Familyness

It'll All Work Out

Arianna's POV:

"You're such an asshole, Brad!  You never have time for your family anymore!"  Mom and dad are in the middle of a huge argument.  I'm supposed to be getting ready for school, but this stuff really upsets me, so I'm not.

"I work to support us!" Dad yells back.  I can tell by his tone he's really pissed at her.

"We have plenty of freaking money, Brad!  Our children don't care about that right now.  They want to know why you aren't at home with them like you used to always be!  They miss you being here!"  I open my door slightly so that I can hear them better, and start to regret it after what I hear.

"You're the one that needed to have kids so freaking bad!"  She adds "I warned you that our careers might get in the way but you promised they wouldn't and look what happened now!  You're choosing your fucking career over all of us!  You aren't here for them at all!  I honestly wouldn't even be surprised if you were cheating on me at this point!"

"What the hell, Jen!  Why would you ever even think I would do that!?!  Just because I work, automatically means that I've cheated on you?"  I hear him open their door, and Bri quickly runs into my room before they can see her.

"Why mommy and daddy yell?"  She asks "They mad?"

"They're just a little upset with each other, that's all."  I comfort her and shut my door quickly "They'll be happy again soon.  I think."

She seems to move on from I quickly, but I still stand at my door listening.

"You know what?  Fuck you, Jennifer!  Maybe I would be better off with someone who actually appreciates me!"  I hear their door slam shut and a few seconds later the garage door, and know that he left.

A few minutes later, I hear mom walking down the hall carrying Lewis who is crying.  She walks into Luke's room, telling him that he needs to get ready for school, and apologizing for the fight.  She's been apologizing for their arguments a lot lately.  After she is done with him, she comes to me.  I immediately act fake sick.

Jen's POV:

"Ari!"  I knock on her door quickly "Is your sister in here?  You guys need to get ready for school."

Bri runs right up to me, so I make room to hold her as well "Mommy, you mad?"

"Not at you, baby."  I reassure her "Me and daddy just needed to talk loudly for a little today."  She seems to buy this so I move on to Ari.

"I'm sorry you had to hear all that."  I sit on the edge of her bed "I hate fighting in front of you guys." 

"I know."  She says quietly.  I can tell we've upset her, and also that she's trying very hard to act sick "I don't feel good, mom.  Maybe I should just stay home today."

"I don't know, honey, you might need to go to the doctor if it's your head again..."  I playfully answer knowing that she's not sick at all "You really should go, but I guess it would be nice to have someone who can talk for real home with me for the day."

"Seriously? It worked?"  She looks at me surprised.  I laugh at her.

"I'm your mother, of course it didn't work, but nice try.  You still get to stay home.  I don't really care anymore today."  I notice her phone vibrate and wait for her to look at it "You're dad?"

"Yeah,"  She looks up at me trying to hide a smile "Just telling me to have a good day."

I end up going to tell Luke that he can do what he wants too, knowing that Brad will be pissed at me for letting them stay home, but also not caring anymore.  If he were home for once we wouldn't have this problem.