The Divorce

6|Games

(2003)

It was Julia's 5th birthday. The couple were excited to celebrate her birthday with all the family coming over at their new house in the suburbs.

However, the man didn't want to move out of his apartment. Sure, it was a little cramped sometimes but the apartment was big enough for the family of three.

The woman argued with the man that she didn't want to raise their daughter in an apartment for the rest of her life.

"I want Julia to have an open back yard and have play dates with her future friends." The woman said to the man with frustration.

"She will! She's only two years old. How about in a few years-"

"No. We're moving out now." The woman dismissed her husband. She already made her decision without him.

So the family moved.

But the man missed his apartment. And his friends. And his old job.

But more than anything, he missed seeing his mother. Since they moved two hours away, the man could only see his mother once a week due to his new job schedule.

And all of the decisions were made by the woman. The man was starting to grow tired of his wife so he resumed to seeing his ex, Claudia. But he made sure to do so secretly.

__________________

"Will you help me blow up these balloons?" The woman asks her husband. She was tying the balloons around the dining room table.

The man does what he was told. He didn't want to start another argument with his wife. And he wanted to look helpful towards her.

The lady stared at him with disgust. "You have that agitated expression painted all over your face again."

The man stops blowing the pink balloon and holds the end with his fingers so the air wouldn't escape. "No I don't."

The woman rolls her eyes and starts to tie up a red balloon. "Then stop looking like that. It's your daughter's birthday for crying out loud. At least try to force a smile before the family and guests arrive."

The man looks away from her and continues to blow up more balloons as fast he could. He didn't want to be in the same room as his wife any longer.

"Mommy, where's my Barbie?" A tiny voice echoes from the play room.

The woman sighs and finishes tying up the final balloon. "It should be in your toy box, Julia!"

Julia's small feet begins to patter against the hardwood floors. She arrives at the dining room with her tiny arms placed on her hips. "I still can't find her!"

The woman looks over at her husband. "Can you help her look for it? I'm busy trying to finish up these decorations."

The man nods and walks over to his daughter. "Are you sure you checked your toy box?"

Julia nods her head. "I did. I can't find her."

"Don't worry. I'll help you find your dolly."

"She's not a dolly, dad! She's Barbie."

"Got it sweetheart. Let's go look for Barbie. Maybe she's under your bed with some of your other toys."

As the man and his daughter searched for her barbie upstairs, the woman finishes up the final decorations around the house. She felt so relieved her home was finally ready for her daughter's celebration.

The lady took deep pride within her home. Her husband let her decorate the house however she wanted.

Her living room was filled with indoor plants and the walls were decorated with family pictures.