Lasting Love Part 2

Through The Good Times And The Bad

I think back to the day that Justin and I got married: the day that I thought I made the best decision of my life. I know I did, without it I wouldn't have the life I have now that I have grown to love more than I ever thought I could. Justin and I have always had our up and downs, but we've always come back stronger from any arguments we've had in the past. None of them however, have been as bad as our last; the one leaving me wondering why I ever married him, why I stayed with him so long to have the same argument, and most importantly, why I haven't tried to put an end to this myself. Why he never seems to understand that to be a parent he needs to be their parent BEFORE their friend.

"Stop being so controlling about everything! She's fine!" Justin shouts following me as I slam stuff around out of anger.

I turn around facing him, eyes full of anger, "She's fine! Of course she's fine! I'm more worried about the fact that you would let a 15 year old get a tatoo without even asking me first! She has two parents for a reason, Justin!"

"I didn't ask because I thought you'd be okay with it!" He tries, but fails, to get his point across "It's not like I put her in danger or let her get a full body tattoo! It's like 2 freaking inches!"

"That's not the point!" I scream back "She's 15. Last week she couldn't decide what color highlights she wanted and today she randomly asks for a tattoo that she's probably thought about for 2 days and you let her get it? Where's the parenting in any of that?!?"

"Look, Jen, I'm sorry!" He looks me in the eyes, full of sorrow in his, hoping that this will make me forgive him "I didn't think you would be this upset about it. I know I should have asked, but we were already there for mine-"

"What do you mean you were already there for yours?!?" I stare him down "You told me that you weren't getting anymore because you wanted us to get matching ones. What the hell happened to that?"

He freezes for a few seconds "It was supposed to be a surprise for you. I got mine done awhile, and I was gonna take you this weekend so you could get yours done and then we could go out. I wanted to get it done so that I could see how it would be and know that you would like it." He rolls up his sleeve revealing what we both decided on before: "Kayleigh Rachel, Bentley John, and Alexia Lily" with a heart surrounding it.

I take a few seconds to look at it deciding on if I want the same or not "I love it. That doesn't change what you did, though. You still let her mark something permanent on her body without consulting with me at all about it, and I just don't think that's right." I turn around to sit on the bed, my head in my hands, "What is it going to take for you to change? You're such a great father, but you can't do things like this because you think it will make you cool."

"And you're mother of the freaking year?" He looks across at me, surprised that I would cross this line "What about when you let the girls get their ears pierced without asking me? Or their hair dyed? Or when you signed Ben up for soccer without thinking that maybe I wanted to help him pick out all of his stuff?!?"

"That's different, Justin! Highlights fade! Their ears are something they would always be asking me about, and you did end up helping Ben!" I walk around trying to relieve some of the anger "None of those were major decisions. You would have done the same if they asked you."

"You know what?" He asks rhetorically "I don't want to talk about this anymore. When you want to talk without insulting my parenting come find me." With that, the bedroom door slams shut leaving me sitting on the bed. Alone.

That is how I got here. In this messed up situation.

I try again to think of why he would think this is okay in any way, and realize right away why. He thought it would bring them closer, make them get along better than Kay and I normally do. What he didn't think about, even though it's more important, was the consequences. Anything could have gone wrong, and a year from now she could easily change her mind and have no interest at all in the tattoo, and be stuck with this on her body the rest of her life.

After thinking for a while, and cooling down, I decide to go "find" Justin. I know exactly where he's going to be, so I tell the kids to go to bed and leave.

"Hey," I walk up behind him, trenching through the sand, "Can we talk?"

He doesn't answer, just stays completely still watching the water.

"I'm sorry about earlier. I overreacted."

Silence.

"Look, I know you're mad at me." I sit next to him "I should have never insulted your parenting."

"I just thought that letting her do this would bring us closer,' He finally admits "That maybe we could be like we used to be. She used to want to be around me all the time. Now it's only when she needs something... or she's mad at you."

"I know. I miss when she used to want to be with us, but that will come back eventually." I lay my head on his shoulder "We just need to let her do it in her own time. Things like this are just going to be worse in the long run."

He nods his head in agreement.

"I'm sorry I said things about you too." He leans down to kiss my forehead "You're an amazing mother. I wouldn't want the kids to have anyone else."

I look up to kiss him, "And you're the best father."

I wasn't gonna update this soon, but since you guys liked the first, I figured I would.  :)