I could hear the sound of my children's feet running around upstairs. Probably rushing to get ready for school. I was so glad they were in school now, and that kindergarten was all day now. I remember when I was in kindergarten it was only half a day for us. Don't get me wrong I loved my kids to death. They were my life now. But sometimes I felt like a single parent to two five year old rambunctious twins. I was lucky enough if Alisha was around to drop them off and pick them up from school. Otherwise she was out spending my money and having "fun".

I knew what she was out there doing, I knew she wasn't faithful to me. I knew she had slept with teammates of mine. She was constantly cheating on me, since we said "I Do". I don't know how many times I had friends, teammates, and my parents as me why I put up with it. My answer is always the same, it's my children that keep me here. I have to make sure their safe and taken care of, and feed. Alisha could careless about them. People ask why I don't get a divorce and I always tell them because I need someone to watch them while I'm on the road. Also I don't want them to grow up in a divorced household.

Also if it were ever to get to that point I knew Alisha would make my life hell in court. She would make me out to some kind of bad guy and her the doting parent. Plus I just didn't want to do this alone. The only other person I would want to do this with, I could never have again. I had lost that person forever six years ago, both of us breaking each others hearts. God why was I even thinking of her, I had been thinking of her A Lot lately. But I hadn't seen or heard of her where abouts in six years.

"Zach....... Zach," Alisha whined kicking the couch, breaking me from my thoughts.

"What?" I grumbled, throwing my arm over my eyes.

"Are you going to get up or what?" she asked.

I mentally cringed at the sound of her voice, it was like nails across a chalk board or sometimes it was nasily.

"Yes Alisha. I have practice at ten," I replied, sighing.

"Well we need you to get up. So you can drop the little brats at school and than drop me off," she said.

"What? Why? And you know I would really appreciate it if you wouldn't call our children brats, Alisha" I said with a scowl, and moving my arm.

"Whatever. And I told you yesterday my car was in the shop," she responded off handily, looking down at her phone which seemed more interesting.

"Alright well let me get ready than," I said sarcastically, to her retreating back.

"Yeah yeah. And hurry the brats need to be at school in half an hour," she said walking out of the living room.

"God dammit some warning would be nice Alisha," I sighed frustratedly, running my hands over my face and head.

I didn't have a problem dropping my kids off at school. But the fact was that Alisha only woke me with half an hour left. I kicked the blanket off my legs and sat up on the couch. I stretched hearing my back pop, god this couch was going to kill my back. Than ran a hand down my face, again. I stood up and folded my blanket and grabbed my pillow. Than headed upstairs to hop in the shower quickly. I placed my blanket and pillow in the closet in the hallway. I headed into the bathroom and jumped in the shower. Than got out and dressed in my gray suit, that had been my go to suit for awhile now.

I walked back downstairs and into the kitchen finding Alisha leaning against the counter still messing with her phone. My son and daughter were sitting at the table obviously waiting for breakfast. I sighed and looked over at the clock, shaking my head. I guess they would be a little late for school today. I wasn't going to let them go to school hungry. I grabbed two bowls from the cabinets and the cereal.

"Morning guys," I said to my kids, as I sat the bowls in front of them and poured the cereal in them.

"Morning daddy," my daughter Mariann said shyly.

My son Michael only nodded in response. I ruffled the top of his head. Michael didn't say much most of the time. He talked to me when were alone and he talked to his sister. Sometimes some of my teammates could get him to talk. But he never really spoke when Alisha was around, he observed than. I walked over to the fridge to get the milk, Alisha finally took the time to look up from her phone and make a face.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Getting our children breakfast," I responded.

"There's no time for that. We need to go," she said, scrunching her

"I'm not letting my kids go hungry Alisha. I'm sure you got yourself something to eat and there was time to get them something," I said angrily, slamming the box of cereal on the counter. Out of the corner of my eye I saw my kids jump slightly.

"Whatever," she said, rolling her eyes and walking out.

I put my hands on the counter and let my head hang and sighed. I needed to calm down and not let my anger get the best of me. Especially in front of my kids. I pushed myself off the counter and grabbed the milk, walking back over to the table and poured it in their cereal.

"Hurry guys, we don't have a lot of time" I said.

"Why doesn't mommy like us?" my daughter asked.

"She does. She's just in one of her moods," I lied. I hated lying to them.

Thankfully they dropped the subject and ate their breakfast without anymore distractions. When they were finished, we put the bowls in the sink. Than had Mariann and Micheal grabbed their backpacks. We headed out to my SUV, where Alisha was already waiting for us.

"About time," she muttered, when I finally got in the drivers seat.

"Alisha," I said in a warning tone, as I pulled off.

