Stone Cold Heart

♡ Chapter 16 ♡

We were having Mason's first birthday at my mom's today. Mason had a paw patrol birthday. I walked in my mom's house with Mason who was holding my finger, Mackenzie walked in back of me. Mom walked up to us and said "Here's the birthday boy"
            She swept him off the floor and gave him a shower of kisses. She continued to baby talk to him "How was your baby day big boy?"
            He responded "Ma ma ma ma"
    "Aww you are so cute with that curly top"
              I smiled at them bonding. He kept trying to grab her ginger hair but never succeeded. As mom looked down, she saw her 9-year-old granddaughter hugging my thigh. My little girl was getting so big too. She said, "How are you, Mickey?"
    "Good"
    "When do you start third grade?"
    "On September 5th"
    "Oh, so in 2 more days, are you excited?"
    "Not really, the kids probably not going to talk to me but whatever"
    "Why not you're fun?"
    "No, I'm not...the popular girls don't think so"
    "Well, they are missing out on an awesome best friend because guess what?"
    "What?"
    "Mema can be your friend"
    "How you're just my Mema?"
    "I and your mom still act like we are friends"
    "What?"
    "Yeah isn't that right baby girl?"
                  I looked at Mackenzie and said "Yeah Mema is, go give her besitos" She hugged my mom and gave her a soft kiss on her cheek.
    "So, mom where are we going to have the party?"
    "In here because it's getting a little chilly out don't you think?"
    "Yeah"
    "Where's Scott?"
    "He's in his way, he went to go get Mason's cake and candles"
    "Oh okay"
              When people started to arrive at the party, we started music. I went all out on his birthday party; Scott gave me how much money I needed to get whatever I needed for Mason's birthday party. When I was putting up the birthday sign, my shirt lifted up a bit and mom suddenly asked "What's that on your stomach?"
          For a second, I got nervous but then I made a good excuse. "Oh, it's nothing, ya know just stretch marks"
    "Oh okay"
            What really happened was that yesterday Scott came home drunk and he got mad at me because I didn't pick up his vomit that was on the carpet. He punched me then passed out on the couch. Of course, me being me, I forgave him today. When I was going to finish with the decorations, Scott came through the door and said "Hey sweetheart, hey mom, I got the cake" He put the paw patrol cake on the dining table and picked mason up, totally ignoring the fact that his daughter greeted him. The baby talked to Mason "Hey monkey how are ya big boy!"
            Mason giggled and mumbled gibber gabber then said "Da da da". Scott kissed him and made him giggle. It was totally cute. Then Mackenzie said "Daddy look what I made for Mason"
            She showed him a coloring of the paw patrol crew. He responded "Oh that's good" I then said "Why you acting like that, mickey don't listen to that, it's beautiful"
  "Marie."
          I jerked my head and he gave me that death stare. I didn't say another word because I know I wouldn't win. I continued to put up the activities for the kids, like the badge game. When my friend Tiffany came with her three-year-old twin daughters, Chassidy, my aunt, and my dad's family that's when the party began. Mason had a pile of presents that I was going to open for him later on. By the time everyone left around 8:30, mason had just fallen asleep, but I had to take him upstairs to take him a bath and put him to bed. But Scott said "No I'll do it baby" He grabbed mason out of my hands and I kissed him saying "Thank you". While waiting for him to return to the living room I asked Mac to help me put away the leftover food. While doing so she asked, "Do daddy hate me?"
    "What? No why would you think that?" I responded while putting the aluminum foil on the tin aluminum pan that had the pork meat in it.
    "Well....all day he has been avoiding me and paying more attention to mason then me"
    "Ima have a little talk with daddy when we get home, I don't like it when he treats you like that. You're just as important to us than mason is, you're my firstborn"
        She giggled as I grabbed her into my arms and kissed her cheek playfully, then I asked "Don't use that word. Hate is a strong word. Mami doesn't like it"
  "Sorry Mama"
  "It's okay baby girl. But do you want to know something?" I asked
    "What?"
    "No matter what daddy says, I will always treat you like a princess"
    "Thank you, mama.

