(Martha)
The morning had come and I woke up early. It was a beautiful morning and I slept peaceful. The week has been well for the most part and I had gotten everything down to a routine.
I would wake up early and immediately brush my teeth and shower before getting dressed and start making breakfast
"Hmm something smells good" James said walking into the kitchen
"I'm making breakfast" I told him. Every morning I'd get up early so he wouldn't have the chance to call room service
"So what are we having?" He asked
"Breakfast taco scramble" I said
"Hmm that sounds great" he said
"Aren't you gonna get ready for work?" I asked
"Yeah yeah. After breakfast" he said sitting at the table
"It should be finished soon" I said going to sit with him
"Can you believe Thanksgiving is tomorrow?" I said
"Yeah," he says
"This is actually my first Thanksgiving away from my family" I said
"Really? How is it so far?" he asked with a smile
"Honestly I'm not sure what to do. Honestly at this time normally I'd be getting things ready for Thanksgiving dinner but now that I don't have to. I'm kinda at a lost at what I should do"
"Hm"
"So what about you?"
"What about me?" He asked
"What do you normally do on Thanksgiving?"
"Nothing much. My first two years in town I invited Evie over and we ate dinner quietly. This was practically only time she didn't beg me to return home."
"So about third year?" I asked
"She was working,"
"You must have been disappointed"
"Not really. I just hated the fact that I was by myself. It felt kinda lonely"
"Couldn't you have just went to her? I doubt the place was that busy on Thanksgiving"
"Martha, I didn't feel lonely because Evie wasn't there. Evie came over but I had to cancel"
"What could be more important than Thanksgiving?"
"Do you remember last Thanksgiving?" He chuckled
"Not much" I admitted
"Well you and Scrooge had an argument and you called me for an emergency sessions. We talked for a while at the office and you brought over some of the dinner you had made. But before we could sit and eat your phone rang and after picking up you suddenly had to leave. So I sat in my office eating the dinner and then I suddenly started crying"
"Crying?"
"Your cooking was delicious and that was the first time it really hit me that this delicious cooking would never be mine. It made me feel alone"
I stayed silent as he spoke those heart shattering words.
"Shit, did I ruin the mood?" He asked sheepishly rubbing his chin
"No it's fine. I was just thinking about breakfast. I should go check on it" I said giving an awkward smile before rushing to the kitchen.
My heart was racing and a blush was on my face.
'Why is my face suddenly so hot. Why is my heart beating so fast?' I could only sigh, it seemed just a sappy story was all it took to turn me into a teenage girl again
"Hey, is the breakfast ready?" He asked
"Yeah I'm bringing it out now" I snapped out of it
"Here you go"
"Wow this looks amazing" he said smiling
"Thank you, I made enough for you to bring to work if you'd like"
"You're the absolute best Martha" he said
"No problem," I said getting up to leave
"And where are you going?" He asked
"To clean your room. That's apart of my job, isn't it?"
"I swear your room service greatest friend and the managerial staffs worse nightmare"
"Nightmare?"
"Yeah, do you know how much money these people made off of me? Now I have a lovely roommate who cooks and cleans I'm sure they're upset"
"It's my job. Nothing more"
"So you say" he said putting down his fork and walking over to me
"But I think you're actually starting to like me." He said reaching out to me with both arms. He had a smirk on his face as he tried to wrap his arms around me but I put a finger on his chest keeping some distance between us
"What did you promise?" I asked in a reminding tone
"Come on hugging isn't remotely sexual" he said
"James" I said
"Fine. I was just kidding" he said stepping back
"Huh-uh," I said unconvinced
"Please just one hug" he pouted cutely
"Don't you have to go to work? You have to go get ready" I asked
"You promise to give me a hug if I go get ready right now?" He asked
"I'll think about it" I said
"I'm holding you to that" he said before leaving.
I sighed shaking my head smiling as I went to his room while he was in the shower
After leaving it spotless I went back into the kitchen to tidy it up.
As I finished wiping the table I sat down. James had been keeping his room as tidy as possible, even spreading the bed as he wakes up, so there wasn't much for me to do. Honestly I felt kind of bad about it. I mean he was basically paying me for nothing.
"Hey Martha," he said before I looked up
"How do I look?" He asked
"Great like usual" I responded.
