Author 2.3

The weekend was here and I decided to surprise Carlotta,with a romantic day. I started with bringing her flowers first thing in the morning, "good morning my sweet, these are for you" I said as I pulled the flowers from behind my back. "What's the occasion?" She asked laughing. "Do I need a reason to be nice to my wife?" I asked pulling her into a kiss.

"I have a whole day planned for us, as soon as you're ready" I said pulling away. She just looked at me with a look I'd not seen in a long time. "I'll meet you downstairs" I said as I descended the stairs. Mom and Izzy were already up. Mom was feeding Izzy, but I think more food was on the floor than Izzy actually had eaten. "Was I that messy?" I asked mom. "No". She said with a smile, " you were worse" when Carlotta came down, we said goodbye to mom and Izzy and headed into town.

Our first stop was the spa for a couple's massage, when we were done there we went to lunch at the diner. "Why are you doing all this?" She asked between bites. "I just miss us, and want to say I'm sorry for how I acted at Izzy's party the other day. I never should have shoved you like that, forgive me?" I was trying to make up for how I acted. "It's alright, I should have been there." She said. 

Something had changed with her since that night, she was trying harder with Izzy, and with me.

After we finished our lunch, I took her to the park where I proposed. "Do you remember the last time we were here?" I asked her as we walked along. "Yes. What happened to us, we were so in love. Now all we do is fight." She was right. What had happened? "I still love you." I said coming to a stop. "I--" She started to replay when her boss walked over, I'd only met him once when I had dropped Carlotta off at work one day. The look that passed between them made me sick, surely not. She wouldn't do that to us. "Carlotta? You okay?" I asked. "Yes, I'm fine. Let's get out of here." As she answered me we started for the car. It was early afternoon when we pulled into the hotel parking lot. "Why are we here?" She asked, getting out of the car. "I got us a room, thought it would be nice to have some alone time." I said as we made our way inside. The next morning as we made our way home, I dismissed the thoughts I'd had about Carlotta and her boss, there was no way she would do that to me.

Time passed and things between us got better, not perfect, but better than they had been. Carlotta was still working late, but she hadn't given me any reason to think it was anything other than work, so I didn't question it. She had been there for Izzy more than ever, not missing any more birthday's.

 I needed her to watch Izzy one weekend, I had to go out of town for a meeting with my publisher. She readily agreed. "So you'll be gone all weekend?" She asked as I packed my bag. "Yes, I'll be back Sunday night." I said as I zipped up my bag and headed for the door. "I'll see you then, have a safe trip." She said as she kissed my cheek. "Bye, love you guys!" I shouted as I closed the door behind me.

My meeting finished up early, so I decided to come home early on Monday night and surprise everyone. I bought Carlotta the most beautiful necklace, and couldn't wait to give it to her. As I pulled into the driveway, I saw the light was still on in our room. Good, she's still up. As I made my way into the house and upstairs I heard noise coming from our room, and Izzy crying. When I picked her up she was soaked, her bed was soaked, she was screaming. "Dada, wet" she sobbed. "It's okay" I said hugging her. She was almost three, but not quite potty trained, especially at night. "Daddy will make it better" I carried her down the hall to our room, so I could run her a bath.As soon as I opened the door, I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach, here was my wife in bed, in our bed, in the arms of another man.

"What the HELL!?!" I screamed as I sat Izzy down and grabbed the man who was trying to pull on some clothes as he ran. It was Uriah, Carlotta's Boss. "Get OUT of my house!" I yelled as  he ran off, then I turned to Carlotta, I was seething and she could tell. 

"Ryu, calm down, please." She begged. "How long?" I asked, not sure I really wanted an answer. "How long have you been screwing your boss?" She just stared at me, finally she answered me. "Almost three years." I was dumbfounded. Three years. How had I missed this, all the late nights, and the look they shared at the park that day suddenly made sense.

Izzy's crying finally snapped me out of my daze, as I picked her up, I told Carlotta to get out. "Please, Ryu. Don't do this." Really? She was going to beg me to stay. "I can't look at you right now, just go." And she did, just like that my marriage was overt hough  I couldn't think of that right now, Izzy still needed a bath, her bed was a mess, and she needed to get to sleep. Mom came up and helped me clean up Izzy's bed while I finished bathing her. Once Izzy was back in bed, I sat down on the edge of my bed and cried. 

Some time later I heard mom down stairs when I went down to see what she was still doing up, I saw her holding Rose and crying. "Mom?" I asked softly "What's wrong?" "She must have passed in her sleep, I found her like this when I went to feed her" mom whispered. Another punch to the gut, Rose had been there since before I was born, and just like that she was gone too.

