You and your two children danced around the kitchen of your New York home one Saturday as you were getting ready for a family meal. Taking a taste of the meal you hummed in satisfaction, It was coming along perfectly. The phone rang and you son went to see who it was.
"Daddy's calling?" he called "Daddy's calling." you turned down the music and answered
"Hey babe."
"Hey, I don't know if I'm gonna make it back tonight." your smile dropped and you turned to the children.
"Kids go in the living room and watch TV for a bit. Okay." the giggled and ran off.
"Archibald Andrews you are not doing this to me again."
"I'm sorry but..."
"No but's Archie, your Dad is in town and he's staying for the night, this was planned weeks ago, I reminded you yesterday and today."
"There's nothing I can do."
"There is you get that ginger ass of your into your car and you drive home or so help me I'm done."
"You don't mean that."
"Wanna try me. I love you and I love the fact you are pursing your passion but you are risking your family by not connecting with them. When you asked me to marry you do you know what my condition was? Do you remember?"
"That I won't loose myself in the life." he sighed
"You are doing that right now, you are putting career over family, you are letting down your biggest supporters the ones who loved you before all of this and you're letting it slip through your fingers. Because you would favour one than the other."
"y/n."
"I don't ask for much Archie, neither does your family. " you huff then your voice softens "You know what, do what you want like you always do, miss another family meal, but I'm not covering for the you. Freddie! Mary Kate!" you shout at the end.
"What are you doing?" he asks a little panic. Your children came in and you gave them a smile
"Daddy wants to speak to you." you handed them your phone and they took it, as you went back to finishing dinner.
"Hi Daddy!" they chimed
"When are you coming home?" Freddie wonders
"Yay! We get presents!" Mary Kate cheered
"Love you too Daddy! Bye." you turned back around and hung up the phone
"Daddy says he's packing up now and bringing home a present."
"That's nice sweetie. Why don't you get dressed Grandpa will be here soon." They run off and you turn back to the meal.
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The doorbell rang and you went to answer
"Grandpa's here!" the kids yelled as you opened the door.
"y/n" Fred smiled and you went to hug him
"Hey Fred." you let him in and take his bag.
"Grandpa!" Freddie and Mary Kate tackle him into a hug he chuckles
"Hi to you too." he picked them up
"Oh, something smells nice."
"Spaghetti Bolognese with Chocolate cake for afterwards." You grin going to the kitchen.
"Do you want a beer?"
"Please." he puts the twins down and takes off his jacket.
"Where's Archie?" he asked. You were about to answer when the door opens and closes
"I'm home."
"There he is." you give a light smile.
"Daddy!" the twins greet him."
"Hey!" You stay in the kitchen to dish up as Fred greets his son. Archie then comes into the kitchen.
"Hi." he gives you a kiss on the cheek.
"Um humm." Fred looks at the two of you.
"Kids, let's go wash our hands." he takes the two out.
"I'm sorry."
"Of course you are Archie, you always are."
"I am though."
"You say that every single time." you look up at him "You say it that much you should change your name to it and have it tattooed on your head."
"y/n."
"Is it so hard for you to turn up? Does it literally have to take threatening to leave you alone with no wife or kids for you to show up. I thought we meant more."
"You do. I just." you held your hand up
"No more excuses. We're going to have a nice dinner where you will be present and then you can decide where your priorities lie. Oh, and you're sleeping on the couch tonight. Seen as your Dad is taking the spare room." you finishes plating up.
During the family dinner you put on a charming smile and were a great hostess. You engaged in conversation and had yummy food. The children asked their Dad to put them to bed as you then turned to pour some more wine.
"What's going on y/n." you looked up putting on another fake smile
"What do you mean."
"I saw how you were earlier. Talk to me." it was then you let the tears fall.
"I'm sick of playing second fiddle to music." you start. "You hear the horror stories about the industry and how there is always something going on behind closed doors. It makes me so paranoid that every time he calls cancelling plans, I think he's with someone else. He has missed family dinners, trips, birthdays and anniversaries, most of the time its short notice, he agrees to something then its 'hey babe sorry I can't make it' I am constantly on edge that one day I am going to go on social media and find a picture with him and another girl kissing.
That he's not working in the studio and is sleeping with someone else while I'm at home looking after two kids and cooking dinner only to tell them half an hour before that Daddy is sorry again but he thinks recording songs is more important that spending time with them because that's what they think. I've heard them talking when at night.
"He swore, he swore to me Fred that this wouldn't take over, that he could make both work and I feel like I stupidly believed him. All I wanted was a good job and a family. That's not much. I am stuck in a position because I can't put the effort in because any time I try he fails me. " you stood up and took another swig.
"You know he wants more children? He said to me the other week when he finally came home and I had put the children to be and I was working that he wanted more. I mean that's a joke he can't look after the two he's already got. I can't even remember the last time he spent more than a hour alone with them or with us doing something that wasn't eating." You snatched the photo of you and him together.
"They are six years old and soon enough they'll be going to high school, then college, then getting a job of their own with their own families to look after." you stared at the picture.