"Thank you. Now I'm ready for work" he said still not leaving
"Something wrong?" I asked
"Aren't you forgetting something?"
"Am I?" I feigned ignorance
"My hug" he said
"I don't remember promising you a hug?" I said
"Yes you said you'd think about it"
"Huh uh" I nodded
"So?" He asked opening his arms
"I'm still thinking. Think about it doesn't automatically mean I'll do it" I said before his head hung down in disappointment.
Seeing the expression on his face I couldn't help but giggle as I got up and walked over to him
"You are the best James" I said wrapping my arms around him consoling him
"If you stay by my side. I'll never change" he smiled
And there he goes with those sweet words again. I swear this man could write a romance novel. But still hugging him felt right. His big strong arms wrapped around my waist and my head resting on his strong hot muscular chest taking in the smell of his oh so intoxicating perfume. All those things made me never want the hug to end. I think I could hug unto him for days and still not want to let go. As I smiled I thought came to mind.
'No. Martha you can't do this. Get this out of your mind. You're about to get divorced and He's still hung up on his ex. Getting into a relationship right now wouldn't be a good idea. It'd be too complicated. Yeah I should stop this before I let it go any further' I chastised myself in my thoughts
"Shouldn't you be going to work. I'm sure your patients will have a problem with you showing up late"
"I'm sure they don't mind. Most are only there to flirt with me anyway" he said smugly as he looked down at me
"Hmph are you expecting me to be jealous?" I asked turning to him
"Hopefully" he said before I pushed him off
"Get to work" I said in a commanding tone
"Alright. Alright. But before I go. I just thought of a really great idea"
"What is it?"
"Let's have dinner tomorrow"
"You mean like a restaurant or something?" I asked
"No I was hoping you'd cook. I know it'd only be the two of us but I think it would be great. Almost like a little private Thanksgiving. You can even invite your son. I always wanted to meet him"
"Meet my son? Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"No." he said
"So if you don't think it's a good idea either why do you want to see him"
"Honestly I think it might lead to a misunderstanding."
"So why do you?"
"Because you don't want to have Thanksgiving without your son" He said
"Are you sure he'll even show up?" I asked
"Won't know until you try" he said
"Alright I'll think about it"
"Really?" He smiled
"Yeah now get going. You're going to be late" I said before he left.
"Wait I almost forgot" he said turning back to me
"What did you forget?"
"You're heading over to Scrooge's right?"
"Yeah" I said
"Catch" he said throwing his keys
"Your keys?"
"My car needs some gas and since the station is on the way you can take it" he made up a reason
"And what would you take?"
"I already called an Uber" he said walking away
I sighed looking around before going to take a shower. After the shower comes the most stressful part of my day. Every day I head to Ebenezer's.
I sighed once again as I opened the door and walked inside.
He was once again in front of the TV with four empty beer cans at his feet.
I wanted to ignore it and just not think about it but I couldn't keep my concern hidden so I walked over to him and said, "You really shouldn't drink that much so early" as I picked up the cans and threw them away
"And you should really stay out of other people's business." He said emptying another can and throwing it on the ground
"Whatever" I sighed
"What are you doing here? Let me guess your boyfriend kicked you out so you want to beg me to let you back in" he said confidently
"No. You know why I'm here?"
"If it's to sign that damn piece of trash again. You can run back to your boyfriend because I'm not signing that"
"Ebenezer, it's been a week. Don't you think you've been dragging this out too long. I want a divorce Ebenezer and there's nothing you can say or do to change my mind. Do you hear me? I want a divorce"
"And I want a million dollars. But that's not happening, is it?"
"Why?"
"What?"
"Why won't you let me go. It's not you love me or anything"
"Who said I don't care for you?"
"I know you care for me but you don't love me"
"Says who?"
"Ebenezer let's be honest with ourselves. You have never loved me. I'm not the one you want to stay by your side. I wasn't even your consolation prize. I was more like your participation trophy"
"Don't say it like that. I may not have loved you the most but that doesn't mean I just settled."
"Why won't you sign the papers Ebenezer?"
