Beauty in the Breakdown
Addison sighed as she heard her parents arguing again. It felt like the hundredth time that day. She picked up her iPod and put her earphones in, turning on her music. Her eyes closed and she led back on her bed. All her parents seemed to be doing lately was arguing, it always seemed to be about stupid things as well. They never seemed to be happy anymore. They were hardly ever in the same room anymore. Addison placed her iPod on her night stand, letting the music overtake her as she drifted off to sleep.
---
A week later while Addison was sat in the kitchen eating lunch, was when she was told her parents were divorcing. It wasn’t a huge surprise, and it wasn’t as devastating as it should be. She just sat and looked at her parents. No one said anything for a while. Addison shrugged and went back to her lunch, at least she wouldn’t have to listen to them arguing anymore.
---
Addison sat and tapped her fingers against the table as her parents argued once more. They were getting divorced, how could they still be arguing? She glanced around the room and let her head drop to her hands. Both her parents’ lawyers didn’t seem impressed either. A sigh passed her lips as she heard her name.
“Addison can live with you!” Peter yelled at his soon to be ex-wife.
“Why me?! Why can’t she live with you?!” Joanna looked at Peter.
“You’re the one keeping the house! She’s got all her stuff there! And you’re her mother!”
“You’re her father!”
“She should stay with you!”
“She can’t stay with me! My job will be taking me all everywhere! She should stay with you!”
“I’m not home much with my job!”
"Well she is your daughter too, you can’t just throw the responsibility at me, you know I’m working in a very important project right now, it will earn me promotion."
“I don’t care! I’m not going to be home to take care of her!”
"Of course not, you only have time for your lovers." She raised her voice.
“Hey I’m not the one who slept with my brother the night before our wedding!” Peter glared at Joanna.
"Well I was about to commit myself to a life with bad sex so I needed that." Addison groaned at the image in her head and let it hit the desk.
“Well I must have done something right to get you Addison!”
"No I was just not so smart at that time, now I know it was a big mistake!" She just wanted to hurt him
“Hello! In the room! I can hear all what you say! I don’t need to hear how much neither of you want me!” Addison yelled trying not to let the tears fall.
“Now look what you’ve done Joanna!” Peter looked at his soon to be ex-wife.
"Me? I didn’t leave my family to be with that slut!"
“I never left you to be with her!”
Before she knew it her hand landed across his face. "You think I was going to let you stay here while you are with her as well?"
“Better than being with a cold hearted bitch.” He spat.
"Just leave!!" She yelled at him. "I’ll see what I can do with Addison on my own."
“I would have left years ago if I wasn’t for Addison.”
"Yeah right." She turned her back to him. "You just said you didn’t want her."
“I’m not the one who doesn’t want her.”
"I’m just saying I’m in a very busy time at work, now is not the best time for her to be with me, but it doesn’t matter I just want you out of our lives so just go.”
“Fine, I will then.” Peter turned to look at the lawyers.
"Fine" She replied in a cold way.
“She is having custody of Addison then.” Peter told his lawyer. Joanna was still not sure about it, she had no time to take care of Addison but she didn’t want Peter to have her now either so she agreed to sign the papers that would give her full custody of Addison. Addison sighed and just watched her parents.
As soon as they were done Joanna stood up and motioned for Addison to follow her. "Let’s go Addison."
“So I don’t even get to say goodbye then?”
"I’ll wait for you in the car Addison, don’t take long." She said good bye to everyone except for Peter then she left the office. Addison stood and shifted on the spot, not sure who she would rather go with.
Peter put his arms around his daughter. "I will always be there for you.”
“Thanks dad.” She turned slowly and walked to the door.
"I will come see you this weekend okay." He hated to see his daughter leave but he knew he could not take care of her at the moment.
“Okay.” She got this feeling he wouldn’t, but didn’t say anything just left. Peter opened and checked his schedule for the weekend, it was all full he just let out a sigh.
---
Addison sat in the car and gazed out the window as her mother drove in silence. She knew her mother didn’t want her living with her, really neither of them did. They stopped at the traffic lights and a family caught Addison’s eye. They were happy, and together, why couldn’t she have that? What had she done that she didn’t deserve a loving family. She watched them as they laughed together then walked across the road, it was everything she had ever wanted. It was the one thing she just couldn’t have, and probably never would. She sighed and let her forehead rest against the cold glass. Her life would never be simple.
---
A month later and the divorce was finalized. Addison would live with her mother and see her father on weekends if he was available, and that, caused another argument between them. Addison just wished it would all stop, that she could get away, but she couldn’t.