"I'm sorry," Sean did not know what else to say. He had tried for years to be happy, but nothing that Alison tried to do ever worked. He knew that the problem was with him and he didn't want her to suffer anymore.

"Are you sure that there is nothing else I can do?" Alison had been miserable for years but still did not want to loose the father of her children. She had felt like he had been pulling away from her for years but she knew that they still loved each other.

Alison did not want to cry in public, they were eating at the restaurant that they had gone to on their first date just short of eight years ago. She could tell that people were starting to look at them. Most of all, she did not want him to see her cry, she would not give him that privilege. She had given him so many years of her life and he had only used her. She had tried everything to make him happy, even putting aside her wants and needs to make him happy. She had taken care of their kids, two little girls, for years without having a moment to herself so that he could go and do the things that made him happy.

"I'm positive. The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but I can not continue living like this. I'm just not happy." Sean had no idea that he was saying the worst the thing he could say. Allison took one last look at him and walked out of the restaurant. She could not deal with this anymore. She had to get away from him. She had driven that night, so she had the keys. Allison knew that he would be mad that she had left him without a way home, but she had to pick up the kids, he could call a friend.

Over the years she had put up with a lot, but this was just ridiculous. She had put her wants and needs on hold just so he could find out what made him happy. She had quit her job, taken care of the girls, and lived on almost nothing so he could work at the job he wanted to. She had known for months that this was coming, but she still felt like he had slapped her across the face.

When Allison got to her parent's house, they could tell that she had been crying, but did her a favor and decided not to ask. She quietly took her sleeping girls and placed them into her car. The last thing she needed was to have them wake up and see her tear streaked face. She was hoping that she could make it back to her house and get them into their beds without them crying. She knew that this would be the hardest on them and was afraid about how they would react.

Allison would deal with that in the morning. Tonight she was going to let herself be hurt. Allison's heart had been broken before but she had hoped that, when she had gotten married, she would not have to go through this again. Allison put in her favorite old movie, popped her some popcorn and sat down to watch it. Just as she was getting settled in, her oldest walked into the room.

"Mommy? Can I have some popcorn, please?" This poor little girl looked so cute that she had no choice but to tell her yes. Katherine climbed into her lap and curled up. "Mommy, I love you."

These three little words were all that Allison had needed to hear. She looked at this adorable little thing that would always love her and depend on her and she knew that everything would be all right. Everything had to be all right, if for no other reason then she had two beautiful little girls to take care of and protect. "Why don't we go wake up Faith and see if she wants to watch the movie, too." Allison knew that if she didn't that Faith would be sad in the morning because she wasn't involved.

"OK, I'll go get her." With that Katherine toddled off to wake up her little sister. Allison knew that her girls would be all right, and, with time, she would be, too.

Learn more about this author, Angella Gailey.
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