from the beginning (COMPLETED)

chapter 50: goner

one year later

good morning, handso-" tyler said, stopping when he realized josh wasn't lying in bed next to him. he assumed he must have been downstairs making coffee.

he got out of bed and went down the stairs, frowning as he didn't see his husband. so he called him.

no answer.

"he always tells me when he's leaving..." tyler whispered to himself. "and he's never once not picked up my calls..."

he decided it was best not to worry about it, so he woke the kids up and got them ready for school.

"ready, gus gus?" he asked, smiling as his son was dressed and ready for pre-k.

"YA!" he squealed excitedly, toddling up to tyler and giving him a hug.

"what about you, miss ellie?" he asked, his youngest daughter toddling out of her room.

"YA YA YA!" she yelled happily, hugging tyler tightly as well.

ruby then came downstairs.

it was her first day of kindergarten.

"oh, ruby! you look soooo beautiful!" he said with a grin.

ruby blushed and giggled, kissing his nose. "thanks, tyty. where's jishjish?"

tyler chewed on his lip nervously. "well... i-i don't know. but i'm sure he'll be back soon!"

ruby frowned and nodded.

tyler got all the kids breakfast and drove them to their schools, dropping the twins off first.

it was kind of rough for them.

they didn't realize they wouldn't have their daddies there with them.

so that cried.

a lot.

but eventually they stopped, holding hands and playing with toys as tyler snuck out.

"ok, miss ruby. you ready?"

"mhm. i just wish jishjish was here..." she said sadly.

"i know, sweetheart. it's ok. but i love you soooo much. so, so much. i'll be back to pick you up before you know it, ok? remember to be sweet like you always are. and say hi to the kids that are sitting alone," he said, trying to hide the worry in his voice.

"ok. i love you, tyty. i love you a lot," she said, hugging him and kissing his nose.

tyler smiled and hugged her back. "now go have fun, ok? i can't wait to hear all about it."

//

the day had ended and all the kids were asleep, but josh was still nowhere to be found.

he returned at 1 am, a large bruise on his neck.

"joshua! i was worried sick! where were you?!" tyler exclaimed as he walked in, having been waiting for him.

"none of your business," josh grumbled, pushing past tyler and going upstairs. his breath wreaked of alcohol.

"excuse me? it is my business! i'm your husband, joshua! and you missed ruby's first day. she was devastated. how could you do that to her?"

"why are you always so fucking clingy, tyler?" josh snapped.

tyler was taken aback. "baby i was just worried about you..." he said, tears in his eyes.

"i'm an adult, tyler! and just because we're married doesn't mean i can't do things alone!"

"j-joshua it's not that it matters that i wasn't matter, it matters where you were.."

josh rolled his eyes and threw his phone on the bed, walking into the bathroom and shutting the door before locking it.

tyler looked at the phone, then the door, then back at the phone. he took it and went through josh's texts, immediately sobbing when he saw a contact named 'debby <3' and the messages that followed.

"so that's where he was..." tyler whispered, sniffling. "having sex with someone else."

that wasn't a bruise on his neck.

it was a hickey.

tyler started having a full-on panic attack, gathering the emergency bag that each family member had packed.

except for josh's.

he loaded the kids up in the car along with their bags, and he drove.

far away.

//

(these are text messages)

josh: tyler

josh: tyler, baby.

josh: baby i'm so sorry.

josh: what i did was wrong.

josh: i was drunk. and an fucking idiot.

josh: please don't hurt the kids.

josh: or yourself.

josh: tyler please. i need you.

tyler: and i needed you, joshua. how could you fucking do this to me? after everything i've done for you?

josh: baby, i know. it was the dumbest thing i've ever done. my biggest regret. please, just come back so we can talk?

tyler: don't you fucking dare call me 'baby.' and if you try to come near these kids i swear to god...

josh: ty, please. please. please. please come back. you're my everything.

tyler: well clearly i wasn't enough. please leave me alone, joshua.

josh: tyler, no. i promise i didn't have anything for her. just with the kids, we didn't really get to have sex as often and i forgot what it felt like..,

tyler: first off, don't you tell me 'no.' and secondly, really? because you forgot what sex felt like, you cheated on your husband? and ruined your three kids' childhoods?

josh: i'm sorry, tyler. please forgive me. i'll make it up to you.

tyler: there's no coming back from this, joshua. you were my absolute everything. you told me you loved me and cared for me. but clearly that was all a lie.

josh: please, tyler. i'm begging you. just come back. we can work this out.

tyler: you can work this out. alone. or with debby, i suppose. i'm sure she's a fucking wonderful girl.

josh: tyler, please.

tyler: goodbye, joshua.

josh: tyler, please no.

josh: i love you, tyler.

tyler: wish i could say the same.