Broken Strings

C H A P T E R E I G H T E E N

"All she wanted was effort, she was simply after the type of treatment she deserved. She gave her time, patience and energy to a relationship that felt more like a situational hell. She was trying to be good enough for someone who was comfortable with mishandling her heart."

- r. h. sin

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Anisha gave Mira a confused look as Mira patted the empty seat on the bleachers. The empty seat right between Mira and her father.

Anisha motioned for Mira to scoot over, to scoot closer to her father so Anisha would sit next to her daughter.

Because the last thing Anisha wanted to do was talk to Andrew. She had tried long enough for him. She had held on for too long.

She honestly didn't want anything from him. Except one promise.

One small promise that he would take care of her kids. And always tell them that their mother loved them, a lot.

That was the only thing she wanted from him.

But Mira gave her mother an innocent smile and shook her head. "You have to sit next to Daddy. My Cinderella doll is sitting next to me."

"But I want to sit next to you." Anisha smiled at her daughter and raised an eyebrow as Mira continued to give her mother an innocent smile, showing off the front tooth that had fallen out earlier that morning. Her smile was anything but innocent.

"But Daddy wants you to sit next to him. And Cinderella likes to sit next to only me." Mira was stubborn. The little girl would only do what she wanted.

Anisha shook her head and sat down in the middle, sitting a little closer to Mira than her husband. She could feel him staring at her but she hadn't even acknowledged him.

Because she didn't care anymore. She didn't want to care anymore.

Ryan and Mira were all that mattered. And she was going to try, she was going to try and be happy.

Sebastian hadn't let her leave until she had promised to start taking the pills regularly. He had scheduled for her to have another blood transfusion next week.

Sebastian acted as though her condition was improving.

But she knew it was complete bullshit.

Because her condition was worsening.

He kept giving her false hope, as if she really could get better. But she couldn't. And she knew he knew that too.

But at least he cared.

Unlike her husband. Unlike her husband who had no idea what was wrong with her.

"Mommy, you need to scoot closer to Daddy. There isn't enough space for my doll."

Anisha gave Mira a look, clearly aware of her daughter's clever tactics. Smirking, she pretended to look around and then turned back to her daughter.

"Oh my, isn't that Aaron?"

Mira's eyes widened as she looked around, looking for the boy that already made her wonder why her stomach felt funny whenever he smiled.

"I was just kidding. He's not here." Anisha smiled softly as she watched a soft blush color her daughter's cheeks. And Anisha found herself wondering if Aaron Lachinski would be the first person to break her daughter's heart.

It was a painful thought and she didn't want to think about it. But life had given her a fair share of heartbreak. But even when she had been growing up, her mother had been around. Her parents hadn't approved of her dating as often as she did. It was expected from her traditional and strict parents. The only guy she had ever brought home was the one sitting next to her right now.