Toni stood at the door and had to compose herself. Veronica had offered to come with me but Toni didn't want to make situations worse than they already were. She knocked on the door lightly as her keys were far down in her bag.

It took awhile but eventually Cheryl answered the door. Their eyes met and the pain In Tonis chest returned.

"hey baby" Toni spoke quietly and went up the step and leant in for a kiss but Cheryls head turned so it landed on her cheek.

"I will take your bags, you can run on to the kids" her voice was very monotone. She took the bags from Tonis hands and Toni walked on quickly.

"where are my little monsters?!" Toni called out into the house. The scampering came so fast as they ran around the corner to face toni.

"mum! You're back!" Daniel shouted out.

"mummy!" Amelia beamed

"mum, you're home!" Thomas joined in. They all ran at her and she was tackled to the ground in their hugs.

"woah woah" she laughed wrapping her arms around them. "careful guys mum's still fragile" she teased and sat up.

"mummy I missed you!" Amelia wrapped her arms around Tonis neck and didn't let go.

"I watched your concerts every day mum, you were so badass!" Daniel grinned.

"are you staying for awhile now mum?" Thomas asked and Toni nodded.

"the tour is over, I am home now" Toni got to her feet the kids following her as she did.

"mum I did my singing performance at school! Everyone applauded! I was just like you" Amelia bounced around the room.

"well you will have to sing again for me won't you" Toni took a seat on the sofa, Thomas crawled onto her lap.

Amelia stood in front of her and she sung her heart out. Toni couldn't be more proud of her little girl.

"that was fantastic sweetie, you are so amazing!" she embraced Amelia in her arms.

"Toni" Toni looked up at Cheryl who was looking down at her with a big smile.

"there's soms spare dinner left over, pizza OK?" she came over and pressed a light kiss to her cheek.

"there's left over pizza? How is that possible" Toni laughed and got up off the couch.

"I'm gonna have some food then I will be right back with you guys" Toni promised, walking off to the kitchen with Cheryl following her. But when Toni looked back at Cheryl she no longer had the smile, her face had dropped and she took a seat at the kitchen island. Toni warmed up the food and sat beside her.

"so how has it been here?" Toni asked as she munched into her first piece of pizza, trying to rid of the silence.

"it's been fine though Amelia hasn't been eating properly" Cheryl got up and poured herself a small glass of wine, sipping the drink.

"how come? Has she been unwell?" Toni asked as she started to eat her second piece.

"because Toni, she's been in a mood ever since you left. She wouldn't shut up about you, asking when you'd be back. And she just wouldn't listen to me and way" frustration laced Cheryl's voice as she took a larger gulp of her drink.

"well I'm home now and I will make sure she is eating properly" Toni promised earning a scoff from Cheryl.

"well that's great, you're only back now. I've had to look after the kids on my own whilst you were off with them" Cheryl muttered.

Oh she wasnt gonna start a fight about looking after kids on your own with me.

"that's how I was when you-" Toni stopped when she saw Thomas running to her.

"play football with us" Thomas begged and tugged her shirt.

"mums gonna be very tired you should let her rest" Cheryl spoke up and finished off her glass.

"no I'm good to play" Toni defended and got off her chair.

"what about your ankle" Cheryl protested and came around grabbing Tonis wrist.

"I will be fine love, come out and play with us" Toni urged her on.

Cheryl rolled her eyes and got off the seat and walked with Toni out to the large garden where the kids were already playing. Toni jogged on ahead and ran in between the kids and booted the football at the goal they kept at the end of the garden. It went flying but got in the top left corner.

"that's how it's done!" Toni grinned and laughed.

"we need to split into teams" Daniel spoke up.

"alright kid you're with me, amelia and Thomas you can be wihh Cheryl, she's gonna need extra help" Toni smirked causing Cheryl's jaw to drop.

"excuse you, I'm very good at soccer thank you" she scoffed.

