"Daddy! Daddy!" My daughter comes jumping into my arms.
"Hey, pumpkin!"
"Are you going to read me a bedtime story?"
"Uh, no not tonight sweetheart. But I promise, tomorrow we can go out for ice cream to make up for it, alright?" I place a kiss on her forehead. "Sleep good tonight. Daddy will be home later." I watch as she scurries off. A wide smile spreads across my face. I think it's time I go and head to the party. I just have to find my keys. While searching, I knock over a picture frame. I fix the frame and sigh. This is the very last picture we all took together. Just the three of us, one big happy family. Me, my daughter, and my beautiful wife. I miss her so much. I play the fight out every night in my head.
"I have three job interviews tomorrow! I'm working on it!" I say through my teeth.
"Well, I can't be the only one paying bills around here! It seems that I'm the only reason that we're still able to keep food on the tables and a roof over our heads." She's shouting now. She can't just blame me for everything that's going on. Can't she see that I'm trying!
"Oh yeah? Well, the only reason I got fired is that I didn't choose to sleep my way to the top." Her eyes go wide and her jaw drops to the floor. "Yeah, that's right. You didn't think that I'd find out you're sleeping around with your boss? I tried not to say anything about it because I thought that if I tried hard enough I could get you to only want me. I thought that if I was good to you that you'd want to be with me and only me! But no, it seems that no matter what I do, I will always come in second place to someone else." Tears are running down her face as she walks up to me.
"Babe, please, just-"
"NO! I'm sick of this shit. Get out."
"Excuse me, this is my home too! You can't just kick me out."
"No, but I can't stand to see you right now and I'm not sober. So unless you want-"
"I'll leave."
"I'd rather you not come back either."
Those are the last words I ever said to her. I'd do anything to get her back and do that entire day over again. The clock dings eleven times in the distance, snapping me back to reality. I'm going to be late for the party if I don't hurry.
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