"Because I don't want to see you get hurt" he flared jumping up from his couch
"You've already took care of that. Everyday I had to go out and looked for you. Do you know how much it hurt to see you passed out on the roadside? It hurt even more when I couldn't find you. When I am the one stuck here wondering what you did or if you're even alive or dead on some roadside, have you ever thought how much that hurt? And to top it all off the knowledge that I wasn't the cause of that. That instead it's her. Again! Every time you self destruct it is always because of her! And I'm the one here doing damage control. You don't think that was painful enough!" I yelled before he sat back down
"I know" he sighed regret evident in his voice
"Then sign the damn papers" I cursed
"Fine"
"Finally" I said taking out the papers
"But first you have to promise me something"
"Promise you what?"
"Promise you won't date him"
"Excuse me?"
"You can date anyone else... just not him" he answered
"No"
"What?"
"Who the hell do you think you are?! What right do you have to even think you can tell me who I can and can't date!"
"I'm trying to spare you another heart break. Do you really think this is gonna work with him?" he said
"People like us and people like him live in different worlds"
"Different worlds?"
"Yeah I did a little background check on her before you lift. James McKnight son of the chairman of the Midnight group. A real rich boy. Trust fund baby as they call it"
"Why did you do that?"
"Martha, do you really think this is gonna work? That the two of you will get married and live happily ever after?"
"Look, I don't know what you think, but even though James says he loves me-"
"And do you think that'll be enough? Even if he loves you, do you think he'll choose you over his family? Think for a second Martha would he really give up all that wealth he would inherit. Billions of dollars that would be given solely to him. Be realistic do you really think he'd just give that up for you?"
"First of all, that has nothing to do with you and second, who told you I intend for James to choose between his family or me?"
"So you say you won't date him?"
"I'm saying it's none of your damned business! Just stop pretending to be the good Samaritan and sign the freaking papers so I can get the hell out of here" I yelled pissed
Then suddenly we heard footsteps and Carl ran down the stairs and saw me. He immediately smiled before running to me and hugging me tightly
"Mom! I knew you'd come back!"
"Carl it's not-" I said not willing to tell him the truth
"So you and Dad made up right? We can still have Thanksgiving dinner. Yes!"
"Carlton that's enough" his father said seeing that I was uncomfortable
"I'm sorry I was just so happy that she's back" he said before letting me go
"Mom, what's that in your hands?" he asked noticing the papers
"Carl I-"
"They're some documents I asked her to bring for me for the pharmacy" his father lied
"Oh" Carl said
"No"
"Huh?" Carl said
"Carlton, I told myself I won't lie to you. I'm didn't come back to your father and these are..... They are divorce papers" I said
"Divorce papers" he said before his smile instantly turned into a frown
"Couldn't have waited a day huh?" Ebenezer sighed opening another can
"Carlton" I said ignoring him
"I'm... I'm..." He said
"But we can still have Thanksgiving. Just the two of us and even if you'd like we can-"
"I have to go to school" he said before walking towards the door
"Carlton" I called out but he didn't say anything he just left
"What did you expect was gonna happen?" Ebenezer asked
"Can you just stop talking for a minute?" I said holding back tears
"Martha" he said concern clear in his voice
"Yo Ebi!!" An annoying familiar voice said
"Dick?"
"Barbie Doll" he smirked
"What the hell is he doing here?!" I asked
"Haven't you heard we're running the business together?"
"Are you out of your damn mind?!!" I asked
"Yo Ebi, why is Barbie Doll here?"
"That's none of your concern. What are you doing letting him into our house? Are you insane Ebenezer?!" I yelled angrily
"This is still your house? Last I heard you ran off with a new Ken, Barbie doll"
"Tell me you aren't working with him Ebenezer. You know you can't trust him" I said but he just stayed quiet
"Listen Barbie Doll why don't you run along. The big boys have some business to discuss" he said I looked at Ebenezer but he didn't say anything
"Hmph just sign the papers" I said putting them down on the table
"Run along now" he smirked
I glared at Dick one last time before turning to leave
"Oh and nice car you got out there Barbie Doll. Looks expensive you should really be careful with that. You know the road is a dangerous place who knows when you'll end up in a accident. A nice car like thay, I'm betting that might be a bitch to repair" Dick said
"What does that mean?"
"Drive safe" he smirked
I simply glared at him before walking out