Chapter 5

—ELEANOR

-

I don’t like this woman and I don’t think any sane woman in my shoes will feel obligated to like her.

So my feelings are very valid.

Did he get married to me because I looked like her? Or did he divorce me for her.

Are they something he doesn’t want to get rid of?

Couldn’t he have just stayed with me?

I was feeling bummed, and now the feelings just multiplied.

Cassandra instantly steps in front of Brianna and Arthur and she does not look pleased at all.

She crosses her arms and then darts her eyes at me.

“I thought you said Arthur went out to get pastry? Can someone explain to me what’s going on? And why is Ms. Wellington here.”

I try to hold my stance and the fact that Cassandra knows who Brianna is.

I make eye contact with Brianna and she tries to smile at me. I look away before it can happen.

I don’t reply to Cassandra and look away instead.

Arthur can defend himself.

Arthur sighs and brings Brianna closer.

“Grandma, Bree is sick she had no one to come get her at the hospital—

“And somehow that is your obligation?” Cassandra cuts him off.

And the way he calls her Bree… it’s just the most obnoxious thing.

“She has no one,” Arthur sighs.

“You left your wife home and cold, under my care to get another woman home?” Cassandra has no chill and sometimes I just love this side of her.

“It’s not like that Grandma and you know it. Go on Bree, take a seat” Arthur offers, and the woman who looks exactly like me steps forward to take a seat on one of the couches.

“You’re delirious,” Cassandra tells Arthur. “What about the pastry your wife was craving? Did you manage to get it?”

Arthur looks at me, and I immediately give him a look so he can understand that I lied on his behalf.

He understands and turns to Cassandra.

“Oh, They’re out of the… pastry”

“So whatever is she going to do about her cravings? She might be pregnant you know. What is she going to do?” Cassandra asks, hands on my waist.

“I… I don’t—

Arthur stutters, not knowing how to answer the question.

I can tell how flustered he’s looking at me directly and hoping I help him out.

Cassandra just kisses her teeth and turns to Brianna.

“You know, I was supposed to be sharing a warm night with my grandson and his wife. I’ll be honest, your presence is holding that back for us. Arthur will do well to take you home”

“Grandma…

Cassandra's stern expression silences Arthur instantly, and she turns her attention to me. "Child, you must still be craving the pastry. Would you rather have something else?" she asks, her tone softening slightly. I smile at her, trying to ease the tension. "It's okay, I'm good."

Cassandra's gaze lingers on me for a moment, her eyes flicking to my stomach before returning to my face. I sense a hint of disapproval, but she says nothing.

Brianna clears her throat, breaking the silence. "Can I have a glass of water?" she asks, her voice directed at Arthur.

Arthur responds eagerly, "Yes, sure, of course," and moves to leave the room. However, Cassandra intervenes, her tone sharp. "Arthur, this is my home, and you brought her here. Don't you think it's respectable enough for her to ask me instead of asking you?"

The room falls silent, and I feel a shiver run down my spine. Cassandra's stern demeanor is unsettling, and I've rarely seen her this way.

Arthur tries to placate her, "Grandma, it's just water—"

But Cassandra cuts him off, her voice firm. "I never asked you to speak!" She turns to Brianna, her expression unyielding. "You will address me, not him. Do you understand?"

Brianna's face pales, and she looks at Arthur for help. Her voice trembles as she speaks in a soft, innocent tone, "Mrs. Arnold, I'm sorry if—"

Cassandra's interruption is swift and harsh. "I never asked you to speak too!" The room falls silent once more, and I feel a sense of unease.

Arthur's expression turns dark, and he looks at Brianna with a mixture of concern and warning.

His eyes seem to say, "Be careful." He ignores his grandmother's rebuke and continues to get Brianna the water, his movements deliberate and measured.

The tension in the room is palpable, and I sense a power struggle unfolding before my eyes.

Cassandra's stern behavior has created an uncomfortable atmosphere, and call me petty, but I love it.

—

As the hour drags on, Cassandra refuses to let me leave her side, constantly pulling me into conversations with Arthur and Brianna. She's fawning over me, babying me with excessive attention, asking for my opinion on every trivial matter,

Meanwhile, she's being coolly polite to Brianna, but I can sense an undercurrent of tension. Cassandra's words are laced with a subtle condescension, implying that Brianna is somehow lesser.

It's clear that Cassandra is marking her territory, signaling to Brianna that I'm Arthur's true and only wife. I can see the realization dawning on Brianna's face.

After making Brianna leave, Cassandra continues her charade of forcing me and Arthur together not knowing what we have in store.

With no option nor room to oppose we abide to her desire:

That is, sharing a room together- the room we usually spend our night, each time we’re here at Cassandra’s.

If only she knows about the tightrope we have going on.

Arthur is awfully quiet now that it’s just the two of us.

I don’t try to say or do anything weird either, I just head to the bathroom to shower and collect myself over tonight’s event.

-

I come back to the room after showering to see it empty and it gives me time to change into a pair of nightwear before getting on the bed.

Arthur walks in later on and I noticed he went to shower elsewhere.

This is awkward.

He gets on the bed and we both just lay in silence.

We’re soon to be divorced, this is torture.

I hate how I’m noticing how he smells like lavender and plum leaves, I hate how I wish I could just reach out—-

What the hell am I thinking?

I pull myself together and sit up. With the excess pillows on the bed, I take three and fix it in between Arthur and I.

“What are you doing? What’s this?” He scoffs at the pillow barrier.

So he speaks.

“They’re what you think they are, goodnight Arthur” I say and lie down again.

“Alright then, whatever fixes you right” he says and I gulp, biting my bottom lip and wishing we can go back in time to when we just got married— even if it was a marriage of convenience.

—*