R5 Imagine Journal

Ross Imagine - Parenthood

“Ross, where’s Luke?”

“Hmm?” Ross failed to even look up.

“LUKE! Where is he?” Ross finally looked up from the guitar he was strumming at.

“Oh, he went to the library with some friends.” Ross said nonchalantly. You rolled your eyes.

“Ross, Luke was grounded!” Ross shrugged. He always did this, he always undermined you as a parent.

“I don’t see think it was that big of a deal. You grounded him because of his bad grades, he went to the library to study.” Ross suggested. You groaned.

“Yea, sure he did. He probably went to that concert.” You complained.

“What’s wrong with that?”

“ARE YOU SERIOUS? DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND THE DEFINITION OF GROUNDED?” You loved Ross to death you really did, but sometimes he could just be so irresponsible. This year would be you and Ross’s 15th anniversary. You had three kids Luke 14, Erin 10, and Bella 3. When you were first married you were as happy as a couple could get. When you found out you were pregnant you were even happier. Then it came to raising the kids. You and Ross definitely had your differences when it came to raising your children. It seemed you always had to play good-cop bad-cop with him. You would put Bella in a time out, and Ross would take her right back out. You would tell Erin she couldn’t watch a graphic movie, and Ross would watch it with her. Then the latest feat. Luke was failing science, and you grounded him until he got his grades up, then Ross just goes and tells him he can go out with his friends. You also started arguing a lot more. You and Ross found everything to argue about. Sometimes it was just so frustrating.

“I’m just saying, I mean it’s not like he really did anything wrong. We’re restricting him from the wonders of music, just because he got a bad grade.”

“Ugh! Ross I know you are obsessed with music and think that everything in the world revolves around it, but what you’ve never actually gone to a real school.” He cut you off.

“Yea and look how that turned out for me.”

“EVERYBODY IS NOT LIKE YOU!” you started to raise your voice. Ross was getting on your nerves. He was actually very intelligent, he thrived on the subjects of physics, and science but instead he decided to pursue his musical dream. He didn’t see bad grades as a bad thing because they never mattered for him. “YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE SUCESSFUL DOESN’T MEAN HE WILL BE! He needs a future!”

Just then the door slammed. You rushed to the front of the house to see what was probably Luke coming in. When you made it to foyer your suspicions were confirmed.

“Where have you been?” you asked sternly. Luke looked up at you.

“Oh…you’re awake.” He spoke. He seemed a little sheepish with that fact that he had just been caught.

“Yes I’m awake! Where have you been?”

“Geez, chill mom! Dad said I could go to the library.” Luke picked up his care free, and lack of discipline attitude from his dad.

“Did your dad know you were grounded?”

“Well I figured-”

“You figured you could manipulate your father into letting you go out. The library closed at 7 o’clock, its 9 where have you been since then.” You hated arguing with the kids but since Ross took absolutely no parental responsibility it was all left to you. Ross came into the foyer, and stood next to you.

“Luke, go upstairs I want to talk to your mom.”

“And give me your phone.” You added. Luke scowled at you, but he took the blue iPhone out of his coat pocket and handed it to you.

“WHY CAN’T YOU BE COOL LIKE DAD!” he yelled, and stomped up the stairs.

“Thanks Ross you know I was trying to discipline him, since you clearly can’t do it!”

“Discipline! That’s all you do! No wonder why they always come to me, you never have any fun with them!”

“What do you mean they always come to you?”

“Last week Erin’s career day!”

“Oh please Ross, I’m sure any kid is going to go to their singer/movie star father!”

“Well what about when Bella is crying. Most little girls want their mom’s when they’re upset. She comes to me every time!”

“WELL IF YOU THINK YOU’RE SUCH A GOOD PARENT THEN WHY DON’T YOU SLEEP ON THE COUCH? YOU CLEARLY DON’T NEED ME!” You heard a loud crying noise to your left. You looked as your little girl Bella who had tears in her eyes came running down the stairs.

“DADDDDDY!” she yelled. Ross swung her up into his arms. She cried onto his shoulder.

“What’s wrong princess?” he asked.

“Why are you and Mommy yelling? Don’t you love each other?” She whined. You heart broke over the worriedness in her voice. Over the past week you, and Ross had been fighting quite a bit, and apparently she noticed. You looked at Ross, who was trying to calm your little girl down.

“Oh pumpkin don’t cry. When mommy’s and daddy’s fight it doesn’t mean they don’t love each other. Erin and Luke fight all the time and they still love each other don’t they.” She nodded her little head, and stopped crying.

“yea.” She mumbled in her sweet, soft little voice.

“Now me, and mommy love you very much, okay. Go play” Ross told her, and set her down on the steps. She made her way up the steps, to go back to her room. Ross was really good with her, he was with all the children. Bella adored him, Erin looked up to him, and Luke took after her.

“You know she really loves you Ross.” You admitted. He smiled.

“I guess.” After a few seconds you could see he was about to walk away.

“Wait Ross, I’m sorry.” You sighed. “Sometimes I get so worried, and uptight I forget it’s okay to have fun. I was being too hard on them.”

“No I’m sorry. I was wrong to undermine you. We should work together not against each other.” He stepped in closer and wrapped his hands around your waist. “Babe, I don’t want to fight anymore.” You reached up, and subtly placed your arms around his neck.

“Me either. And plus I don’t think I could spend the night without you. I love you, Ross” He grinned.

"I love you too." He reached in to place his lips onto yours. A moment into the kiss you heard a “ewwww” and some gigglingcome from above. You broke away and looked up to see Bella peeking down the stairs at you.

“Hey little girl.” You called to her. She giggled louder, and tried to hide behind the railing.

“Go get in bed, I’ll come read you a story.” Bella, cheered, and you heard the pitter patter of her footsteps run off into her room. Ross turned his gaze back to you, and smiled. He brought his lips just an inch away from yours.

“Now, where were we?”