Carlotta

**AN**
This chapter is from Carlotta's point of view. 

As soon as I walked in the door after having Isabella, I knew something was wrong. I'm her mother, yet I feel nothing for her. I loved the idea of having a baby, loved feeling her inside me, yet here she was and I don't care. Since Ryu was working from home, at least Isabella had one of her parents around. I wanted to be a good mother, like my mother in law Marie was, but I guess I just don't have it in me to do so. When I told Ryu this he seemed to understand, giving me time to get the hang of being a mom.

As soon as I was able to return to work I jumped at the chance, the baby was only six weeks old and Ryu thought it was too soon, but I was more than ready to get back. At the end of my first day back, I got called into my boss's office, "Carlotta, please have a seat" Uriah said gesturing to the seat in front of him. "I've been watching your performance today, and it's not what it I expected. When I came here, I was told you were one of the more promising athletes we had, but what I saw today says another story" Uriah was new, he had taken the head coach position while I was on leave. "I apologize, I've been on  maternity leave, and just came back today, it will take me some time to get back in shape." As I spoke, I could tell he was deciding if I was worth the time. "Why don't you stay late, and I'll help you get back into shape sooner" He said. I knew I should get home, but something about Uriah made me want to stay. "Okay, I'll stay."

I soon fell into a routine, getting up earlier to workout before work, and staying late to work with Uriah. I was progressing quickly at work, soon I was back at the top of my game. Uriah and I had become friends, and I enjoyed spending time with him, talking to him was easy, like it used to be with Ryu. Things between me and Ryu had not been going well. I knew he was angry at me for not caring about Isabella even though he tried to hide it, and for putting my career first. I made good money, even if I wasn't close with my daughter, I could still give her everything she wanted.

"You're so beautiful." I heard Ryu say as he leaned in for a kiss. I turned away and he caught just my cheek, I was trying to get ready for work, I didn't have time for that. Ryu always picked the most inopportune moments to be affectionate. "Why'd you move?" He asked me. I just wanted to get to work. "I'm trying to get ready for work, I don't have time for that right now." That just made him upset. "I was just trying to kiss you, I miss you, you're never home anymore."He stated. "Well someone has to bring in the money, heaven knows you sure don't, all you do is sit at home and play with the baby all day!"I snapped at him as I pushed by him. He looked shocked that I'd said that. 

"Look" I started, calming down a bit. "I don't want to fight with you right now, I have to get to work" " Okay" He said. "We'll talk tonight after the party" I just stared at him I had  no idea what he was talking about. "What party?" I asked suspiciously, sure he'd not mentioned one earlier. "Izzy's birthday party, remember?" He answered. "Oh" I said heading for the door, "Well, she won't remember if I'm there or not anyway" It was true, though I suppose I should have stayed.  Then he snapped, grabbing me and shoving me the rest of the way out the door yelling "Get out, we don't need you anyway!"

I was so upset, as soon as I got to work I went straight to Uriah's office. "Do you have a minute?" I asked as I entered. "What's wrong?" He asked, genuinely concerned. As poured my heart out to him, he pulled me in, embracing me. I looked up into his eyes, and the next thing I knew we our lips were colliding.

Author 2.2

Life with a newborn was not easy, it definitely took some getting used to. Since I was only working part time, mom and  I took on most of Izzy's care, giving Carlotta the time she needed for work.

As soon as she was able Carlotta went back to work, too soon in my opinion, Izzy was only six weeks old. Carlotta really threw herself back into work, staying late every chance she got, which was fine, the money was nice, but she didn't spend any time with Izzy. "Why don't you ever hold Izzy?" I asked Carlotta one night as we were going to bed. Her reply shocked me. "I thought it would be different, I thought once she was born I would instantly love her, but I don't. "she said between sobs."I don't know, maybe I'm just not meant to be a mother." I didn't know what to say, so I just pulled her close and held her while she cried.

The next morning I asked mom for her advice on what Carlotta had said, "Just give her some time. Some women have a hard time adjusting to motherhood, she'll come around. Don't push her, she needs to bond with Izzy in her own time, if you try to force her, it will just push her further away." Since that was the last thing I  wanted, I took on Izzy's care full time, hoping once she was older, Carlotta would have an easier time being a mother to her.

The months past and Carlotta threw herself into work even more than before, in addition to staying late several days a week, she also would go into work early, spending most of her time away from me and Izzy, when I did see her, we always ended up fighting about the smallest things.

