and carry on.
In record time, dinner was over. We all went upstairs to pack for the night. As I looked around our bedroom, I could feel just how impersonal it felt to me. This wasn't where I belonged. It never had been.
"Mom! I'm ready!"
"Me, too!"
"And me, too!"
I laughed to myself. "Okay. Take your bags downstairs and get in the car," I told them.
They all ran off to the car, ready to get their sleepover started.