Jane Achorn sat in the rocking chair as she heard her daughter cry, well practically screaming from down the hall. She had just sung her daughter to sleep not even 15 minutes earlier. “Can you quiet down please?” Jane shouted. She knew her four month year old daughter didn’t understand her, however, it was therapeutic for Jane. 346Please respect copyright.PENANASTQI032MCS
She then heard her oldest son’s footsteps pad across the hardwood floor. “Mom, can I go watch TV?” 346Please respect copyright.PENANAkf9IZKgZrL
“Sure go ahead. Not too long though because it’s not good for your eyes.”346Please respect copyright.PENANASRVLIDZlLQ
“Thanks, mom.” Her son replied quickly as he ran away from his mom and turned on the TV in the living room. 346Please respect copyright.PENANAJpdrTJAt5O
Jane glanced at her phone to check the time. She was waiting for her husband to get home. Not that he was home much anyway. But she hoped that one day he would come to his senses and take care of his family. 346Please respect copyright.PENANADFORGja9g7
About ten minutes later her husband, Peter burst through their front door. She observed as he carried his beat-up guitar slung across his chest. Two of his bandmates followed behind him. 346Please respect copyright.PENANA5hmZXB9nPs
“Hey Honey,” he said as he kissed his wife briefly on the lips then he continued “Matt, Sam and I are going to practice more in the garage.” Jane’s husband then turned to the men and said “I’ll meet you guys out there in a second. Want anything to drink?” 346Please respect copyright.PENANAxmt9cAI1ka
“Beer,” said Matt. 346Please respect copyright.PENANADOcnmlfvJj
“And water,” said Sam. 346Please respect copyright.PENANAxsJAkG0yIg
“Sure. Be right out.” Matt and Sam barely acknowledge Jane as they both walked to the garage. 346Please respect copyright.PENANAbLessAJ6ui
Peter then turned to Jane and said “You have to hear out new song Jane. It’s going to be a hit.” 346Please respect copyright.PENANAseYXMBSP4j
Jane shifted in the rocking chair then replied “You’ve said that you were going to have a hit for the last two years. Nothing is happening. I want to believe in you, but you don’t even help take care of your family. We’re drowning in bills and debt. The car may be repossessed. You’re worried about being in your band when you should be helping out with your family.”346Please respect copyright.PENANAXkp0HxSRYk
“I’m doing what I can. I want to live out my creative dreams.”346Please respect copyright.PENANANYDhxyKwbP
“I’m not saying you can’t. We have to get ourselves out of this hole we’ve dug ourselves in.”346Please respect copyright.PENANAjqP74wmlRi
“Isn’t this your fault though?” Peter said.346Please respect copyright.PENANAff91pRQpC8
“Why would you say something like that?” Jane said as she swayed in the rocking chair a little faster. 346Please respect copyright.PENANA5aZ6v5Ex4d
“You’re the one who wanted to go to college to get a fancy law degree. You wanted to buy this big house and a brand new car.”346Please respect copyright.PENANAplpKGBcVjM
“Well, let me correct you on that. First, I got a car and house right before we met. And I didn’t pass the bar exam and I still have to pay back my loans.”346Please respect copyright.PENANAZLPaP6Vubw
“What do you want me to do? Just sit here and not do anything?”346Please respect copyright.PENANAKxPctXpPKt
“I want you to pull your weight in this house.”346Please respect copyright.PENANAwObYz0WFlS
“I do.”346Please respect copyright.PENANAD3SkonVrBl
“You make $200 a night twice a week. That is not paying the bills or supporting the kids who are 10 years apart.”346Please respect copyright.PENANACJ6h5wxRql
“You’re the one who wanted another baby.”346Please respect copyright.PENANAmhAmGrMJ45
“I felt like my biological clock was ticking. Peter...are you saying you regret our children?”346Please respect copyright.PENANAZbpLkO8V40
“Jane…” her husband sighed then continued, “that’s not what I’m saying. You got to go to college and live your dreams. Now I just want to be a musician and live mine.”346Please respect copyright.PENANAXvV2sR2TP0
“Going to college wasn’t necessarily my dream. You know how my parents-”346Please respect copyright.PENANAs87BdvuQrQ
“Look we’re not here to talk about your parents or the past. We need to talk about you and me and our relationship. Also, I have a gig next week at one of the biggest festivals in the county. Come by with the kids to see how things go.” 346Please respect copyright.PENANAdOaGRRGhbh
Peter’s phone then beeped signaling a text message. Jane then stood up from her chair and stretched. She was exhausted both physically and emotionally. 346Please respect copyright.PENANA6gcL3FDDAj
“Sweetie…” 346Please respect copyright.PENANANCFrC3UwaM
Jane stopped and looked at her husband. “What?”346Please respect copyright.PENANAC7D5P4G7kI
“It’s my former boss. He said he found a job across the country that I may be interested in.”346Please respect copyright.PENANAnhQgEoM9Fl
“I’m not moving our family,” Jane said with a frown.346Please respect copyright.PENANAeiIHkCTEXK
“I’ll just go.”346Please respect copyright.PENANAOIOoglEqOY
“What’s the job?”346Please respect copyright.PENANACXLQ3G3Ou7
“It’s in sales. I’ll have two weeks on then a few days off. It will be fun.”346Please respect copyright.PENANAueFk8tH6tC
“You mean fun for you?”346Please respect copyright.PENANAVuQj0MNTAB
“I can travel and make an income.”346Please respect copyright.PENANAbjtq7LUqEe
“You’ll just be abandoning us. That’s nothing new though. You’re never home.” Jane said with a scowl.346Please respect copyright.PENANACC5nMwbzpy
“I don’t have time for this. But I do have this picture.”346Please respect copyright.PENANArAK0I0dblh
Jane’s eyes widened and her husband took a photo from his pant pocket and handed it to her. “How did you get this?” she questioned stepping closer to Peter. 346Please respect copyright.PENANAewTetwyVgG
“A photographer friend at a gig I was playing at gave it to me. Why are you in this photo with your boss?”346Please respect copyright.PENANAxCIduFaboG
“That’s not my boss.” Jane didn’t want to have this argument with her husband.346Please respect copyright.PENANAzFy29yytzX
“I know it is. His name is Chris Matthews. I met him awhile ago remember?”346Please respect copyright.PENANAByFvtzmNHi
“It’s not what it looks like,” Jane said desperately reaching out towards her husband. 346Please respect copyright.PENANAz4L7Pd71ja
“You’re cheating on me, aren't you?”346Please respect copyright.PENANAepWSPqqRVq
“No honey. I’m not. Let me explain.”346Please respect copyright.PENANAZmXZXBjdrZ
“Save it!” Peter yelled. 346Please respect copyright.PENANAiUrJFe71IV
Jane closed her eyes as her husband brushed past her. As he walked away, he said “I’m going to check on our newborn daughter. She’s been crying since I walked through the door. Then I’m leaving.” 346Please respect copyright.PENANAoJzOEdnaRS
Jane opened her eyes and turned around as her husband rushed down the hallway. She had to fix things before they even got more out of control. Jane was terrified of what her husband would do next. 346Please respect copyright.PENANA3tgMAB9BEV