"alrighty then, let's see how long she lasts" Toni ran to go get the ball and came back chuckling it to Cheryl "bring it on"

Cheryl put the ball down and started dribbling it, passing to Thomas when Daniel got close. He made a run for it but Toni was onto him, running past and snatching the ball away, making a sprint for it with the ball. She came to a stop when Amelia ran at her, giving amelia a chance to take the ball from her.

"oh no!" Toni shouted but had a smile on her lips as the girl ran back the other way. It wasnt long until Daniel got it back.

"mum!" he called out before bottling it over. Toni jumped up just in time to header it right into the goal.

"yes!!" Daniel shouted out and ran to Toni, wrapping his arms around her.

Cheryl walked over and whispered in her ear.

"you got lucky there but just watch as I thrash you" she walked off again and Toni just smirked to herself. She kicked the ball over to amelia to start and they were off. It was passed to Thomas and then Cheryl was on the final run but Toni was on her tail. Toni came in to the side.

"oh no you don't" Cheryl took the kick as Toni came in. They toppled into each other. And hit the ground with a loud thud. Well Toni did as Cheryl had a nice soft landing, Toni. Cheryl looked down at Toni her heart racing a little. She was about to get off but Toni grabbed her arm lightly and pulled her back down. She leant up and pressed her lips onto Cheryl's. Cheryl kissed back but the kiss seemed flat, kinda empty to Toni. She pulled back and got up from under Cheryl patting herself down, a little shaken from the lack of... Passion. Love. It was like all of it had been drained. Toni offered her hand to Cheryl and lifted her up. She wondered if Cheryl felt the same.

"alright you lot it's getting kinda late... You should go inside and change into your pj's" Toni called out to them. Thankfully they groaned but listened and ran on in. Toni walked inside and Cheryl quickly followed.

"Toni.." she spoke quietly as we got inside.

"what?" she asked as she kicked her boots off.

"are we gonna talk about things?" she asked as they head through the house.

"where are we gonna start? The fact that you screamed down the phone at me and spoke shit about me when I hadn't done anything, the fact that you insulted Veronica on social media making a fool of yourself, the fact you don't trust me? Where do you wanna start?" Toni turned to face her with a raised brow.

" what about the fact you were in the same bed as Kylie who you have had an affair with, and then a few days later you were seen out with Veronica having too much of a good time. I saw the video of you two, I saw pictures of you at the park holding hands"

"Cheryl nothing happened with Kylie, she came over to look after me because my ankle was sprained, she stayed the night as we were watching films and I fell asleep. And nothing happened with Veronica, she was looking after me because you had been shitty to me then went radio silent except to insult Veronica"

"how can I belive you toni?!" Cheryl snapped "I know you're one to make a girl fall with ease, I know its a fucking game with you! You didn't think Kylie was enough so you went with Veronica too!"

"you're making up such bullshit!" Toni shouted back at her.

"they said people saw you and Veronica making out at the park. They also said Veronica went to your room every night and apparently a lot of noises came from your room. And that Veronica always came out very flustered. Explain that?!" Cheryl got closer to Toni but Toni just laughed.

" you believe their bullshit over your own wife?! " Toni scoffed." I dunno why I even waste my time trying to get through to you! You're too busy being in your fantasy world wanting to always be in the right that you don't see the real world!" Toni shouted.

"how can I trust you when you had an affair already!?" Cheryl stepped closer but Toni didn't cower.

"I didn't have an affair you left me because you couldn't fucking deal with-" the sound came as sharp as the hand. Tonis eyes widened, her cheek red and tingling from the slap.

"don't you dare put the blame on me!" Cheryl shouted and they were off again.

_

Daniel, amelia and Thomas sat at the top of the stairs, Daniels arms around the two younger siblings.

"mum and mummy are fighting again" Amelia whispered and nuzzled her face into Daniel.

"why are they always shouting" Thomas asked, voice quiet.

"I don't know" Daniel mumbled, not understanding anything.

"is it because if us?" Amelia asked and the kids just stayed quiet, holding each other as the fight continued on for another hour until finally it quietened down and the kids went back to their own beds and tried to sleep.