chapter 1

General POV

"So, yore going to lecture me about how I'm going to live in my own house? What are you now, my P.A?" Jonathan's gaze is burning. It makes Anastasia look away.

"At least consider the kids, marijuana is not something you want them to grow up using." She replies calmly, not wanting to make a scene or sound intimidating.

"This guy that's smoking marijuana that you detest so much gave you those kids! What's it gonna be baby, are you trying to say I'm bad at parenting?" He retorts. "That is very rude you know?"

"No, that was not what I was trying to say. I..." He cuts her short.

"Then what Anastasia?" He moves closer and grabs her hair, pulling it back and laughing sarcastically.

"Uh," she swallows.

"You don't ever tell me how to behave in my own house!" His tone is serious and threatening. He pushes her to the couch and walks towards the kitchen.

She gets up and walks up to a room where there's so much noise, most likely from an electronic device like a computer and knocks then puts her ear by the door.

"Collin." She calls out softly. "Collin baby, open the door for Mommy."

Collin (Collin Marcus Jones) is a 8 year old blond boy. He is watching 'toy story' on tv which he pauses and rushes to the door.

"To infinity and beyond." He screams as he runs towards the door putting emphasis on ' beyond.'

"Baby," Anastasia says as she hugs him and enters the room. " You realize that no kid is up at 5:00 am and watching television with full volume." She picks the remote and turns down the volume.

"Good morning maa, you up to right?" He smiles sheepishly, no rudeness in his tone.

"No, no no no... You are not using that on me Collin, its too early to be waking your sister, considering she's just in the other room. Go back to bed." She says all calm and he stares.

"Oh, right now boy." She says with finality and Collin walks lazily to turn off the TV. He gives one sympathetic stare and when Anastasia doesn't barge, he sighs and gets in bed. Anastasia kisses him and walks out of the room, leaving the lights off. She finds her way to the kitchen.

Later she enters the bedroom carrying a tray.

"Jonathan." She calls out softly in an attempt to wake him up. He doesn't flinch. She places the tray on her dressing table, not far from the bed and moves closer to tap him.

"Jonathan." Her voice is louder as she taps him softly.

"What." He snaps and rolls over.

"Hey, your..." She says softly, tapping him again. He sits up suddenly and it startles her. She moves a step back and looks down at him.

"Do you have to hit me to get me up? Why did you even?"

She doesn't answer. Instead, she gets the tray that had a cup of coffee, breadcrumbs and eggs on it and brings it close to him. He takes a gulp of the coffee and places the coffee mug back harshly. Anastasia jumps.

"Jesus Anastasia!" He says. "You hit me this early to burn me?" She places the tray back on the dressing table.

"I fucking just touched you!" She snaps and turns to look directly at him. "Where in the world do they make cold coffee?"

"I think they serve iced coffee in town?" He replies sarcastically.

" That is besides the point!" She realizes she is shouting and tones down. "Sorry, I will make juice."

"No, no no." He stands and stands behind her, running his fingers through her hair. He grabs it hard and throws her on bed. She lets out a slight scream. He begins undoing the knots on his pyjamas.

•••

"Elle?" Marcus says softly, attempting to open the door which opens after a few.

"Mac, what are you doing in my room, You'll get me caught!" She takes off her earphones and hides them and her phone under the pillow case.

Elle(Gabrielle Fray Jones) is a 15 year old brunette girl.

"Please let me stay," he pleads and sits on his sister's bed. "Dad and Mommy keep yelling at each other and mom won't let me watch TV. Please Elle?" Gabrielle drops her shoulders and wraps her arms around him.

"Ofcorse you can stay bubble bee. I'm sorry you have to hear that. It really sucks." Her phone buzzes from under her pillow and she releases him to get it.

"Where did you get that? There's no way mom got it for you." He is more excited than surprised.

"Shh... Someone might hear you." She sits up and faces him. "Dean's parents got him a new phone so he lend me his old one." She smiles.

"Oh," he shrugs. "Do you think mom and dad will send us to boarding school?"

"What? Why? They wouldn't." She says and checks her phone for the hundredth time. "You don't wanna be in a boarding school. The teachers there are monsters. The kids, don't even get me started on those." She looks at mac's face to confirm his reaction. "Worse."

"Monsters?" He asks in surprise.

"No." She gets up and acts all spooky going in rounds in the room. "Worse." She stretches her arms and fingers and does a zombie walk then craws his face. "Junior school might smell like hell boarding school is real hell!" Mac is jumpy.

He gasps.

"Jumping on the bed is forbidden there..." She says

"Really?" He cuts her short. Concern written all over his face.

"The crazy things we do, buzz and batman, bicycles are a no no tale." She ignores him and continues.

" I don't want to go to boarding school."

Mac is all trembles on bed.

"Fun is outdated there, nothing is exciting. Just books, and more books. The teachers walk with whips!" He tries to talk but she shushes him.

"Wait,... Listen. They eat ears for breakfast and skin for lunch." She gets closer to him and he leans back on bed.

"Gabi, Collin, come down, breakfast, now." Anastasia calls for them and they spring out.

At breakfast•••

"Uh, they are sending me to Mumbai." Anastasia swallows and taps her plate. "For a week." She looks up and forces a smile.

"Can we come?" Elle sounds excited about Mumbai and Marcus won't have less.

"What?" Anastasia is more alert this time. She throws glances at her husband and then at her kids. "No, I want to leave you behind with your father." Jonathan chokes on his orange.

"You are going with your mother." He smiles ironically. "I'm sure you'll have fun." He focuses his eyes on Anastasia who fakes another smile and continues to eat.

"You cannot make that decision for me Jonathan! It's a business trip not some vacation!" Anastasia is following him to the room and he stops suddenly causing her to stop.

"Why? So that you'll go have fun with men in India? They have a reputation." He continues to walk.

"What?" She clinches at the words. "You are making our kids come with me to India because you have some stereotypic ideas about Indian men? Seriously?"

"They are going along. We are done here." He lies on the bed hands supporting the back of his head.

Anastasia grabs her bags angrily and begins to pack.

"F**k you Jonathan." She curses silently.