Forgotten Sweethearts - Bestseller

Chapter Two

I spent most of the morning in a pissed off mood. How dare he kiss me like that and then accuse me of such things? When the hell did I have time to go out and cheat? He really knew how to get beneath my skin and irk me off.

Dropping the kids off at school, I went in with each of them and helped them put their bags away. I dreaded the day they told me to stay in the car. I loved to see their new artwork and creations. I asked about Noah starting soccer, and his teacher gave me the form to fill out for him to do so. Sad truth but I felt as if I was my happiest here with them.

Once I came home, it was silent and empty.

Mornings were spent cleaning and tidying up. I hung out the load of washing that was put on after I woke, gave the place a vacuum and started working on dinner. A loaf of bread was in the oven to go with tonight's dinner. Brody wouldn't be here, so the kids and I were having bolognese, a usual family favourite. I didn't use jars of sauce. It was true authentic Italian cooking in our home.

The kids often liked helping in the kitchen, Lila mostly as Noah just preferred to lick the bowls and beaters. Usually, by the time Brody did return home from work, I was exhausted from running around. I'd always be on my feet, cleaning up and running errands. I did have my days fairly easy at times, so I couldn't complain too much. I wasn't the one paying the bills. That was Brody, and he never once had asked me to go back to work and help.

He worked long hours, and early on, we had agreed that I would finish work once we started our family and take care of things at home. We didn't want them in and out of childcare or with another family. My mama always offered, and sometimes, I took her up on that. But most of the time, I was the one taking care of them.

Noah and Lila were both eager to change from their school uniforms as I pulled into the driveway of the home. They were unclipping their belts and racing to get in the house first. Clicking my fingers as they raced off, I called out, "Back and get your bags please."

"But mama, can't you carry it?" Noah groaned, turning back with dragging feet.

I laughed, ruffling his hair as I carried the bag of groceries in my other. "You're old enough, and all you have to do is put it in the kitchen for me."

"Yeah, Noah, be a good girl like me," Lila teased, always teasing her older brother.

Noah's frown deepened. "I am a boy."

"You're crying like a girl," she taunted some more.

"Enough. Bags in the kitchen now. Lila, leave him alone. You don't like it when he teased you," I reminded.

God forbid, these two could actually get along for one day without fighting or teasing each other. We took a different route with our parenting and never once smacked. We did have time out for which they had to sit and not move until they were feeling happy again. It worked for us, and the chair was very rarely used.

Heading outside, I grabbed the clothes basket and began to unpeg the dry clothing from the line as the kids rode around on their bikes, chasing each other and racing. Oh, to be a child again with no worries of anything other than losing a race.

They ate their dinner hungrily, making a mess. I could complain about that, but I was just happy they were eating everything given to them. Their father, on the other hand, couldn't cook without setting alarms off. We played hide and seek and then they sleepily went to bed. It was the same every night, a story read then kisses goodnight before I went back to the never ending pile of washing.

I heard Brody coming inside around 10 PM. I was ironing when he walked inside, smelling of booze. "Kids in bed?"

"Yes." I didn't bother to look at him. He'd been drinking, and I just wasn't up for this tonight.