Chapter 12 Moving Out
Mariko's POV
I left the kitchen to tend to my hand. Luckily, the cut wasn't deep to need stitches. In the bathroom, I bandaged my hand as Margaret stood in the doorway. I was finally done with Amber and dealing with this. My heart is in pieces and I don't know why I made the damn decision in the first place to date her. Everything that we had is down the drain because of her selfishness.
"Anything that I can help with?" I looked at Margaret in the mirror. She was looking at my hand as I finished wrapping my hand with the bandage. She was concerned and sad at the same time.
"No need for anything," I replied.
"I'm so sorry that she did that to you," she said as she approached me. "I think that it is best that Bella stay with me until you are ready to have her with you. Rosie is more than welcome to be there to take care of Bella too. I don't want to take Rosie's job away," she said with a sad smile.
I let out a heavy breath. "Thank you, Margaret. I would really appreciate that because I can't trust Amber with her. Bella is only a little girl."
"I will do anything for you and Bella. Get your things and go before Amber lashes out again. We will be fine. I am taking Bella with me today so that you know she is safe with me," she placed her hand gently on my bicep before leaving the bathroom. I flexed my hand that was bandaged and then I walked out of the bathroom. I didn't hear Amber after this incident and I prefer it this way.
I went into Bella's bedroom and she was standing with a page in her hand as Rosie was telling her what to do with it. She looked up at me and I crouched, holding my arms open for her and she came to me. She wrapped her little arms around my neck, I held her with my eyes closed, cherishing this moment with her until I have her with me again.
She pulled away from me, still holding the page in her hand. "I will be going somewhere for a while and I will come back to get you, okay?" I said.
She nodded, "Where are you going?" she asked.
"Somewhere that I need to be," how do I explain to a three-year-old anything about this situation? My heart was too broken to even explain this situation to anyone else. Tears stung the back of my eyes but I blinked them away.
"I made this for you," she handed the page to me.
I took it from her. There were only colorful scribbles on it and I smiled. "It's beautiful," I said as I pulled her into my embrace again. "Thank you," I pulled away from her and she smiled brightly at me, what makes her more cute are her blonde pigtails. "I love you and I will see you very soon. Rosie and grandma will be with you. I love you so much," I said as I kissed her forehead.
"I love you too, daddy," she said, still smiling, and then I stood up as she went back to her play section in the room. My heart was breaking but soon I will see her again. I wanted to get my head on correctly and get an apartment of my own in the meantime. I want everything to be perfect by the time that Bella lives with me, but that is another battle that I have to fight, but I doubt that Amber will care because she doesn't care now.
"Rosie, please keep a good eye on her at all times, Margaret will be here too and you both might want to be at her place because Amber isn't in a good space and I don't want Bella to be around Amber," I told her.
"I get it, sir. Are you okay?" she asked me, looking at my bandaged hand.
"Yes, just call me or Margaret whenever you need anything. You have Reggie's contact number too," I confirmed with her.
"Yes, sir. All the emergency numbers. Don't worry, we got this," she looked at me knowingly too.
"I will see you soon," I said to her, and then I walked out of the bedroom.
I took my suitcases from the guest bedroom. As my heart was breaking from leaving my baby girl, I needed this because today, it got worse. I will not be in an environment that I am no longer wanted and to force me out by shedding my blood. I am making it easier for us both. I got to the lounge and Margaret came out of the kitchen.
"Please, call me whenever you need anything," she said.
"Thank you," I gave her a weak smile "See you soon," and then I left the house.
I packed my things inside of my car and I got inside. The only place for me to go to is the Stern hotel until I purchase an apartment of my own. My heart needs healing and this is the final straw for me. It was the hardest decision I had to ever make because it affects my daughter, but she will be with me soon. I will make sure of that.
When I got to the Stern hotel, I called Reggie to meet me at the club to have a drink. After Mark had died, we didn't break our tradition where we hung out together or have a drink and also talk about situations. But he doesn't know what had been going on in my marriage.
I was sitting at the bar as Reggie sat down beside me. We ordered our drinks. I always take Scotch neat and I think about it. It reminded me of Maddie when she drank Scotch. "So what is up with you?" he asked as the bartender placed our drinks in front of us.
"My marriage is finally ending," I stated.
"What?" Reggie asked with surprise. "Did I hear that right? Your marriage is ending?" he asked.
"Yes, you heard right. Amber went off the walls. We fell out of love and it all started five years ago. She is always out and she is heartless. I didn't think that I would be in this situation and there is Bella. Amber...she attacked me by accident and this happened," I showed him my bandaged hand.
"F^ck," he said under his breath. "Did you do anything to her that made her that way?" he said.
"Well, she threw the pregnancy excuse. I knew that she never wanted kids. Well, at that point in her life and neither did I. I was going to wait for the right time and then she came with the surprise pregnancy. Fast forward to three years ago when she surprised me with Bella. I was fine with one kid but I am getting old and I didn't want another. From both pregnancies, I love my kids so much. Amber doesn't care and it's like I took away her fun." I gulped my Scotch down.
"Sh^t. We all thought that you both were happy," he said as he took a sip of his whiskey.
"We were only pretending to be happy," I replied.
"Wait. I need to make a call because now with all this sh^t happening. Have you seen what the f^ck happened to Arden and his crazy ex?"
"Yeah," I sighed.
"That's tough. Arden fought for a baby that wasn't his sibling all along," he shook his head as he held his phone against his ear. "What are you doing right now? Mariko and I are at the club, at the bar and enjoying a drink...I know that this is not your scene, but Mariko needs us...see you then," he hung up but I found myself smiling. Maddie said that this was not her scene, so I am reminded. "He is on his way."
"So, how about another drink?" I asked.
"Count me in," Reggie said. I signaled the bartender and ordered more drinks. "I just hope things doesn't get any worse for you. Things can get ugly."
"I know, but I don't think she cares. She only cares about herself and she wouldn't be the one to look after Bella. My priority right now is Bella." I said as the bartender came back with our drinks.
"So I am needed. I was busy getting some takeaway for supper. But I can get it after this," Arden said as he took a seat next to me.
"Drink?" I asked Arden.
"Nothing for me, thanks."
"So you are serious about not drinking?" Reggie asked him.
"I'm serious," Arden replied. "So what can I do to help?" he asked.
I explained my situation to Arden and he was also surprised. "It honestly didn't look like there was anything wrong with your marriage. I have looked up to your marriage. I wanted Lana and I to have something that was strong but to hear this...I am sorry that it got to this point. I know from experience how harsh things can get, especially when they fall out of love and you try to do everything that you can. For the sake of Bella, the difference between what I went through is that, Lucinda wanted to keep Charl away from me, she had me in the palm of her hand just so that I could continue to fight for him. Sometimes things can get messy and in your situation, I hope that it is smoother and no drama involved...if she already cut you, you made the right choice because who knows what she might do next, but make sure that you get Bella, because Amber can become a danger." Arden advised me.
"We will be here every step of the way," Reggie said as I looked at my glass of Scotch which was refilled.
"I appreciate this," I said, feeling the support and not that I am alone. Does Maddie feel that way too? Like she is alone.
I was thinking about Maddie despite how I am feeling. I hope that her studies are going well. She is the only breath of fresh air in my life. I am trying my best to control myself around her. I will give her time because she made it clear to me that she would never date someone like me...an affluent man. While she figures out what it is that she wants, I will be focusing on my daughter.