Chapter Fifteen- My View

    I can't really say I walked into the kitchen, but I appeared inthe kitchen to make Darin's coffee. He wouldn't be awake, for aboutanother thirty minutes or so. I thought he would like for me to wakehim up this morning. So, after I fixed the coffee pot up and waited forthe coffee to brew, I went upstairs and stood in front of him,watching him get his last few minutes of sleep in. I placed my handon his shoulder, " Darin," I whispered. He moved around and slowlyopened his eyes, " Good morning," I said.

 " It's good to see you," he reached for me and kissed me. 

" How are you this morning?" I asked. 

" Good and you?"

 " Great. You have a surprise waiting for you down in the kitchen."

 " Oh' I do?" 

 " Yeah," he smiled and got up and went to the bathroom to getready for work. It was kind of weird, because I felt like I should begetting ready as well, but I didn't need to. My job now is to look outfor my loved ones. 

    While he was busy getting ready, I decided tovisit my parents. See what they're up to. As I look down I see my mother still in bed, but awake. She washaving little strands of tears flowing down her face. She wassniffling up sadness. I wish I could visit her. But it seems as though Ican't. Wonder why? She turned over to her side and glanced at myfather. He was still asleep, but it was no surprise, because he wasalways the one that slept in late. Always. My mother got out of thebed and walked into the kitchen. She brewed herself a cup of coffeeand sat down at the bar. She just stared into mid air. After, she finished her coffee she walked back upstairs and wokemy father up. They shared the bathroom and that wasn't a goodthing. Ever since I was a little girl, I remember the yelling aboutkeeping their belongings on their side of the bathroom. It was anevery morning thing. "You need to move your stuff over on yourside of the counter!" my mother yelled at my father. My motherlooked so stressed and overwhelmed, " I've been telling you this forwhat? Thirty years? I'm tired of it." 

 " Jill you need to relax. Step back and look at the picture, will ya'?"my dad said, " Our daughter just died and all your worried about iskeeping my things out of your area of the bathroom? You know yousound so self centered at the moment."

 " How dare you bring our daughter into this? How dare you!"

 " You always care about yourself and no one else. That's how it'salways been."

 " Then why are you still with me?"

 " Because I love you. We had a daughter. You really wanna knowwhy I stuck around?"

 " Yeah, please enlighten me."

 "Because that daughter of ours is theonly reason I was around. I stopped falling in love with you whenyou stopped respecting yourself. And you know exactly what I'mtalking about," My mother looked down at the sink, and looked backat my father, " Really?" 

" Yes." 

 " So, what now? Do you wanna divorce, after we've been togetherfor thirty years?" she asked.

 "I wouldn't mind. Our daughter is gone now and what's the use ofstaying here with you in misery?" he wondered. His voice was likecold ice. It stung. It hurt my mother. I could tell. She thought hereally loved her, but I guess he didn't. I didn't know my parents werehaving problems. Every time they came around me it seemed likethey were having a great time and loved each other more thananything, but they fooled me. 

" I guess if it's best for you, than go," tears started falling harder than they had earlier that morning, " I justwanna know is this how you felt when Jessica was here?"

 " Yes. Yes I did. I'm sorry Jill. This is how it needs to be. I can't livelike this anymore."

 " Christmas is in two days and your going to make me spend italone?"

 " Here we go again. Me, me, me."

 " I'll take that as a yes. Well, since this is my house, get your stuffand leave. I want all your crap out today." 

 " Whatever," my father walked out of the bathroom and startedpacking up his belongings.

      I couldn't let this happen. Not right before Christmas either. Iknow he loves my mother. I know he does. He would die for her, heeven said so. It's not going to happen. I'm going to have to take avisit to my very own father. I go back to the house to find Darin out of the shower gettingdressed. I sat down on the stool I used when I get ready.I think he's finally getting used to me coming in and out now,because he didn't sound confused. I loved it! Just like old times. " Will you ever get mad if my bathroom necessities were on yourside of the bathroom?"

 " No, why ask?"

 " Because while you were in the shower, I was watching over myparents and they're not happy. At all."

 " What? They seem like they are when there over here and aroundus," he mentioned.

 "I know, I know. I noticed that too. My mother was yelling at myfather about having his things on her side of the bathroom. I mean Iwas used to that when I was growing up and my mother just blewup at him today. There getting a divorce, Daren."

 " Wow."

 " Yeah. I need to save them. Their love. I know my father sill lovesher."

 " He said he don't?"

 " Yeah. If you can read between the lines. He said he stopped lovingher when she stopped respecting herself. The only reason why he'sstill around is because of me."

 " He didn't want you to worry about them, like you are now."

 " That's it, Daren. If I could just tell them that I know that there nothappy, they'll stay together. For me."

 " That's going to be unbelievable for them."

 " Let's go over there, after you get off of work," I suggested.

 " I like that plan. But there's something I should tell you that's beenbothering me for awhile." 

 " What is it?" 

 " I slept with my assistant the other day."

 " You what?" I shrieked. Please tell me I'm getting pranked or fooledright now. This is crazy! I thought he loved me! Why would he tellme this anyways at this point in time. When I'm sitting over hereworried about my parents. This is another thing I'm gonna have toworry about. 

" Yeah. She came onto me and I took it. I couldn't helpmyself."

 " So you're unhappy, Darin? I don't please you?" 

 " No, no I'm not. I'm sorry. It's not going to happen anymore, nowthat I know that you can see me."

 " So, you were planning on doing it again?" 

 " No. Well I don't know, really." 

 " I can't believe you, Darin. I thought you loved me!"

 " I do, baby, I do."

 " No you don't or you wouldn't have done that in the beginning. Ican't believe you right now, Darin. I'm just beside myself. Youfooled me too, just like my parents."

 " It's not going to happen again. I swear."

 " I can't believe you. I can't. It's hard to."

 "I know, but were not even married."

 " Did you really just say that? Then what's the point of gettingmarried then?" I asked with anger in my voice, " For fun? Forentertainment? What? What was your idea for having a wedding?"

 " I love you, I do. It was just a mistake. People make mistakes inlife. And why are you getting so bin out of shape after I forgave youfor what you did?" he threw back at me. He did have a good point,so I better chill out. He loved me enough to forgive me. I got upfrom the stool and walked over to him. 

" I'm sorry. But it was afteryou found out, Darin," I said in a calm voice.

 " She just came onto me, okay and it's not going to happen again andif you don't believe me, watch me with your own eyes, literally." 

" I'm sorry," I pulled him down for a kiss and kissed him.

      It stillhurts to know that he cheated on me, but so did I. Now I know howhe felt. How bad I hurt him. He just gave me the same dose ofmedicine I gave him, " I am too," he replied, " You know what goodcame out of that?"

 " What?" 

" Was that this conversation was real like you."

 " Very funny. Now you need to go get your coffee that I made foryou and get on with work. I love you. Have a good day. Remember Ican just pop in at any moment. Possibly uninvited." 

" I like uninvited in my office," he joked. 

" I bet you do. But really you better tell that girl or woman, whoevershe is, that she better keep her hands off of my man or I will and weboth know that, that would be kind of embarrassing to the both of us,huh?"

 " Defiantly. I'll tell her, right when I get into the office. I'll pull herinto my office and guess what you can watch if you want to."" Good. Now, scurry along, baby, before your late."