SHAPES UNSPOKEN

- 16 -

HAPPY READING 🥰

Sean Britto

Annabelle and I have been standing here for the past five minutes looking at each other. Their doubt in her eyes and I didn't like it one bit.

I've said all I could and maybe it's time for action. I held her hand walking us out my room, down the stairs, and into the living room where everyone is. I can feel the tension in the air as Cindy plays with Steph.

Annabelle tense up beside me and it's understandable, but after reassuring her there isn't much more I can say to her. She needs to trust my actions and what I've told her.

"Cindy," I call out to her announcing my presence to her. She looks up at me smiling brightly as if she's happy, then to Annabelle and I intertwined hands. Her expression changes immediately as she takes in the scene in front of her. I know this will be a shock to her. Me moving on and with Annabelle never the less.

Annabelle tries to pull away but I held onto her hands firmly.

Steph rushed over to Annabelle holding her other hand "see mom this is miss Anna, my girlfriend." He smiles happily and contented he has a girlfriend.

I looked down at him, "take miss Anna outside, let me talk to your mom."

"What's wrong daddy," he asks. I stoop down to his level "there nothing wrong buddy, I just want some alone time with your mom. Go play with the kids and enjoy your party spiderman," I ruffle his hair.

I kiss Annabelle close to her lips telling her to excuse me for a moment.

I signal Brian and Jinette to take over for me as I'm ready to handle this situation.

"You ready to talk Cindy" I look directly at her seriousness all over my face. She has a shocked expression on her face as if she didn't expect to see me this way.

"Yes, I'm ready but could we do this after the party." She asks. I wasn't playing I needed this over and done.

"We are not going to do this in front of Steph today. It's better this way he's distracted at the moment." I walk her to my study closing the door. I sit at the edge of my desk offering her a seat. As she takes her seat feelings bubble in me she looks good, but not enough for me to run back to her.

"Sean, I'm ready to work on us," She says quickly. "Coming home to an empty house at the end of the night is lonely." As I listen to her I couldn't put my finger on what I was feeling at this moment. So I sit quietly listening to what she has to say.

"I'm ready to move back, last night when I remember how we would always make breakfast together for Steph on his birthday. I knew my place is home with my family."

"Now you've realized I'm important our family is important," I query.

"That's not true and you know it, Sean."

"What I do know is I was suffocating you and I couldn't for the life of me wrap my brain around it. It was cruel and hurtful, never in the years we were together would I have done that to you."

"Sean, I'm sorry, I hurt you but that wasn't my intention. It wasn't to hurt you or our family."

"Well, you get what you wanted, how's your career going. Did it keep you warm at night? Didn't it full filled all you were missing and desired? Eight good months, no phone call, no message nothing, now your back, and I'm to do what exactly."

"Baby, all I wanted was a career."

"I never stopped you from having one. Cindy all I want at this point is to put all this behind me."

"Sean you were right. I'm sorry for..." I cut her off. "Don't be, you've made your decision now live with it. I've moved on. I know you received the divorce papers. I give you the house and car I bought for you plus two hundred thousand dollars to do as you wish. I've sigh mine and it's with my lawyer, we are waiting on yours."

"Are you going to just throw us away, you know me, I haven't been with anyone since I left."

"I rub my face, I am getting frustrated with her right now "throw us away, really Cindy really," I shout at her. she gets up walking up to me.

"I sidestepped her, I'm not doing this with you. You're the one who broke us up and now we're over. I don't want you to hear it from someone else but Annabelle and I are dating."

"We have still married Sean, you couldn't wait for me."

"Wait! wait on what. Says who, you have the divorce papers that say otherwise."

"I've never looked at another guy in the months I've been away."

"I wasn't looking either but you gave me the freedom to go. Dont act all saint here Cindy you did this. You walk away even when I begged you not to. I put my pride aside and called crying like a wimp all laid out and vulnerable but you spit in my face and said I'm suffocating you. Why the hell do you want that again. I brought nothing to your world you threw me aside like I meant nothing. That can never sit right with me. The worst part is you did it so effortlessly."

"Sean it was never like that I needed some room."

"Well, you've got it, sign the damn papers and send them back to my lawyer that's all I need."

"I will fight for you, I love you always have and always will."

"Where was that love months ago, look Cindy I want us to act civil today the planner worked hard getting everything together, and I don't want a scene. Can we agree on that?"

"Can we talk properly about this when the party is over?"

"Not tonight but I promise we will talk. How did you find where I'm living?."

"I went to the house and maintenance told me, you have a new place."

"I haven't talked to Steph about Annabelle and my relationship. I didn't tell him about us either, we can talk to him together."

I walk up to the door opening it holding it open for her to walk out. We walk out, I close the door behind me. "That would be a good idea," She said.

"Can we meet with the lawyer tomorrow or Monday, when are you going back to Italy?"

We walk together out the front door to where everyone is talking. When we meet the patio she stops placing her hand on my shoulder smiling at me. I didn't want to cause a scene so I didn't respond to it. When I look out at the party Annabelle was looking at us but she looks away continuing to help Jinette packing snacks for the kids. As soon as the party is over I will talk to Annabelle I don't want her thinking Cindy and I made up or anything like that. Her faith in me is already limited and I don't want to add insult to injury. I really hope she doesn't take things the wrong way because I don't know how much more I have left to reassure her.

I walk away from Cindy, heading to Brian and the other dads who were talking.

My mind kept running to Annabelle and I know she can't be comfortable with this situation.

Cindy walks over to Steph and picks him up. It was time to cut the cake we all gather around him. When he was asked who he wants to cut his cake with he chose Annabelle. She declines to say "he should do it with his mom."

After knitting his brows and pouting his lips which caused everyone to laugh. Annabelle finally agrees. My son is only five and he already masters the art of compelling people.

After sticking his cake, she kisses his cheek he blushes and held his cheeks he's so adorable he made everyone laugh.

Sorry son I have to take my girl back.