"You're so beautiful" I said to Carlotta as I leaned in to kiss her. As soon as I neared her she turned, so all I caught was her cheek. "Why'd you move?" I asked her. "I have to get ready for work, I don't have time for that right now." She replied as she pulled away. "I was just trying to kiss you, I miss you, you're never home anymore." I stated. "Well someone has to bring in the money, heaven knows you sure don't, all you do is sit at home and play with the baby all day!" I was dumbfounded, she had never even mentioned that she was upset that I made less than her. "Look" she started, calming down a bit. "I don't want to fight with you right now, I have to get to work" " Okay" I said. "We'll talk tonight after the party" she just stared at me as if she had no idea what I was talking about. "What party?" She asked suspiciously. "Izzy's birthday party, remember?" I answered her. "Oh" she said heading for the door, "Well, she won't remember if I'm there or not anyway" hearing her say that I snapped, grabbing her I shoved her the rest of the way out the door yelling "Get out, we don't need you anyway!" As I slammed the door behind her I heard Izzy start crying. "I'll get her" I heard mom say. She had heard the whole thing. "Maybe you were right after all" I said sinking into the dining chair. "Maybe I should have waited to marry her after all."

When mom came back down stairs with Izzy, I decided not to let Carlotta's callousness ruin Izzy's first birthday, I ran out to the store and bought a bunch of balloons. As I was blowing up the balloons mom was busy in the kitchen making the cake, when she was finished I picked up my baby girl and helped her blow out the candles. In the blink of an eye, my baby was gone, and in her place was an adorable toddler.

Author 2.1

We settled into a routine pretty quickly, for a wedding present mom decided to redo the garage into a bedroom/bath for her. She was getting older and had trouble with the stairs at times, so we redid her old room for us to use. My old room became the gym, and Carlotta spent many hours working out.

I had decided I wanted to be an author so I set to work writing what ever ideas came to me. Some were good and some were horrible and got deleted right away. I got in touch with a publisher and wrote a few books, nothing great and the pay was horrible, but it was a start. My publisher informed me that if I could illustrate the books myself it would save me some money, so I decided to learn to draw as well. Mom was still working at the diner and almost to the top of her career, her dream was coming true.

One time I decided to make breakfast for everyone and it was quickly realized that I had absolutely no talent at cooking. I burned the waffles so bad even Rose wouldn't eat them.

Life went on, and after being married almost a year Carlotta and I decided to try for a baby. "Ryu, I have to tell you something" Carlotta interrupted me while I was writing "I'm pregnant" I was so engrossed in my current novel that I barely heard her. "that's nice....WHAT!?!" "Did you say pregnant!?!" I was shocked, we'd only been trying for a short time. "Yes Ryu, we're going to have a baby. I want to tell your mom when she gets home if you don't mind" I was ecstatic, I was going to be a father, I was nervous as well. Could I be a father?, I'd never had one, so I wasn't sure how I was supposed to do this. Seeing the look on my face, Carlotta smiled at me and said "You'll make a great father, you'll know exactly what to do"

When mom got home from work Carlotta told her the news, she was so happy, I don't think I'd ever seen her smile that big before.

We converted the gym into a nursery, using neutral colours since we wanted to be surprised as to the gender of the baby.

Carlotta came home from work one day in a horrible mood. "What's wrong" I asked. "They sent me home and told me not to come back till after I'd had the baby!" She shouted at me. " Well you are 8 1/2 months pregnant, and it would be good for you to take it easy for a while." I pointed out. "Take it easy!?! I can't afford to take it easy! I had a plan, I have to be able to go on the road with the team this fall. This stupid pregnancy has just set me back four months in training, well they won't stop me. I'll just work out here!" She was livid. I quickly snuck out the door and left her to her workout. Thirty minutes later I heard her scream, rushing up the stairs I found her doubled over holding her stomach. 

"what's going on!" I asked. "Can't you see my water just broke and I'm in labour, you idiot!" She shouted back through clenched teeth. I was in panic mode, I rushed her down the stairs, and to the hospital as fast as I could. After 14 hours of labour, we welcomed our beautiful Isabella into the world.

Author 2.0

Since mom and I made up after our fight, she was trying a bit too hard to show me she really was sorry for what she said and I'll admit that the thought occurred to me that maybe she was right, maybe I should wait to marry Carlotta, but I couldn't imagine my life without her. Graduation was here FINALLY! Don't get me wrong I was good at school, but that was also the problem. I was good at everything I tried, so no one thing struck me as something I wanted to spend my life doing. Anyway I was the valedictorian, and gave an awesome speech, everyone cheered, and I was voted most likely to get married. Carlotta wasn't as good at school as I was, but that didn't matter, since she was going to be a star soccer player, and she was great too. She was voted most likely to be a star athlete, and as soon as the ceremony was over she and I went for a walk, it was still early spring, and we'd had a late snow, so everything was still covered. 

