Chapter 52

Through hooded eyes and with a heavily suspicious mind, Mia regarded Gabriel. He sat across the table from her, chopsticks in hand and fumbling about. He’s never mastered the task of using them but he had wanted to try tonight. He’d been front and centre in Mia’s life’s when her fascination with them was piqued. She was self-taught and tried to teach him the art early on in their relationship. He’d never been as interested and lacked the motivation. It was mightily presumptuous of him after years to think he would pick them up and magically be able to tap into her teachings, especially when he had really been paying attention all those years before.
With an inaudible grumble, he finally dropped them to the side of his plate and grabbed up a fork. He was too famished to be fighting up with another apparatus when a fork worked wonders. He wiped the back of hand over his forehead. He’d begin sweating. He pulled some noodles into his mouth and chewed.
Mia held the tips of both chopsticks between her teeth, her body hunched over as she observed him. “Are we going to talk about it?” the questions rummaging around in her head were beginning to taunt her now.

“What’s that, dear?” his eyes fluttered to hers instantly, encouraging her to speak freely. A rouse she was sure. Did he really want to be questioned or made to talk about something he himself didn’t bring up?
Mia shuddered at the endearment. Usually any adulation that seeped out of his mouth was covered with predatory inflection. This time he appeared almost harmless. Almost, but not quite. Mia knew better to take anything at face value and so she regarded him carefully.

“What just happened¬¬—with Taylor?” she brought a glass of water up to her mouth and took a sip. A pre-emptory attempt to avoid herself from becoming riled up by any aggressive comment he may send her way.

“What happened with her?” He took another bite of his food. Gabriel’s level of composure was making her uneasy. “Ohh, it is spicy.” He declared before taking a large gulp of water, his eyes bulging out of his sockets, his face infested with tiny sweat bubbles.
Was Mia going crazy? Did that scene not happen?

“You kicking her out and supposedly ending the relationship.” She said as a matter of fact, steeling herself for his outburst.
“Supposedly?” he seemed amused by her use of the word, as if it was out of context. “I meant every word.” He looked at her with a smile, his eyes twinkling with humour.
Where was the outburst? Did Gabriel Evans get replaced by some extra-terrestrial being without her knowing? She wouldn’t exactly be complaining, she was sure the true Gabriel would have been the more dangerous of the two anyway.

“You do understand why I am confused, right?” she responded. Another blanket of confusion draped itself over her shoulders, wrapping itself around her securely.

“Not really.” He shrugged, his eyes clearing; a portrait of innocence. “I ended the relationship, what is confusing you?” the line of questioning had turned to her. Mia considered this question for a few seconds; other than the fact that it made no fucking sense?

“The ‘why’ aspect.” She settled, feeling herself becoming defensive and flustered. Gabriel was showing her up by controlling his feelings for once, the very thought adding insult to injury. When did he become the rational one?

“It’s something I should have done a while back.” He leaned back in his chair and regarded her. He was also taking a much needed break from shovelling spicy food into his mouth. His tongue was on fire. “The older our daughter gets the more I am realising how wrong I was.” He said, watching her every reaction. It was clear that Mia wasn’t buying any of it and could he blame her? He’d said similar words in the past but he knew he had more to do.

“You were wrong?” Mia repeated the words for confirmation that it had actually escaped his lips. Did he mean it?

“Our family should have been my first priority. I got caught up with a life that was destroying us.” He leaned his elbows on the table top and gave her a reassuring smile. Mia resisted the urge to contort her face in the most inappropriate manner.
We are already destroyed, Mia thought to herself. There was not even a pea-sized amount of forgiveness left in her for Gabriel. As it stood, there was only a speck of tolerance that enabled her to be in his presence. Everything about him caused her blood to crawl. The very thought of herself once being in love with him made her wince.

“I am trying to regain your forgiveness and trust.” He said to fill the silence. Mia wasn’t particularly conversational with him regarding this topic, ironic since she was the one to bring it up.

“The only trust I want between us is in relation to Amiyah.” Mia’s voice vibrated to such a frequency that Gabriel swore the glass on his side of the table shook; the cool liquid within housing multiple ripples.

“I want my family back, Mia.” He gazed at her sincerely, mouthing the words he’d wanted to say for the longest time. “As in you and Amiyah.” He clarified least she misinterpret his meaning.
Mia dropped her chopsticks, one of it rolling to the floor. This was the most unexpected words he could have ever said to her. Her heart palpations could be heard inside her ear like a roaring sea crashing against rocks. “I can’t promise you that, Gabriel.” She said as she dipped her head down under the table to grab the wayward chopstick, banging the back of her head on the underside of the table in the process. A happy coincidence as she didn’t want to look at him when she said the words.

“Are you alright?” He questioned gravely.

“Fine.” Mia muttered from under the table as her hand went to the throbbing site. There was a time where she had been longing to hear those words coming out of his mouth but it was too late now. She had no love hiding about for him and neither did she have any trust.

“If you want to be in Amiyah’s life I will be appreciative of that, but –” she began as she rose to look back at him; dropping the chopstick on a piece of napkin and shoving it to the side.

“I understand that I hurt you and I cannot erase that in a few days but I am still going to try regardless.” Gabriel said definitely, an impetus fire burning his eyes as he stared at her.

“There really is no need.” Mia said instantly, “as long as Amiyah remains happy and healthy I am willing to co-parent with you. You don’t need to change for me; I have come to terms with the state of our relationship.” She assured him truthfully. It didn’t matter what he did or with who. She had resigned years ago to live for her daughter and she was doing just that.

“I do not want to accept the state we are in.” he declared, “I will continue to try changing for you both, nothing you say will convince me otherwise.” He was adamant, it didn’t matter that she didn’t believe him now, she would in the future.

***
“Mia?” Nylah had been gazing at the figure for two minutes before she finally remembered where she knew the face from. “Mia Evans?” she said again as she tapped the figure on her shoulder. Mia turned her attention to the source of the voice and the pressure on her shoulder.
Nylah was standing before her. Mia hadn’t laid eyes on her since she’d gone to Nylah for legal advice. Mia plastered a friendly smile on her face.

“Didn’t expect to see you here.” Mia responded, wiping Amiyah’s mouth with a napkin. They were at a local ice cream parlour. Amiyah loved visiting here, there were swings and slides outside for kids to play.

“I love their chocolate options.” Nylah waved about, holding up her bag of ice cream buckets. “Is this your daughter?” She questioned, gazing over at Amiyah with interest.

“It is.” She looked at her daughter encouraging her to greet Nylah. Nylah waved back at the tiny child sitting beside Mia, her chest constricting. She’d never once been guilty for the choices she made in her life, but staring at this tiny child made her repent.

***
Harvey exited the car alone. Eva refused to get out with him despite her being the one to demand ice cream, her attitude had been almost unbearable but he was being patient. His mother had pulled him aside and informed him to be extra sensitive; she was on her period and in pain.
In light of that, he’d taken her eye rolls and raised voice and kept his mouth shut. He made his way into the ice-cream parlour, his feet immediately stuck in place as his eyes conjured up a mirage before him. Harvey closed his eyes and rubbed on them. When he eased his eyes open, he realised he hadn’t been hallucinating.
Mia was sitting on one of the benches looking up at another woman. Harvey couldn’t bring himself to look away, not until his eyes rested on the female beside her.
He swore he’d seen her before. Her face was too familiar, dredging up negative emotions. Where did he know her from?