Christmas Re-Do

Prologue

Prologue

       "Luke," Melody said, her voice sharp. I sighed, preparing myself for another argument from my wife. "Can we talk please?"

       "Yes, because I'm totally not in the middle of making food for tomorrow," I said, placing some cookies in the oven. "Mel, can it please wait until tomorrow? I'm exhausted as it is."

       "No, it can't wait," she said, so I turned to face her. "I've been calling you upstairs for the past half hour. Tyler was fussy, Jeremy was making a mess, and Massey didn't want to go to bed. It took me so long to put them to bed."

       "I didn't hear you," I pointed it. "You could have come downstairs to get me."

       Melody crossed her arms. "I couldn't. If I left Jeremy alone for a second, he would have mad a bigger mess. You never help around here."

       I raised an eyebrow. "Are you kidding me? What do you think I do for every meal? I cook everything, Mel. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even dessert sometimes."

       "Yeah, and you're always sleeping on the couch whenever you're not cooking," Melody said. "I'm the one who's always taking care of the twins and Tyler. Do you know that hard that is?"

       "Of course I do," I said. "I'm their father."

       "But you don't watch them!" Melody said. "The only thing you do for them is changing Tyler's diaper, that's it. I have to put him to bed, rock him when he's fussy, feed him...."

        "I can't feed him, Melody," I pointed out.

       "That's not the point!" Melody said. "The point is that I am sick and tired of doing everything for them! You could put Tyler to bed or rock him when he's fussy! You could put the twins to bed or even give them a bath! But you don't! I do everything!"

       "Would you stop yelling at me?!" I asked, though yelling at her for yelling was a bit hypocritical. "If you had a problem with it, you could have just told me!"

       "I shouldn't have to!" Melody said. "You're their father, Luke! You're my husband! It's your job! You got me pregnant at seventeen! You proposed to me when we were eighteen! You should be helping me with the kids without me telling you to!"

       "Stop yelling, Melody!" I said. "I hate when you yell!"

       "You're yelling, too! You know, it's times like these when I regret getting married to you so young!"

       I had to admit, that struck me hard, so I said something without stopping myself. "And it's times like these where I wish I never met you!"

       I regretted that as soon as I said it. Melody looked so hurt by that, which made me feel even more guilty. "You know what, Luke? Don't bother coming near me tonight." And with that, she headed upstairs.

       I sighed, rubbing my face with my hands. Part of me did regret that, but....the other part kind of meant it.

       I waited for the cookies to be out of the oven before taking them out and heading to the couch to go to sleep. It took a while, but I was finally able to fall asleep.

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I've had this idea for a long time. I kept wanting to write what it would be like if Luke and Melody never became friends, then more than that. And this was my idea. (: