Chapter 4
“I guess we can start at the beginning?” Howie said trying to get Elizabeth to talk more.
“What is there to talk about, I left you, when I should have told you what was going on” she said as she got up and walked towards the shore where the water touched the beach.
Howie followed after her only to notice she had let the water touch her feet. He watched how the wind played with her hair. He took off his shoes and walked to her side. He took in the salty sea air and the feel of just having her presence near him.
“I only wanted to protect your career from being destroyed” she said “I realize I made a mistake, and I know you don’t believe me; but, I have loved you since the first day we met. All I wanted was to make you happy” She said
“We could have handled it together Ells” He said and slowly got closer to her.
“Look I was eventually going to tell you maybe when I knew you were ready or …or…” she began to say.
“Or when you would need to beg me for money” Howie said and regretted it from the moment he let it leave his mouth.
The sound of a sharp slap was heard. Elizabeth ran as far away as she could from Howie. He had said what she feared the most. She felt her heart breaking all over again. She was about to open the sliding glass door into the house when she felt a hand take her by the arm. She turned to see Howie with pleading eyes.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it, and I know you would never use me for my money” he said
“You’re right I would never do that. Yet, you seem to think that I would do such a thing. I would have told the kids about you eventually and notified you not because I would have the need for money but because they can’t go on without a father” She said angrily “I was hoping that at least we could be somewhat civil but I guess I should just let you go” She said harshly and walked inside.
“Wait, what did you mean by that?” he said as he followed her inside only to be stopped by three kids and his three friends staring at him.
“What did you do to my Mommy you jerk” said one of the boys who walked up to Howie with a scowl on his face.
“I….we….we were just talking, and I said something and well I got slapped and she stormed off” he said as he rubbed his red cheek.
“I don’t want you near our Mommy you meanie” he heard Jocelyn say and she ran off to be with her mother.
He couldn’t help but wince at the fact that now his own children who didn’t know who he was, were mad at him. He most certainly didn’t enjoy the fact that they called him a jerk and a meanie. He looked over to Marco and Ashley who were both shaking their heads slightly.
“Hey don’t give me that look I wasn’t the one who ran out! I wasn’t the one who kept secrets” Howie said as he sat down at the table and placed his head in his hands.
“I told you D, It is a complicated situation and there is something else that she isn’t telling us” He said motioning to himself and Howie.
“What do you mean?” Howie asked looking to Marco and Ashley for answers.
“Sorry Howie we can’t tell you, we need to let things play out, because the way things are going right now the can of worms is slowly opening” Marco said.
Elizabeth lay in her bed just staring off into the empty wall next to it. She hardly noticed that two of her children had decided to join her. She only moved to snuggle Jocelyn and felt Joshua hug her from behind. She felt better that her children were there to lift her up. She figured Jr was listening to the adults in the dining room to try and piece the puzzle. Taking a deep breath she kissed the top of Jocelyn’s head and placed a hand on Joshua’s hand.
“Who is that man Mommy?” she heard Jocelyn ask.
“If I tell you who he is you have to let me explain the whole story ok?” she said to her children.
“Ok” They both said as they moved so that Elizabeth could sit up.
“That man is your father, I never told him about you guys because at the time he was just starting to become famous in Europe with your Uncle Alex” She said “I was very scared of what would happen if he found out and I didn’t want him to quit, so I ran away”
She noticed her children became quiet. She started to become scared that they would hate her.
“Mommy is he going to take us away?” Joshua asked.
“No I would never ever let that happen to you. You are my children and I will never let anyone take you away from me” She said as she hugged them both tight.
She looked at the door to notice Jr standing by the doorway and she motioned for him to join them on the bed. Giving a small smile he walked to the bed and lay down and placed his head on Elizabeth’s legs. She smiled at her three children as they stayed in silence taking in their time together. These were the moments that she treasured the most.
Howie took a small peek at Elizabeth with the kids and felt a small tug at his heart. He had always dreamed of having children and his dream girl was always Elizabeth. No matter how many women he dated he could never forgot her. Slowly backing up he decided to leave them alone and sit on the couch. Marco, Ashley, and AJ went out on a food run and Howie stayed to watch over Elizabeth and the kids. It was a while before he felt someone shaking him and woke up to find Elizabeth hovering over him.
“Hey, you fell asleep” she said as she sat next to him but with a bit of distance between them.
“Yeah I guess I did” he said softly.
“Howie, I think maybe we should just try and be civil for the kid’s sake” she said
“Ells, I didn’t mean what I said earlier. I was just so hurt and I wanted to hurt you, it was the wrong thing to say” he said and tried to get close to her.
Elizabeth moved away from him and placed her arms around herself “wow its cold in here” she said as she walked to the window wondering when the others would be back with the food.
“What you said about letting me go, what did you mean by that” Howie asked curiously.
“It means exactly what you think it means, I was asked on a date last week and declined because I was still holding on to you. I decided after what has happened today that it’s for the best that we see other people” she said softly.
“If that’s what you want…I mean, if you think it’s for the best” he said softly trying not to let her see that he was hurt by what she was saying.
Howie watched her as she looked out the window. Her silhouette hit by the light of the moon making her glow. He was going to let her live her life and hopefully they could come up with a compromise on a joint custody on the kids. He was letting her go like she wanted, and it was something he wanted to do right?
Author's Chapter Notes:
I really need some review guys. The more you review the more inspired I get.
