Page 33 of Guarding Our Love
“Hey, guys,” I greeted them when I walked into the house.
The three of them were in the living room watching something on television with their pizza and soda in front of them. I took my shoes off and went to sit on the couch.
“Your father and I wanted to talk to you about something.” There was no point in me beating around the bush or stalling. My stomach felt queasy, so I wasn’t sure if I would eat dinner, but I wanted to shower and relax if I could.
Roy turned the television off and turned to face the boys. Both boys looked between the two of us. Roy sat there like he wasn’t the reason we had to have the conversation in the first place. I guess it was up to me to start it. I rubbed my hands over my skirt.
“Your father and I are getting a divorce, and that’s why he hasn’t been here,” I announced.
“A divorce?” Brooks looked genuinely confused.
Blake was older, and I knew he understood what that meant because he had friends who had divorced parents.
“Yes. We aren’t going to be married anymore, and he won’t live here.”
Tears welled in Brooks’s eyes, and it broke my heart. I hated that we had to go through this, and I wanted to punch Roy in his face for putting us through this.
Yes, I’ve been talking to Calil, but if Roy hadn’t done the shit he did, I wouldn’t have given Calil the time of day.
“What did we do wrong?” Brooks asked.
I got up and sat down next to him. I pulled him into my arms and hugged him tightly. After I held him for a second, I pulled away to look at him.
“You and your brother did absolutely nothing wrong. Sometimes, mommies and daddies go through things, and it doesn’t always work out. No matter what, your father and I love you so much, and we will always be there for you. Do youunderstand that?” Tears streamed down my face as I looked into the innocent eyes of my youngest.
He was the perfect mixture of Roy and me. He looked so heartbroken, and I didn’t know how to fix it. I was sure telling them about going to another game would cheer him up, but it wasn’t the time. Opening that can of worms would cause more harm than good with Roy around.
“Blake, are you okay?” Roy asked.
Blake had been quiet, and that worried me.
“Yeah. Can I go to my room?”
“If you don’t have any questions, you can,” Roy told him.
“No, I don’t have any.” He stood from the couch and picked up his plate.
Brooks was still in my arms, leaning against me.
“Blake, at any time you have any questions or anything, don’t hesitate to ask your father or me. We are here for you two, no matter what.”
I had to reiterate that because I wanted them to know that nothing changes about our parenting when it comes to them.
“Okay.” Blake picked up Brooks’s plate before exiting the living room.
Roy, Brooks, and I sat quietly. I could see the remorse in Roy’s eyes, but it was too late for that.
“Are we going to go to another game one day? Coop was cool.”
I closed my eyes when Brooks asked that question because I had a feeling of what was coming next. Roy looked at me with a look that let me know he had plenty of questions, but he could save that shit for someone else.
“We will. Go upstairs and get yourself ready for bed. You don’t have to go to bed yet. Just get ready, and we can watch a movie together,” I told him.
“Okay.” He hugged me then hugged his father before running out of the living room.
Roy was silent for a minute, but I knew it wouldn’t last long.
“How the hell did y’all get tickets to a game, and how did they meet Coop?”
