For you, I hope the grass is greener

Chapter 8 Running

Daniel's POV

I wake up to the sound of squeals outside of the house, as I groan out and look at the clock to realize I have slept in and somehow feel even more tired than when I went to bed.. I know I got sleep, but maybe it was too much for my body. I get up, stretch, and realize that I am happy not hearing the humming from my wife or her productive nature that makes me feel bad for wanting to relax one day out of the week.

I don't even change my clothes because I deserve to be lazy every now and then. I'll leave my basketball shorts and shirt on as I wander out of our room. I can see that my son's door is still closed but that my daughter's isn't. I get to the kitchen and front room area as I find my gaze searching the rooms, and once not seeing anything, it goes straight for the big window and glass doors.

I glance out the window to see that the girls are completely soaking one another while they are messing around in the backyard. Their big smiles full of genuine happiness are a pleasant sight to see. That sight makes me smile, but I still just want to be alone. So I turn and head for the front door. making my way out of it and to the front yard to get my paper.

That's my favorite part of the day.. drinking my coffee undisturbed as I read the paper. My wife thinks it's silly that I even still get the paper anymore with technology these days, but I like it.. the smell of the ink on the paper, the feeling of it crinkling in my hands.. I just like it, and no one will take it away.. at least not yet.

I start coming back in as I see our neighbor.. he seems ok, but I have never spoken to him. "Good morning." he states in an upbeat, pleasant tone as I snap back. "Is it?" I don't know where that came from. It seemed to be out of nowhere. He is sending me a confused look. "Or should I say hope you have a good morning?" he asks as I groan out. "Yeah, sorry.. you too." He nods but leaves just as quickly as he comes out, looking as if he is avoiding me.. and I would probably be doing the same.. He looked like he was in a good mood before he saw me.

I got inside the house as I saw the girls running in and tracking water all throughout the house. "Seriously? You guys are making such a big mess! There was no need to get each other soaked, and to now, the fact that you're bringing it into here is frustrating.. I don't want to have to clean up your big mess up when I had nothing to do with making it!" I yell out in frustration, startling them since they didn't even realize I was up yet.

The giggles instantly stop as silence and awkwardness fill the area. I feel bad.. I didn't want to ruin the mood. I just feel so angry all the time lately. My wife leans in and whispers something to Marley as she prances away down the hall and to the bathroom she shares with her brother. Once our daughter is out of sight, I can see that my wife's eyes have locked on me. She starts to slowly make her way toward me as she starts. "Honey, it's ok.. it's not a big deal.. we were having some fun and got carried away.. it was funny.. and if you're so worried about the floor, I'll take care of it. I have a lot of cleaning I'm doing today anyway." She declares in a sweet tone.

She is now in reaching distance as I feel her fingertips trace over my arms that are flexing out of frustration without even realizing it. She keeps inching closer to me with her soaking wet body. "You know. things don't have to be so frustrating.. you could always help me get out of these wet clothes." She declares as I roll my eyes, feeling my shorts and shirt getting soaked with her body now pressing against mine.

"Dammit, Daphne, you're soaking me and the floor.. I just wanted to read the paper and have my coffee, but you're soaking the paper as well. Why can't I do anything I want to do? You know how much I like my paper and coffee!" I snap as she looks shocked but nods and walks away from me with no fight whatsoever.

I groan out, hating how much I'm growing to dislike everything she does.. I know she means well and is trying to be sexy after having fun with our daughter. I just can't seem to stop the anger every time she is near. I flop down on my recliner as my phone in my pocket beeps. I groan out hating that I am even being contacted this early. But as I open the message, I realize it's from Delilah.

'Hey handsome, I hope you had a good night.. mine was boring, and all I could think about was how excited I am to see you tonight.. I hope you have a good day.'

I find myself smiling as I stare down at the message. Before figuring out how I would like to respond.

'Thanks.. it wasn't a good morning until I heard from you.. Can't wait to see you either.'

I declare this with some sort of confidence. I roll my eyes again once I hear the girls laughing at something, and I bet that something is me.. I feel myself getting angry at that thought, but I don't even know if that assumption is true, so I am making up a reason to be frustrated for no reason as of right now. I'm just not happy here, and the idea of staying here when I could be having fun elsewhere is infuriating.

