Patricia
Nelly and I were lying on my bed, completely covered by the sheets, as we watched a children’s movie on my laptop. She was fully engrossed in the cartoon, while my mind was playing elsewhere.
I had still not called my mother and she had been calling a lot. I knew I’d have to talk to her soon, but I couldn’t bring myself to. I didn’t think I’d be able to stand it if she found out my infidelity and became disappointed in me. The door suddenly opened and we turned our attention to Ethan, who had obviously just returned from work.
“Daddy!” Nelly sang as she jumped of her bed and jumped into his embrace.
“How’s my cupcake doing?” He smiled as he poked her nose ruffled her hair.
“Great,” she giggled. “Mom and I are watching a movie. Do you want to join?”
Ethan looked at me as his smile faded. I simply stared at him, not expecting anything. He glan
PatriciaNelly and I were lying on my bed, completely covered by the sheets, as we watched a children’s movie on my laptop. She was fully engrossed in the cartoon, while my mind was playing elsewhere.I had still not called my mother and she had been calling a lot. I knew I’d have to talk to her soon, but I couldn’t bring myself to. I didn’t think I’d be able to stand it if she found out my infidelity and became disappointed in me. The door suddenly opened and we turned our attention to Ethan, who had obviously just returned from work.“Daddy!” Nelly sang as she jumped of her bed and jumped into his embrace.“How’s my cupcake doing?” He smiled as he poked her nose ruffled her hair.“Great,” she giggled. “Mom and I are watching a movie. Do you want to join?”Ethan looked at me as his smile faded. I simply stared at him, not expecting anything. He glan
PatriciaWe entered the house and my mother suddenly brought out a collection of books from a bag she was holding and handed them over to Nelly.“All these are for me?” she looked at them, wide-eyed.Mom smiled down at her. “Yes Lana.”Nelly frowned. “But what’s the occasion? My birthday has passed.”Mom chuckled. “There shouldn’t be a specific occasion for gifts.”“Thank you so much grandma and grandpa. You're the best!” she exclaimed. “Can I go to my room and read them right now?”“Sure thing.”Nelly turned to me with a big smile and then hurried away. My mother hadn’t given her the books for the fun of it. She was using it as a way to keep her busy, so she could have me all to herself, for a reason I wasn’t too sure about.“You’ve been avoiding our calls,” mom went straight to the point.I pushed my hair back and sighed, sitting down opposite them. “Please sit down.”I couldn’t even look a
Patricia“What?” I stared at my mother in disbelief. I was pleased she wasn’t interfering much, but this…? “Mom you can’t-”“You said you were ready to face the consequences, Pat,” dad reminded me. My heart sank. “This isn’t a punishment at all. It’s only what’s best for the child.”I shook my head. I wasn’t having it. “Ethan?”He didn’t look at me, but he was clearly pissed.I knew if they took Nelly, it was only going to be for a while, but at the moment, it felt like they were taking her away from me forever. My daughter was the only hope I had right now, the only person keeping me sane in this house. Being with her took my mind off all the issues. Being with her gave me a purpose. How was I going to live with this with her gone?“Look at it this way, my dear,” mom continued. “You already have knowledge of how smart she is. She’s already picking up the potholes in your relationship. Do you want her getting more depressed as she s
PatriciaHer eyes displayed surprise when she opened the door of her apartment. I kept my facial expression hard, eyes narrowed as I willed her to speak first. She gradually grew annoyed and glanced back into her house before looking back at me.“If you're here to create a scene, now’s not the time or place.” She folded her arms, as if to make her feel superior. “My husband’s at home.”“Create a scene?” I asked, cocking my head to the side. “What would make you think that, if you feel you haven’t done anything wrong, Jessica?”Aggravated that she couldn’t give back a cheeky reply, she dropped her arms and asked, “What do you want?”“I should be asking you that. What do you want from me? I get that I hurt my husband, and somehow betrayed your trust, but we’re supposed to be best friends. Why would you do all this?”Her gaze shifted.
