Consequences - Grester

Chapter 9

Grace's POV

When I enter through the front door, I notice Mamrie in the kitchen. The girls must be in another room.

"Mommy!" Charlotte squeals and runs, from the garden, to hug my leg. I am surprised to see that she has been washed and is already in her pyjamas. Usually, Charlotte is an absolute nightmare to get ready for bed, but Mamrie seems to have done it with little trouble.

"Hey, peanut." I say and smooth her hair.

Charlotte throws her arms up for me to lift her, and bounces on her feet. I can't help but smile at her sweet, delighted expression, when I lift her up into my arms. She locks her tiny arms around my neck and I look into her big brown eyes, which bat with her long, dark eyelashes.

"You're like my little Bambi." I kiss her forehead.

"i'm not a deer, silly!" Charlotte shouts and giggles.

"Yeah, you're right. Deer are quiet." I tease her.

Charlotte giggles and taps my nose.

"Hey Mames," I say as Mamrie walks out of the kitchen. "How did you manage to get this little monkey ready for bed?"

"She'll do anything for her Aunt Mames." Mamrie grins. "And of course, Soph was being all responsible and independent today, so she's ready too."

"Thank you so much! I can't thank you enough." I manage to hug Mamrie and hold Charlotte at the same time.

"No problem, Smellbig. Do you want something to eat? The girlies have already had supper, haven't you, missy?" Mamrie pokes Charlotte's little stomach.

"No thanks, I'm good." I look around, waiting for Sophie to pop out somewhere. "Where's Soph?"

"Sophie's reading. She wouldn't play with me at all today! All she does is read, and I can't read big books words her." Charlotte frowns.

I frown too, because it's uncharacteristic of Sophie to ignore her sister like that. Mamrie notices the worry in my eyes, and takes action.

"Don't worry. Next year, when you're 5, you'll learn to read bigger words." I kiss her cheek and put her down.

"I'll tell you what, princess monster. You and I can go watch TV for a little, and then Mommy will tuck you in afterwards." Mamrie says and winks at me.

"Yay!" Charlotte squeals and grabs Mamrie's hand.

I thank Mamrie with my eyes, before I take off to find Sophie.

I enter the room where Sophie and Charlotte's impromptu couch bed is set up. Sophie is already under the covers, with her head buried in a book. She is so preoccupied that she doesn't even acknowledge my presence.

"Hey, pretty girl." I smile and sit down at the edge of the fold out couch.

"Hello." She says softly, but doesn't look up from her book.

I go up behind her book, so all Sophie can see is my eyes, and I wiggle my eyebrows at her, in attempt to attract her attention. She looks up and gives me half a smile, nowhere near is pleasant and genuine as usual, before her blue eyes flicker back to her spot on the page.

"What's the matter?" I ask, with a slight frown on my face.

Sophie immediately bites her lip, a nervous habit of hers.

"Come on, Soph. You can talk to me." I encourage her. She has clearly developed my repressive nature.

"I wanna go home. I know you get upset every time Charlotte and I ask, but I miss my room, and Daddy, and Goose." Sophie's eyes mist over with tears.

I'm close to tears myself, as I realise how destructive my behaviour has been towards my daughters.

"Sophie, I'm so sorry about everything that's going on. I know it's confusing, but Daddy and I are working some things out. I promise everything will be okay soon." I cup her little chin in my hand. "Thank you for being my brave little girl."

Tears are dribbling down Sophie's rosy cheeks as I speak. Without speaking another word, I shift under the covers, and pull her into my arms. I hold her close to me and she sniffles into my shirt. I stroke her soft, dark brown hair and kiss the top of her head.

"I'm gonna make up for this. I promise." I whisper, as if I am assuring myself.

Chester's POV

Why did I let Grace go? How did I let this happen?

I can't stop replaying her words in my head.

"The problem isn't that I don't love you. The problem is that I love you too much."

She's right. Grace loves, me unconditionally, despite the fact that I'm not good enough for her. She embraces my flaws and makes them work for us. She only ever did what was best for me, and I took advantage of that without even noticing.

Looking back at our entire relationship, I begin to realise all the sacrifices she made for me, like when I first brought up the concept of a baby, and she was petrified, but she was willing to carry a baby for me, even though she was not emotionally prepared for it.

Even though we were unable to have a baby at first, she adapted to fit the circumstances and tried the next best option to keep me happy, adoption, which eventually led to our the adoption of beautiful daughter, and then finally to a daughter whom she had actually birthed, both loved equally.

Although these decisions changed our lives for the better, Grace put a lot on the line to keep me satisfied.

I don't deserve her. I don't deserve a woman who will drop everything for me, when I do nothing for her. 

Grace is too good for me, and she deserves to move on. I love her more than I can even understand, but it is only fair that I give her a chance to find someone new. She needs someone who will nurture her, look after her, treat her the way I didn't.

The pain in my chest is overwhelming as I come to this conclusion, but it is unfair of me to try to win back Grace's affection when I am not good for her. I'll only end up causing more damage to her and my daughters. 

I'm not going to mess things up anymore.