I watch my wife, and both of the kids walk out of the hallway, laughing and joking together. My wife starts to make breakfast as the kids sit at the table by her, talking with her as she gets the cooking going. "I can't believe that.. that's hilarious.. and you're still going after that?" My son states loudly, but I can't hear all that they are talking about.

"Mom, you're such a hard worker.. even on the days off.. It's crazy.. and I would tell you to take a break, but this breakfast smells too good for you to stop.. but thanks for your effort.. You're the best mom." My son yells again as I feel myself getting angrier. Why is she the best? I'm working my ass off, and she is the best? This is frustrating.. Yeah, I'm not doing anything right in this moment, but I'm allowed to relax on my days off.

I get mad, slamming the newspaper to the coffee table and gaining all of their attention. But as I get up and walk past everyone, I can see that their looks hold confusion and question. Especially since they probably don't know why I am mad.. Of course, they don't understand what they have done wrong. I'm the only one doing any wrong in this place? Right? So I leave the room, but not before sending a heated glare their way. I want to leave now. I quickly grab my phone out of my pocket once my family is out of my sight and going straight to Delilah's messages from before to respond again.

'If you're not too busy, would you like to just hang our all day.. I need to get out of here.'

I send Delilah that message as she instantly responds.

'I would love to.. where do you want to meet?'

I take my phone, sending another instant response as I change out of my wet clothes.

'I need to go for a jog, so let's meet at the park.'

I put away my phone as I got ready to meet her at the only huge park in our city. I get out of the room, changed, and ready to go as I spat at my family, who is just so happy without me around. "I need to go for a run, and I'm going to do some stuff before I have to go join my boss for work.. so have a nice day. I don't know when I'll be back, but I need to get out of here and get a breath of fresh air." I don't give them a chance to respond as I leave the place and start running towards the park.

I get there pretty quickly with all the anger in my step and knowing this route from going this way every week since I love to run. Daphne is not a fan of exercising at all, but I love to stay active and get my anger put out on something else. So I normally have to do it alone because, like their mother, the kids don't want to run either.. Marley is all about her art in her spare time, and Andrew says he runs enough during practice and games for basketball. So I just leave everyone be and run on my own, which is for the best, I guess, because I wouldn't want to deal with all the fuss that they bring while doing this.

I get to the first park bench off to the side of the park as I instantly take a seat to catch my breath and collect my thoughts as I am waiting. Maybe I should just go home. Maybe I shouldn't meet up with her. But I never know until I try.. Maybe she will annoy the hell out of me, and that would make things easy for leaving and being a good husband and heading home.

Why? To head straight home to what? A place I don't want to be? Maybe it's good that I'm out here getting away before I take any more of my anger out on my family.. maybe not, but I guess the only way I would know is if I try.

I'm lost in my thoughts as I feel a light tap on my shoulder. I whip my head back to look behind me as I see a glowing Delilah who is just radiating happiness in what looks like a tennis outfit.. but whatever it is, it's cute all the same. I smile at her as she sits down at the bench beside me without hesitation. "Hey, good looking.. how's your day going?" she asks as I smile over at her.

"It's honestly has been an irritating day.. I just needed to get out and get a breath of fresh air." I declare as she hums in response. "Well, I will take any excuse to get out of my lonely apartment.. I hate it there, but it's different because I'm alone. I'm sure having your family there helps." She declares as I huff out bending over and setting my elbows on top of my knees.

"It doesn't help when all you want is to be alone.. having a family takes a lot of time and energy.. you have to give a lot and it always takes a lot.. it can be really hard to deal with all the time.. sometimes I wish.. I don't know.. nevermind." I state as I shake my head. I feel her hand hand on my leg, squeezing it lightly as she softly says. "Tell me.. what?" she asks as I huff out.

"Sometimes I wish I didn't have a family, and I was still by myself and single in every sense of the word." I declare as I glance over at her, and there isn't a judgemental look on her face as I had suspected. She only has understanding riddled in her features. "I get that.. I wish you were too.. no.. wait.. I'm sorry.. I'm not trying to be rude." She states, hating her answer as I put my hand on top of hers.

"It's ok.. want to go get something to eat? I didn't bring my car, but we could walk somewhere." I explain as she quickly states. "I brought my car here.. come on, I'll drive, and we can talk all you want." She declares as I nod, liking the sound of that. "Ok, let's do it." I state as I stand up and walk behind her and over to her car that is not parked too far from here.