“Mama?” Raegan asked as Jane breathed in and out because the question sounded like a punch in the gut.

“Yes.” Jane answered as Connor felt like punching something.

"Did dad hit you?" Connor asked her.

Jane felt her heart speed up a little at the question she thought she'd never have to answer.

"Yes, your father slapped me." Jane answered with a hoarse voice.

“Was this the first time?” Raegan asked

“Yes baby. Your father is not the violent type.”

“Umm… Mama.” Connor pointed to her face.

“Except tonight.”

“Why did he do it?”

“Because he’s an asshole.” Connor said

“Connor!”

“Mama, he hit you.”

“I’m aware of that honey, but I don't want you cursing around me.”

“I'm sorry for cussing mama, but then, why don’t you divorce him?”

“Because I love him still and we’re raising y’all.”

“Mama, we’re almost grown.”

“I know, but I don’t want a divorce.”

“Lots of my friends have divorced parents.”

“Look mama, if he does it once, he’ll do it again.”

“I’m a big girl honey, so don’t worry about me.”

“We have a lot to worry about now.”

Another thing is that she needed to tell the kids the biggest news of all, in this case, she would not be surprised what would happen next.

“Kids, I need to tell you something else.”

“What?” Connor questioned as he still felt hot about what his mother just told them.

“I found out something today which might have made your father mad in a way, which I hope he has come to his senses now.”

“You found out he was having an affair?” Raegan asked

“No.”

“Then, what is it?” Connor asked as Raegan and him sat beside her.

“I’m pregnant.” Jane seen their facial expressions as Raegan hugged her.

“Yay! I’m getting another sibling!” She said

Connor sat there for a moment before he could actually react to the news.

“Is that the reason why dad hit you?”

“I didn’t understand it at first, but I guess it was because of that reason.”

“Well mama, you have all three of us by your side.” Connor said as Jane smiled as they touched her stomach.

“We’ll always be by your side.” Raegan said as Jane hugged them.

"And I'll always be by your side too." Jane said

…

Later on that night

The kids had done ate and went to bed as Jane showered and was getting ready for bed as she heard the familiar sound of his vehicle pull into the driveway. She had done switched off the lights, to indicate she was already in bed, so she laid awake, pretending to be asleep which she wished she could go onto sleep.

Jack opened the door with his key as he climbed the stairs with the sincere apology he practiced and flowers in his hand. He didn’t know if she’d forgive him or not, but he was willing to try everything to make it up to her.

He entered the dark, quiet corridor that was their bedroom as he switched on their lamp as Jane fell asleep a couple of minutes ago, which she fell into a deep sleep, but felt an arm wrap around her, all too familiar as she took in his scent.

“I’m really sorry.” Jack said as he seen the mark on her face as he caressed her cheek.

“I was asleep.”

“We need to talk.”

“I’m not in mood Jack.”

“Jane, please?”

“Are you aware of what time it is?”

“I do.”

“I’ve got work in the morning and so do you.”

“I come in to apologize and you don’t want to talk.”

“The kids noticed the bruise on my face, even after I covered it up and everyone is going to be talking at work.”

“You told the kids?”

“What did you expect Jack?”

“Did you tell them you were pregnant too?”

“Yes I did and their happy.”

“Just great Jane. What about your health?”

“My health? Jack, I’m perfectly fine and very healthy.”

“What if you don’t make it through this birth?”

“You’re the only one upset about my pregnancy and our baby.”

“I watched you struggle through one pregnancy and that was enough.”

“Jack, I’m having this baby whether you want to be in their life or not and how would know if I struggled or not, you were always traveling to not care of how I was doing. You were only there for a short while during the whole thing.”

“Because I was scared Jane.”

“There is nothing to be scared about. I was too at that time, but now, I’m not.”

“So, where do we go from here?”

“I don’t know Jack. I just don’t think that this is something to get over especially with the kids.”

“Do you want me to sleep on the couch?”

“It would be the best option.”

“Okay and I just want you to know, I’m really sorry.”

“Jack, all I want is for you to be happy about our baby.”

“It’ll take some time before I get used to it again.”

“Good night.” Jane said as she walked back into their bedroom and closed the door.

…

She laid awake, just thinking about everything from Jack and the kids to their growing baby. She felt herself just needing something, maybe someone to talk to, maybe a therapist or a friend, not a colleague or co-worker, she knew how that would go and she did not want her business or private life spread around the one place that made her feel like she was something else besides someone to the kids.

She finally drifted off to sleep as she knew what she was going to do and that was fix her marriage, she knew that she and Jack needed to have a guiding hand and fix their relationship, but she needed him to get on board with the whole idea. She knew the kids would not want to go to therapy with them so she pushed that whole idea out of her mind.

She prayed and hoped to God that therapy would help her and Jack put back the pieces again. She wanted him to be happy about their baby even though she knew that it would either save it or end it, which she did not want it to end. She loved him so much to even thinking of a divorce and how that would impact the kids.
She prayed for the best and hopefully one day, they’d be happy like they once were.

Author’s Note: Yay! Another chapter is complete! I was going to update this chapter this past weekend, but my birthday was two weeks ago and I turned 21 haha. So, I had a little party and a grill out with a few of my family members and some friends. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.