An Unexpected Journey ... Together - Part Two (Joe Hart FanFic)

Chapter Eight - Back in the Door

I woke up with an even worse headache still clutching his pillow, thank god it was Saturday and I didn't have to get the kids to school, I couldn't face it today.

After a quick shower that made me feel a little better I changed into some lounge bottoms and a vest top. Not very wag!

The mobile ringing dragged me from my self pitying thoughts.

"Hello"

"Hi grace it's Katy, I'm sorry I saw you in the paper. Why didn't you call me love?"

"Oh! What paper? What did it say?"

"You made front page sweetie" she joked though I didn't find it that funny "there was a picture of you Joe and that pregnant women, she looked guilty you looked sad and Joe looked shocked outside of your house. The next picture was Joe leaving with a suitcase, we pieced it together, I'm so sorry love."

"Oh okay, well I just didn't feel like talking I'm sorry"

"Don't be silly girl, is the baby really Joe's?"

"Katy!! I don't feel like talking"

"Okay! Sorry! That's understandable I can come round if you need me, just to chat or look after the kids, I never thought he'd do this to you"

"I know, I just want some time. Me and the kids, just need to sort my new life out, but believe me Katy you'll be the first I call."

Me putting the phone down must of been a sign for little TJ to start today's screaming match. As I tried to sush him the girls came storming out of their rooms.

"Why does he have to cry?" Charlie called while she tickled TJ's blonde hair that all my children shared.

"Mum, I'm hungry can you make me food" Lola whined

"Yeah okay sweetie, let's go downstairs." I tried to make breakfast although TJ continued to cry in my arms and wouldn't let me put him down, so everything I did it was one handed while the girls ran around the kitchen playing some sort of game even though I had told them to sit down a million times and I was loosing my patience.

"Girls can you sit down! Now!" They both froze still and stared at me looking stunned because I never shouted like that but with my headache and the million things that were buzzing through my head like bills, the mortgage, work how I'd handle the kids and Joe.  I just couldn't take the noise anymore, I couldn't concentrate. I pulled out the toast and grabbed the first jam that I saw. As I was spreading the phone began to ring again, I placed the plates on the table in front of the now quite girls and ran to grab it rearranging TJ in my arms hoping his screams would subside.

"Hello" I said with a raised voice so I could be heard over TJ.

"Hi, it's me"

"What do you want?"

"I'm outside, I've come to see you and the kids, but I just wanted to call first."

"You don't need to see me and I promise you the kids are fine"

No sooner had the words left my mouth I could here the Lola shouting "I wanted chocolate spread on my toast, not jam!"

As I walked back into the kitchen with the wireless phone tucked between my ear and shoulder and TJ still crying in my arms I gave them a pleading look "Please just eat it, I'll make chocolate tomorrow"

I turned my attention back to the phone "Can you cope?"

"Of course I can! They are my children! I was the one always looking after them before ... while you was out" I added with a sarcastic tone.

"TJ doesn't sound to good"

"God! He's just playing up Joe he's fine I'm capable of looking after him!"

Then the girls started off again I could really do without this! "Is that daddy? Can we speak to him?"

I felt like my head was going to explode the girls shouting TJ screaming and Joe nagging I just wanted to cry but I still couldn't handle seeing my kids so lost without him.

I ended up giving in so I just had some time to think "Come in, they want to see you"

With that his voice was audible happier as he put the phone down. I cut up some fruit and placed TJ in a high chair spreading the fruit between all three of them. I could hear the car coming down the drive I ran up the stairs to my bedroom Closing the door behind me.

I couldn't see him, even though I knew I wanted to.

Every time I was sad I always ran to Joe for comfort he was always there for me to make me feel better but now I had no one, this was too personal for me to share with my friends. I just wanted it to be me to deal with this.

I heard the door open and the girls scream, and storm down the hallway. 

"Daddy!" 

"Hi, My two princesses! You better of eaten that toast"

His voice, I missed him!

"I will now daddy" I heard Lola reply

I could hear TJ clapping and I heard Joe pick him up and TJ's gorgeous little laugh pop out, it felt like it had been forever since I'd heard it. Where my kids that upset? Even TJ he's so young he shouldn't be feeling sad!

"Where's your mum?"

"Upstairs, she's been sad Daddy, you should make her happy like you always do" I heard Charlie say. That tugged on my heart strings!

I heard Joe's uncomfortable cough as he left the girls eating their breakfast and made his way up the stairs.

I scrambled round the room not knowing what to do. Climb into bed pretend to be asleep? Lock myself in the bathroom? But I just froze sat on the edge of the bed looking towards the door. He opened it to just look at me I could see tears filling his eyes as he sat beside me with a contented TJ clinging to his chest with a fist full of his shirt.

"I'm sorry"

"Don't" I whispered my voice cracking closing my eyes though a stray tear escaped sliding down my cheek.

"It was a foolish mistake."

I know Joe, but I can't forgive you. To think we have spent our whole lives together and I thought we would be together forever. That we would share our first and last everything together but you was with her I'm sorry I just felt like if we tried again when you was touching me and kissing me I'd feel disgusted because you've done those things to her."

"Okay I understand but I don't want to give up on us after a silly one night. I wanted all those things too!" He stopped and looked down at TJ "but I can see I've ruined this and know that I will always love you and that I'll never forgive myself for being so stupid, but I don't want the kids to suffer."

"They won't, we love them too much eh?" I smiled first in what felt like forever

"Course"

The girls piled through the door.

"I ate my toast mum, sorry" Lola said apologetically. 

"No problem sweetie, thanks for saying sorry" They climbed on the bed and changed their attention to Joe.

"Daddy can you take us to the cinema tomorrow?" Charlie asked in her sweetest voice that always seemed to win Joe round.

"Sorry girls, I'm playing in a match tomorrow"

"can we come?" Lola asked expectantly.

Joe looked over to me concerned. They couldn't go without me and I really didn't want to I hadn't left the house since I found out that my life was splashed once again on a tabloid newspaper, and how foolish would I look turning up to a game after all that but ... I couldn't let the girls down and I wanted to try and keep life as normal as possible for them.