Forgotten Sweethearts: A Romance Novel

by Bender, Melissa

  Brody was still asleep when I entered back into the bedroom. His snores were the only sound filling the room of silence. I could have woken him up, but I didn’t want to. He worked hard, providing for his family. I was just the housewife, not that it bothered me as I loved being able to take our children to school and clean our home, but still, he earned the right to sleep in more than I do.

  Flipping the pancakes over, Noah was telling me about school when he brought up playing soccer. It caught me off guard, as he’s never shown any interest in playing school sports. “Really?” I asked, genuinely surprised. “That’s great.”

  “What’s great?” His voice deep, masculine voice startled me as he entered the room.

  Lila was already jumping up to run over to him. “Daddy!” she beamed, hugging one of his legs tightly. “Good morning.”

  Brody smiled back at her, bending down to her level and kissing her cheek. “Good morning, princess. Did you sleep well?”

  “I did,” she replied, going back to her plate of pancakes. She poked her brother in the arm on her way, trying to provoke him. He ignored her.

  “Eat your breakfast and leave your brother alone, Lila.” He shook his head, lightly scolding. “Morning, Noah.” He went over to the breakfast bar where the children both sat, kissing him on the head while they both kept eating.

  He had a mouthful of food, mumbling back. “Morning, dad.”

  I set his coffee cup down on the white marble counter, pouring milk into the boiling hot caffeinated water and giving it a stir. Turning my back, I reached for the metal spatula and flipped another pancake. “Your breakfast won’t be long.” I pointed out, getting ready to plate them.

  Clearing his throat as he sat with the kids, I glanced up and watched the three of them chatting away and laughing. It made me smile on the inside that our children were happy with no idea about their parents. I felt like I was failing them. My eyes crossed back over to Brody, and I couldn’t deny that he wasn’t extremely attractive in a suit because he is. We were a mismatched couple. He was handsome, and I, just bland. Quickly, I looked away when I noticed him watching me.

  “I might be late home tonight,” he started, coming over with his empty coffee mug. “I have dinner with a client. I only just received the email.” Pulling out his phone, he raised a brow. “Want to check for yourself?”

  It was to mock me for not believing him the last time he had mentioned a work dinner. I had called bullshit, accusing him of heading out to screw the blonde at work and proved me wrong as he dialled his boss’s number to confirm the meeting was an actual work one.

  Biting my tongue, I wouldn’t fall for it. “Fine, are you going to eat your breakfast? I didn’t make it for you to watch it go cold.”

  His jaw twitched as his blue eyes glanced over at the plate of pancakes covered in maple syrup. “No.”

  Rolling my eyes, I snatched the plate up. “Asshole,” I muttered, walking over to the cupboard and pulling out the bin.

  “Bit dramatic for eight in the morning, don’t you think?”

  I spun around, glaring. “I should have known better than to think that you’re going to eat breakfast with your family for once.”

  Pushing up his black jacket and white sleeve, he looked down at his watch. “Gabriella, I need to leave. I’m running late.”

  “More like running to your whore,” I muttered under my breath.

  Judging by the scowl on his face, I knew he had heard me. He ignored it and walked to each of our children again, giving them a kiss goodbye. I began to stack the dishwasher, just wanting him to go and get out of my face.

  “Don’t forget to kiss mama, daddy,” Lila pointed out.

  I froze. “Daddy needs to go,” I reminded, looking ahead out into the garden.

  She was stubborn, not letting this go. “Kiss mama like in the movies, daddy.”

  Sometimes, I thought they knew just how bad their parents hated each other. Was it hate? I didn’t know. It wasn’t what it used to be, though.

  Brody was already walking towards me when I had turned around. My heart pounded as one hand curled around my hips and pushed my back against the sink with his strong top half and his leg between my thighs. I wanted to scream, “Get off of me,” but the other part desperately wanted him to stay like this.

  He was mad. I could tell by the way he stared into my eyes. His breath was minty across my face as he spoke softly. “The kids want a kiss, Gabriella. Are you going to say no?” He was pushing me, knowing I wouldn’t refuse in front of the kids.

