Chapter 5 CH 4

That evening I sat in my empty house and waited for Eric to get home. I took a shower when I got in from the meeting with Chloe and tried to eat something, today Vivienne decided we would like to try ketchup on a turkey sandwich. I'm a little embarrassed to say it was amazing.

Now with food in my system I was finally starting to not feel so nauseous every hour of the day. Eric texted an hour ago saying it would be another late night. I told him I was really sick and that I needed him home in case it got worse. He agreed and said he'd be here soon. The door to the garage opened and he came in looking at his phone. I watched him move around the kitchen for a moment fixing a drink without ever looking up at me. He seems almost bummed that I asked him to come home at a decent hour. I guess taking care of a supposedly sick wife isn't as fun as romping with your mistress. I sat motionless and quiet until he actually looked up at me.

"Are the boys home? It's so quiet" He asks looking at the black tv screen in from of me, confused. He continues to look around the room noticing the photos are gone.

"They are having a sleepover with uncle Chris tonight" I responded watching his confusion grow, "I need to talk about something with you."

"Oh really? I thought you were sick?" He asks after finally taking in my appearance. "Ok what do you need to talk about?" He asks me with the audacity to sound annoyed. He sits in the chair across from me and that's when he sees my rings on the table in between us. His face darkens when he looks up at me.

"Hope"

"Why did you take you rings off?" He inquires back.

"I need to tell you that I know about you and Hope" I continue "you should also know I met with an attorney today and Im filling for a divorce."

He turns completely red and his eyes darken even further if that was possible.

"Listen Larkin we can work on this before we talk about divorce. You are not leaving me, I never had any intentions of being with her instead of you."

"You're not even going to say sorry?! You thought that what, you would just have fun with my best friend, my family, and that you could go back to normal when you had your fill? Are you serious?"

"Larkin I love you and Im sorry, there I said. I've never wanted to not be with you."

"You have a funny way of showing it!" I yelled back.

"Baby it wasn't something that was planned it just happened, I never once thought about leaving and breaking up ur family though" he says like that will make me change my mind.

"Oh please tell me how it 'just happened' " I sarcastically asked complete with air quotes.

"She came over one day looking for you when her husband first filed for divorce a few months ago. You weren't home but I invited her in to wait because she was so upset". He's sitting on the couch now, trying to reach for my hand but I pull away and cross my arms.

"She was hysterical about not being able to have kids and having to move. On top of everything he was so nasty when he left her she was falling apart. I'm not saying it was right, she kissed me....and....I kissed her back". He's looking at me like it's the most obvious thing in the world. Am I having a stroke?

"He left her months ago Eric, you really expect me to believe it accidentally kept happening this whole time? Are you sleeping together? What's the end game plan here if you didn't want to leave me eventually?" I'm surprised that I was able to say all that with an even tone, I want to scream at him but I also really want these answers.

"I don't know exactly It wasn't something I thought about future wise, it defiantly never crossed my mind to end things here and be with her. I take care of everything for you and the kids it was nice to have something just for me. I am sleeping with her" He looks at me as he says that last part.

"So let me get this straight, you just wanted to milk her situation for as long as it worked for you then break it off and continue here with me and pray I never found out?!"

"Larkin you've been so focused on the kids and with the 3rd on its way I didn't really think you'd notice honestly" he scoffs at me "I mean its not like you ever seek me out anymore!" He rises from the couch his voice rising with him. "So sue me if I wanted to enjoy feeling wanted, and I'm sorry, but it felt really good to have a tight little body desperate to have me and not just a mommy body!" He says looking me right in the eye.

The metaphorical knife he'd stabbed me with twisted with that statement. The air momentarily left my body before a cold resolve filled me.

"I'm ending it right now along with this conversation, you are not leaving me over this." He says quieter now. He makes a move to pull his phone out, like doing it in front of me will fix everything they've been doing behind my back for months. Everything he's just yelled at me.

"Jesus Christ Eric, you really are throwing your name in the hat for village idiot aren't you?" I snap at him. He looks up from his phone and has the nerve to looked confused.

"You think you can cheat on me while its convenient and fun for you and that I'll just be here waiting with the kids when you're done? I'm not opening a conversation to talk about separating, I'm telling you that I have filed and I'm asking you now to move out while we settle this."

He looks shocked for a moment, then angry, really really angry.

"What do you mean you're telling me? Since when do you think you call the shots?! Everything you have, everything you and the boys get to do is because of me. What do you think life will look like for you as a single mom? Three kids? Come on Larkin I know you're not that stupid. I made a mistake I said I was sorry and its ending today, so is this conversation. I know it'll be weird for little bit between you and Hope but you've been friends for so long are you planning on cutting her out too?" He laughs a little as he finishes, like the idea of me standing on my own is so comical that he won't even consider it. I'm furious.

"Do you want me to sleep on the couch tonight? I don't mind giving you a night if you need to calm down." He asks me with his eyebrows raised.

I look at my husband and I don't know him anymore. I don't know who this man is with so little regard for me, my heart is breaking. How is he the the father of my children?! I'm supposed to share my new baby with him too? Hell no! He has never brought me as much heart ache as he is right in this moment.

"If you won't leave then I guess we will" I say starting to stand from the couch. I make my way to the boys rooms and reach Noahs first. I just need a small bag for each of us I can come back later and really get our things. He stomps down the hall after me and I start to second guess the bags, I can always get them later. He follows me into the room and the look on his face makes my heart fall into my stomach, he doesn't look like my Eric he looks possessed. Immediately I beeline for the door. I instantly picture being trapped with him and for the first time since I met him all those years ago, I'm afraid of him. I start to pull out my phone out just in case; I'm almost to the front door. Reaching it I feel a moment of relief until his hand slams against it keeping it closed.

"I don't think you should leave until we're on the same page Larkin" he whispers in my ear from behind me. Using the size of my belly to hide the phone from his angle I punch in 911. I whimper slightly as he slides the lock in place and steps back from me. I don't know what he's capable of right now but I know its stupid to stay confined here with him. Using all the courage I have, I flick the lock and swing the door open. I start yelling my address into my phone as I run outside, he's not far behind and much faster than my whale of a self. Just before he can grab me my neighbor next door pulls into her driveway. The beam of her cars headlights fall right on us. He tries to save face, probably thinking we will all still be living here with him after this and we can't have the neighbors talk now can we? He steps closer to me as I freeze and laces his fingers around my upper arm.

He starts to wave to her and fixes a smile, this is buying me more time! Hopefully the police are on their way, I didn't get to talk to anyone but they heard my address and call for help. My heart is beating like crazy, I think I may pass out! Please please please let me get out of here!

"Larkin? Hello?" My neighbor calls out to me, she's out of her car now and must have said something I missed. He takes a step closer, tightening his fingers around my arm. Just as I start to open my mouth I hear the far off ring of sirens. Thankfully they grow louder and louder until they turn down our street. My neighbor and Eric both tense and turn in the direction of the 2 patrol cars stopping in front of my driveway.