"I have spent so long being strong for them and for me I don't know if I can do it anymore. He doesn't get it, he never does. He just thinks I'm over reacting and that a few kisses and presents will make it all better. The kids don't need presents they want their father, I want my husband. I want my life back. Fred. The one where I am happy, the one where music didn't change our lives. The one where I don't have to threaten to leave your son just to get him to a dinner with his Dad."
"I had no idea this was going on."
"Don't feel bad , not many do....I should win a freaking oscar for my acting skills." you sigh.
"You know where the spare bedroom is. I'm just gonna take this very nice and expensive bottle of wine and drown my thoughts ready for a new day." you took the bottle to the garden and sit dow on the grass leaning against the porch railings.
While staring up at the night sky you dreamt of a normal family with normal problems and little tifs here and there.
"I'm not cheating on you." you heard Archie.
"That's nice." you wistfully say. He shut the door behind him and came to sit next to you.
"I love you."
"You have a shit way of showing it, Andrews." your head rolls to his side to look at him.
"Will you just shut up for a moment." you didn't say anything.
"I messed up, I get it now, I keep making promises and then braking them, I am a crap Dad and husband and I don't deserve you. I know I keep saying sorry but I mean it. I always do. I just get so caught up with work and wanting to make everyone proud of what I done I forget the thing that really makes you proud and happy is being there and being what I promised to be which is a husband, a father and a son. I just need time."
"You've had ten years asshole. six of them with kids."
"No time to make it right. Because I swear to you, I will make it all better and hopefully another ten years down the line we will see this as just a rough patch we managed to overcome."
"Piff you actually think we'll make it that long with your track record." you mutter rolling your eyes.
"I know right now it sounds like another promise I'll break but I swear to you I won't. just give me six months to prove to you that I can balance both, that you don't have to be put second or feel like you do. I will attend every concert, birthday, trip, dinner and anniversary while having a career. I will take over the reins properly as a Dad so you can do your work and get those several promotions you deserve. Just please y/n." he breathed heavily. You thought about it then stood up.
"Six months to prove me wrong Andrews. Buck up on your ideas or I will make good on my threat." you finished the bottle
"I'm going to bed and your still sleeping on the sofa." you left and did as you said, going to bed.
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The next morning you woke up with a banging head ache. You groaned as you turned over and removed the covers. Yawing you grabbed your robe and went downstairs. There was a bustle this morning as you entered the kitchen.
"Your awake!" the kids chime
"Yeah, what's going on?" you wonder looking around. You see Fred smiling and Archie multitasking, making breakfast, while on the phone and reaching for something in the cupboard.
"Dad is making breakfast."
"Yeah, Yeah I know what I said and it will get done but you need to come up with a calendar that doesn't clash with mine or that I have enough notice in that I can balance two lives." he said. He came over to you with a glass of water and two advill
"Morning Babe." he gave you a kiss and went back to what he was doing.
"I'm still confused." Fred turned round to you fully.
"He heard everything you said last night and I mean really heard. You finally gotten through that thick head of his."
"Aren't you gonna have your medicine, Mommy? Daddy said you have a headache.2 Mary Kate questioned and you took the pills and the water.
"Look, just get it done, please. Thank you." he hung up and served breakfast
"Thanks Daddy."
"I have entered a parallel world." you mutter
"Okay, so I have the day off, this morning you two are with me and Grandpa while your Mommy get's better and does some work. After Grandpa leaves, we will go run some errands and maybe just maybe get some ice cream. does that sound like a plan?" he asked the twins.
"Yeah!" he then gave you a plate as you looked at him in wonder.
"The tonight I'm taking you out on a date."
"Excuse me."
"Just the two of us. I've already asked Alex to babysit them and she said yes, so don't worry. And I have already done the first load of washing which is..." the washing machine beeped "Finished. Second load will go in. before we leave. Twins have you made your beds." they nodded
"Great finish your breakfast and get ready." they did so as you sat there eating your breakfast in amazement.
"Say goodbye to Mommy." they came and ran up to you giving you a hug and a kiss.
"Love you, Mummy
"Love you too. Be good." Archie came and kissed you
"Get some sleep then do some work. Be ready for 7 okay."
"Okay." you whispered and all four of them left.
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For once in a long time, Archie Did as he promised and turned the crap around, he built a studio in the garage so he would work from home too, anything work wise he tried to fit around family life and It worked for the most part. He was present every day and especially during the important ones. You even found out you were pregnant again which you were both ecstatic about, Finally getting that promotion at work he was so happy for you when you came home and told him.
Not once in the ten years since your emotional breakdown to Fred that night did you ever have to threaten leaving him again because it only needed to be said once to him for Archie to be scared shitless and do something different.
"I told you that ten years from now we would look back on it as a rough patch." Archie smiled giving you some juice. You rubbed your swollen belly that carried your fourth child.
"I really did scare you didn't I?" You smiled looking at the kids playing
"You did."
"Do you know how weird it was coming down the next morning and seeing you multi task, organize and plan."
"I was up very early that morning." he chuckled
"I'm glad you proved me wrong, Archie. I don't know what I would do without you."
"Be even more amazing." He gave you another kiss as you watched your family