The Wife

42: Let's Begin

"Akio. Zenko. There's something important that we have to talk about before we go see Daddy." You watched them as they walked in front of you.

"Yeah, Mama?" Akio peeked back at you.

"Daddy and I... We're not going to live together anymore. We still love each other, and we still both love you, but it's going to be much easier for us to live apart. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"When will we see Daddy then?" Akio dropped back and held your hand. Zenko was listening, but willfully staring at the ground, trying to understand what you were saying.

"You can see Daddy whenever he wants to see you. He can still come over, or you can stay with him at his apartment in the city; remember that?"

"It was awesome!" Zenko perked up.

"I'm glad you think so. Everything will be okay. It'll be like it has been for a while now, but we can tell Daddy where we are and we can go home. Won't that be nice?" You squeezed your son's hand.

He nodded in response. The rest of the walk however, was quieter than it had been.

Finally, after about thirty minutes, you arrived at the base. Everyone was there to greet you, ready and waiting to watch the drama unfold.

Vultures. You thought to yourself. But as you looked around, you noticed that everyone, except for Chrollo for some reason, looked very uncomfortable.

"Say hi to Daddy, boys, then maybe Chrollo and his friends will go play with you while we talk. Is that okay?" You looked at them as they nodded and then sprinted into their father's arms.

As tightly as he could, Hisoka hugged them back and spun them around, flinging them onto his back.

They look just like him. You thought to yourself.

He loved his boys. He loved his family. But he knew what was coming.

"Boys~ you've grown so~ much!~ Next time~ you'll be as~ tall~ as~ me!~" He cheered so sweetly your teeth hurt.

Setting the boys down, he reached out to accept his daughter.

"Daa! Dadada!" She screeched in joy as Hisoka held her close and tapped the tip of her nose with his finger and kissing her blonde head. He held her for a few minutes as the boys began running around with the Troupe. Finally however, lip twitching, he handed his daughter over to you.

Chrollo looked at you expectantly, as if you would just hold your daughter out to him next. But you didn't. You were going to keep Chouko with you this time, to his dismay. There was no way you were going to hand over Hisoka's baby to a man he didn't even like in front of him.

"Alright boys, why don't you and your friends take your games to the next room, okay?" You knew that everyone would still be able to hear what you were saying if they listened, but it was the least you could do to try not to get upset in front of your boys.

Frowning, but respecting your wishes, Chrollo shepherded everyone into the next room. He'd have to put his listening ears on for this juicy gossip.

Watching everyone file into the next room, you took a deep breath. And then another. And then you began.