I folded the last sweater of mine and placed it on top of the stack of already folded clothes, standing up from my rather uncomfortable position on the floor.

I scanned what had been mine and Fred's room for any belongings I'd forgotten. Mostly everything had been packed up, and was ready for my new apartment in the city.

I took a deep breath, biting down on my lip. I turned around when I heard footsteps, seeing Henry try to sneakily rush past the door.

"Henry," I sang, "come in."

He peeked his head inside, smiling a soft smile. "Hey, mom."

He looked down at my suitcases and bags, his smile fading. "It's really happening, huh?"

I wrapped my arms around him for a hug. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head, resting his chin on my head. "I understand."

"I don't think your sister's on the same page."

"Don't worry about her," he said, "she's a teenage girl."

I smiled, shaking my head. "You know a lot about those?"

He shrugged, and I could feel his face stretch into his father's famous smile. "I know enough."

"Right," I said, patting his back as I pulled away from him.

"Hero and I are about to go get fitted for the gala," he said, "do you need me?"

I shook my head, smiling up at him. "No, sweetheart. Go have a good time. Pick a nice suit, please."

He pressed a kiss to my forehead before jogging out of the room, making me sigh. I rolled my suitcase over to the door, stopping when I saw Fred.

"Sorry, I didn't know you were in here."

I shook my head and watched as he walked past. I could tell he was no longer making an effort, he just understood what I wanted. He was bitter, but he'd let me have my space.

"Just getting everything packed up," I softly said, cautiously looking up at him.

He looked down at the suitcases, bags, and boxes strewn about, looking nothing but angry. Fred rarely got angry in his older age, even with his hereditary temper that he'd fought since he could.

He clenched his jaw and shook his head, looking away. "You packed your entire life up in four bags."

I bit down on the inside of my lip and hugged my sweater close to me.

"Was it just not worth it?" He asked, shrugging.

"Fred, please," I said, looking down.

"No," he said, "w-was the thirty years together just not worth it? Was the marriage not worth it? Was the fucking family that you and I created not worth it?"

"Please don't go there," I said, my eyes meeting his angry ones.

"It's not just me, Alexis," he said, "you are bringing more parties into this than just me."

"I don't know where I went wrong in clarifying, but I'm doing this for the three of you," I said, nodding, "I have no desire to let the three people I love most in this world see me like this."

"Those three people that you're leaving behind want nothing but for you be supported, Alexis," he said, "none of us want you to shut us out. Is that not what you and I agreed to eighteen years ago when we got married?"

I just looked at him, at a loss for words.

"Tell me I'm wrong," he said, "tell me we didn't promise to be there for each other, for the good and the bad."

"Fred, we did," I said, "you're right. We promised to be there."

"And you're leaving," he said, bitterness in his tone.

I took a step towards him, attempting to gently touch his arm.

He ripped his arm away from me, shaking his head as he rubbed his eyes. "Don't fucking touch me."

"Fred," I said, tilting my head over. He sniffled and shook his head.

"Don't," he said, walking away from me.

~*~

"Get it up, Hero," I said, making sure to keep my hands under the barbell that he was struggling to lift.

He let out a loud grunt and placed it on the rack, sitting upright. "Whoo!"

He grabbed his water bottle. "It needs to be way cleaner, but I got it up."

"My turn," I said, roughly patting his back.

He stood up and grinned down at me. "You got it."

I wrapped my hands around the bar and lifted it, getting it back up with ease.

"My boy," Hero said.

I heard clapping, so I turned around to see Josie standing at the door. I stood up and grinned, resting my hands on my hips.

"I could probably bench twice that," she sighed, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.

"Yeah?" Hero asked, "hey, think fast!"

"Hero!" She screamed, and I chuckled as he lifted her entire body into the air.

"Please put me down," she calmly said.

I couldn't help but to admire her- her long, dark hair just flowing freely, her pajama shorts, sweater, and tall socks that she'd been sporting since she'd woken up.

