The Story Of Chandlyn

Broken Hearts Suck

           

Date: February 2044

"Pacing in front of her door isn't going to help," Chandler said as he watched his wife of twenty one year's pace back and forth in front of their sixteen year old daughter's door.

"It's all i can do Chan," Katelyn said with a sigh, running her hand through her chestnut brown hair. "Julia just got dumped on valentine's day."

Julia, the third Riggs Child had been dumped earlier today by her boyfriend of five months, Scott Bailey. Scott was the captain for the school's basketball team and Julia was both a cheerleader but also played the clarinet in the schools choir.

To many they were the picture perfect high school couple. The one that wins prom king and queen and everyone expects to get married right after college.

Sadly it was not meant to be, because for earlier today Scott had dumped Julia saying that he "No longer wanted to be tied down," and that his feeling for her had "gone stale like old crackers."

Julia had been so upset that she had begged Chandler to come pick her up from school and had taken her home where she'd spend the rest of the day held up in her room sobbing.

"When she's ready to talk to you or me about it she'll let us know," Chandler said.

Katelyn sighed, "I know it's just, she's the first one of our children to really have to deal with a breakup. Andy and Kennedy never went through one."

"True, but we did help them with the fair share of relationship problems and looked at them now. Andy and Jenna are off at university together and Kennedy and Daniel have been together for over two years. How many times did they have relationship problems that we helped them with?"

Katelyn rubbed her temple with one of her hands, "Honestly to many to count."

Chandler placed his arms on her shoulders and tenderly rubbed his thumbs on her shoulder blades, "Exactly and just like them we'll help her through it."

Katelyn listened to the faint sniffles and cries coming from her daughter's room.

Like any mother, Katelyn hated to know that one of her children was in pain. Her maternal instincts kicked in and she pushed past Chandler and knocked gently on the door before entering.

////

Inside Julia's room, the only light came from a lamp above her head. Katelyn's heart hurt when she saw her daughter curled up in a ball, her phone in one hand, sniffling and occasionally wiping her eyes from her ocean blue eyes.

She looked up and sighed when she saw her mom in the doorway. "I don't want to talk about it mom," She said in a hoarse voice.

Katelyn smiled sympathetically and sat down on the bed beside her daughter, "Alright then just listen. Julia I know you're hurting right now, but I promise you it will get better."

"Yeah right," Julia scoffed, "My heart feels like it got ripped out of my chest, stomped on, broken in half and then returned to me covered in shit."

She saw the somewhat disapproving look on her mother's face, "Sorry I'm just...it really hurts." Fresh tears began to well in her eyes and Katelyn pulled her into a hug. She rubbed soothing circles on her back.

"I know baby I know, broken hearts suck but I promise you it'll heal and you'll meet someone better-"

"Please mom, spare me all of that "Everything happens for a reason" and "there are plenty of fish in the sea." I really don't want to hear it."

"Did I ever tell you about Isaac?"

Julia shook her head, "I don't think so. Who was he?"

Katelyn leaned back against the pillows and sighed, "He was my boyfriend before I dated your dad." She turned and looked at her daughter, "He cheated on me throughout most of our relationship and when I found out it broke my heart."

"Was this story supposed to make feel better?" Julia asked, "Because if it was then it really needs a lot of work Mom."

Katelyn smiled, "I wasn't finished yet. You know who I went to when I found out what Isaac had done?" she asked her daughter.

"Grams and Gramps?" Julia asked.

Katelyn shook her head, "Nope. I went to your father. He and I were best friends and there was no one better to comfort me than him. He was there for me when my heart was broken and we grew a lot closer." She turned towards her daughter, "Do you see where I'm going with this."

"That dad is better at dealing with broken hearts then you are? Julia asked.

Katelyn chuckled, "No baby. What I'm saying is that if my heart hadn't got broken by Isaac then perhaps your dad and I would have never ended up together." She pointed at her daughter, "and then you and your brothers and sisters wouldn't be here."

Julia smiled and then started crying, "and then my heart would never be broken."

Katelyn sighed and held her daughter close, "Sometime baby our hearts have to get hurt so that we learn valuable lessons. Good things end so that better things can come together."

Julia looked up at her mom through teary eyes, "Broken hearts really suck."

"They really do, but I'll tell you what. Why don't you go have a bath and then you and I will spend the rest of the night watching movies and eating junk food."

"Will that help?"

"What will help is spending time and being surrounded by those who love you," Katelyn said.

"Okay, but can we watch something funny? I'm not in the mood for Nicholas Sparks or anything like that."

Katelyn nodded and smiled at her daughter, "Sure baby. We can watch something funny."

"Hey mom."

"Hmmm?"

"Don't take this the wrong way or anything but I'm kind of glad that you got your heart broken by that guy... I don't mean to be mean it's just..."

"I get it and I'm glad to Julia, because even though broken hearts suck, mine was worth it, because your dad and I got all of you."