Part 2

Context: You're on vacation with your ex-husband and two kids, trying to enjoy a nice Christmas together since the split. He's not exactly making it easy, and it's clear you're both still hurting. You just want your children to have a nice time, but...

Setting: A mini-van/gas station

Tags:[M4F][Lovers to Exes][Bitter Ex-Husband Speaker][Emotionally Withdrawn Listener][Divorcees][Argument/Fighting][Hurt][Shutting Down][Confession][Danger][Regret][CW: Fighting/Arguing][TW: Gunshots/Death?]

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[Scene opens in a mini-van, winding through the forest]

[SFX: Car ambiance]

[You sit in the passenger seat of an old mini-van while your ex-husband drives. Per usual, he’s surly while the kids play happily in the back]

“Really wish you would have consulted me before getting Lilly that damned toy…”

[Pause?]

“Yes, I understand Dr. Weiss recommended it for kids on the spectrum, but the thing screeches like a barn owl that messed with the wrong crow.”

[...]

[He sighs]

“Don’t go doing that, now. We’re supposed to have a nice ‘family’ Christmas this year, and I’d like for it to be less ‘divorcee-drama’ than last time.”

[Pause.]

“Look, Mom had two glasses of Vodka in her, I can’t control her calling you a-... ahem. I can’t control her outbursts.”

[Pause…]

“I could’ve stood up for you? Pfft, and say what? ‘Sorry, my ex-wife is here along with me and the kids, everyone! Package deal!’.”

[...]

[He takes a breath, muttering to himself:]

“Right, right, be nice in front of the kids. It’s not their fault our marriage imploded.”

[Pause]

[Your ex-husband tenses]

“Oho, OK, we’re starting on that again, huh? I told you, ten times over, that I didn’t see Cindy until AFTER we agreed to split, mmkay?”

[Pause.]

“Yes, OK, we started dating three months after the split. I’m the bad guy. I understand. Anything else you want to throw at me while we’re doing the divorcee tango for the billionth time?”

[...]

[He eases after a moment, eyes sad]

“...I’m sorry. I… Cindy dumped me, and it’s all still a bit raw. I shouldn’t be taking it out on you…”

[Pause]

“...Are you… seeing anyone new?”

[You shake your head and he exhales]

“No? Mmh… Fair. You’ve had Lilly and Rowan near full-time while I’ve worked, when would you ever…”

[Pause…]

“...I really miss-”.

[Your toddler begins to whine in the backseat about needing the bathroom]

[Pause]

“What? Rowan, I asked you at the last three stops if you needed to go potty and you said no!”

[Pause!]

[He grumbles under his breath]

“I swear… I should just open the door and let you go pee with the bears, you know that?”

[Rowan giggles with malicious toddler delight]

[Pause]

“Ah, yeah, there is that gas station right before the cabin. Good thinking, babe, er… Sorry, force of habit… Good idea.”

[SFX: The van pottering on before stopping/a gas station chime]

[You stop at the old gas station and hop out with him and the kids]

[Pause!]

“Yep, you heard Mommy. Two snacks each, one drink, and MAYBE if you behave, a little toy or something. Do not leave the gas station unless one of us is with you. C’mon Rowan, let’s get you to the potty.”

[SFX: Generic gas station music/footsteps]

[Your ex approaches the old gent working the counter]

“Could we get the bathroom key, please?”

[The old man nods and hands it over with an added warning]

“Thanks. Huh? Yeah, we’re heading up to the cabins, why?”

[Pause?]

“Police have been saying that some escaped convict ran this way, eh? Armed, too? How very Christmassy. Well, fortunately, the Missus always has some kind of protection in that weaponized purse, heh. Thanks, sir, we’ll be sure to be careful. C’mon, Rowan.”

[You hold Lilly while he takes Rowan to pee, waiting so you can clean her up as well. The moment your ex exits, he takes one look at you and that familiar look crosses his face]

[Pause?]

“Yeah, Rowan’s good… You know you’re not meant to hold Lilly like that, right?”

[...]

[You push past him without another word and get your daughter changed]

“Hey! What’s with the attitude? I was just trying to help!”

[Pause.]

“Oh, of course, you don’t want to talk about it.”

[He pinches the bridge of his nose]

“...Rowan, go pick out some treats, and stay within eyesight.”

[Your young son scampers off dutifully while your ex folds his arms] “I’m keeping my eye on him… So you can stop staring at me with the sad eyes.”

[Pause…]

[He pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs]

“You honest to God want to know what kills me the most? I can’t get through to you. You love being the victim so much that there’s no talking to you, there’s no compromising, you just shut down, and that’s that! I’m sat here, begging you to just open up to me, and-”.

[Pause!]

[He falters, taken aback]

“What…? Why the Hell would you never feel safe opening up to me? I was your husband, for God’s sake!”

[Pause!]

“...I treated you like a burden? How?!”

[Pause!!!]

[You unload on him. He wants you to talk to him, so you’re damned well going to talk. The gas station is deserted, save for the guy working the counter]

“...Yes, I said I wanted you to be a stay-at-home Mom… But you have to understand, that comes with taking care of the house, too, and I kept coming home to messes, and Mom-”.

[Pause.]

[He winces]

“...Yes, Mom could afford a nanny and housekeeper…”

[Pause?!]

“...No, I never offered the same. You kept insisting you could handle it!”

[PAUSE!!!]

[He pales, expression flashing between grief, rage, admiration, and immense sadness]

“...No, she didn’t have to raise a child on the spectrum by herself while dealing with post-partum… Yes, she always compared herself to you. Yes, she… was the one that told me that you were being lazy or resentful…”

[...]