THIRD PERSONJessica leaned back on the door once she had shut it and heaved out a deep sigh. She chewed on her bottom lip, worried as she pondered over Patricia’s words. She shook her head, convincing herself.“She brought this on herself,” she muttered. “I only did the right thing.”“I’m guessing this is about Patricia.”She straightened up, startled by Charles’ voice.“Why are you so tensed up?” he asked as he wiped his hand with a napkin. He had just finished setting up the table for dinner.“It’s nothing.” She bypassed him and went to the dining table, resting her hands on the chair.“Patricia was here, wasn’t she?” he continued with the questions.Jessica closed her eyes, feeling absolutely confused and stressed.“I heard her voice so you can’t tell me otherwise.”“Let’
EthanMy scalp was hurting from my incessant hair pulling. I couldn’t tell what I was feeling, and trying to forget everything by drowning myself in work only worsened my devastated estate.I shut my laptop and turned to the framed wedding photo at the corner of my desk. I picked it up, tracing my fingers along the smooth glass, looking particularly at Patricia. She wasn’t looking into the camera. She was looking at me, with the biggest smile, and eyes filled with adoration. When was the last time she looked at me like that?I turned the photo down on its face and pushed my seat back as I stood up and exited the study.I entered the living room expecting to see her still seated in the sofa, but the place was empty. Somehow, I was relieved. I had a little more time to think before making a decision.A part of me wanted all this tension to end by just going ahead with a separation. Although it would strain my relationship with my
BryceThis was probably the third time this month my focus wavered during an executive meeting because of Patricia. My mind wasn’t letting me rest, and it was unsettling, because I didn’t know how long I could keep up with this. She was still hurting, and now I carried the blame for a part of her sorrow. It plagued me too, but it was necessary.The meeting ended before I could realise it and everyone left, leaving me alone in the conference room. I walked towards the glass walls that had now been turned transparent. Yes, I was hoping I’d see her for a bit, even if I couldn’t talk to her. She had been avoiding me for too long. I couldn’t stand it.Patricia had always been in my best interest. She was easily someone I could lay my life down for. After what her childhood had put her through, that was the least she deserved from anyone who claimed to care for her. I could proudly say I had always been there when she needed help
EthanValeria invited herself in and then shut the door behind her.“I’m not disturbing anything am I?” she asked, sitting down where Daniel was only a few seconds ago.I simply shook my head. “Is there anything I can help you with.”She shook her head. “Let’s forget about that for now. Something seems to be bothering you. We can talk about it. You don’t always have to be the one helping.”I frowned at her. “Excuse me?”She leaned forward and reached her arms over the table, enclosing my hand in hers. “I can tell you're having issues with your best friend. That’s what’s gotten you so worked up these days, isn’t it? Or is there something else? Whatever it is, we can talk about it. You’ve shown me a lot of kindness, so its only right that I reciprocate.”My heart started racing as I looked at her hands on mine. It was as if my
PatriciaI stared at her nervous face for a while before asking, “About sex?”Her eyes widened immediately. “Gosh no!”I burst into laughter and she joined me instantly. “Oh my God, Patricia you’re so straightforward.”I giggled. “You think so?”“Stop it.” Her face flushed even deeper. “Anyway that’s not it. I just want simple marriage advice from a friend, and you’ve been married for five years. So I feel like you’re the best person to tell me some of what I need to know.”My smile faltered.Me? The best person to give marriage advice? Was this the universe’s way of making sure my conscience was active 24/7?I never thought I could feel guiltier than I already did.I concentrated on how Stephanie was now looking at me in anticipation. The was so much pride in her eyes for me, I nearly shed a tear.
