{TWENTY-THREE)

{TWENTY-THREE}

Everything stopped when the words left my lips.

Time, sound, my breathing, my heart. Everything.

I looked at Janet, but I couldn't really look at her, it was more like I was looking through her. Her face has gone pale, she looked like I had just slapped her in the face, Which maybe I did, slapped her with my words.

This was our family. I just ruined our family. We couldn't stay married, we couldn't be together. She would get it, she was smart.

Her mouth opened, then closed, then opened again before Dr. Bennett intervened.

"Janet, I understand what you just heard may be a little shocking to you, I want you to tell me the emotions that you're feeling right now."

Janet swallowed, blinked, opened her mouth. "I-" Janet stood up, I stood up too but Dr. Bennett put a hand on my arm when Janet ran out of the room and I had gone to follow.

"Give her time, it's a lot to prosses. I'll call her tomorrow morning and book another appointment. I think it's best, in my personal and professional opinion if you give her some space, feel free to go home, but not right away. I'm very proud of you Sidney, you did something not a lot of married men can do. It may not seem so, but better things are on the way for you. You did something very strong today."

I nodded, still feeling numb. I spoke with Dr. Bennett for another half hour until it was time for me to leave. I looked outside the fourth-floor window and saw that Scott was still sitting in the parking lot, and I let out a deep sigh, thankful that he didn't leave because I don't know what I would do if he wasn't there

I walked to the elevator and got to the front doors when I saw Scott sitting in a chair by the front desk. When we locked eyes he stood up, I walked to him slowly, like time was on slow forward now, and off pause. Once I finally got to him I fell into his arms, his wrapped around me as my head fell onto his shoulder, and one shaky breath turned into two, two turned into four. I felt bad for the woman at the desk because it must have been awkward for her to sit there while I cried into the arms of another man. But I couldn't stop myself, every emotion I felt came crashing down when I saw him.

And he was there.

I was so fucking thankful because he was there.

"I made you hot chocolate," Scott said, placing a mug on the coffee table in front of me. I felt kind of like a zombie, sick to my stomach. Janet had texted me and asked me rather kindly not to come home tonight, that Morgan and friends over and she didn't want us to be in the state we both were in, in front of Morgan and her friends.

I respected that and understood completely. But I couldn't help but think this was the start of me losing my family. First, it would start with me not being able to come over, then it would turn into I couldn't take the kids places, she wouldn't want me to be at the house during Christmas.

Christmas, it was a few short weeks away.

I wouldn't have Christmas with my family.

Oh god, what was I going to tell my mother?

I dropped my head into my hands for the billionth time. Why didn't I think of any of this before? Why did I need to get this out of the way so soon? Why didn't this feel like it was supposed to? Why did it hurt so much?

Scott sat down beside me and started rubbing circles into my back, and I bit my cheek, I thought a weight was supposed to have lifted, but it just felt like more weight had been added and it was sinking me down.

"I know it feels like that right now," Scott said, his hand never stopping, I must have spoken out loud instead of in my head, and I felt my cheeks reddened at the thought of that, though it wasn't something embarrassing, it wasn't something I really wanted to share right now. "But, things'll work out. They'll get better, and I'm not leaving you Doc. I'm going to be there for you. I've been told I give great massages if the weight gets too heavy." Scott said with a little chuckle at the end before leaning in and giving me a kiss on the head. I sighed, nodding my head as I sat back up. Scott pulled me close, laying back so we were both resting sitting up with my head laying on his chest. "Did you want to call in sick tomorrow, we can have a home day."

"No," I mumbled, closing my eyes. "I don't take sick days. I have six appointments tomorrow, two of them were already rescheduled from the sick day I had a couple weeks ago." I sighed, wishing we had done things on a Friday opposed to a Monday. "But the last one is at one, so I can get out early."

"Good," He said wrapping an arm around my back. "I would hate for you to feel like this and be stuck at work for hours."

I wanted to thank him, for everything. But I couldn't open my mouth to speak, and before I knew it I was asleep.

I woke up the next morning laying on the couch cuddled close to a sleeping Scott, it was still dark outside and the clock under the TV was reading just after three but tried as I might I couldn't will myself back to sleep, especially not with my phone lighting up on the coffee table. I turned over, trying to get comfier before reaching out and grabbing for it, the brightness nearly blinding me.

Eric: Mom's been in her room all night. Where are you?

Eric: Why is she crying? I can hear her crying?

Eric: Are you ok?

Eric: Dad?

Eric: Mom told me you're staying at friends for tonight. Is it Scott?

Eric: What did you do?

I shouldn't have left my emotions get the best of me, but I felt the tears start to sting my eyes as I looked at my son's messages. This was too much, Eric was already on the fence with me, but I knew if he knew he wouldn't speak to me again. I'd lose my son, I might still have Morgan if I tried really hard, which I had planned to. But I would lose him, I just knew it.

Between my mental break down, and trying to control the shakes of my body so not to wake Scott up, I was able to type a message to Eric.

Sidney: Hey Sport, a lot is going on. Let's have lunch tomorrow so we can talk about it.

I sent the message with no expectations of a reply but was surprised when the phone lit up while still in my hand.

Eric: ok i get out at 2

I took a deep breath, putting my phone down and turning myself into Scott's chest, who held me tighter and kissed my head. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," I mumbled into his shirt.

"It's fine." He whispered, running his hand slowly up and down my arm. It stopped moments later as the soft sound of Scott breathing heavy wade through the room.

And I fell back to sleep, listening to his soft snores, trying to forget everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours.

Thank you so much to everyone who has voted and commented on supporting this story, you'll never understand how much this means to me

Question: What do you think will happen with Sid and Eric? keep in mind that just because Erick might like guys, doesn't mean he would be ok with his father cheating on his mother♡