  “Go to work,” I said, keeping my voice low and quiet from the kids who were watching us. “I have beds to make since I guess you didn’t do ours.”

  “Why should I? That’s your job.” He shot back, cocking a brow.

  I could just slap that smirk off his face. I wanted him out of my face. “Asshole.” I pushed my hand against his chest, trying to make him move but he didn’t budge.

  “So I’ve already been called.” He smirked again, fingers tightening against my hip to hold me in place as his other hand came up, cupping my cheek with a gentle caress. My eyes softly closed a moment as I felt his lips skimming against mine before he pushed them against, nothing open mouth, just a strong kiss. It was simple and enough to make Lila squeal with delight and Noah the opposite.

  Pulling back, his eyes appeared darker as he brushed his lips against my ear. I thought he was going to kiss me. He didn’t. His breath hit my ear as he spoke. “Unlike you, my dear wife, I’m not fucking anyone on the side.” Letting me go, my body went cold as he picked up his black case and car keys, made his way towards the door and left for work.

  Hard to believe all those years ago, we were madly in love and inseparable.

  CHAPTER TWO

  I spent most of the morning in a pissed off mood. How dare he kiss me like that and then accuse me of such things? When the hell did I have time to go out and cheat? He really knew how to get beneath my skin and irk me off.

  Dropping the kids off at school, I went in with each of them and helped them put their bags away. I dreaded the day they told me to stay in the car. I loved to see their new artwork and creations. I asked about Noah starting soccer, and his teacher gave me the form to fill out for him to do so. Sad truth but I felt as if I was my happiest here with them.

  Once I came home, it was silent and empty.

  Mornings were spent cleaning and tidying up. I hung out the load of washing that was put on after I woke, gave the place a vacuum and started working on dinner. A loaf of bread was in the oven to go with tonight’s dinner. Brody wouldn’t be here, so the kids and I were having bolognese, a usual family favourite. I didn’t use jars of sauce. It was true authentic Italian cooking in our home.

  The kids often liked helping in the kitchen, Lila mostly as Noah just preferred to lick the bowls and beaters. Usually, by the time Brody did return home from work, I was exhausted from running around. I’d always be on my feet, cleaning up and running errands. I did have my days fairly easy at times, so I couldn’t complain too much. I wasn’t the one paying the bills. That was Brody, and he never once had asked me to go back to work and help.

  He worked long hours, and early on, we had agreed that I would finish work once we started our family and take care of things at home. We didn’t want them in and out of childcare or with another family. My mama always offered, and sometimes, I took her up on that. But most of the time, I was the one taking care of them.

  Noah and Lila were both eager to change from their school uniforms as I pulled into the driveway of the home. They were unclipping their belts and racing to get in the house first. Clicking my fingers as they raced off, I called out, “Back and get your bags please.”

  “But mama, can’t you carry it?” Noah groaned, turning back with dragging feet.

  I laughed, ruffling his hair as I carried the bag of groceries in my other. “You’re old enough, and all you have to do is put it in the kitchen for me.”

  “Yeah, Noah, be a go
od girl like me,” Lila teased, always teasing her older brother.

  Noah’s frown deepened. “I am a boy.”

  “You’re crying like a girl,” she taunted some more.

  “Enough. Bags in the kitchen now. Lila, leave him alone. You don’t like it when he teased you,” I reminded.

  God forbid, these two could actually get along for one day without fighting or teasing each other. We took a different route with our parenting and never once smacked. We did have time out for which they had to sit and not move until they were feeling happy again. It worked for us, and the chair was very rarely used.

  Heading outside, I grabbed the clothes basket and began to unpeg the dry clothing from the line as the kids rode around on their bikes, chasing each other and racing. Oh, to be a child again with no worries of anything other than losing a race.

