Mine, Yours & Ours - Chapter 2
Beware some strong language and situations under the cut.
Intro | 1
Ah, that was a long night. It's good to be home.
"Hello!"
"Oh, hey, honey. How was your event?"
"It was... amazing. Everyone loved my food. The hostess couldn't have been happier."
"Good to know."
"You look... absolutely beautiful tonight."
"Yeah, good joke."
"I'm not joking. In fact..."
"What do you think if we... hmmmm?"
"What?!"
"I think: absolutely no!"
"WHAT?!"
"Why not?"
"You think you can barge in, late at night, and I'll just be willing, just because you 'want to'? You have no idea how my day went! My head hurts and I'm feeling sore from spinning. So stop it, Peter."
"So, we haven't had sex in three months, and I'm just supposed to be okay with that?"
"Oh please, let's not get into this. Is sex all that matters in a marriage?"
"No, we must get into this. Sex is not the problem, the problem is you don't give a shit about our marriage anymore, that's the problem."
"How dare you say that? Just because I work? I do that for our family!"
"It's not because you work, Sandra. Is because you used to not be able to keep your hands off me. Because once you stayed up all night counting all my freckles. Because you used to call me Pete, not Peter."
"You are ridiculous, and there's no way you're sleeping here tonight."
"No problem at all, darling."
"Jesus fucking christ."
"Three months. What a bitch."
"Dad?"
"Dad, what's up?"
"Oh, hey baby. Nothing's up. But why are you up so late? It must be past two."
"Couldn't sleep. Wanted a snack."
"Well, me either, so you might as well make me some company."
"Thanks dad."
"Listen, dad, this is awkward but... are you and mum having problems?"
"What? Why would you say that?"
"Well, I don't know... I mean, you've been... what I'm trying to say is, you seem sort of... apart lately. I barely see you exchange two words a day anymore. And I kind of heard you screaming at each other just now."
"I see."
"Well, honey, first of all, sorry you had to hear that. And it will sound weird to you, but couples, especially married couples, have problems sometimes. It doesn't mean anything, it's not a big deal."
"Oh, so I have nothing to worry about? Good."
"Nothing at all, darling." said Peter, trying to comfort his daughter, but he wasn't sure if he was being completely honest.
"...yeah, but you sound weird, is everything okay?" Ryan told Gabrielle.
"Yeah, yeah, totally but... I was just thinking, what do you know about that caterer you hired the other night?" Gabrielle replied. She didn't want to admit it, not even to herself, but he'd made quite an impression on her.
"Well, he moved to Fhairon just a couple of weeks ago, and he was a big name back in the city. Apparently his wife had a job offer. He has two daughters, he went to Columbia and Cor..."
"His wife?" Gabrielle felt something drop inside her.
"Yeah, she's like the only female lawyer in the city. Kinda famous too."
"Why?" Ryan asked, his voice full of suspicion.
"I guess that's that." Gabrielle said, not really an answer.
The feel of disappointment fresh in Gabrielle, she got to work. So, Peter was married. So what? She had no time for a relationship, anyways. Not even an imaginary one, she barely had time to think about him during her busy day, just in the nights, those few minutes before she fell asleep. She thought of the night of the event, of how good it felt, just for once, for someone else to take care of everything, instead of doing it herself. Yeah, that must be it, she thought. A man that can cook is sure to call the attention of a single woman. But shouldn't that have passed by now?
Anyways, she didn't have time to think about a man, let alone a married man. She knew a lot of things, including that she wouldn't be like that one girl, she wouldn't interfere in another woman's marriage. Besides, she had her job and her kids, which she loved. That night she'd have an event, that is bound to take her mind off things.
"Ah, it feels good to be home. The kids must be asleep by now."
"Yes, there's Hillary, in all of her glory."
"My little girl."
"Is Devin asleep too?"
"Hmm. Apparently not. I'll just give him the benefit of the doubt, surely he went to the store or something."
"Unf, long night. But I won't be able to sleep without a good book."
"What?!"
"Devin?!"
"DEVIN!"
"Mum! You weren't supposed to come back yet!"
"Oh my fucking god."
"Devin, is this your mum?!"
"Yeah, baby, but calm down, she..."
"Like hell I'll calm down!"
"Fuck you, Devin!"
"Devin, care to give me an explanation?"
"How about you give me the fucking explanation, mum?"
"What?!"
"You weren't supposed to come back yet!"
"Do you have any idea what you've just done? That was Mia, the hottest girl at my school. Do you have any idea?!"
"You've practically ruined my life! Fuck you!"
So Devin left her there, speechless. She suddenly had to sit down. And she sat there, wondering how her life went from being perfect to being a wreck in just a couple of days.