Bouncing Back

Chapter One

**Joe's POV**
I will the door to close quietly, as I sneak in the house after a night out with Colby and Jonathan. I slowly remove my shoes before I walk down the dark hallway toward the living room. Not a light is on when I enter the living room. I stop in my tracks when she comes up in view. I sigh before I stare at the floor.
"Do you realize what time it is?" she says, as she stands up from the couch.
"My phone died," I say, as I shrug.
"You were suppose to be home hours ago, Leati."
She calls me by my birth first name when she's mad about something that has nothing to do with me.
"Okay, what's up?"
"Your daughter has a doctors appointment in four hours!" she yells at me.
"She's your daughter as well, Lina!" I yell back at her, as I forget that it must be almost four am.
Cries ring out from upstairs before I realize we woke up the twin boys.
"Your turn to get them," she says, as she places her hands on her hips.
I stumble up the steps, as it becomes apparent how much I actually drank. As I hit the top step, I trip over it and my face bashed into the floor. Blood flows from my nose, as I roll over onto my back.
Footsteps ascend the steps, as I attempt to get up.
"I fucking got them," I yell, as she comes into view.
"I don't want you near them while you're drunk," she says, as she walks past me.
"Bitch."
"Get out!" she yells, as she reaches the door of the twins bedroom.
I rush her and grip her hair causing her to scream out.
"You won't keep them from me. I want a divorce you whore and I will go for custody of the kids."
———————————————————————————
A month later
I walk out of the courthouse and sigh. It was a rocky road through the whole divorce process, but it's finalized. I'm finally free of the bitch. Next step is to go for full custody of the kids.
I walk toward my car, as I hear the clanks of heels down the courthouse steps. I hear her call my name, but I ignore her.
Ten minutes later I pull into the driveway of my house. For the first time in over a decade, I come home to what will be an empty house for a bit.
———————————————————————————
A hour later
As I stand at the stove fixing lunch, there's a knock on the front door. I sigh and turn off the stove before I walk toward the front door.
I open the door to the view of my daughter and twin boys standing at my door alone.