2:25 Confessions

 "We need to talk." Jackson started with a cliche, wishing he could have found better words, or that he didn't have to have this conversation at all. It was early evening, and Lisa had been about to make dinner, it was Madisons birthday and he hoped that would make her mood better. He looked to her swollen stomach, was this really the best conversation to have right now? What if it stressed her out too much?
"Ok, but I really need to make dinner, so make it quick?" Jackson sighed. He had a feeling she wouldn't feel like eating after he'd said his piece.
"Do you want to sit down?" He motioned to the picnic table, and she shook her head. "I should have told you years ago, when I first found out..." Lisa looked a little worried and very confused
"Told me what?" She asked, almost impatiently.
"I dated Trisha." Lisa face fell and her eyes grew wide in shock, before an angry scowl plagued her features.

"Are you kidding me?! We're about to have our third child and you're off cheating on me with her?! Seriously, I wouldn't care half as much if it was anyone else, but what the hell, Jackson!"
 

 Jackson realised what he'd said, and how it had sounded as she was shouting at him.
"No, no, Lisa, no, not like that!" He could barely get the words out. "Before I met you, before I lived here, back in Twinbrook..." Lisa raised her hand as if to hit him, but instead let out a frustrated squeal when he didn't flinch.

 "What do you expect me to do, Jackson, what do you expect me to say, or think? Do you want me to say 'oh yeah, that's fine, I don't care that you've been with the witch that cursed me to spend the rest of my life like this.'" It was all Lisa could do to stop herself from crying. She had to scream at him, let her emotions out.

 She was silent for a few minutes. Unsure of what else she could say. She felt betrayed. Yes, this had all happened before they'd met, but he'd known for years who she was, why didn't he say anything then?
"Lisa, I wanted to tell you before..." It was as if he'd read her mind. They'd been together most of their lives and had learned to read each other quite well, but this had still come as a surprise to Lisa. "I just couldn't find the words at the time, and then, well, as time went on it seemed less and less relevant. I know it wasn't, I know I should've told you straight away, but I couldn't do it."

 "So what made you suddenly choose now? Why suddenly bring it up again, Jack? Why wait until I'm heavily pregnant before stressing me out with this?"
"I didn't want to, I hadn't meant to tell you at all, I'll admit, but Taylor..."

"If you've somehow dragged Taylor into this mess, God help you Jackson. You know she's been ill recently, you know she's still fragile and refusing to see a doctor, why would you tell her this?!"

Jackson almost told her that it was Trisha that had told Taylor and made her ill, but he decided it was a lot better for the whole family if she thought he'd told his daughter instead. Lisa didn't need to know Taylor had ever met Trisha, and as he wasn't sure of the details anyway, it seemed safer to just agree. His heart sank when he looked into her eyes and saw her pain. She'd never looked so angry, so upset, so heartbroken.

 "Lisa, can we talk about this? Properly, I mean." He said softly, hoping to break through her wall of anger. "I don't want us to fight. I don't want you to get stressed out, think of the baby..." He knew it was a low-blow, and he shouldn't have brought the pregnancy into this, but he'd ran out of excuses.

 "I don't want to hear it. I don't think I can even be around you right now. I think you should go." Jackson opened his mouth to plead, but was quickly distracted by a small voice.

 "Daddy...? Mummy, why are you sending him away?" They weren't sure how long Madison had been there, they hadn't noticed her walk out. She must've heard the screaming and shouting and come to see what was happening. Lisa took a deep breath and faced the young girl.
"Madi, daddy has to go stay at a friends for a few days, you need to go back inside and finish your homework." She spoke softly, as if to a toddler.
"I finished my..."
"Just go back inside Madison!" Lisa snapped back, not letting the child finish. Madison turned on her heels and almost ran back inside. Lisa turned to her husband one last time. "Go. Please, just go." She started to tremble as she tried as hard as she could to not cry. Jackson didn't care, and was crying already.
"Please..." Was all he could get out. Lisa crossed her arms and turned her head. Indicating that she wasn't going to listen to him anymore.

_____

 Jackson had packed a small overnight bag, hopeful that he really would only be here one night. He'd rang Mercedes, she had of course, said he could stay as long as he needed, and he hoped she wouldn't ask too many questions.

 As he walked up to the door, he could hear Summer laughing, Mercedes was talking about something, possibly telling a joke. He hoped he wouldn't be too much of a downer, and just wished he could curl up in bed, but he was to sleep on the sofa, and they were on it at the moment, he could see through the window.

_____

It was still Madisons birthday, and after all the days drama, and her dad not around, she didn't want to make a fuss, so quietly transitioned on her own in her room. She was happy she was finally a teenager, but it was a small victory. Her mind raced, were her parents on the verge of divorce? Would she be forced to choose who to live with? She wanted things to go back to how they were.



Sorry Madi! Totally forgot it was her birthday, otherwise I'd have held this off for another day! Poor girl...

Awkward that this was probably the easiest chapter to write (I'm better at doom and gloom than happy families), but the hardest to stage. I hated making Jackson and Lisa argue, as they constantly roll wants to romance each other, and both have 'eternally faithful' moodlets :'( 



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