Misty Eyes.

Chapter Seven

Dear Diary - February 17th, 2019

It's done. 

I can't believe it. 

The one thing I had always been scared of, the one thing I wanted to never happen, happened. 

Mom and Dad are getting a divorce. 

Their reason?

Me. 

Dad keeps trying to reassure me, but I can't believe him. I thought Mom was just mad when she asked me about it a few months ago, I didn't think she was serious, why would she ask me that? They've brought up divorce almost every time they've fought, it wasn't anything new!

They both knew it was one of my biggest fears. I didn't want to become a child of divorce. I didn't want everyone to know that my parents didn't love me enough to stay together. 

I was so mad when Dad told me. Mom has been staying with her mom for the past few weeks. She stopped coming home. At first she just started showing up on Monday's, and Dad would get me ready for school on his own, but then it slowly turned into Tuesday's, then Wednesday's, then Thursday's, and then nothing at all. 

"Oh sweetheart, there's no point in me coming home Friday because I'll just have to leave again that night."

When she said that to me it really hurt my feelings. I thought she would want to see me, even if it was only a couple of minutes. I don't understand it. I don't understand why she's leaving. 

Sure, things aren't perfect, but nothing is. We're a family, and families don't give up on each other!

Why did she give up on me!

Mom is coming home tomorrow to get some of her things while I'm at school. She told me she won't be able to see me. It made Dad really mad. He said a lot of things to her on the phone, but I don't want to remember them. 

I guess I'll have two Christmases now. 

"What did you just say?" I heard him yell into the phone. It was on speaker, and though glitchy, I heard it loud and clear. 

"I can't see her tomorrow."

"Why not? Is it that difficult to see your daughter before you abandon her?"

"I'm not abandoning her, stop. You're being completely irrational. You did this to yourself. You ruined the family."

"I ruined the family? You're the one that's been leaving and lying about where you've been! You've been staying at his house, sleeping in the same bed, God knows what else, and then telling me and Erin you're at your Mom's! You broke the family because you lied!"

"I never lied about a thing. You're putting words in my mouth."

My fists clenched without me telling them too. She lied just then. She promised me that everything was fine, and she was just staying with her Mom because she missed them and her and Dad just needed some fresh air to feel better so we could all get along. 

She never mentioned anyone else in these stories. I thought she had stopped cheating. I thought Mom and Dad had talked it out. 

Clearly I underestimated how easily she could fool me. 

"Okay, if that's how you're going to be I'm going to hang up."

"No, you can't do that, I have to come get my stuff tomorrow!"

"I never said you couldn't come get your stuff, I said I'm going to hang up if this is how you're going to act. What is it about getting your things that prevents you from being able to see Erin?"

"I just can't!"

"What are you hiding now?"

"Nothing!"

"I'm not stupid, for God's sake, what is such a big deal that you can't see your daughter one more time?"

"He's coming with me!"

"What?"

Who's he? Was this the man that Mom had been cheating on Dad with? Is that why she stopped coming back? Was he with her and she just didn't want to leave his side?

Mom couldn't come see me...

...because of HIM?

"I can't go alone. My anxiety is too bad. I'll get into a car accident if he isn't with me!"

"Does he have to hold your hand when you cross the street? Or wipe after you use the bathroom for you? Or change your diaper? Are you suddenly not an adult because you met a man- no, douchebag, who has no care if a woman is married or not?"

"Do not speak about him like that! You know nothing about him, it isn't fair for you to judge him!"

"Sure, I don't know the guy, but I know that you don't go around sleeping with married women. That's douchey! I'm hanging up. I'll see you tomorrow. He's not coming on my property."

"Bu-"

And then there was a loud crash. It scared me. I immediately ran to the bathroom, where he'd been hiding while on the phone with her, and banged on the door. 

"Dad!" I exclaimed, terrified he might've gotten hurt. 

Thankfully the lock on the door didn't work anymore and I was able to get in. He was sitting on the ground with his face cupped into his hands, which I could see was red. His phone was in the tub. He must've thrown it down when he hung up on her. 

"I'm... I'm so sorry, Erin."

"Dad, it's fine," I said, hugging him. 

I'm a very sensitive person. All I ever do is cry, but right now, I had to be strong. For him. 

For my Dad.