Unsteady (COMPLETED)

SEVEN

Now - Michael

Awoken by the sunshine that floods in through our bedroom window, I groan and turn over onto my back. My eyes slowly open and I rub away the sleep that glues them together. Once the gunk is wiped away, my vision clears and my eyes land on my wife who sits cross-legged beside me, staring down at me in disappointment. 

"Morning, Ella," I mumble as I push myself into a sitting position, only to lay back down as the hangover washes over me. "Shit." 

Without saying anything, Ella hands me four Tylenol and a bottle of water - which I happily accept, chugging it down within seconds. 

"Thank you, love," I say, offering her a weak smile. 

She rolls her eyes, then pinches the bridge of her nose between two fingers. "How could you?" She whispers lowly, making me furrow my brows. "How could you show up to the school like that, Mike?" 

"I'm not sure-"

"Yesterday? You were trashed. Decided to pick up our son from school." She questions, her face reddening in anger. Memories flood through to me and I groan. 

"Shit, Ella, I'm sorry."

"Sorry don't cut it this time, Mike. You right fucked up." She sniffles, tears rimming her beautiful eyes. "They...they are going to report it, Mike."

This makes my ears perk up. "What?"

"The school. They're going to report it to CAS." She reiterates. "I can't lose him, too." 

I pop up, despite my protesting head and wrap my arms around her - which she fights understandably. "Ella, I'm so sorry," I whisper in her hair when she finally gives into my embrace. 

"How could you?" She cries into my chest. "Of all the things that you could do, you do that? Couldn't you call me or something, Mike? I would have left work. I would have been there in a heartbeat to pick him up. Why?"

"I wasn't thinking."

"Clearly."

I sigh. "Gerald fired me. I went on a binge. Remembered halfway through that I had to pick up Tyler. I didn't want to disappoint you again. Didn't realize how drunk I was."

The sound of her cries and sniffles fill the room as we sit together, wrapped in one another's arms. We don't talk, letting the unspoken words speak for once. I know she's mad at me. I know she hates me right now. I know I royally fucked up.

And it's killing me. My heart is currently being ripped out of my chest with each sob that exits her mouth. I feel myself gasping for air with every tear that falls down her beautiful cheeks. I've let her down and I hate myself for it. And I've let down Tyler.

What was I thinking?

"Why did he fire you?" Her emotion-filled voice croaked. 

"Says I can't do the job properly anymore. I guess I'm either hungover or drunk whenever I'm there. He can't keep paying me for it, he says." I tell her honestly, embarrassment flooding my cheeks. 

I feel her shoulders shake as she lets in a shaky breath. "I will find something. Don't worry, Ella. I will get another job. I will keep it this time. I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Mike." She says. 

"I can keep this one." 

She shakes her head in disagreement. "No, you can't." She whispers.

I take her face in my hands and make her look at me, wiping the tears away with the pads of my thumb. "I can and will do this, love."

"I...I can't keep doing this, Mike." She says quietly. "I can't keep watching you drink yourself to death. I can't keep working three jobs. I can't keep making excuses for you. And I can't keep exposing our son to this. It's not right and I'm tired. Fuck, I'm so tired.

"We've been married for seven years, together for even longer. We got married for all the wrong reasons and I know it took its toll on you." She says, taking in a deep breath and releasing it slowly. "The pregnancy was unexpected, but it shouldn't have forced us to that altar."

"I didn't just marry you because you were pregnant, Ella."

"No," She says, shaking her head. "You did. You've thrown it in my face more than enough times for me to know it's true. Sure, I'm sure there is some love there, but it's nothing like it should be. It's nothing like we need to continue to make this work."

"No, Ella, I love you. More than anything. I love you and Tyler so much. You are my life. I can't live this life without you two. I need yous. I need you, Ella. You're my wife. You're the love of my life. I know I am a fuck up. I know I am a drunk and a pain in the ass. I know I disappoint you every day of our lives. And for that, I'm truly sorry. But we can make this work. I can stop...I can stop the drinking. I can get help. I can get another job. I can provide for you two. You can quit your job. We can do this." I ramble on, my own tears flooding my eyes.

"I don't know, Mike. You've said this all before-"

"But I mean it," I interject. "I want to change. I want to make this relationship good again. I can't lose you, Ella. Please don't leave me."

Her eyes search my own, looking for any signs of deceit and I make sure that all of my emotions, all of my love for her, is shown on my face. "Please," I beg, my voice cracking. "Please don't go."