Our Love

Tomorrow

The next morning.
7:00 am.

Jessica woke to a loud ringing coming from the nightstand. She quickly jumped up to answer it so the kids would stay asleep.
The whole night was rough on her. Julia didn't sleep well through the night, and Theodore had just fallen back to sleep after a feed.

"Hello?" Jessica answered in a groggy voice.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"It's fine. What do you want, Danny?"

"I miss you. I just wanted to talk on the way to work."

"About what?"

"Anything! How are the kids?"

"Autumn is fine, Julia is getting sick, and Theo is great."

"How are you?"

"I'm fine, Danny. Can I please go back to sleep? I've been up all night!" Jessica whines.

"Oh yeah! Sorry.. one more question?"

"What?"

"When are you coming home?"

"Danny.." Jessica sighs.
"I'm not. Not for a while. We need to spend some time apart. You need to straighten up.. and I need to be a mother. Only a mother. I can't focus on being a wife to someone who doesn't want to be a husband."

"Jess, I love you! I love being your husband, you know that."

"I thought I did. Please, Danny. I love you so much.. but you have hurt me in ways I never thought possible. I'm staying here for a few months. If you want to see the kids, that's fine.
I would never keep them from you.
But as of right now you and I are separated."

"I screwed up, Jess. I promise not to do it again."

"No.. I always forgive you. I never see the bad in you.. all for you to just turn around and hurt me time and time again. And it just gets worse and worse!
Maybe this break will make you see that.. that I'm a good person who doesn't deserve to be treated this way." Jessica covers her mouth after her voice shakes.

"Jess.."

"No. No more."

"Jessica-"

"Bye, Danny." Jessica spoke in a whisper.
She then set her phone down and silently cried into her hands.

**

A few hours later.

"Theo!  Smile for mama!  Smile for mama, silly boy!  You were all smiles last night!  What happened?" Jessica laughed as she snapped his picture.