Tearing Love Apart

Amanda's P.O.V.

Today was the day Jim was coming home from his "business trip" in Phoenix. Jake had been over every single day. It started to feel like we had a normal family life and Jim didn't even exist. At one point, Sophia even told me she didn't want her dad to come home because the house was more fun when Jake was here.

"What time is Jim getting back?" Jake asked as we were saying our good bye's in the driveway of my home.

"Seven." I replied, the feeling of anxiety taking over my body.

"Can you promise me you'll try to figure a way out of here? Please?" Jake asked, his eyes pleading with me.

"I'm going to try...I am. If I need anything, I'll call or text you, okay?"

Jake blew out a long, drawn out breath. "Kay. I just worry..."

"I know you do. I do too," I sighed, "I'm going to miss you. Lunch tomorrow?"

Jake nodded, "Of course." He kissed me gently on the lips before wrapping his strong arms around me and hugging me close. I took a deep breath in, just trying to remember his scent.

"I'll text you later, love." He sighed before kissing me on the forehead and climbing into his truck.

"Okay. Bye!" I sighed. I didn't want to see him go. He waved back sadly before pulling out the driveway and leaving.

I walked in the house to find Sophia coloring happily at the counter.

"When's Jake comin' back?" She asked sadly.

"Probably not until Daddy goes away for business again, honey. Daddy wouldn't like me hanging out with Jake." I explained.

"I wish Jake could be here all the time instead of Daddy. He's more fun." She sighed. It broke my heart to hear that. She had just met Jake a week ago and had fallen in love with him just as much as I had. It was true, though. Jake was more fun. He even took Sophia outside and tried helping her ride her bike with no training wheels. Jim probably thought she had already learned how.

A few hours later, Jim stumbled his way into the house. Sophia and I were cuddling on the couch together, peacefully reading a book together.

"Hi, honey." I mustered up, trying to sound happy to see him. I only received a grunt in response. Jim walked into the bedroom to most likely drop all of his clothes on the ground which I would later pick up to wash, dry and fold for him.

"Amanda! What is this?" Jim asked from the bedroom.

"What's what?" I asked.

"Come in here!"

I sighed and closed the book. Sophia looked scared. "Go in your room, okay? If things get bad, you find Jakey's number and call him, okay? Do you know what his name looks like?"

"J-a-k-e." she spelled for me.

"Good job, honey. Go!" I responded, kissing her head.

I walked into the bedroom to find Jim holding a sweatshirt. Jake's sweatshirt he had accidentally left here. My heart dropped to my feet. I had no idea what to do or say.

"Who's is this?"

"Mine. I bought it while you were gone." I lied. He knew I lied, too.

"Looks too big." He said, stepping closer to me.

"Uh-well, uhm, I was going to return it tomorrow."

"Bullshit, Amanda. Who's is it? It's a guys sweatshirt in OUR house! And it's not mine!" He raised his voice. I started getting the same feeling of fear that I always got when he got mad.

Before I could respond, I saw his hand fly back and land on my face roughly. I let out a cry.

"Jim, please, do-" before I could get out another word, he slapped me again.

"Don't talk unless I ask you to! Got it?!"

Tears were flowing down my face as I nodded. He slowly turned around and I knew this was my moment. I dove around him to run out of the room and down the hall. Right as I opened Sophia's door to get her to leave, Jim grabbed my hair. I let out a scream.

"Mommy!" Sophia cried, tears rolling down her face. I didn't say anything, I simply looked at her then looked at the phone, hoping she would take notice.

"Mommy's going to be just fine, sweetheart. Go to bed." Jim ordered.

"Mommy..." She whimpered.

Jim threw me to the ground before stomping into her room. My heart rate quickened.

"I said GO TO BED!" He screamed. Sophia and I both flinched. She slowly crawled into her bed and laid down.

Just as Jim was coming back for me, I heard the front door of the house bust open.

"Police!"

"You called the fucking cops?!" Jim yelled in my face.

"No!" I knew either Sophia did or Jake did. Either way, I was happy.

The cops threw Jim on the ground onto his stomach and cuffed him. I jumped up and ran into Sophia's room. I held her and cried with her.

"It's all going to be okay, baby. I promise. He won't hurt us anymore. Did you call Jakey like I said?" I asked.

The little girl nodded. I watched out of the corner of my eye the cops put Jim in the back of the cop car. One came back to ask us questions.

"Jakey!" Sophia yelled half way through the cops asking me questions. I never felt so relieved to see Jake. He scooped the little girl up and kissed her head.

"You okay, honey?" He asked, inspecting her. She nodded. Jake hugged the two of us, giving us both kisses. "You're okay. Everything's going to be okay."

"Can you go pack her a bag and we can go to your place for now?" I asked.

"Of course. Go do what you need to do and I'll get bags packed," he said, "C'mon, Soph, help me pack stuff."

"What's going to happen with him? Are they going to just let him out?" I asked the cops.

"The only way he'll get out is if he is bailed out. Do you know anybody that would do that?" He asked.

"His friends WOULD, but I doubt they could afford it. I just want to know that my daughter and I will be safe from him." I explained.

"Since you plan on pressing charges, I doubt he will be out anytime soon. Just make sure you show up for court." He said.

After the cops left, I started to help Jake pack our stuff into the back of his car. He carried Sophia out and buckled her into the back seat.

He looked at me and brought me into the biggest hug. "You're safe, honey. You're safe."

I immediately started crying. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"You just met me a few months ago and you've done all this for me. I could never repay you. It just means so much to me." I sniffled.

"That's what you do when you love someone, right? Do anything for em'." He smiled, kissing me.

"You love me?" I asked.

"Mhmm. Got a problem with that?" He chuckled.

I smiled through the tears, "Not at all."

Jake drove Sophia and me back to his house and by the time we got there, Sophia was asleep. Jake gently picked her up and carried her inside. "I wanna sleep with mommy." She murmured, barely waking up.

"Okay, honey," Jake smiled, carrying her into his bedroom and laying her under the blankets, "We'll be in bed in a few minutes."

Sophia fell back asleep right away. Jake and I silently watched her for a few moments.

"I'm exhausted." I sighed.

"Bed?" Jake smiled sweetly.

"Mhmm." I replied.

We both changed and crawled into bed, Sophia sleeping peacefully in between us. This day was a huge roller coaster but this very moment felt like heaven,