Beca drove to Anna's and managed to keep herself together pretty well, despite what had just happened, but she knew she would break down when Anna asked her what was wrong. She got out of the car and took a deep breath before knocking on the door. "Hey!" She said, trying her best to be happy.
Anna reached up to give her a hug. "Hey! How is she?"
"She's doing better. I forgot to pick up her breakfast so I'm gonna have to go through the drive through."
"Oh ok," Anna said. "Wait...how could you possibly forget about food. Food is your life."
"Oh yeah I was just a little distracted," Beca said, brushing off the conversation. "Where are the kids?"
"They're in the back, I had them go out to play because I needed to get ready."
"I thought you needed help."
"Harper helped me a little bit but I have a lot of stuff figured out and Harper seemed stressed out. You raised her right, Bec, she will go through hell to put me before herself, she's a lot like Chlo, you know, but she gets so stressed out, I just wish she knew that I'm 100% ok, then she would chill out a little bit."
"I'll talk to her. Let's get going Chloe's probably wondering where I am."
"Ok, I'll go get the kids."
A few minutes later, Anna noticed Beca had tears in her eyes as she was driving along. "What's wrong?"
"Jesse left," Beca said in a low whisper. "He left us."
"What? Why?"
"He twisted my words around and made it seem like I was asking him to choose between the family and his job and I guess I kind of was, and he picked his job. He left us, Anna."
"It'll be ok, Bec. I'll go in and get some food for you and Chlo and you can tell the kids. I promise it'll be ok."
Harper got out of the car to help Anna into her wheelchair, and then she got back in the car. "I gotta tell you guys something," Beca said.
"What?" Harper asked.
"Well this morning, your dad and I got into an argument and he decided his job was more important than our family, and he left."
"What? Are you ok?" Harper asked.
"I'm trying to be, are you?"
"Yeah, I mean he was never there any way. It'll just be different."
Beca broke down in tears. "I don't know what to do. I don't know if I can support us, I don't know if I'll ever find someone again, what am I doing to do?"
"Mom," Harper said, climbing to the front seat to give Beca a hug, "it'll be ok. You are one of the strongest people I know, and I know you'll be able to support us because you're amazing. And even if you don't find someone, you always have us. You have 6 people who love and care about you. And all the Bella's, they care about you too. It's going to be ok."
Camila put a hand on Beca's shoulder. "Plus, my mom is ok, and she hasn't been with a guy in at least ten years, and she's doing ok. And you know why? Because she has us, all of us are here for you. It's going to be ok. I promise."
"Mom, is he going to come back?" Michael asked.
"I don't think so, buddy, I'm sorry," Beca said.
Anna came back with the food and Harper helped her into the car. "How was it?" She asked Beca when they were on the road.
"Ok, I feel like a suckish parent." Beca said.
"You are not!" Anna said. "Jesse left you, you didn't leave, you would never even think about leaving."
"Yeah but I suck without him. I'm a horrible parent without him."
"Please, you are the best, Beca. You know how much your kids love you?" She turned to the back seat. "Harper and Michael, how much do you love your mom?"
"More than anything," they both said.
"Ok, so I don't suck, but what if I lose custody of them," Beca whispered.
"You couldn't possibly lose custody, Bec, Jesse is away all the time and you're always there for them, isn't it up to them anyway?"
"No, no it's not the kid's decision, I'm just worried."
"You don't need to worry. I'm 110% sure you'll win custody."
"Positive?"
"Positive, now help me out of the car so we can bring Chloe some food. She's probably starving."
Beca helped Anna into her wheelchair and they all walked into the hospital and Erin walked up to them. "Hey guys, Chloe had another seizure this morning, but she was ok, it was only for a minute. We're just worried the epilepsy might be worse than we thought, she might not be able to be by herself ever, not even for a few minutes because it was really sudden."
"Ok, I don't think that will be a problem, I'm always with her," Camila said.
As they walked to the room, Beca turned towards her. "Cami, what about her job, she can't teach with someone and she'll need someone with her."
"She'll figure it out. Plus, I'll be there, so I think it will be ok."
Beca went into the room. "Hey, Chlobird, we were told you had another seizure."
"Yeah," she said. "It wasn't too bad this time. It just freaked me out because it was so random."
"Aw Chlo I'm sorry," Beca got really quiet and her eyes flooded with tears. "I'm sorry I have to bring this up, Jesse left us."
"Beca, come here," Chloe said, her arms open to a crying Beca.
Beca climbed on the bed next to Chloe and cried. "I'm sorry," she sobbed, "you're in the hospital, and I'm making this all about me."
Chloe stroked Beca's hair as she held her. "Shhh it's ok," she whispered as Beca let the sobs wrack her body. "Beca, Bec, calm down," Chloe said.
"I can't do this Chlo, I can't raise 2 kids on my own, I can't live without him." Beca sobbed.
"Bec, shhhh, everything is going to be ok," Chloe said. "Listen to me, you could raise them alone, because you're an amazing mom and we all think so, but you won't have to because you have me, Anna, and Ben to help you. And you are the strongest person I know, you'll get over it Bec, and we're always here if you can't. Bec, we will never leave you, I promise, he never deserved you."
Beca didn't say anything, but she just held onto Chloe for a little while longer before letting go and sitting up. "Thank you Chlo."
"Anytime, love. Can I have my food now, since I get to leave in an hour."
"You do?"
"Yep! I have to rest all day though. Maybe we could watch movies and order a pizza."
Beca nodded. "Yeah, that would be fun," she sniffled. "Are you ready to go home?"
"Yep!"
