Broken Strings

S E B A S T I A N

His voice no longer held the care it once did for her. Or the gentleness. And after everything she'd been through in the last six months, from losing her baby to telling her mother about the affair she'd engaged in, this was the last thing she need and expected. He was never like this.

It was almost as though he hated her. Not that she blamed him.

But for once, like always, she just wanted someone to care. Someone to notice that she was falling apart, too. That she too could only pretend to be strong for so long.

"You simply had your brother  take out the other doctor's names from the medical records. You made it seem that Anisha was the last doctor that his sister saw. You should've never had access to private information. Your brother has to be held responsible. Andrew's the one who filed the lawsuit." 

Her mistakes, thrown back at her. 

"I...I know. I'm not here for that." She pulled out the ring from the pocket of her black jacket, holding the diamond ring in the palm of her hand. She looked at him, her lips quivering, his gaze set on the ring as he looked back up at her, with pity.

"I'm so sorry, Seb. I...You..I still love you. I'm so sorry and I know I've messed up, far too many times. But I was scared. After everything that happened between my parents, I was scared. I know it doesn't justify anything but. But I still miss you." Her voice faded out at the end as he raised his shoulders, shrugging.

"Stop." He cut her off, not letting her speak another word. "I'm not doing this again." 

Shaking his head, he took a step back, his hand on the door. "That was Melissa, Melissa Wang. My girlfriend. And I really really like her." 

"I'm not doing this Amanda, it's been years now. You'll be okay." 

A sob escaped her lips as his face softened. 

"You'll be okay, Amanda. But I'm not the one for you. And neither was Andrew. Stop letting other people define you. Your parents failed marriage has nothing to do with you. You cheated, that was your mistake. But you need to move on from it. Stop letting the same things get to you."

A soft cry, stuck in her throat. She jerked, starting to sob as the door slammed shut. 

Her mistakes catching up to her. She lost him. The only person who'd loved the real her.

Eight Months Later

Sebastian ducked to the side as Melissa threw a piece of lettuce at him. He continued laughing, his laughter fading as he played with the fork, pushing around a piece of lettuce here and there before finally looking back at her.

She raised an eyebrow at him as he immediately become serious.

Without playing around anymore, dragging it out, he told her the truth. "I took the job."

He watched as her smile faded, quickly as she smiled again, pretending that she was happy for him.

"Wow. That's amazing. I'm so happy for you." 

A light laugh before he shook his head. Nervously, he mumbled. "That's not what I wanted to talk to you about." 

They'd already talked about the job. The position he'd applied for more than a year ago. He'd gotten it. When he first applied for the job, it had been easy. An easy choice because it would be a fresh start. But now, things were different. Because he had her.

He had to think about Melissa and them. And whatever he had with her, he didn't want to throw it away.

He hadn't been this happy in so long. 

"Marry me."

It wasn't romantic or extravagant. Two words. And it was all he wanted. 

All she wanted too. 

She cocked a smile, shrugging. 

"Wait, no." He grunted, mumbling again as he reached into the empty pant pocket. "I'll ask you again later tonight. I left the ring at home." 

Three Years Later

Sebastian poked Melissa as she glared at him. Smirking he laid back down, ignoring the loud screams. 

"Sebastian, I swear to God." Melissa mumbled, cursing at him as he lay on the bed, ignoring her. He closed his eyes, pretending to be a sleep. 

She smacked his chest, getting out of bed and grabbing his t-shirt, putting it on and covering her naked body.

Sebastian sat up as she walked out of the room. A few minutes later, the cries quieting down, Melissa walked back into the room, holding their six-month old baby girl.

Sofia Knight. 

She flashed him a coy smile as she continued to talk to Sofia, trying to get her to stop crying. 

Walking over the side of the bed, she sat down, mumbling sweet words into their daughter's ear.

"See, daddy is good person. He agreed to change your stinky diaper so mommy can go to sleep." She grinned at Sebastian as she handed Sofia to him.

Sebastian glared at her, groaning as she got back in bed. "I changed her diaper last night. And the night before."

"Love you too." It was the only reply he got as she closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep just like he had been only a few minutes ago.

Sebastian shushed Sofia as she started wailing again, flapping her arms around. Instead of being irritated, he smiled at his daughter. Her wide brown eyes, innocent and hopeful, it filled his life.

Things truly couldn't be better.

It was him, his wife. The woman he loved more than anything. Sure it took a few heartbreaks to get there, a few mistakes here and there. But Melissa Wang, she was the one for him.

It was him, her and their beautiful daughter. 

Eight Year Later

Amanda nervously paced around the kitchen. Joshua walked into the kitchen a few minutes later, carrying their two-year old daughter. Their five-year old son, Craig, trailed his father, wearing his red spider-man t-shirt and carrying his backpack. 

"Mommy." He ran to his mother, wrapping his arms around her as she bent down to kiss him.

"Are you ready for your first day of school?"

Nodding, he stood on his tippy-toes. "Are you packing my lunch? Mommy, mwake sure to pack it in the Spiderman lunchbox."

Smiling, she nodded, nervously. It was his first day of school. And she was the one who had jitters.

She turned back to making breakfast. Pancakes. Trying to busy herself just so she could stop being nervous. 

Amanda bit her lip, almost to stop herself from crying. Her baby boy was growing up so fast. He was already starting kindergarten, his very first day. 

"Relax. Okay?" 

She smiled, a wide grin on her face as Joshua wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest as he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

 Amanda  turned her face, brushing her lips against his instead, giggling.

He made her so happy. And he gave her the one thing she'd always wanted.

Love. 

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:) that's it (: