âMan and the other woman
After completing the article for Watcher's magazine, Metilda arrived at her son's school. By profession, Metilda was a journalist. She had a masters in journalism but couldn't fully pursue the career as raising her son took most her time. So occasionally, she would work as a freelancer and write reports for various publishing agencies.
The town's clock struck one fifteen in the afternoon. In her mother's red dress, Metilda talked to her sister on the phone while she waited her son's class to be dismissed. The school's front lawn was crowded with parents. Some chatted with each other, others were busy on their phones, and few stared off in a distance.
"Talirha," Metilda whispered, quietly. "I've decided. I'm signing the divorce papers,"
Her sister's frantic voice came from the other side. "Give it some time. I'm sure it'll be fine,"
Time was the one thing that Metilda wished hadn't slipped.
"It's not going to be 'fine',"
"But you guys were perfect. John, I can't believe he would give up on you easily. You two were the ideals for our marriage. Jai and I, we gained strength whenever we saw you. How did it fall so quickly?"
Metilda closed her eyes, her mind taking her to a place buried in the past.
John leaned forward, slowly. "You're my only one," His face was inches away from hers and then he whispered. "I love you and will keep loving you until death does up apart,"
Metilda felt her mind whirl further ahead as another scene played in front of her eyes.
The city lights sparkled, his entire face glowed with happiness. "This is our home. Can't you see it? The sofa will be here, the TV there and the kitchen, wow! Amazing, isn't' it? You've always loved to cook. This will perfect for us," He stopped walking and turned around, placing a hand on Metilda's belly. "And for our little one,"
Then another scene.
"Look what I bought you for Christmas," John slipped a diamond necklace around Metilda's neck.
Metilda frowned. "John, you shouldn't have. We need to be saving money. The bills-"
"Oh can we forget the bills for one day-"
"It doesn't work like that. We need to plan our expenses,
John tossed the necklace on the floor. "I sold my watch to buy you that necklace. Okay? Stop fretting out,"
Then another. Metilda wanted it to stop but it wouldn't.
"Why don't we go out somewhere this weekend? I mean we barely do these days," John smiled, hopefully one day after returning from work. "Let's go to the brookla-"
"With the baby and then my journalism assignments, I don't think I have the time," Metilda sighed as she heated up the baby's bottle.
"I'll take care of the baby while you finish-"
"No, John. I'll manage. The last time you gave Louis the wrong medicine and we had to rush to the hosip-"
"Never mind. Forget I even asked,"
"How did we fall apart so quickly?" Metilda mused. "It wasn't in one day, Talihra. Eventually small arguments turned into huge as the distances between us kept widening,"
Talirha stayed silent. "Are you sure there's nothing you can do to save your marriage?"
"He loves her."
"Who?"
"You know who I'm talking about,"
"Jannet" Her sister couldn't conceal the hatred in her voice.
"I don't blame her," Metilda sighed. "She only comforted John when I wasn't there for him," A gentle breeze tossed strands of golden hair off her shoulders. Nearby, another parent watched her talk, catching onto few words from her conversation. It was Daniel's father, a widowed man. His wife had died from leukemia four years ago, leaving their small but bright girl in his hands.
"You're too kind. You wouldn't see her fault even if it hit you in the face,"
"Talihra," Metilda's voice was as gentle as humming bird hovering over a nectar filled flower. Daniel's father's eyes were in a daze as he watched Metilda's red dress flutter with the wind. How beautiful, how pure she was.
"What?" Snapped Talihra. She never understood her older sister's strict morality.
"I've told you this before. I hate how always the other woman is labelled as the home wreaker. Jannet didn't wreak my home. If the walls had been strong enough, John would have resisted her."
"Have you heard of the saying too much goodness isn't good?"
Metilda laughed. Daniel's father swore that he had an angel sing. Maybe this was a sign, he thought, maybe it was sign that he should approach her. Listening to his instinct, he walked over to where she stood and tapped her shoulder.
Coincidentally, Metilda ended the phone call at the same time as her sister, who was a nurse practitioner, had some patients to see. This just confirmed Daniel's father's suspicion. Their meeting was meant to be.
"Hi there," He smiled, politely. "Louis mother, aren't you?"
Metilda returned his smile. "Yes, I am. Sorry but I didn't recognize you,"
"Reed Smith, Daniel's father. My daughter often talks about Louis."
"Well that's nice," She smiled, silently wishing that she knew something about Daniel. Louis barely talked about any of his friends. He would occasionally talk about James and his parents who were deeply in love and needed no excuse to kiss each other.
"I heard you're filing a divorce against your husband,"
Metilda rose an eyebrow. "And that is your business how?"
Reed held up his hands. "I'm lawyer that's why I was asking," Both Metilda and Reed knew that was a clear lie.
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Were you eavesdropping on my conversation?"