Holding her hand and walking through this winter wonderland, I knew what I was about to do was the right thing. "Ryu, you're so quiet, what's wrong?" Carlotta pulled me from my thoughts. "What? Oh, nothing's wrong, in fact it's just right" I answered. " You're not making any sense, Ryu." I just looked at her and smiled, as I got down on one knee, she realized what I was doing."Ryu?!?" I pulled out the ring box and said " Carlotta, I have loved you since I was 12, when I first laid eyes on you I knew we would be married  someday, I hope you won't make a liar out of me" She looked lovingly at me and let out a little laugh, " With a proposal like that, how could I say no! " As I slipped the ring on her finger, I knew that this was right. We rushed right home to tell mom the good news, she congratulated us, but I could tell she was not so happy with us getting married so young. When we told Carlotta's parents, they were even more upset than my mom. They blamed me, since Carlotta was giving up a scholarship in order to stay here with me, and part of me agreed, but it was her decision, not theirs.

Mom let her move in before the wedding, which was a small affair, just mom and us. We invited her family, but they didn't come, Carlotta was a bit upset, but she never said a word. We got married in the backyard, under a beautiful arch.

"Carlotta, I promise to love, honour, and cherish you from this day forward, till death parts us. Take this ring as a token of my love"

"Ryu, I promise to love you and cherish you all the days of my life, till death parts us. Take this ring as a token of my love"
                                       

We sealed our vows with a kiss and were now Ryu and Carlotta Laveau.

Chef 1.7

High school started and Pretty soon it was apparent that it was no challenge for Ryu, he would zip through his home work and go workout, or go jogging. He really wanted a weight bench, but I still couldn't afford to buy him one. I was advancing pretty well in my career, but still not quite there yet.

 One day Ryu came to me and said " Mom, I know you've worked hard to give me the things I want, but I want to get my own job and help out." I was speechless for a few minutes, then replied " If you really want to get a job, I don't mind, on two conditions: first, use the money you make for you, and second, you have to keep your grades up." "Thanks mom! I know just the job I want too."

Ryu ran right down to the book store and got a part-time job, with his first pay check he bought the weight bench he had his eye on, when he wasn't at school or work, he was either working out, or out with Carlotta, they seemed to be getting very serious, and I decided we needed to have a talk.

"Ryu" I started, "we need to have a chat about you and Carlotta" "MOM! we don't need to have that  talk again do we?" He was turning a bit red, "No, not that one. I just want you to be careful, I know you love her and want to marry her, but are you in any position to take care of a wife, or a family yet?" I could tell he was getting a bit mad. "What I do or don't do is my business, not yours. You can't tell me I'm too young to get serious, we graduate in a few months and I will be marrying the girl I love. You weren't much older than I am when you married my dad!" He shouted at me. "That's exactly why you need to wait, so you don't ruin your life like I did!" I shouted back, without thinking. "So I ruined your life, thanks mom." He stormed off upstairs and slammed the door. I just sat there, I couldn't believe I just said that.

Weeks past and Ryu barely said anything to me, when he did it was just one word answers. He was spending all hid free time with Carlotta, planning their future. With graduation fast approaching, I knew I needed to fix things with him, He wasn't going to college, as he had no clear path for what he wanted to do, I couldn't afford to pay for it, and he didn't get any scholarships, so he was going to stay here. "Ryu" I said as I walked into the kitchen where he was sitting. "I'm sorry for saying that you ruined my life, I was angry." "but you said it mom, so a part of you must feel that way." "well" I started."I guess it's just that I had my future planned, I did plan on having kids, but not until after I was well established in my career, and having you changed all that. But I do love you, and can't imagine my life without you. If you are serious about getting married, then you are welcome to live here till you can afford your own place" He stared at me for a moment, then gave be a big hug. " I love you so much mom, you have no idea how much this means to me."

 

Chef 1.6

Ryu came home from school one day with the biggest smile on his face. "why so happy today?" I casually asked him. " I met this girl at school today, and she's so cool!" he said with an even bigger smile. "Her name is Carlotta and she loves sports just like me, I invited her over this weekend to play if that's alright." "Yes Ryu, that's fine, although I do wish you would ask me before inviting friends over next time" I replied. "Sorry mom" he mumbled, as he sat down to do his homework.

That weekend when Carlotta came over, they played for hours, they looked like they were having so much fun. "Catch me Ryu! you'll have to run faster than that" Carlotta shouted. "Ha! I gotcha, now you're it" he shouted back. They spent the whole afternoon playing together, and too soon it was time for her to go home. 

Life progressed in much the same manner for the next few years, I was working my way up the ladder at work, Ryu was happy, and before too long childhood was over and Ryu's 16th birthday was here. We had a small party, just a few of his friends, and Carlotta of course. Her birthday was just a few days after Ryu's so they had a joint party.

He is growing up into quite the handsome young man, although he does have a bit of his father in him. He wasn't too happy with his weight, but I told him he looked just fine, but to make him feel better, for his birthday present I got him a pull up bar, which he loved, and he and Carlotta are getting a bit too close for my liking.