Breaking Point

I grabbed hold of his shirt, pulling him back to me. “Again,” I said as I wrapped my arms around his neck, “Only this time with a little more feeling.”

He raised a brow. “You want more feeling?” He lowered his head but not before I caught a glimpse of the evil grin on his face. His lips didn’t even touch mine, but his hands sure made their way over my body, grabbing here and squeezing there. I tapped the back of his head with my hand and he stopped. “Oh, not that kind of feeling?” He tried to look like he didn’t know what I really meant. “How about-”

Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Hold that thought?” He asked as he pressed tiny kisses along my neck. I would’ve nodded but he stared to kiss up along my throat.

Knock. Knock. “Daddy?” Jesse’s tiny voice called through the door. Josh stopped in his tracks and looked towards the door, a surprised look on his handsome face. “Jess?” He mouthed as he glanced down at me, I nodded and we walked the couple steps it took to get to the door.

“Daddy?” Jesse called again, his voice sounded a little louder, and his soon his little fingers were poking out from under the door. “Daddy, you home?” He wiggled his fingers, Josh and I could help but smile. Josh touched Jess’s fingers with his foot and Jess giggled. “Daddy open up.”

I leaned against the wall as Josh opened the door. “’Prise Daddy!” Jesse yelled as he threw himself at his father. “Were you ‘prised daddy?”

Josh scooped him up and hugged him tight. “Yes, I was. This is the best surprise ever.” Jess kissed him on the lips then wiggled to get down. “Go put your backpack in your room while I talk to mommy.”

“Philip has an appointment in the city early tomorrow, we figured that you weren’t doing anything and wouldn’t mind taking Jess a day early.” Carol said as Josh put Jess down.

“Of course, I don’t mind taking him, although I do have plans today.” Jesse ran pass me down the hall to his door and stopped. Spinning around a hugh grin appeared on his face and he started to run back.

“Well, if it’s too much trouble.” Carol snapped.

“I said it wasn’t a problem.” Josh replied calmly.

“Ama!” Jesse threw his arms up for me to pick him up as he reached me. I was bent over to pick him up when the door crashed back against the wall. Looking over my shoulder, I received the dirtiest glare from Carol. “What is she doing here?”

I glanced at Josh as I straighten up with Jess in my arms; his tiny arm was around my shoulder. “Anna’s here to see me, not that it’s any of your business Carol.”

She glared at Josh, and reached her hands out for Jess. “Come on Jesse let’s go.”

Jess shook his head and turned his body away from her. “I stay with daddy and Ama.” He crossed his arms over his chest, his expression one of spite.

Carol tried to grab him but Josh stopped her, “He’s ok where he is.” He tried to turn her out the door, “We’ll see you on Sunday.”

She shook him off, “No! I don’t want that whore around my son!” Jess wiggled in my arms, fearing I would drop him I put him down and he ran behind me, peeking out through the space between my legs. “Jesse come on!”

Again Josh told her that Jesse was fine where he was, and told her to leave. She looked up at Josh, her jaw clenched and then she relaxed and smiled at him. “Oh Josh,” She purred. “Are you really that hard up you’d lower yourself to playing with trash, like this? I’m not leaving Jesse here with that.” She turned to me when she said “that”. “Now get out of my way!” She shoved her hands against my chest. I would’ve been ok, but when I stumbled backwards I walked into Jess and I fell over backwards, again.

Josh grabbed Carol, “What do you think your doing? This is my place and I won’t have you trying to tell me who I can and can’t have here or around my son.” He pushed her behind him and helped me up. “Honey are you ok?” I bit back the tears as I stared into his eyes and I nodded. Josh turned back to Carol, “I think you owe Anna an apology, no, you owe her two. Where do you get off thinking you can get away with that stuff?”

Jesse came out from behind his dad, with one hand on his hip and the other up in the air pointing at his mom he said, “Mommy, no hit Ama!”

Carol stared down her nose at her son. “Why you little brat, you are just like your father.” I watched in horror as she lifted her hand, without thinking I grabbed for Jesse pulling him out of her reach as Josh grabbed her by the wrist.

I was on the floor; Jess was sitting on my lap with his face against my neck. I held him to me as I stared up at Josh, whose face had drained of all color. I watched the emotions as they played on his face. I saw him take a deep breath. “GET OUT!” I jumped I never saw him this mad before and according to the shocked but horrified look on Carol’s face, she’d never seen him this mad before neither.

Jesse wiggled out of my arms and with his head bowed he walked towards his dad. “I sorry daddy. I bad.” We watched as he walked pass his parents and went for the door. “I come back ‘morrow daddy?” Tears fell from his cheeks as he looked up at his dad. “I sorry.”

Josh bent over and scooped him up. “Not you.” He whispered as he kissed his son on the cheek. Turning to me, he asked me to take Jesse in his room while he dealt with Carol. Taking Jess from him I started down the hall, when I reached his door I glanced over my shoulder and saw Josh grab the phone and dial a number. “Come get your wife.” He said into the phone and then slammed it down.

I closed the door, sat a still crying Jess on his bed and sat on the floor in front of him. He looked up at me, his eyes so big and sad. “Ama, daddy mad at me?”

I shook my head and pulled him onto my lap. “No sweetie daddy is upset with mommy right now.”

“Why mommy push you?” He played with the sleeve of my shirt.

Because your mom is crazy? I wanted to say that, but how to do tell a 2 year old that their mom is crazy? Instead of saying what I wanted, I said. “I’m not sure why your mommy did that; I think you should talk to your daddy about it.”

He nodded, “I want stay with daddy.” He whispered.

I smiled and kissed the top of his head. “You’ll be here with daddy until Sunday.”

Jess looked up at me, “I want stay with daddy forever.” He glanced down at his hands, “Daddy not mean.”

I was about to ask him what he meant when the door opened and Josh walked in. Looking emotionally drained he sat beside me and pulled us both into his arms. I felt his body tremble as he held us tight. “I’m sorry.” His voice cracking as he whispered.

I sat there with Jess in my arms and Josh’s arms around me and found myself thinking that despite the situation, this is where I wanted to be.