Ethan“Yes,” the word came out of his mouth smoothly.“Dad!”“Then why are you together. How do you think this is going to work if you don’t?”I exhaled heavily and run my hand through my hair, turning away from him because I couldn’t handle it anymore.“Just listen. If your mother was still alive and she came back today to ask for my forgiveness, I could forgive her, because I wouldn’t want to continue hurting because of a grudge when I am not the guilty one. I could do that, but it doesn’t mean I would take her back. She stayed away for twenty years, and I have already moved on. But Patricia is different. I’m not comparing her to your mother or defending her. Cheating is totally wrong, but forgive me. I’m still finding it difficult associating that word with her. I’m hurt because you’re hurt, but I can’t see her as a bad person.“
Ethan“Patricia?” I called out again.Her head snapped to me, eyes widening as if she had just realised I was holding the door out for her. She switched the gift bag to her left hand so she could take my hand as I helped her out of the car.“I wonder how you don’t tire of overthinking,” I mumbled to her as I locked the car. I didn’t let go of her hand as we entered the house. My dad had kept the gate unlocked since he was expecting visitors.“I can’t help it.”I found myself rubbing my thumb over her hand in a way to calm her down. I felt her shiver immediately, but I didn’t let go. I don’t know what came over me at that moment, and I honestly didn’t want to know why I wanted to comfort her. I’d rather not be doing any thinking today.I opened the door leading inside the house and that’s where I felt her trying to slip her hand out of mine. I stopped
Ethan“No,” Patricia’s voice was shaky and uncertain. “I don’t know,” she finally added.I leaned forward. “I shouldn’t. Just talk to me like you normally would.”She furrowed her brows. “I hurt you Ethan, I’m sure you’d want to give me some boundaries...”“Forget it,” I snapped. “I suggested we work things out. So I should be able to deal with it, right?”Amusement and a hint of disbelief flickered in her eyes. “You don’t even want to know why it happened...?”I shook my head no, even though it was the direct opposite of what I wanted, but it had to be done. I couldn’t stay in this marriage if I was going to hold on to what she did. I was going to try everything including pretending to forget, then maybe I actually would.“Okay,” she breathed out, a confused smile forming on her face. I co
EthanShe didn’t have it easy like most kids.Her biological parents were both nutjobs. They maltreated her in ways no sane person could even think of, especially to a five-year-old child. People who blamed their daughter for all their misfortunes and punished her with multiple chores and at times beatings, for the mistakes they made didn’t deserve to be called parents.You would think the death of her mother, though by suicide, would bring peace or at least lighten her burden, but it only increased her nightmares a hundredfold. Yeah, she was blamed for her mother’s passing too.Her father turned into an even more violent drunk. Throwing beer bottles at his daughter and twisting her arm whenever he wished became a habit.Her breakthrough came one day, when the bottle broke on her back, leaving a relatively small comma-shaped scar at the small of her back, which remains to this day. She tried running out of her house only
Ethan“So how are things?” he asked as we walked past the cafeteria.“Very difficult. I miss my daughter so much, now that I feel like I could lose her. She’s with her grandparents now,” I informed him.“Why though?”“They don’t want her to notice…what’s going on.”“Oh, makes sense. And the Mrs?”I couldn’t hold back my smile when he called her that. “Patricia? I actually don’t know how she is. Things got like this, and it has made me realise how distant we’ve become, so much that I feel like I don’t know her like I used to.”“But you're giving her a chance?”I glanced at him. “I don’t know what I'm doing.”He stopped in front of my door. “You should know. But it’s your marriage after all. The decisions are all yours to make. I can help you with your t
EthanShe kept bouncing her legs throughout the ride, perhaps unconsciously, but I couldn’t take my mind off it. I couldn’t say anything about it either, because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to talk to her or not. Neither of us had said a word to each other. Her fists were tight around her bag as she looked out the window. She was definitely still pissed.Did I care?That was the issue. I cared a whole damn lot, but I didn’t say anything and soon, I stopped at the parking lot of her workplace. She mumbled something that sounded like thanks and then quickly got out.My conscience slapped me as I watched her walk away from the car.Good heavens.I got down from the car instantly and rushed after her. “Patricia.”Thankfully she stopped and turned around walking slowly to meet me.I halted when I was just about two feet away from her. “I’m sorry.”She blinked, obvio
EthanI dropped the towel when I realised I was over aggressively drying my hair with it. The things tunning through my mind were so many and had taken all my attention so that I couldn’t concentrate on anything else.I thought sleeping would make the tormenting thoughts go away, but here was I the next day, going crazy over the same thoughts again.Yesterday’s conversation with Patricia, if I could even call it that, was awful. I couldn’t believe our marriage had come to a place like this. I couldn’t believe I had the conscience to speak to her like that. I tried to convince myself that she deserved everything that was happening, but I couldn’t defend myself that way. I couldn’t justify my actions. How was I even going to look at her today?I tightened the towel around my waist and left the bathroom for my closet. I wore my trousers and went back into the bedroom while I put on the shirt.Surprisingly,
PatriciaNo one uttered a word the entire journey back home. Not him, not me, but I didn’t miss how tight his grip was on the wheel. I didn’t know what to think of the situation. He said he was giving us a chance to fix everything, but nothing about his actions showed he was ready to do that.I tore my gaze from him and looked outside, thinking about the conversation I had with Bryce. I hoped I hadn’t been to mean and pretentious. After all, we made this mistake together. I loved him so much as a friend. It was really sad things had become like this.Nothing changed when we got home. He didn’t even look at me as got out of the car and walked into the house. I sighed and got down as well, hurrying in after him.He was at the stairs when I got to the living room.“Ethan,” I called, making him stop. He stayed like that for a while before he turned to me.“What?”“Is there som