Southside Boy

Left Me

FP's POV:
I'm sitting on the couch watching tv when my phone rings. I reach for it and see that it's Alice, I answer with a smile. "Missed me that much?" I tease but my heart drops at the sound of her crying. "Alice, baby, what's wrong? What happened? Are you alright?" I say, already getting up from the couch and grabbing my jacket.

"B-Betty, sh-she left, FP. She left me." She cries from the other end of the phone.

"What do you mean she left you?" I ask, confused.

"She hates me. Both of my kids hate me."

"Alice, honey, it's okay. I'll be right over, okay?" She lets out a quiet okay on the other end of the line and my heart breaks. I don't know what happened but I hate seeing her upset, hearing her upset is just as bad. "I love you, I'll be there soon."

I rush outside to my truck and drive to her house as quickly as I can. Knowing she needs someone to be there for her.

I don't bother knocking, I just walk inside. I see her pacing around her living room, biting her nails like she always does when she's nervous.

She sees me and opens her arms slightly as she walks over to me, I open my arms for her to fall into and she does just that. She clings onto me tightly and I hold her close, running my fingers through her hair and dropping kisses to her forehead as she cries into my chest.

"What happened with Betty?" I ask when she's calmed down a bit. She nods and then pulls away, taking my hand as she sits on the couch. I sit down beside her, still holding her hand as she plays with my fingers in her own.

"Betty packed a bag and left. She's moving in with Hal." She says quietly.

"Why?" I ask and she looks up at me with her bloodshot eyes. She pulls the collar of her shirt down a bit and reveals a hickey on the side of her neck.

"This is why." She says. "She saw it and flipped. She thought the only reason I kicked out Hal was so that I could have an affair, she was so mad that I cheated on Hal. Which is understandable but I didn't mean to hurt her." A tear falls down her cheek and I wipe it away quickly with my free hand.

"I know you didn't, honey." I say, stroking her hair as I squeeze her hand lightly for reassurance. "This is all my fault, I'm sorry." Her eyes snap up to meet mine.

"How is it your fault?"

"I gave you that hickey, I didn't even think about it I just did it. I could've at least left it somewhere she wouldn't see. If I hadn't of given you that hickey she wouldn't have seen it and she wouldn't have left."

"It wouldn't have mattered, she was interrogating me the second I walked in the door, I probably would of let it slip somehow."

"Still, I should've been more careful." I say, looking down at the floor. I feel her warm hands cup my face, tilting it upwards to look at her.

"I started this. I was the one who came to your house in the middle of the night after kicking out my husband. I wanted this, I want you. I don't regret a thing."

"Alice-" I start but she cuts me off.

"I'm upset that Betty left, yes. But it's just as much my fault as it yours. It's both of us really, we're two adults who made the conscious decision to start an affair. It was mutual. So whatever happens we're in this together."

"I just don't want to be the reason you lose your daughter."

"I knew she would be upset, I had thought about that when I thought about telling her about us. But-"

"Wait, you want to tell the kids?" I ask, biting my cheek to stifle a smile. She smiles and it warms my heart, I stop holding back my smile and instead smile back at her.

"Well eventually we'll have to. I hate having to sneak around. It's too hard." She says, scooting a little closer to me. "I don't want to tell them just yet but I do want them to know eventually. I wasn't sure at first how this was going to turn out but I love you and I want to be with you."

"God, you have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that. I've been wanting to hold you in my arms and tell you I love you every single day for over twenty years." I place my hand on her cheek and kiss her softly. "Alice... I'm in." I say, looking into her beautiful blue eyes. "I'm all in. Whatever you want, whatever you need, I'm here. I love you so much."

"I love you, FP." She says, climbing into my lap as she wraps her arms around my neck, hugging me tight. I hold onto her, never wanting to let her go.

She kisses my temple, then my cheek, then my nose until she makes her way to my lips.

"What do you say to a nap? I didn't get much sleep last night." She says raising an eyebrow at me because it's my fault.

I just nod and kiss her once more. She climbs off my lap and walks over to the door, locking it. "Just in case." She explains.

I lay back on the couch and open my arms. She smiles as she lays down beside me, pulling the blanket off the back of the couch and onto us.

"I love you." She whispers as she kisses my cheek.

"I love you too." I say as she snuggles her body into mine and lays her head in the crook of my neck.

This woman has had my heart for over twenty years and I wouldn't have it any other way.

•

Author's Note:
There's still quite a bit left that I have planned for this story so stay tuned. ❤️