Chapter 39

“Why so sour, puppet?” Gabriel teased on the drive home. Mia had been mentally absent for the latter half of the evening. He’d caught her drifting off during dinner. Lucky for them that their company was interested in listening to their own voices so much that they hadn’t noticed. He flicked his gaze towards her. She was curled up in the passenger seat; her head resting on the window, the only sign of life was the subtle rise and fall of her chest; which appeared full and supple in that brown dress. The neckline dipped, giving enough to stimulate the imagination.
Mia didn’t respond. She barely wanted to acknowledge him beside her.

“Your mood just switched when you came back to the table.” He observed her again, his tone becoming his less mocking.

“I just want to go home, Gabriel.” She snapped. Her voice whiny and strained to his ears. Something in him stirred. He barely saw her vulnerable and tonight it seemed as if she was completely depleted.

“We are going home.” He replied patiently, a slight twinge of confusion coating his words.

“In silence, please.” She cast him a glance, her eyes entreating him to leave her alone. Gabriel did the unthinkable; he nodded, giving in to her demand. His mind running back to when they were in the restaurant. She’d been gone for a good few minutes leading him to the conclusion that her period started just as she predicted.
Their history together reminded him of how miserable she was during that time of the month. Sometimes she was barely able to stand, walk or even eat. He gazed at her again, she was hugging herself. His chest constricted. He drove in silence, turning off the air-conditioning and rolling down the windows. He knew how much she hated cold air on her period.
Mia didn’t stir; she rested her head against the car door and closed her eyes as the wind’s cold fingers swept across her face on repeat. Fresh air always soothed her and tonight, while her body felt shattered and broken, the pain became bearable.
At home, Mia jumped out of the car and ran indoors. She pulled Amiyah into her arms, said goodnight to Marina and made her way up to her room to get changed. She hopped into the shower; Amiyah following her mother’s every move.

“Mommy, guess what I did tonight.” She pulled the shower curtain and stared at her mother showering.

“What’s that, love?” Mia indulged her.

“I coloured two pictures.” She jumped up and down. “You did?” Mia prompted her, washing soap out of her eyes.

“Grandma helped.” Amiyah added. “Wanna show me?” Mia questioned and Amiyah ran out to get her colouring book. Mia took the time to finish up showering. Amiyah came back when Mia was getting dressed. She climbed onto her mother’s bed, flipping through pages to show her mother.
Within half hour she’d fallen asleep. Mia tucked her in and moved her toys from the bed. She climbed into bed with Amiyah and pulled out her cell phone. Should she call him? She couldn’t live with the way things ended tonight. Instead, she sent him a message;

*We should talk.*

The cell dropped from her hands following a knock at her door. Before she could grant permission to enter, Gabriel pushed the door open and peeped in.

“Can I help you?” Her heart was racing, but she steeled her expression.

“I brought you something.” He held the saucer in front of him and walked closer to towards her. On it was a huge piece of chocolate cake.

“Is that what I think it is?” She asked, her eyes widening as he handed it to her.

“From your favourite bakery.” He nodded. Mia didn’t know what to say.

“Did you poison it?” She took a whiff and gazed at him under a crinkled forehead.

“I don’t even go to the store to get food, bold of you to assume I’d go pick up poison.” He countered, shoving his hands into his trouser pockets. She used to scarf down tons of this cake and other chocolate treats on her period. He didn’t know what possessed him to actually go get it for her.

“How’d you get the cake then?” she was amused. He rolled his eyes. “Give it back to me if you have to be so ungrateful.” He pretended to try and take it back but she laughed. “Okay, okay.” She chuckled.

“Thank you, Gabriel.”
He didn’t respond. He nodded, gave Amiyah a kiss on her forehead, a gesture that caused Mia’s heart to cry, and he left.

*****

“Having lunch alone today?” Andrea peeped through Mia’s classroom door. She was the resident mother for all of the teachers at the school. She was getting close to fifty-five and she was as vibrant as a twenty year old.

