Everyone Is Flawed {Completed}

~3~

"Mommy, who is this man?" The little girl tugs at Blaze's dress and shyly looks up at me through her thick eyelashes. All I can do is stare at the uncanny resemblance she has to me. Her dark hair and her high cheekbones. Her cat-like eyes and cheeky smile. She's a mini me.

Her brother grumbles next to his sister, mumbling about food. That's more of a Blaze thing to do. His hair is black like his mother's and he has her rosy cheeks with her innocent looking eyes.

"Melody, Honey, this is mommy's... Uh- friend and he's just visiting." She smiles down at Melody who nods at her mother, listening with intent at every word uttered from her mother's plump lips. I can't blame her, Blaze has me under that same spell. I really want to kiss her right now.

"What-" I start, but Blaze interrupts me.

"Midnight, could you please take your sister to your room to play some board games." Midnight nods obediently and grabs his sister's hand before tugging her into a hallway near the kitchen.

"Explain." I mutter, staring off into the empty space my children occupied five seconds ago.

"Well, I was obviously pregnant when I left... I didn't know how to tell you. I'm sorry, Noah, but what was I supposed to do? You said all those things about giving them away and I was afraid that you might reject me-" I interrupt her nervous rambling with a throaty growl.

"I would never do that to you." I snap and she flinches back. I instantly regret snapping at her and move to reach out for her hands tucked into her lap, but she pulls them away, running them down her arms before crossing them over her chest, pushing up her new assets. Our children did her body good on the curves side of the spectrum, I mean, I loved her body before, but I can practically feel the drool pool in my mouth at her vivacious hour glass figure. It's clear she's still training. If it weren't for her strong thighs showing through her yoga pants, I would've thought she was malnourished again.

I never want my girl to be tortured like that ever again.

"I know, I'm sorry I said that, but it's honestly what went through my mind when I left, because of all the things you said about babies and children. I couldn't risk it." She looks down, moving her hands back down to her lap to play with her fingers.

"Why didn't you come back? Four years was too long." I whisper, afraid for the answer. I bite my lip and glance at her bouncing leg. Looks like I'm not the only one stressed out.

"I- I couldn't face you after what I've done. Knowing that you might be angry at me for keeping them a secret, as well as escaping. I didn't think you'd want me back." I furrow my eyebrows and sigh at her lowered chin. I want to see her beautiful sapphires. She still can't look me in the eyes for more than five minutes.

"Is there someone else? Phillip said you are taken." She looks up at me in surprise, opening her mouth to reply, but quickly snaps it shut, mulling over what to say.

"Uhm... Ye- yes, I do have a... Significant other." Her eyes flicker down and my heart sinks.

"Do you still love me?" I mumble, no longer able to feel anything. She moved on. I couldn't even look at another woman the way I look at Blaze and now she tells me she has found someone else. She replaced me.

I can't accept that.

"Noah I- I... I don't." I taste salt in the air and notice that Blaze is crying. I want to reach out to her and comfort her, but I'm the one who needs to be comforted. I need that hug from Blaze. I need her to say she still loves me.

I'm waiting for her to say she's just kidding, but after a few minutes of awkward silence, I know she wasn't going to say anything else.

I sigh, feeling slightly defeated and all round deflated, like a whoopy-cushion, dejected. I haven't searched for someone for four years, just to be told they've replaced me and that they don't love me anymore. What we had- have, was- is special. I know that. The Moon Goddess wouldn't have paired us unless we were meant to be together. She doesn't make mistakes.