The Surprise

Troubles

Flashback

"Dad I'm staying home!" Aria yelled at me. I'm trying so hard to not lose my patience. "You are going to school Aria Katherine! It isn't up for debate!" I said. "I'm not leaving! I am staying home with mom! You don't get to make this decision for me!" She said mad. "You better watch your tone with me." I said about to lose my shit. "Mom is sick. I can't go to school knowing what is going on here. Mom needs me!" She cried. "I have your mom taken care of Aria! You are 18 years old. Go live your life!" I hollered. "Why are you guys screaming?" Dre asked concerned, coming down the stairs. "Nothing. Everything is fine." Aria said. "Everything is not fine. Our daughter is refusing to go to school!" I said livid. "What? Why?" Dre asked standing beside me. Aria rolled her eyes, "I want to stay home, take a year off and help out around here. You need my help mom." She said. Dre looked confused. "No we don't. I have your dad, my dad, all your aunts and uncles. We have it taken care of Aria. You are going to school." Dre spoke calmly. "Mom, I don't want to. I want to stay here with you." Aria cried. "No. I won't let you. I am taken care of. You are going to school. You can come home on weekends and holidays but that's it. You are not ruining your college education because of me. That will only make me feel worse." Dre said getting worked up. "Mom-" Aria cried. "I-I gotta walk away, I can't handle this." Dre said walking into the kitchen. "Dad," she said desperately. "You heard her. You're mom has enough on her plate. Don't add you not going to school to it." I said as calmly as possible.

Aria sat on the couch, upset and aggravated. "I'm sorry." I sighed knowing that it all got out of hand. "No you're not." She grumbled crossing her arms. "I am. But I'm not sorry about making you go to school.  You're mom is very well taken care of. We got her. Go live your life." I said sitting next to her, putting my arm around her. She curled up to me, "I just want to help and make mom feel better." She said wiping her tears. "You're mom is going to be sick for a while. Whether you're here or not. We want you to be happy and go to school." I said kissing her head then going up stairs.

As soon as I walked into our room, Dre was crying. "Babe." I sighed. "I'm ruining her life." She said grabbing a Kleenex to wipe her face. "She's going to school. I talked to her. Everything is fine." I said. She took a deep breath. "I know. God I get so emotional now." She complained. "Now? You've always been emotional." I laughed. "Shut up Michael." She laughed. I walked around the bed and pulled her to me. She tries so hard to smile through this but I know this is taking all she has. I held her face just looking at her. My beautiful wife. "Michael." She said softly. "Hm." I said just staring at her lovingly. "My hair-" she began, "I know. It's okay." I replied. Her hair was thinning out. I kissed her softly. She smiled as I did. "How long till you think Jayden comes in here." She asked. "I thought he'd be in here already." I said. "He's gotta start sleeping in his bed. I can't keep carrying him to bed every night. This is this third week in a row." I said tired. She nodded, "I'll tell him."  She said as a knock came to our door. "Come in JJ." She giggled. "Momma-" he began as he was about to give her his whole speech he gives every night on why he needs to sleep with us. "No, not tonight. You can lay with us but you have to sleep in your bed. Daddy can't keep carrying you." She said. He sighed. "Okay." He said crawling into bed.

Jayden finally went to his own bed, Dre and I laid in bed just enjoying each other's company. "I'm going to look weird being bald." She stated. "No you won't. And we could always try wigs if you want." I smiled. "I want to have sex. I miss it. But my body isn't working with my mind." She whined. "I know," I sighed rubbing her side. "I miss being intimate with you." She said against my lips. "I do too." I replied.

Present

"Jayden, Demi let's go!" I hollered. "I can take them babe," Dre said from the living room. "I got it." I said. "Why can't you just let me take them?!" She said frustrated. "Because it's part of my routine now and I'm not about to change it." I replied being short with her. "Whatever." She sighed. "Sorry I'm being helpful?" I said sarcastically. "Michael you don't let me do  anything, I can take the kids to school. It's like you want to continue to do everything by yourself. You act like I'm not even here!" She said hurt. I took a breath. "Okay fine." I said with a attitude. She didn't reply. "Go to work you old grump." Aria joked. I gave her the side eye. "What is wrong with you today?" Dre asked. "Nothing is wrong! I'm just not in the mood for you all to be micromanaging me. I'm going to work. Bye." I said slamming the door.

Dres pov

He's different. I can feel it. It just breaks my heart. I try not to press anything too much. He's been taking such good care of me. "He's been moody." Aria commented. "Leave him alone. He's had a rough time. I think this was harder on him then it was on me." I sighed. "True. You guys are different." She replied. "I know. We're getting back to normal." I smiled trying to convince her. She nodded.

I took the kids to school and went straight to Erins. I needed to talk to someone. "He's just different. Something isn't right." I said wiping my tears as she handed me a Kleenex as i sat at her kitchen table. "What do you mean?" She asked. "I don't feel like we're ever going to be normal. There's something going on and I don't know what. Maybe he doesn't find me attractive anymore after being so sick? I don't know." I said upset. "You both are readjusting. Give it time, talk to him." She said patting my back. "I don't feel like I can. I've put too much on him. I should've been more helpful." I said upset. "Dre are fucking serious?! You had cancer. You got so sick at some points where Michael couldn't even take care of you by himself. Michael is stuck in a Routine where you were sick and unable to help. He's use to flying solo. It's going to take time for him to break those habits." She stressed. "I'm afraid to lose him. I feel like I'm losing him." I said softly. "You know this feel is familiar, this is how I felt whenever we had Aria. He was distant, short with me, you don't think he-" "stop that now! You had CANCER Dre. Something that nearly killed you. Michael is probably traumatized. Maybe you should look Into you both going to a therapist." She suggested. "You're right. I'm sorry. I should give Michael more credit than that. He's been so amazing. I just don't like this space between us." I sighed.

Michaels pov

Being back at work has been an adjustment. I worry about Dre being home alone but I know she would call if something was wrong. She's okay. God I was so short with her this morning. This guilt is eating me alive. She's going to notice something is actually wrong. The kids are noticing and it's starting to affect my life. I have to get over it. There's no way i can tell Dre what I've done. It would ruin us completely. "Hey boss," Camille smiled coming into my office. "Good morning Camille." I sighed looking through my papers. "How was your morning?" She asked sitting on my desk. "My morning was great." I stated still ignoring her. I can't look at her. "You know Michael we can't keep working like this." She sighed taking the papers out of my hands. "You're more than welcome to find a new job Camille." I said plainly. "That would be too easy. You just want me out cause you feel guilty. You made a move first." She stated. I closed my eyes trying to keep my cool. "It was a mistake that should've never happened. And that is not true. You had been coming onto me for weeks," I said calmly. "Which time, was it a mistake the 1st, 2nd,3rd-" "Camille!" I hollered. "You really meant this time huh?" She said with a cocky smile. I ignored her continuing to look through more paperwork. "How is your wife Michael?" She asked arrogantly crossing her arms. "Dre is fantastic." I stated having enough of her games. "Ohhh so she's ready to have sex again so you dont need me anymore?" She asked. "Get out of my office now." I said through my teeth. "Okay boss," she said flipping her hair as she left. God. I fucked up.