After The Storm (Sequel)

Realization

Liliana's pov

After Jackson left last night I didn't know what to do. What to feel.

I was angry. I was hurt. I was tired. And that didn't even begin to sum up all of my emotions.

I couldn't even sleep because I was so stressed. Wondering where Jackson was and who he was with. Everything in me screamed for me to follow him when he left, but I couldn't leave Isabella. Somebody needed to be responsible.

Waking up the next morning I was drained and just fed up with everything. Regardless of us arguing, Jackson thinking that he could just leave in the middle of the night and not tell me where he was going is inexcusable and this is the second time he's done this these last couple of months. It was beyond disrespectful. I wondered where he went and who he was with. Was he with Maggie or some other woman? I called him so many times last night and never got an answer so I couldn't help but think the worst.

I was beyond stressed and irritated and it didn't help that Isabella was fussy all night after Jackson and I's arguing woke her up. I always promised that I would make sure that my kids came up in a happy home and I felt like I was failing both as a mother and a wife. This wasn't what I wanted for my family.

I was trying my best to keep it together but I felt like I was mentally drowning. All I could do was work and focus on Beau's case to try to distract myself. Once the next morning finally came around it took everything in me to use the little energy I had to get myself and Isabella ready for work.

"Isabella, no." I sighed pulling her hands away so that she would release the tight grip she had on my hair as I tried to gather everything that she needed for daycare. She automatically began crying. She was super cranky and fussy this morning because of her lack of sleep last night.

"Bella, mommy has a headache and I am tired. We are not doing this, this morning." I sighed running my hand down my face. Knowing that she was grumpy and there was nothing I could do I continued to gather her things and just hoped that she would calm down once I put her in the car and started driving around.

This morning was already off to a bad start.

- -

"Well, the good news is you get a fancy, new grown-up room while they paint the peds ward," I told Beau as Deluca pushed his wheelchair and we took him and his father to his new hospital room.

"Is there really nothing else we can give him? I mean, not even an aspirin?" His dad asked as we stood in the hallway while Deluca got Beau settled in his room.

"He's maxed out on opiates. And just one aspirin will do nothing for his pain, but it'll thin his blood and destroy his chances of a successful surgery. You understand?" I asked.

"W-What do I do? I mean, this is... Watching my kid in this much pain, what do I do?" He sighed.

"Well, he plays baseball, right? So what do you tell him? When it's the ninth inning and his team is down and the pressure's on you... you say, "You can do it."You say, "You got this." I explained. David nodded as he began to enter the Beaus room.

"David," I said stopping him. "You got this," I assured him before he entered the room. I closed the door and as soon as I looked up I made eye contact with Jackson. He looked mad which made no sense because I was the only person who had the right to be upset between us two. Us arguing was one thing but for him to leave the house and not tell me where he was going was inexcusable. We are married.

Not wanting to cause a scene at work, I started walking the opposite way but I could hear his footsteps quickly approaching.

"Lily. Liliana." I heard him call as he caught up to me.