The next day I was cleaning up a little that is until my phone rang. I picked up saying "Hello"
    "Hello, Marie speaking" I kindly said through the phone.
    "Ah Mrs. Hughes, we got your application to be a waitress here, we would like you to start tonight at six"
    "Um...I don't know if I can make it that day can you make it around the morning time because I have to get my kids from daycare by 6"
    "This is one chance offer; do you need the money now?"
    "Yes"
    "Well, what do you say?"
    "Okay, but can we work out the schedule tomorrow?"
    "Sure thing"
    "Thank you, have a good day"
    "Thanks, you too"
          When I hung up the phone a smirk appeared on my face. Finally, I get to work. But what will Scott think? I hope he is happy for me. Suddenly I hear the door open and I see Scott's face. Speak of the devil and the devil may come, what a coincidence. He walked into the house with our kids. Then he looked at the phone in my hand and he asked "Who was that you were on the phone with?" he asked in a stern heated voice.
    "Oh um...that's what I wanted to talk to you about, I-" I was cut off but my son who ran up to me yelling "Mami!"
        I picked him up and kissed his cheek and said "Hey baby boy how are ya?"
Mason giggle and mumbled "I mi you mama"
    "I miss you to monkey"
          Then Mackenzie came up to me and kissed my cheek and said "Hey mom, how was your day?"
    "Good"
          Then Scott said "Mickey go upstairs and start your homework, take mason with you"
            She turned around to him and said "But daddy I wanted to-"
    "Do as I say"
    "Okay"
            She headed upstairs to her room with Mason. I knew that whenever Scott told them to leave, I knew he was angry. He then asked again.
    "Marie, who were you talking to? You better not be cheating on me!" He started to raise his voice.
    "What why would you think I'd be cheating on you?!"
    "I don't have to explain myself to you!"
    "Excuse me"
    "I'm not going to ask you again Marie, you know I hate repeating myself"
    "If you'd just let me explain and stop assuming shit! I was going to tell you that I got a job as a waitress for a diner"
    "What, and you didn't tell me?!"
    "I just found the moment before y'all walked into the door"
    "You're not going"
    "What who are you to tell me what Ima do. I refuse to be cooped up in this hell hole you call our house, all day. I'm sick of it Scott!" I can tell by the look on his face, I have angered him once again.
    "I'm your husband and you are going to do as I say because I run you, I own you and I say what goes, I am the man of this house and everyone and everything in it runs by my rules!"
    "Why can't I have a life?!"
    "What did you say?!" He stepped closer to me and raised his hand above is about to hit me. I flinched at his sudden movement. As I looked into his eyes he chuckled and said, "See you're scared of me and you know it, you wouldn't dare try to disobey me again, now would you? You don't want what happened a year ago, to be Deja vu now don't you?"
        I mumbled "No"
    "That's what I thought" He gently put his index finger under my chin to make me look up at him. He leaned down and kissed my lips softly. His taste lingered on my lips, the taste of the whiskey. He then said "Like I said you aren't going tonight"
    "It pays me good, plus tips and with your money combined it will make our house manageable to pay the rent"
    "I said no and that is final okay?"
    "Fine"
          To think I would pass up this deal. When Scott passed out on the bed, due to a migraine. I silently got dressed in professional clothing then kissed my kid's goodnight before heading out the door. I know it's a big risk for this job, but I'm doing this for my family. I hope it will be all worth it once I get home at two o'clock in the morning. I hope he will still be sleeping.... Will he? I hope most of all he'll let me keep this job, this is my first job since I was twenty, I never really held a job because I dedicated myself to Mackenzie and Scott. Then after the abortion Scott and I had an everlasting bumpy road. That I thought would have gotten smoother with time...but I was wrong. Now we are into our three years of being married and things only got worse...at times. But I always ask myself...why do I still love this stone cold-hearted man?