Hero placed her down on the ground, chuckling. "I'm going upstairs. Henny should have the shakes made by now."

I nodded and watched as he jogged upstairs, looking down at Josie.

She held up her hands and I pulled her up, chuckling. "I like your outfit."

"Do you?" She asked, spinning around, "I got these shorts at Victoria's Secret for three dollars the other day! Can you believe it?"

I rested my hands on her hips and pulled her backside close to me, nestling my face in her neck. "Hey."

"Hey," she giggled, covering my hands with her own.

"Is your dad home?" I asked.

"Uh, no," she said, looking back at me, "he left for a meeting a few minutes ago."

She spun around to face me, resting her hands against my abdomen. "Hey, you're going to be my date to the gala, right?"

"Did you have other options?" I asked, tilting my head over.

"Of course I did, I'm Josephine King."

I chuckled and pulled her into me, but I felt her smile fade against my chest. "I'm just kidding."

"You most definitely had options. Even if they were silent ones."

She pulled away from me. "Well, those other options don't mean a single thing to me."

I knelt down and trailed my hands up her legs, keeping my eyes locked on hers as I pressed a kiss to her thigh.

I heard footsteps, so I attempted to quickly stand up, but failed. I fell and Josie erupted in laughter, making me smile up at her.

"You good, clutz?" Hero asked, holding my smoothie out to me.

I stood up, nodding. "Y-yeah. Where's yours?"

"Not hungry," he said, shaking his head, "or thirsty, whatever."

Josie looked to me, smiling. "My dress is red. Don't clash with me."

I grinned and took a sip of my smoothie, watching as she jogged upstairs. God bless those shorts, I thought, but was distracted by Hero standing in front of the mirror.

"I've gotten thicker," he said, "I know I have."

"You really haven't, man," I said, sitting down.

He bit down on his lip and leaned against the wall.

"Who are you taking to the gala?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Probably no one."

"What about, you know, blonde chick?"

"Amelia?" He asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"Yeah, Amelia," I said. Truth be told, I really didn't pay any mind to other girls.

He chuckled. "Amelia and I have a very strict friends with benefits arrangement."

"Right," I said, smiling.

He smiled and looked down. I could tell Hero's spirits had been down, but he was the best at hiding it.

"Hey, man, you okay?" I asked, earning his eyes.

"Yeah," he said, nodding.

I nodded, knowing that he wasn't, but I'd wait until he could admit it to poke and prod anymore.

~*~

"You ditched the glasses. Why?"

I looked at Dylan, tilting my head over. "I-I got contacts."

"I liked the glasses."

I hung my head, chewing on my bottom lip.

"Not that you don't look good with contacts," he reassured, "I just think your glasses are very fitting. For you."

I looked over at him, watching as he absolutely destroyed the burger he was eating. Boys are so messy.

"Wee-oo, it's the po-po."

I turned around and giggled, seeing Josie approaching us. She sat next to me, placing her bag on the table. "Hey, you might not want to let Hero see you two."

"I'm not scared of Hero," Dylan said, his mouth full.

"That's disgusting, swallow your food before you speak," Josie said, grimacing.

He looked over at her, making a face. She copied his face, rolling her eyes.

"Have you picked out your dress for the gala?" She excitedly asked, patting her thighs.

"Uh, no," I said, looking over at her, "I can't find one that fits me nicely."

"Well, I will drive you into the city this afternoon and we can shop. How about it? Maybe check out Mom's new apartment while we're at it."

I could hear the distaste in her voice. Josie was coming to terms with the separation, but I knew that didn't make it any easier for her.

"How are they going to navigate the gala?" I innocently asked.

She shrugged. "I guess they'll cross that bridge when they get to it."

She sat with us for a few more minutes before standing up after her phone chimed. "I'll see you later, okay?"

She swept her bag off of the table and I shot her a wave, resting my chin on Dylan's shoulder.