Luckily for us there wasn't to much traffic and we made it in fifteen minutes. Pulling up to the school, I pulled the keys from the ignition and got out. I helped Michael and Mariann from my SUV. I glared at the side of Alisha's head, I guess she felt my glare. She looked back at me and rolled her eyes.

"Are you at least going to come drop our kids off with me?" I asked, trying to keep the sneer off my face.

After a moment she nodded and got out, saying something about wanting to see if some other parent was in there. I just tuned her out as I grabbed my kids hands and crossed the street. As we walked into the school I heard Alisha call out to someone right away and walk over to them. I rolled my eyes and headed down towards Michael and Mariann's classroom. When we got to their classroom I bent down and gave them each a hug and a kiss, than told them to head into the class.

I noticed a woman standing in the classroom doorway watching something going on the classroom. I'm not sure if she noticed my kids rushing past her or not. The woman turned suddenly and bumped right into my chest. My hands automatically reached out and lightly grabbed her upper arms, as I noticed her stumbling backwards. I felt a tingling sensation shoot through my fingertips as soon as I came into contact with her. I couldn't help smirk as this woman's eyes traveled over me.

"Maddi?" I whispered, almost afraid she would disappear.

But everything just stopped as her eyes meet mine. I was looking into a pair of hazel eyes that had left me haunted for years. A pair that I had memorized and would recognize anywhere. As I looked into her eyes I could see every imaginable emotion through her eyes. I could even tell she was remembering our last time together.

I guess her next action shouldn't have been shocking, it should have been expected. But I clearly wasn't expecting her to slap me across the face, in a hallway full of kids. I was vaguely aware of Mrs. Jones asking me something as Maddison pulled away from me.

"Oh my, Mr. Parise are you alright?" Mrs. Jones asked.

I kept my eyes on Maddison glanced at Mrs. Jones , than back to me. I didn't miss the glare Mrs. Jones was giving her. I saw Maddisons eyes flicker over my shoulder like she was avoiding looking at me. Some kind of recognition flashed through her eyes as someone came up behind me. Maddi almost looked scared as she saw the person. I heard her before I felt her hand grip my shoulder tightly.

"Zach," Alisha whined.

I mentally rolled my eyes and wanted to pry her hand off my shoulder. But I knew better than to cause a scene. Alisha would make me pay if I did.

"Oh Maddison, what a surprise. What are you doing here?" she asked in her sickly sweet voice, barely containing the smirk from her face.

"I was just leaving," Maddi answered quietly, looking at the ground.

"Oh don't leave on our behalf. Ally said you would be showing up soon," Alisha laughed.

I looked at her and narrowed my eyes. She knew, Alisha knew this whole time that Maddison was coming here and didn't tell me. What was worse was that she found out from Ally, and Ally didn't tell me. I mean Ally used to be one of my best friends, but with the way things went with Maddison and I. I knew Ally would choose Maddi's side. I mean I would have picked Maddi's side too. But the fact was even though our friendship wasn't the same, Ally and I still spoke. I mean for god sake her husband was my best friend. Did this mean Teavis knew also?

"Oh didn't Ally tell you we were here?" Alisha asked her in fake shock, this time unable to hide the smirk.

I could tell by Maddison's body posture that she wanted to say or do something about Alisha. I was about to say something myself. But the sound of a little voice stopped me.

"Momma look what I made," the little girl said, tugging on Maddi's shirt.

"That's very pretty baby," Maddi responded, looking down and smiling at the little girl.

My eyes widened in shock as I saw the little girl. Looking at her, she looked exactly like my daughter Mariann. Obviously she was around the same age as Mariann and Michael. But how was that possible? Did Maddison go find the first person to have sex with after we broke up? How did I not know that Maddison had a child?

"You have a child?" I found myself asking in shock.

"W-we need to leave," Maddi stuttered, looking up at me.

I watched as Maddison grabbed the little girls hand and hurried down the hallway with her. But I wasn't letting Maddi go that easy this time. Besides being my ex-fiancé, she used to be my best friend at one time. I at least wanted my friend back, if that was all I could have.

"Maddi..... Maddison," I called after her, as she rushed off.

"Just let her go," Alisha's voice hissed, while digging her talons onto my shoulder.

"Don't...... Don't you dare. You knew she was coming here? She was coming to Jersey and you didn't tell me?" I hissed, finally prying her hand from my shoulder.

I didn't stick around to find out her answer as I rushed after Maddison. I couldn't believe I was chasing after a girl. Zach Parise doesn't chase after girls, girls chase after Zach Parise. Except this girl, I was always chasing after Maddison James even when we were dating. I stopped and stood against the wall across from the bathroom she went into. I was going to stand here and wait till she came out, even if I missed practice.