[At your admittance, at the slip of tears, he seems to break as well]

“...You just wanted the kids to have a family that actually wanted them… and the moment you realized I didn’t love you as you were, you got the divorce papers, because you’d rather be a single mother than one trapped between an abuser and her spineless son…”

[...]

[SFX: The Listener hurrying back into the bathroom and quickly locking the door]

[You turn from him and hurry into the bathroom, locking the door behind you. You don’t want the kids to see you like this. Lilly mumbles and whimpers but calms as you pat her back After a moment or two of silence, you hear him quietly murmur:

“Mommy’s using the restroom, Rowan… Did you pick out some good snacks?”

[Pause]

[His voice nearly breaks again]

“O-Oh, honey… Yes, the flowers are very pretty… You want to give them to Mommy so she’ll smile?”

[Pause!]

[He chuckles sadly]

“Well, you’re a handsome young man, Rowan. I’m sure she’ll appreciate them from you.”

[Pause]

“...From me? Oh, hon…”

[SFX: A muffled chime]

[Someone else enters the gas station while you sit and try and collect yourself. You pay no mind until you hear something that chills you to the core:]

[SFX: A single gunshot]

“Jesus-! Oh god, Mr. Jenkins… Rowan, get behind me!”

[Pause!!]

[You open the bathroom door and make eye contact with your ex. He nods, pale, and nudges the kids

[SFX: Rowan shakily running to you]

[Pause!]

[Your ex looks nervously between you and the gunman, who is now very focused on him]

“...Please don’t do this.”

[Pause!]

[Your ex sidles very subtly in front of your terrified kids as they try and get to you, hands still raised]

“...C’mon, man. Don’t do this. Please, those are my kids and wife…”

[You step in front of the kids, too. Even your ex. The gunman smiles, wholly deranged. The gun wavers toward you]

[...]

“Hey, HEY! Don’t you dare point that at her! I’m the one you have a problem with! Babe, what are you doing, go and hide with the kids!”

[SFX: The gun cocking]

“Wait-! Please, she didn’t do anything wrong!”

[You stare the young man down in response, unafraid. He doesn’t seem to like this]

[Pause.]

“No… No, don’t you talk like that, don’t you sit there and tell me to take good care of the kids! You’re not going ANYWHERE! We’re going to get through this together!”

[...]

[You ask the gunman if he intends to let any of you live, earnest and quiet. He confirms that he does not]

“...Jesus Christ, man, there are children here! What do you gain from killing everyone here?!”

[Pause.]

[You ask the man if he’d let the others go if you volunteered your life. Both of your kids are petrified, cowering in the bathroom. He ponders this, clearly having fun]

“Babe… What are you doing?”

[...]

“W-What did you say?”

[Pause]

[He breaks again, this time the worst you’ve seen him since his brother passed]

“...you still love me…?”

[You give him one more sad smile and, in that moment, you finally feel like you’re good enough. You’re something that even his harpy of a Mother couldn’t deny]

[SFX: A gun cocking]

“Baby, don’t-!”

[You carry your smile like a badge of honor as you walk toward the gunman calmly, hands raised]

“BABY-! C’mon man, don’t… Don’t do this! She’s the love of my life-!”

[...]

[You don’t even shut your eyes, just let him move the gun to between your chest… before you whip out pepper spray from your purse and douse him]

[SFX: Pepper spray/the gunman reeling back in agony]

“O-OK, you pepper sprayed him, now get-!”

[SFX: A gunshot]

[Both of you freeze as the gun goes off again. Blood splatters across the floor and you glance down to see a sizeable hole in your chest]

“NO!!”

[Your ex runs to you, first getting you around the waist and then wrestling the gun from the gunman]

[...]

“No, no, you don’t get to go home, you don’t get to go to prison, you get the EXACT taste of your own medicine, you fucking bastard!”

[SFX: An excessive amount of gunshots/clicks once the chamber is empty]

[P-Pause…]

[Your ex is shaking, sobbing silently]

“...I know he’s dead… Oh, baby, Jesus… No, no, he hit you in the abdomen…”

[P-Pause?]

“The kids are OK…. Rowan, here, give me the phone, honey. Oh, I know, sweetheart, you’re so brave, calling 911 all on your own! Mommy taught you to be so smart… P-Please, dispatcher, my wife took a shot to the abdomen trying to protect us! We’re out at Jenkins near Lake Moon Scar!”

[Pause…]

“Shh, it’s OK, honey, it’s OK, sweetie… My poor baby girl, it’s OK… I’ve got pressure on the wound, OK? It’s all going to be OK!”

[...]

“...Operator, please, s-she… No, Rowan, it’s OK! Shh, it’s OK… Everything’s gonna be OK! Please, please just hurry, please, I can’t-!”

[You gently pat his hand and he looks down at you, panicked and sobbing]

“Shh, no, no, no, it’s gonna be OK… OK? They’re gonna come patch you up, baby, and we’ll go have Christmas tomorrow, OK?!”

[Pause…]

“Baby…? Hey! Hey, no! C’mon, don’t do this, the kids need you!”

[...]

“I NEED YOU-!” ‘

[Cold, cold, it’s all so cold. You comfort your children as best as you can, even as their crying goes quiet]

“BABY!!!”

[You fade]

[...to be continued…?]

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Note: chuckles I’m an asshole. Please forgive the angst, I'm going through a dark place at the moment, but I still love y'all <3