"Woah, are you wearing makeup?" He asked, wiping the corner of his mouth.

I knitted my brows together. "N-no?"

"Thank God. Some girls just cake that shit on, and it gets all over my shirts."

I pulled away from him.

"Makeup's kinda unnecessary, anyways."

"I like makeup, I just don't really know how to do it that well," I said, resting my chin in my palm.

"Good," he said, "it's odd looking when there's so much of it."

"Hey, who the fuck asked, dipshit?"

I turned around, wide eyes. Hero roughly patted Dylan's shoulder, glaring down at me.

"Do you just sit in on every conversation your sister has?" Dylan deadpanned.

It sure seems like it.

"No, you talk with a fucking bullhorn. I heard you from across the lunchroom."

"You're very dramatic."

"Get up," Hero said.

"Tell me what to do again," Dylan said, looking up at him.

"Get up," Hero said, looking down at him.

Dylan stood up, standing chest to chest with Hero. I sighed and stood up, pushing them apart. "Please stop."

"I'm leaving anyways," Dylan said, clenching his jaw.

"That's what I thought," Hero said, nodding.

Dylan rolled his eyes and walked away, making me look up at Hero. "Why?"

He shrugged. "This is my spot."

"You need to give me a break," I muttered, grabbing my bag.

"You need to take an interest in better guys."

I shook my head and walked away from him, unsure of what I'd do with Hero constantly on my back.

~*~

I knocked on Fred's door, my eyes meeting his when he opened it quickly.

The surprised expression on his face turned into a confused one. "Hi."

"Can I come in?" I asked.

He moved to the side, letting me in. I rubbed my hands together and looked back at him as he closed the door.

"It's cold out."

"Yeah," he said.

Fred's spirit was obviously down. I wanted to ease into the conversation, but I genuinely wasn't sure how to.

"You didn't tell me," I said, slipping my hands in my pockets.

He placed his papers on the counter, bracing his elbows on it. "No, I didn't."

"I would've understood, better than anyone."

"You really wouldn't have," he said.

"If anyone understands struggling in a marriage, it's me," I said, nodding.

"It's different, Jo," he said, rubbing his hands down his face.

I nodded. "You're right, it is. But I understand how you feel."

"This has made me realize that a lot of my worth resides in her," he said, shaking his head. "I-I don't even feel like me anymore."

I clenched my jaw. "I know it sucks."

"That's thirty years, man," he said, "thirty years."

I nodded. "I know."

"But it's happening, and there's not a damn thing I can do to stop it," he weakly admitted, shrugging.

I sat down at the island, grabbing the glass of whiskey he'd poured for me.

"And you wanna know what her fucking excuse was?" He asked, his jaw clenched as he nodded.

I didn't say anything, just took a sip of my whiskey.

"That she's no longer the woman I married," he said, nodding, "that she's not the woman I fell in love with."

I looked down at my glass. I felt like Fred was standing in front of me, scolding me. He was that angry.

He let out a chuckle, shaking his head. "And I know it's shitty to even think," he said, tracing his pointer finger around the rim of his glass, "but I-I mean, was there someone else?"

I shook my head, downing the rest of my whiskey. "She wouldn't do that to you. I've known her long enough, and so have you. She wouldn't."

He bit down on his lip, bracing his palms on the counter. "I don't want her to leave."

"Aren't you pissed off at her?" I asked.

"Of course," he said, "I'm mad as fuck. But that's my wife, man."

I could see his walls crumble, right in front of me. He wasn't angry, he was sad. Fred showed sadness through anger, through harsh words and looks that could kill.

"I just wish she would've at least given me the chance to try and help her."

"I know it's the last thing you want to hear, but I think you need to just give her the space."

He clenched his jaw, shaking his head as he looked away from me. "Yeah."

I stood up, nodding. "Please keep it together. For the kids."

He nodded, his hands on his hips. "Everything we do is for them, isn't it?"

I smiled, nodding. "Yeah. As it should be."

~*~

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