**Oh yeah...one more quick lil note...end of the chapter there's lots of not nice words and some violence...I didn't like writing it, but it was, in my opinion, necessary for the chapter to end the way I wanted it to...so...just be warned**
"Look, I just think that maybe we ought to cool it off for awhile," Scott explained gently.
"Okay...fine. Cool it off like not so serious or cool it off like see other people?" Brooklynn replied, her arms folded over her chest.
"Just...not so serious. We don't need to be together everyday, ya know. I just...I need some space, Brook, that's all."
"Fine. Take all the space you need," she glared before grabbing a cigarette and lighting it and turning her back to him.
"Now...why you gotta be like that? Huh? I'm trying to talk to you and you get all jacked off."
"Because I have put so much time and energy into you, Scott! Into us!" she turned to face him. "And all you can think about is your god damn space! Do you know how shitty and not good enough that makes me feel?!" she exploded, waving her hands around as she spoke.
"Not nearly as shitty and not good enough as you made me feel when you ripped off your clothes and jumped into bed with my best friend," he answered cooly before taking a drag off of his cigarette.
"That happened over a year ago you prick! Why can't you just let it go...get over it...everyone else has!"
"Ya know why, Brook? Because you hurt me more than you can ever imagine. I trusted you and cared about you more than anyone else in the whole universe, and you repay me by fucking Sam Mullholand--my best friend--first opportunity you got. Sorry if I can't get over being cheated on by the first woman I ever loved."
"I've tried to make it up to you, Scott...I've apologized over and over, I've tried to prove to you how much I love you..."
"YOU CAN'T MAKE IT UP TO ME!" he finally lost his cool. "YOU CAN'T! I'LL NEVER FORGET WHAT YOU DID TO ME THAT NIGHT! EVER!"
"Then why are you still with me? Huh? Why are you wasting your time on a cheating whore who you hate so deeply?" she challenged, her eyes narrowed.
"Good question," he smirked, then left without a backward glance.
The next morning, Sam left for work without a word or glance at his wife. And this was just fine with her. Taylor had nothing to say to him at all.
After he had gone, she lay and their bed and thought 'what happened?'. And she realized very quickly, that there was no real, good answer. One day, they had been fine, in love--a happily married couple. And then the next, they couldn't stand to be near one another, speak to one another.
Draco's crying broke her thoughts and forced her out of bed.
"Morning punkin," she yawned as she walked into the baby's room.
"Mama!" he squealed, clapping his hands.
"Who'd you expect, the Easter Bunny?" she smiled, lifting him out of his crib.
The little boy babbled the whole way from his room to the dining room. Taylor barely noticed though, as she had once again let her thoughts travel back to her troubled marriage.
"I tell ya, DJ...sometimes I wonder what goes through your daddy's head," Taylor sighed as she set him in his high chair. "There are times when I wonder why I ever married him...why I ever fell in love with him to begin with..." she shook her head. "No, that's not true. I know why I fell for him, I just can't figure out why I've stuck around this long. When we met, he was so young and innocent and sweet...He swept me off my feet kiddo, I tell ya. The very sight of him in those days made my knees weak, and he put this goofy grin on my face that would last for days," she smiled, remembering the bliss of new love. But the smile quickly faded as she continued. "But as we got older, his attention wandered. He started messing around with drugs and alcohol...other women...I'm convinced that if you hadn't come along...he'd have never married me...we'd both be in college, and he'd have left me after a month or so...after finding some new skank to shack up with that would take his shit..." she explained bitterly as she fed the baby his breakfast, and all the while he watched her with wide eyes, as though comprehending every word she said. "I dunno...maybe I'm just jaded or a pessimist...but I'm starting to think daddy doesn't love me anymore..."
"I still love you," Sam's voice spoke softly, sincerely, but made Taylor jump nonetheless.
"Jesus Christ, Sam!" she put her hand over her pounding heart. "How long have you been standing there and why didn't you say something sooner?!"
"I...I forgot the keys to the garage...I heard almost everything...I was just listening...why didn't you ever tell me all of this? Why do you think I've stopped loving you?"
"Yes I have...I've said this to you a million times, just never directly. And even if I did, now that you definately know, it isn't going to change anything. You still won't care," she answered scathingly.
"Of course I care! Why would you keep that all bottled up inside? Why wouldn't you just open up to me, be honest with me?"
"Don't you preach to me about honesty, Sam Mullholand--you who doesn't have an honest bone in his whole damn body!"
"When haven't I been honest with you?" he asked seriously.
"Are you a joke?" she laughed. "You're unfaithful, you lied about your drug and alcohol problem, you married me even though you really don't want to be married...you're the biggest fucking liar I've ever met!"
"That's not fair...how do you know I don't want to be married?!" he argued back.
"Because you're still being unfaithful and you're never home."
"Taylor, listen to me, I do love you...and I love Draco...I want to be here..."
"Go to work, Sam," she turned her back on him and walked into the kitchen.
"Don't walk away from me...will you act like a grown up for once in your god damn life!"
"GROWN UP! I sit here, all day, and I play good little house wife--I take care of a baby, I write the bills, I clean the house, and you, you work then go out with your little whore on the side! That's real grown up, Sam, lemme tell you!"
"I DON'T HAVE A FUCKING GIRLFRIEND, TAYLOR! JESUS CHRIST! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU!"
"How am I supposed to believe you when you've lied to me the entire time we've been together?" she glowered at him.
"Why did you marry me? Huh? Why?"
"Because I love you...but once again, I'm beginning to think that love isn't enough to keep two people together."
"Well that's great Taylor. Give up on me," he shook his head and threw his hands in the air.
"This is your fault, Sam...don't you pin this on me," she stormed out of the kitchen.
"Taylor! Taylor, don't fucking walk away from me!" he went after her.
"Maybe if you were a half way decent husband and father and weren't out fucking around with some cheap slut every night we wouldn't be here right now. You disgust me!" she spat in his face.
Sam grabbed her by the throat and slammed her up against the wall. His sudden move shocked her, and shocked him as well. He held her there for a moment before realizing what he'd done. Slowly he let go of her and backed away.
"You son of a bitch," she gasped, holding her throat where his hand had been, an imprint already visible. "Get out...GET THE FUCK OUT!" she pushed and punched him. "GET OUT! GET OUT!"
Silently, shocked, Sam walked out of the apartment.
Taylor sunk to the floor in tears, unable to believe he'd grabbed her like that. At the sound of his mothers choked sobs, Draco, too began to cry.