  They ate their dinner hungrily, making a mess. I could complain about that, but I was just happy they were eating everything given to them. Their father, on the other hand, couldn’t cook without setting alarms off. We played hide and seek and then they sleepily went to bed. It was the same every night, a story read then kisses goodnight before I went back to the never ending pile of washing.

  I heard Brody coming inside around 10 PM. I was ironing when he walked inside, smelling of booze. “Kids in bed?”

  “Yes.” I didn’t bother to look at him. He’d been drinking, and I just wasn’t up for this tonight.

  He didn’t say anything and just walked away. I heard the fridge door open, then close again. He was in a drinking mood, coming back into the lounge room with a couple beers and putting them on the table in front of the couch.

  “Good day at work?” I finally asked, watching as he set the glass and bottle on the coffee table and loosened his black tie.

  “Don’t pretend like you care,” he said, just staring at me as his tie was pulled off and casually tossed on the arm of the chair beside the couch.

  My eyes darted up, shaking my head slowly. “You’re right. I don’t. But seeing as you never ask me how my day is, I thought I’d ask you.”

  “Don’t start, Gabby. I’m not in the mood for a fight tonight,” he muttered, rubbing his temples as he took a seat on the couch and lazily stretched out.

  I didn’t say anything more and continued to iron our clothing. He was watching Law and Order. I took the remote to turn the volume down. “Did you eat anything tonight?”

  He didn’t answer instead said something completely off topic. “Are you going to show up this time?” he asked, cracking the top of his beer open and lifting a leg up, propping it on the large ottoman.

  Sitting the iron down, I began to fold. “What?”

  “I asked if you were going to show up this time or not?” he asked, obviously annoyed that he had to repeat himself.

  I was completely confused with no idea what it was about. “What the hell are you talking about?” I spat, growing annoyed. “Are you drunk?”

  “Your fucking hair appointment? They called me to make sure you were going to turn up unlike the previous. How many times had it been when you cancelled or didn’t show?”

  My cheeks began to flush red in embarrassment. “Why would they call you for?”

  “Why didn’t you turn up last time, Gabby?” he asked, and I could see exactly where this was heading.

  I had been meaning to get my hair trimmed for quite some time. The last appointment was booked, but Lila was sick at school, and they called me to collect her. With all my rushing around to care for her, I had completely forgotten about the hair appointment. I was extremely annoyed when they called Brody instead, asking why I didn’t show, and obviously, today, they had called him to make sure I was going to arrive at my appointment tomorrow that I booked today. I needed to make sure they had my number, not his.

  “Brody, you know why I didn’t show. Lila was sick. That’s all.” I was exhausted from fighting and having these petty arguments. “Do you honestly think I’m seeing someone else?”

  “Do you think I’m fucking Kate?” he asked, strangely calm.

  Kate, the secretary, I hated her, and he knew it. “Are you?”

  “Are you?” he mimicked, scoffing. “You seem to think you can throw accusations around. You’re diverting the shit you’ve done to me.” Glaring at me, I hated the way he was looking at me. Hatred filled his eyes.

  Biting the insides of my cheeks before I completely lost it, I took a deep breath, keeping myself calm. “Was she at dinner tonight with you tonight?” I asked. I hated that I was so jealous of her and more so because she was gorgeous and spending time with him. It killed me that they were working together each day in close proximity.

  He didn’t speak. He just kept looking at me as he lifted the bottle, taking another mouthful of his beer until he had downed it. Glass on glass, the empty bottle rattled when dropped on the coffee table. “Good night.” He then got up, walked away and headed upstairs

  Again, I was left to my own inner thoughts. It was silent, and the dread was back in the pit of my stomach. I’d rather we fought at how things were going, at least we argued things we said, instead of these jabs, and petty accusations that kept the other wondering.

  I left the pile of folding and turned the TV off. It was late, I was tired, and I couldn’t stay down here after what was just said. She had obviously been there at dinner with him. Was it just the two of them? I didn’t want to think about it.

  I cried myself to sleep that night. My emotions got the best of me. My heart hurt, aching against my chest as I lay in bed in our bedroom. It didn’t feel like ours but just a room that we sometimes shared.