“Today?” Mia echoed, granting the woman a genuine smile. She usually had lunch in the comfort of her own classroom rather than the staffroom. It was easier for her to zone out alone than appear disinterested around everyone else. Once in a while she’d pop up and chat a bit with everyone, come to think of it; she hadn’t done that in a while. Perhaps, they were all wondering about her?
Andrea took Mia’s smile as permission to fully enter the classroom, her fashionable lunch bag swaying at her hips as she walked over to Mia and took a seat in the front row of the classroom.

“I noticed you sneaking out to meet that hunk of man,” Andrea raised her brows suggestively, Mia’s throat ran dry, the water she just swallowed turning into vapour.

“What’s his name?” Andrea blinked a few times, looking up onto the ceiling for an answer to drop from the heavens. She paused in removing her kits from her lunch bag.

“You saw that?” Mia responded, not wanting to mention Harvey. The way things ended between them was still tugging at her heart strings. How could she be so attached to someone she only knew for a few weeks? She absent-mindedly checked her phone again. He’d never responded to her text.
Most people in the school knew she was married. It wasn’t something she could hide especially since she had taken many days to take care of her daughter or ensure that her cover wasn’t blown to Gabriel. She couldn’t imagine what they thought of her if they all saw her running off with Harvey. Not to mention that he was a relative of one of her students. She was cringing.

“I know your husband is no good. I am not judging you.” Andrea said quickly. She had first-hand knowledge of Mia’s husband and his family. She’d once been friends with his mother, the pair meeting through mutual friends. That family bred liars, cheaters and manipulators. It was a shame she hadn’t been able to warn Mia beforehand. It wasn’t her place to council Mia of her choice but she had no judgement to give if Mia was considering her options. “Besides, no one else knows about your newest lover.” She gave Mia a wink. Andrea herself would have been unaware had it not been for her car shutting down on her a few minutes away from work a week ago. She’d hopped out her car and walked the remaining length after her lunch break. It was purely coincidental that she’d seen Mia hopping out of his car and walking back into school.

“That’s over.” Mia replied, her chest experiencing a sudden jolt, she sat upright instantly, waiting for the sensation to subside. It was as if her body was punishing her for no longer being able to see him. “I’m judging me, though.” She gazed into Andrea’s sympathetic eyes.

“Why did it end?” Andrea questioned as she took a bite out of her apple pie.
“Because, I had the stupid idea that I could sustain a life apart from Gabriel.” Mia responded vaguely. She and Harvey were doomed from the beginning. They weren’t able to have more than a fleeting relationship. How could she think anyone would want to deal with a married woman? A woman who couldn’t progress in any relationship?

“Why are you still with him?” Andrea asked mid-chew, her voice muffled.

“I have tried to leave,” Mia in no way felt the smile that found its way on her lips. “but legally I can lose my daughter.” She finished. The state of her life tempting her to hang her head back and laugh. This couldn’t be real, could it?

*It’s your life, you little fool. How could you even ask such a question? Does this seem like some sort of simulation to you?*

“The only thing I haven’t tried is poisoning the bastard’s food.” Mia did laugh now, a humourless spark that shook her entire body. My God, she was going crazy. There was no one to blame but herself. She had made the wrong choice and now she was paying for it.

“If you want to go down that route,” Andrea edged closer, her voice lowering to a whisper. Mia had to strain her hearing just to listen; Andrea’s voice could have easily been mistaken for the minor howling of the breeze emanating from the classroom fan. “I know a guy, he works for an international agency that specializes in *taking care* of criminals, if you know what I mean,” she paused and looked back at the door to ensure no one else was passing by. “His name is Austin Cyner, he can make any death by poison seem like natural causes.” She shrugged and leaned back into her seat, eying Mia expectantly.
Mia was processing. There was not a strand of believability in Andrea’s words. *Austin Cyner?* Even the name sounded made up. “What?” Mia’s laugher morphed from sullen to a full blown uproar. Her laughter echoed around the walls of the classroom, her eyes leaking water.

“You are too much.” She said to Andrea. “Besides, he barely eats at home so my chances are slim.” She pretended to play along.

“The offer is open.” Andrea didn’t smile, her features set.