"Well, a poor man can't help what he hears,"
"Kindly, refrain from 'hearing' the next time around,"
"So there will be a next time. Maybe in coffee shop, south down Brookelen lane. What do you say, beautiful?"
Her eyes widened, as she paled significantly. "Are you-?" She shook her head. "Just because I'm getting divorced doesn't give you the right to pursue me."
The lawyer tucked his hands into the pockets of his trousers. "Why not? Your husband won't care. He isn't blind, is he? Only a fool would leave someone as beautiful as yourself,"
Metilda's skin became hot and prickly. She had always been bad at things such as flirting and persistent men. In her college days, she was often stereotyped for a bookworm. No-doubt, she was a shy, booklover.
It always amazed her how John had broken her walls. He was the life of the college, loud and friendly. Majoring in criminology at the time, he was something different. There was a natural charisma he had, the kind that would make anyone turn around and look at him twice.
They had English together. He would always contribute to the class discussion even though half the time it was utter nonsense while Metilda even though she had numerous, brilliant ideas sprouting inside her head, stayed silent. Metilda remembers how he had asked for her help on an essay and how thankful he had been afterwards. John wasn't the kind who would forget a favor. He helped her back and tried boasting her courage to speak up in class.
They started out as acquaintances and slowly, without even realizing it they had become so much more.
"So what do you say? It's a date." Reed broke the trance Metilda had been in.
She was about to respond and burn some sense into Reed when she felt an arm twist around her waist. The bright, afternoon sun sharpened the contours of John's face as he glared at the lawyer.
"Stay away from her. Am I clear? Or Do I have to make myself?"
Reed Smith, the lawyer and Daniel's father glared back. "Who are you, sir? And more importantly, why should I listen to you?"
John, in his tight, grey waistcoat and long overcoat, patted his trousers. Even as a detective for the local police, John rarely ever threatened the victims. Today, he made an exception. The silver revolver case fastened to his belt sparkled in the sun. Reed gulped and backed away.
As soon as Reed was a safe distance away, John removed his arm from Metilda's waist. To her great disappointed, Metilda longed for his arm to stay there. Even for a few seconds, she had felt safe and sound.
"You didn't have to threaten him. I could have handled him by myself," Metilda stood stiffly by his side while John's sharp eyes scanned the school's playground.
"Yah, right." John scoffed, running a hand through his night dark hair. "Handle it. You've been hopeless with men,"
She knew it was true but it did hurt her pride. "Maybe I've gotten better. How do you know? We rarely talk."
John eyes lingered to meet her gaze. He lifted his hand and ran it across her cheek. Metilda was tempted to close her eyes. "Your skin is warm, warmer than usual. It usually becomes hotter when you're tensed or nervous. If you had gotten better then you wouldn't be tensed. Would you?"
He retracted his hand, almost as though she were poison.
"It's best if I learn." She looked in another direction.         "You won't be there tomorrow and I won't have a reason to keep them away."
"We haven't gotten divorced yet,"
"Not yet," She whispered. "You're so determined. I won't be surprised if that day comes soon."
He didn't reply and she wished she could read his mind.
"What are you doing here?" She asked him. He never came to pick Louis.
"An investigation is going on the school's principal. We're trying to keep it undercover until anything is proven. I should get going." John briefly looked at Reed then back at Metilda. "Call me if there's trouble."
"Can you come home early? I need to discuss something important."
"I'm going out for dinner with Jannet," John bluntly replied. Metilda tried very, very hard to not let his words hurt her.
"It's pretty important." She shrugged. "The choice is yours,"
"Fine," Without another word, he left her. Once again alone. Little did he know, fate was going to make him scream with regret for every second he spent without her. Humans are strange. If they only knew how to value the present.
âââââ
Louis of five years hugged his mother as soon as school was dismissed. Few feet away from them was James and his parents who were laughing like a happy, little family should.
"How was school?" Metilda smiled at her little boy.
"Fantastico," He swung their linked arms back and forth and back and forth then he stopped and stared at James's family. "Where's daddy?"
Metilda's eyes automatically followed her son's stare. "He's here,"
Louis ear's perked. "Daddy,"
"Well, he's inside. He would visit us if he could,"
Instantly, Louis's face sobered into sad expression. "It okay, mommy. Louis understand it. Daddy work, daddy busy all time. It okay."
Metilda could almost grasp the longing in her son's eyes as she watched him stare at James and his happy family. James's father quickly kissed James's mother while James beamed at his parents.
In that moment, Metilda knew what she had to do. She stroked her son's head as the plan began to form in her mind.
.
.
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Note: Poor Mr. Reed, he actually had a chance with Metilda if weren't for John. From the next chapter, the plot will start rising up. Sorry, if it was boring till now. Please do comment and vote if you'd like to see more frequent updates for this story.