Chapter 11

Leaving? Tonight? Gabriel re-played the sentence a good five times before it made any sense to him. He let out a laugh that reeked of bewilderment and awkwardness. He pushed back on the chair and slid out of it, beginning to regret his decision to have any women in his life.

“Have you heard me?” her voice was reminiscent of an out of tune instrument. The sound grating and inconsistent. Her heart began pounding against her ribcage, his sudden shift disrupting the clear cut plan she had concocted. In her design, she would say the words and leave. It would take all of five minutes.

“I have had enough female drama for one day, Mia.” He stared down at her hands fidgeting on the counter surface. They were laced together like vines, twitching about in such a way that seemed as though she was trying and failing to untangle them from each other.

“Female drama?” she parroted in astonishment, the urge to rip out his tongue potent. She hung her head, a strangled sound extended out of her. She shook her head and looked back at him. In the past years, she kept wondering why she had the stupidity to be surprised by this man.

“You are doing this just to frustrate me.” He paused, the sound of her laughter sharp enough to make his ears bleed. “I do not have the patience tonight.” His voice boomed over her shrill laughter, her head hanging back, her hands off the counter and on her chest.
Gabriel shook his head. He wanted to go to bed, lie down and forget today ever happened. He couldn’t unsee his wife behaving like an errant child in front of him. Why were all these women trying to upset him? Hadn’t they also had enough of arguing today?

“I am not the one who was being dramatic.” She swallowed the fire rising up in her throat. Fire. No, she didn’t have the energy to be angry anymore. More than likely the burning in her oesophagus was due to the rising acid in her stomach. The level of disgust she felt in Gabriel’s presence was more than she ever thought possible. If it wasn’t for her daughter she would have wished to never set eyes on him.

“That little rouse you pulled off outside wasn’t dramatic?” he snapped back. Mia blinked back in confusion. “You mean when I fainted?” she couldn’t believe he thought she would fake passing out.

“When you made an attention play.” He corrected. He was not impressed by her behaviour. “I am not attracted by jealousy, Mia. If you want my attention there are other ways to get it.”

“Fuck attention!” she bellowed, wondering how the mask of disgust could be misconstrued as a want of attention from him.

“I just found out you had gotten Taylor pregnant—”
“
Ahh, there it is.” He shouted over her, raising his hands up to the heavens. It wasn’t as though he really believed in God, but he was willing to appeal to any power to end this conversation.

Mia didn’t allow him to silence her she leaned forward spreading her arms on the counter. Her voice thundered over his, “And you killed your own child. You really think that after hearing that, that I would want any attention from the likes of you?” she felt as if she expelled every bit of oxygen from her body, her chest heaved, her lungs begging to be revitalized.

“How ungrateful you are.” He slammed his fists on the counter and leaned closer to her. Mia revolted backwards on instinct. His teeth shining like fangs.

“I’m ungrateful?” she screamed back in his face, his teeth clenching down and his eyes protruding from its sockets at her nerve to argue with him.

“I did that for you and our daughter.” His voice echoed through the house. Mai scoffed and laughed in astonishment, folding her arms across her chest. This was the most ridiculous excuse she’d ever heard. “I made sure I didn’t have any bastards on the outside for you to nag me about.” He straightened and shrugged of his jacket. He had a long day at work, his body craving a warm shower and fresh clothes.

“Don’t you dare say you did that for me or Amiyah.” She was riled up now. She hated hearing him use their daughter’s name as a reason for killing his child without reason. If she really cared about his family he never would have continued his affair. “And how dare you even think to call your own child a bastard?” she continued.

“Have you no remorse?”
Mia had no love for Taylor but the thought of her giving up her child for this worthless man in front of her caused Mia to pity Taylor. She was so deeply enamoured by Gabriel that she’s done the unthinkable. Mia knew she would have had an entirely different reaction had the choice to have an abortion was Taylor’s decision. She firmly believed that women and men should be able to what they pleased with their own bodies, but Taylor’s reaction this evening coupled with her words made it clear that she’d wanted to keep her baby.

“What is this really about, Mia? You were angry about me and Taylor. I ensured no child came into the relationship to threaten Amiyah’s status and position and you are still angry.” He ran his fingers through his hair and gave a tiny tug to keep his attention fixed on the conversation. His eyes ready to close and his mind waiting to shut down.

“Listen,” she made great pains to steady her voice, her jaw tight from the force. “I couldn’t give a rat’s ass about who you fuck, but your decision to play God with an innocent child’s life has crossed the line.” She rose slightly from her seat, her entire body shaking with concealed emotions.
Gabriel shook his side, “My decisions have nothing to do with you. I thought you would have realised that by now.” He glared at her, his voice dangerously low. “Your role is to take care of my child and be a wife.” He growled. He had enough of her insolence. “I put a fucking roof over your head and a meal in your belly and you think you have the right to question my decisions?” he continued, knowing he had every right to be outraged at a woman trying to tell him what he should and shouldn’t do.
Mia’s mouth hung open and a scoff rolled out. Was he serious?

“You were the one who begged me to leave my job when I got pregnant.” She reminded him. At the time he had made grand promises, saying everything a woman wanted to hear. He pretended to think about the interests of their family but now she realised that he was doing to have her under his control.

“I take care of you, not the other way around and it would do you well to remember at whose’ mercy you fall.” He ignored her comment. At the end of every day she depended on him, it didn’t matter to Gabriel how and why she did.

“I am not your doormat, Gabriel. I refuse to let Amiyah be around a man who has no regard for women.” She couldn’t let the cycle continue. There was a chance that her daughter may fall for the same toxic relationships if Mia stayed with Gabriel, which was something she could never allow.

“Amiyah is my daughter. She will be around who I want her to be around.” He growled again. “I am going to bed, Mia.” He continued. “I don’t want to hear anything on this topic again.” He spun around, ignoring the twitching in her jaw.

“I am leaving you, Gabriel.” She was on her feet now. Her eyes trained on the back of his head. His shoulders grew stiff and he stopped at the exit. He turned around to face her, his eyes blazing with hell fire.

“The empty threats are not going to work.” He mocked, his smile was dry.

“I am leaving you,” she repeated the words, “tonight.” She emphasised the last word.
Gabriel paused, the kitchen silent. The chirping of crickets outside faintly audible as they stared at each other.

“You wouldn’t dare.” His voice trembled, his hands fisting at his side.

“Look around Gabriel, I have removed my belongings and our daughter.” She tried not to focus on how white his knuckles were becoming. He strode back into the room and came to stand in front of her.

“You must be going crazy.” He breathed the words against her face. Mia’s eyes closed by the force of his breath against her, it was like a gust of wind from a tornado.

“No, I am seeing perfectly clear. Clearer than I ever saw before.” She shook her head. Stand your ground, her conscious self whispered in her ear.

“You cannot leave this house.” He snarled. “You do not have permission to do leave this house.”