A Place of Hope and No Pain

Chloe's POV

"So what did you stuff the turkey with?" Drew asked, sitting at the table, watching me.

"My own." I told him, peering in the oven.

"Why didn't you use Mom's recipe?" He went on and I rolled my eye's.

"Because I have my own." And it was way better than his Mother's.

"How long has it been on for?" He asked me.

"An hour or so." I muttered.

"Well don't over cook it." He told me. "You always over cook it."

And here we go again. Thanksgiving and Drew and Harper had been here for half an hour and already we falling into the same old routine, Drew criticises everything I do and I want to get drunk.

I hated this day, so much already. Drew was being an ass and Matt was off having a lovely family lunch with his fucking wife. What a great fucking day.

"Harper?" I called out. "Do you want to help me with potato's?"

I listened as she ran in, followed closely by Lucy. "Can I?" She asked me.

"Of course." I told her smiling.

"Is that a good idea Chloe?" Drew piped up. "I mean she's a little young to be cooking."

"Well." I snapped, turning to look at him. "It's my house so we are doing things by my rules."

He looked at me with wide eye's, taking a sip of his wine. "Okay, geez."

And that was the other thing, he had alcohol. Honestly I couldn't believe he'd actually brought alcohol with him.

"Are you sure you don't want a glass?" He asked, smiling. "One won't hurt."

God he was just so clueless. One would hurt, it would hurt a lot, because right now I just wanted to grab the bottle and chug the whole lot down.

"I don't want one." I hissed, turning to help Harper.

Finally everything was ready and the three of us sat down to eat. I was doing my best not to think about Matt's cosy fucking lunch, but the more the day wore on, the more pissed I felt. His family was just fucking rude, there was no other explanation for it.

"It's a bit dry." Drew whined, eating.

I rolled my eye's. Of course it was a bit dry, as if anything I did was ever good enough for him.

"Harper." He snapped. "Sit up straight and get your elbow's off the table."

I looked at him. God he just couldn't help it, honestly.

"Harper." I said smiling at her. "You can slump if you want and I don't even care if you put your elbows in the potato's."

"Chloe." Drew snapped frowning and I glared at him, daring him to say something else.

Harper giggled, but she did what I said and I enjoyed, enjoyed watching her defy her father and enjoyed watching him have a stroke.

Finally we finished eating and I sat back, surveying the mess.

"Dessert?" I asked Drew and Harper, happy to see they looked stuffed.

"I cannot fit another thing in." Harper groaned, rubbing her tummy.

"Me neither." I giggled at her.

"I know." Drew said, looking at us. "Why don't we go for a walk down to the park at the end of the street and then when we get back we can have dessert and clean up?"

"Yes." Harper said laughing and I smiled, it was the smartest thing he'd said all day.

We got up, put on our jacket's and started the walk to the park.

Harper ran in front of us, walking Lucy of course. As if we could have gone to the park without Lucy.

"She's growing up fast." Drew said softly as we walked.

I nodded, she was growing up fast and I'd missed so much of it. "She is."

"Yeah." He mumbled. "I'm sorry." He muttered quickly and I didn't reply, I knew that was the best apology I'd ever get out of him and for now it would do.

We arrived at the park and while I pushed Harper on the swing's Lucy ran around, sniffing everything while Drew sat down watching us.

I'd like to say it was horrible, but honestly, it wasn't, Drew was actually being nice for once.

"Look at me Daddy." Harper cried out on the swing.

"Don't go too high." Drew said, getting up and walking over to us.

She just laughed and I couldn't help but laugh at her laugh, it was just so beautiful.

"You know." Drew said softly, reaching out and tugging on my hand. "We were pretty good together Chloe."

I couldn't help it, I threw my head back and laughed. "You have got to be joking." I laughed. "Drew we were horrible together, destructive."

"Yeah but we made Harper." He murmured and he was right, she was the only good thing to come out of our marriage.

"We did." I murmured, watching her.

"We did." He whispered.

We stayed at the park for awhile and by the time we got home everyone was ready for dessert, so we sat down, eating and talking and then the two of them helped me clean up.

"Well I better go." Drew said once the dishwasher had started. "Lover boy will be here soon."

I looked at him, rolling my eye's. "Don't."

He shrugged. "I can't help it." He said smiling. "I'm jealous."

"Go." I laughed and he kissed my cheek before heading to the door.

"Be good tonight." He told Harper. "And I'll see you tomorrow."

We stood at the door, waving as he left.

"So when is Matt coming?" Harper asked me as we got comfy on the couch, watching a movie.

"Soon I guess." And I assumed it would be soon, he said he was coming for dinner.

"Good." She giggled. "I like Matt."

I knew she liked Matt and I liked that, the fact that they got on so well.

So we sat there, Harper snoozing on my lap, waiting for Matt. We waited and we waited and we waited.

"I guess I should get us some dinner." I eventually told Harper, when it got pretty late.

"What about Matt?" She asked me, following me into the kitchen.

"He must be running late." I mumbled, glancing at my phone. There were no messages from him, nothing.

"What's he doing?" She asked me, sitting at the table.

"Having Thanksgiving with his family." And his wife, but I didn't add that.

"Aren't we his family?" My daughter asked me and I felt like crying, I really did.

I shrugged, quickly wiping my face. What could I say to that?

We ended up eating, just Harper and I and as the night wore on I kept checking my phone, but still no messages.

"Well I missed him." Harper said as we both climbed into my bed, snuggling with each other. "I'm sad I didn't see him today."

"Me too." I whispered, closing my eye's and kissing her forehead.

He hadn't shown up, he just didn't come. I guessed he was having to much fun with his family to give us a second thought.