The Life Of Michael Afton

{7} Argument

He comes back five minutes before nine.

Kathy is sitting on the couch, a book in her hands. Her eyes were scanning the pages without taking in a thing, mind preoccupied in worry. She shuts her book when she hears a key jingle in the lock of the door.

William comes in quietly, trying to seem normal but Kathy can see past his mask. He's nervous, she can tell. Mother's training comes in useful more than I thought it would. I should tell her later.

He doesn't notice her at first, trying to creep quietly towards their bedroom. Trying to get away with what he's done. The doubt of her mother's words is chipped away with each near-silent step he takes. Liar. Cheater. Mother was right.

She stands. "William." Kathy winces mentally—that sounded far more confrontational than she'd intended, but...oh well. Nothing she could do now but hold her ground.

He freezes. "Ah...bonsoir, Kathy."

"It's bonne nuit now, William." She folds her arms over her chest.

"...Oh."

Kathy frowns. "That's it? 'Oh'? You're not going to...apologize, or anything?"

William has the grace to look sheepish. "I'm sorry the message was so late...I was caught up in something."

"William, do you have any idea how worried I was?! I thought you'd gotten in an accident, or been kidnapped, or— for all I knew, you could've been dead on the streets!" A hint of hysteria leaks into her voice, and she breathes deeply. Kathy will not lose her cool.

"I thought you were dead," she repeats, "and instead you were— messing around with another woman."

William stares. "Honey, that's not what I was—"

"Then what was it? Michael and Imira asked where their daddy was and I had to lie to my own children! I had to look them in the face and tell them you would be home tomorrow, thinking you were dead!"

Kathy's lip wobbles dangerously, but she blinks the forming tears away. She will not cry. And she will not wake her children.

"I just got—caught up in work. You know how it is."

"No, William, I don't know how it is to prioritize my job over my children. I don't know how it is to prioritize some robots over my family."

"They're not just some robots! These animatronics could revolutionize how the world perceives and uses artificial intelligence and machinery—"

"Here you go again about your animatronics. William, I married you because I loved you. I—I don't know if that was even the right choice anymore."

Kathy realizes she's gone too far as the hurt breaks out across his face, and she opens her mouth, "I didn't—"

"Well I'm so sorry I'm not some shitty French aristocrat, Kathy. I'm sorry I'm not a billionaire, that I'm not some guy who your mother chose. But you married me. You chose me. You accepted my goddamned proposal in that park you love and I flew to France for our wedding. But I guess if that's not enough to prove my commitment to you, then that's fine. Be like that."

"Wait—" Kathy reaches out her hand, but William turns his back and leaves for their bedroom. She retracts her extended hand slowly, pulling it close to her chest. "What have I done..." A traitorous tear slips down her cheek.

William comes out half an hour later, in his sleep clothes this time. He doesn't talk to her, doesn't acknowledge her, just walks past and lays down on the couch with his pillow. His intention is clear. So Kathy goes back to their room and lies in the too-big, too-empty bed, staring at the ceiling with her mind full of regret.

Needless to say, neither of them get very much sleep that night.

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