Alonzo's POV:
I was awakened by noises emanating from outside my room. I sat up and took a glance around. I was completely fatigued from the previous night. Then it struck me. Where had Jade gone? I jumped to my feet and hurried out of the room, calling out for Jade and my girls, but there was no response. I raced out the front door, wearing nothing but my sweatpants.
When I got outside, I noticed Jade placing our daughters in their car seats. Her Bronco was full of luggage and stuff as she rushed to get the kids buckled into their vehicle seats. Her father was standing close, attempting to persuade her to stay. The entire site gave me the impression that my heart had been ripped from my chest.
"Jade," I called.
She came to a halt and peered over her shoulder for a second before putting Arabella into her car seat and closed the car door. Jade pushed past her father and walked to the driver's side of the automobile. I dashed over to her, stopping her before she could open the door. Her back was to the automobile, and her head was turned away from me. I had her arms in my grasp.
"What are you doing?" I inquired. "Where are you taking my girls?"
Jade remained silent. She simply kept silent.
"Where are you going?" I questioned, gently shaking her arms.
Before she turned to face me, a tear streamed down her cheek.
"The girls and I are leaving," Jade announced. "I can't stay here."
When I heard those words, I suddenly grew weak and let go of Jade. I stood there watching as she opened her car door and got in. I went to the back window and gazed at my daughters through the window, shouting, "I love you." While I saw my girls and wife go, Jade backed out of the driveway and began driving away.
I stood in the driveway until several minutes passed when I lost sight of Jade's Bronco. Jade's father came up behind me and patted my back. I instantly walked away from him and headed inside.
Dylan's POV:
I returned home from a long day of ranch work to find Mr. Scott lounging in front of the television. Arabella did not meet me, nor did I see the baby. I didn't even get the chance to smell Jade's cooking in the kitchen.
"Where is everyone?" I inquired of Mr. Scott.
He sighed and said, "Alonzo is in the bedroom."
The house had a strange aura. As I walked down the hall, I discovered that items were gone from the girls' bedrooms. I knocked twice before entering the door to Alonzo's room and finding him laying on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. It reminded me of when Alonzo had just been told by the doctors that he wouldn't be able to ride bulls because he had broken his arm.
"You good man?" I inquired.
Alonzo didn't respond, nor did he even flinch.
"Where are the girls?" I asked
"Gone," Alonzo exclaimed.
"Gone? What exactly do you mean by "gone?" I inquired.
"Jade took the girls and left," Alonzo said. "I don't know if they will be back."
"Ah shit man," I exclaimed. "I'm sure she will come back."
"I really fucked up, man," Alonzo sobbed.
"I don't think so," I countered. "You could have left that girl in the past, but instead you went to her father and agreed to turn a bad situation into a good one." Most men would not have turned around."
"It won't bring her back, though," Alonzo continued.
"You don't know that just yet," he replied. "Now get up, because I'm not going to leave you sulking here." We've got a ranch to manage!"