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BITTERSWEET
::  iii. | mi amor

It was a short day at work for Vanessa. Since it was, she decided to stop by PaPa Jones on her way home. She thought her and Cole, maybe Jennifer if she wasn't busy— could have a family dinner. Over the past few weeks, Cole has gotten attached to Jennifer, so Vanessa tries to bring her around as much as possible but only for Cole.

After she picked up the pizza, she continued her way home. She knew Cole was already there because school let out an hour and a half ago, resulting in Cole to text when she got home. Vanessa drove for another ten minutes until she was on her street. She slowed down as she approached the driveway and as she drove up, she noticed a car parked on the curb. She recognized it and she hoped she was wrong because if she was right, Cole was going to be in big trouble.

She got out the car and walked the path to the front door. Once she opened and locked the door behind her, she immediately headed to the kitchen. What she saw, she really wanted not to be right.

She set the pizza down on the stove and purse on the counter, along with her keys angrily.

Cole slowly stood up from her chair, "Mom, I was going to call you."

"I told you he is not allowed to be here." She scolded her daughter, not making any eye contact with Miguel.

"I-I know but i just wanted—" Cole was nervous, she hated when her mom got mad.

"Go upstairs, Cole." Vanessa gestured with her index finger out the kitchen.

"Mom, could we just—"

"Now." Vanessa's brows raised as her eyes grew wide. She hated playing the bad guy but she hated even more when Cole broke the rules.

Once Cole stormed to her room, Miguel stood up and moved closer to Vanessa.

"Nessa, love— she just wanted to see me. Don't be mad at her." He used his most efficient tactics, charm and persuasion.

"We have one rule, Miguel!" She raised her voice, "If you want to see her, you talk to me first. You don't just come to my house!"

"Yes, mi amor and I apologize. It won't happen again, I promise." He slowly walked towards her, then placed both hands on either of her arms, "I see you bought dinner. It can be like old times. What do you say?"

Vanessa gave it some thought before she called, "Cole! Dinner!" She thought, he's here why not.

Cole made her way back downstairs and to the kitchen. She saw her dad sitting at the table. He wasn't getting up or in a rush, so that only meant one thing.

"Mom said you can stay?" Her eyes beamed with hope as a bright smile formed across her lips.

"Only for dinner." He clarified.

Cole's eyes grew wide, "Yes! It can be like old times." Cole went and sat next to her dad as her mom brought the pizza, placing the box in the middle of the table.

Vanessa sat across from Miguel and soon everyone began eating pizza for dinner.

• • •

A couple of hours had past since dinner started. It was around 10pm, meaning it was time for Cole to get her beauty sleep. She knew the routine, so she went to hug her dad goodbye and kissed her mom's check before heading upstairs to get ready for bed. Once Cole was out the kitchen, Vanessa began to clean the dinner table off. Miguel seated back down and as Vanessa washed the dishes, he couldn't stop staring at her. She was a beauty, a sight to see.

Miguel stood up and made his way over to his ex wife, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.

Vanessa gently placed the dishes down, "Miguel . ." She turned around.

"Didn't it feel like old times? I missed it." He looked into Vanessa's dark brown eyes.

"It did." She spoke softly.

"You know I miss you guys, right? My girls." He walked back to the table. His back was turned, "I still love you, nessa."

Vanessa stood standing where she was, "I love you too. I always will but you know why we are never going to work out. Unless you changed, no more defying the law."

He turned to face her, "You know that's not in my cards."

"Then why say those things if you're not gonna come through?"

"Cause I mean them." He began to walk slowly to Vanessa, "I mean every word and I know you still feel it."

He was right. She does still love him, she does still want him but she can't put herself through all that pain and hardship again. Him not coming home until really late, lawyers, jail, even once the FBI. There was this one time that she didn't even know how long he would be locked up because she didn't have the money anymore. Though she loves him, she had to file for divorce— for herself and for Cole. She needed the money to put Cole through school and just provide for her.

Miguel was a great husband and father. He loves his family unconditionally but he always did bad things for the wrong reasons, sometimes the right. Cole was ten when they split. Vanessa tried to get back out there, go on dates and stuff but it was hard because the person she really wanted she can't be with. It doesn't matter how happy Miguel made her, at the end of the day she would do anything and everything for Cole . . . even at the price of her own happiness.

"Of course I still feel it. I will always feel it." She looked up at him and he was only inches away.

They were so close, they could feel each other's breaths. Vanessa's eyes kept wandering to Miguel's lips then back to his eyes. Miguel's eyes kept going from Vanessa's lips and back up to her eyes. She wanted him so bad, but she knew she couldn't. He knew where Vanessa stood but he didn't care. He wanted to feel her again, he wanted to feel her lips again.

So he leaned in and their lips connected. Vanessa didn't try to resist, she didn't want too. She kissed him back and it was so passionate. Once they broke away for breath, Cole came to Vanessa's mind.

"Cole's upstairs." Vanessa whispered.

"She's a deep sleeper." Miguel reminded her.

They soon went back to kissing and as they progressed, the movements got more rough and hungry like. Miguel lifted Vanessa up on the counter, his hands wandering her body. She wrapped her legs around his waist and tugged his shirt lightly from the back.

As they got lost with each other, Cole was quietly making her way downstairs. She got thirsty so she decided to get some water. Once she stepped on level ground, she began to make her way to the kitchen. She didn't want her parents to know that she was awake, so she was being sneaky. When she approached the kitchen, she peeked her head around the corner to make sure the close was clear. As to her surprise, she saw her parents kissing. . . and doing a little more than that.

Though her being surprised, she was thrilled as well. This is what she hoped after her parents got divorced, that they would find their way back together— they could all be a family again. She didn't want to interrupt, so turned around and headed back to her room with a smile on her face. She knew how tough the relationship was for her mom, but she hoped maybe this time around it could be different.

a/n:
oh man, a lot of
things are coming ((;