  Things weren’t getting better. I could only wish and hope they would get better, but I just couldn’t see a way out from where we were.

  Noah and Lila were loud the next morning, running up and down the halls past my room. I woke to their yelling and squealing. My eyes were still stinging from the tears that burned my eyes, the inner thoughts coming back to me. I wanted to lay in bed and not face the day. It wasn’t an option.

  As I sat up, I heard Brody growling through the walls. “Lila! Noah! I told you both to stop running past the bedroom. Your mother is sleeping.”

  Like you care, I thought to myself.

  “Daddy!” Noah screamed.

  “Noah!” Brody grumbled back. “Don’t you go in there?”

  The bedroom door flew open and slammed into the wall causing me to half jump in fright. Noah came speeding in, jumping up onto the bed and trying to get beneath the covers. “Mama, Lila is trying to bite me!” he squealed.

  Oh god, it was too early for this. “Stop that.” I covered his mouth with my palm to silence him as I was also making my way out of the bed and into the hall where Lila was still running down.

  “Lila,” I spoke, motioning for her to come near me.

  She halted halfway. “I didn’t do it.” That’s their usual defence line for when they were each in trouble or blaming the other.

  “Lila, to your mother now,” Brody scolded. His deep voice oozed authority. He stood at the opposite end to me, dressed and ready for work. I hadn’t realised how late I’d slept in.

  “Daddy, I didn’t mean too! I won’t do it again, I promise.” Her sweet voice came as she dragged her feet towards me.

  I bent down to her eye level and sighed. “Sweetheart, if you bite your brother once more, then I’ll have to bite you on the arm. I don’t care if it hurts, you need to stop it.” I wouldn’t bite her, but she didn’t need to know that.

  Her big dark eyes widened. “You have big teeth.”

  Laughing as I made a biting motion towards her. “Like the big bad wolf.”

  “So, you better not bite again, or mama will bite you back.” Brody was grinning as he walked up behind her, picking her up in a bear hug. “You know better than to bite princess. It’s not nice, and Noah is your brother.”

  She giggled, squirming in his arms. “Daddy, put me down!”

  “Are you going to b
e good?” he asked, holding her up higher as he pretended that he was about to drop her. He was an incredible father to our children, always hands on and caring.

  Nodding fast, she giggled some more. “Yes, daddy, I won’t bite again.”

  Setting her on her feet, he walked away, and I smiled, kissing the top of her head. “Go and say sorry to Noah, then come and have some breakfast.”

  “We’ve already eaten,” Noah pointed out as he slowly emerged from our bedroom. “Dad made breakfast.”

  The shower didn’t seem to help. I wanted to wake up, but the water only seemed to make me want to climb back into bed and sleep the day away. I was tired, and the day hadn’t even begun. I noticed the spare bed made already, no trace of him having spent the night in there. The kids never knew that we’d been sleeping apart for almost over a year. On and off, we shared the bed when we had sex or if my parents came to say. We didn’t need the unwanted attention drawn to us especially when my sisters or Brody’s brother and sister each having happy marriages. We just didn’t want to disappoint.

  I knew it would all come back to us marrying young and against their wishes. We had been adamant that we were going to be together forever. Why waste time?

  “Sleep well?” Brody asked as I walked into the kitchen. “It’s almost eight. You never sleep in that long.”

  I shrugged, tucking a fallen strand of hair behind my ear. “I was tired.” I picked up my coffee mug, needing a large glass to keep me awake today. I noticed he was rushing around, wiping down the spilled milk on the countertop. His black suit was the one I had freshly ironed last night and the tie, a navy blue one. I liked the way his hair was done, slicked down with a side part, one side shorter than the other as he had it brushed over neatly. “Are you leaving already?”

  “Yes, I have to go and set up for a final proposal. If all goes well, this deal will make the company a lot of money.” You would assume he’d be beaming from ear to ear with how enthusiastic he sounds. He wasn’t. He just kept his emotions to himself, not sharing or opening up to me about these work deals.