The Husband

Sixteen

Renee

(3 Days Later)

"Come on out, Renee and get some food." I heard my dad say on the other side of the door.

"No. Go away." I yelled.

"Renee, please. I don't want to lose my grandson." I sighed and wobbled to the door and unlocked it and slowly opened it to see him with some food.

"Thanks dad." I said as I grabbed the plate and the drink while he had the snacks.

"Stew chicken with white rice wnd pigeon peas. My favorite."

"Do you mind if I sit in here so we can talk ?" I shook my head and he sat down next to me and I dove in my plate.

"I seen what happened between you and Jim not too long ago." I shook my head and sighed.

"Dad, I don't want to talk about it." I said quietly.

"Ok. If you need a shoulder to lean on, you can count on me." I gave him a hug and he walked out and softly closed the door. I just sat there and thought.

"Wow, I've been through a lot." I said as I laid my back on the pillow and it started to relax.

Then my lights went off and a ghost appeared in my room. It was the one and only.

"I know you have." he said smiling with his wrinkles appearing put his face.

"Grandpa?" I gasped.

"Yea, it's me again. If you feel like you should be happy, then divorce him." he said as he sat next to me. I put my hand through him and he started laughing.

"That tickles ?" I curiously asked him.

"Yea it does. But you should divorce him."

"I can't Gramps. It's complicated."

"Why sweetie ?"

"It's just I love Jim but if I go back to him, I feel as though he's going to cheat on me again." I sighed.

"Just pray and God will help you through it."

"Okay."

"Blessed be." he said and bowed his head down.

"Blessed be." I responded and he disappeared and my lights re-appeared back on.

I wish I was a happy man like my grandpa. Everytime you see him, he would always have a smile on his face. I remember when he told me how he and Grandma met. They've been together for 53 years. Long time, right ? He told me it was love at first sight. It was kind of like that with Jim and I. We were meant to be.

Then someone knocked on my door. I didn't realize I was eating my food while I was deep in my thoughts.

"Who is it ?" I asked.

"It's your mom. Jim is outside." she said and I heard her feet walk away in distance on the hard wood floor. I stood up and had one of them good yawns and grabbed my empty plate and wobbled downstairs.

"I'll take that." dad came in and took the empty plate from me. The doorbell ranged and a few knocks on the door. I opened the door and they nearly jumped.

"Mommy, I missed you." Niah said.

"I missed you too." I bent down in front of them so we were face to face. "Did y'all behave at dad's house ?" I asked.

"Yes." they said in unision.

"Did you guys eat ?" dad came in from the kitchen and asked them.

"No." they answered.

"Okay. Go wash up and get ready to eat some stew chicken." they cheered and ran upstairs.

"Guess I gotta go upstairs too, huh ?" Hazel growled lowly.

"Yes. You need something in your system." she lowly moaned and walked upstairs like a zombie.

"Here are the kids stuff." he gave me their bookbags. I peeped the girl wasn't there no more.

"I see your little girlfriend isn't there anymore." I said. On the inside, I was excited like a muh.

"About that, can we talk ?" I looked down and wobbled outside into the little breeze of California.

Jim

This is my only chance not to f**k everything up and lose Renee once and for all. I held open my car door and got in. I closed the door and got in my side. I sat down and sighed. She was just staring, I just felt her eyes burning in my head.

"What you wanna talk about, Jim?" she said in such a happy mood.

"Us. I miss you Renee, I really do. But--"

"But what ? You just wanna get back with me just to break my heart again. I don't think so. And let's talk about this girl I seen you in the car with."

"When ?"

"When you came and picked the kids up. The little Asain looking girl with ombrè hair."

"Oh. She just needed a ride somewhere since her car was in the shop." I answered.

"She needed a ride my ass. Jim, look if you came in here to talk about nothing, then there isn't anything to talk about."

"I miss you Renee. I miss waking up to see your beautiful face in the morning. I miss your laugh, smile, everything about." I didn't realize I was crying 'til a tear drop out of my eye.

"Renee." I sniffled. "Can you take me back ? I promise I will change my ways just for you." I grabbed her hand and used my thumb to caress her soft skin.

"Jim umm--"

"Please ?" I stared at her with glossy eyes and she began to tear up with me.

"Yes Jim, I will take you back. Only because we have family and I want us to work out." I hugged her and rubbed her now swollen belly.