Le ciel est bleu

Chapter 5

As he stood outside Rita's door, Timothée felt a rush of frisson. He couldn't believe he had made it, he had arrived and all that was left was to ring the dreadful bell and introduce the love of his life to the woman who was the mother of his child. With Timothée's resistance to knock or ring the doorbell, Floret notices his fright and straight away presses the bell.

"Why did you do that? I was going to press it. Shh, here she comes," he says frenziedly.

Rita opened the door and found herself gazing at Timothée acrimoniously as she crossed her arms and uttered the words, "Come in."

"Is it me or she looks kind of like Monica Lewinsky?" Floret commented on Rita's disposition.

Harry ran with his toy giraffe to Timothée and hugged him,

"Daddy!"

"Oh, I missed you champ. How are you?" he said holding Harry in his arms and releasing him.

"I've got JJ and Jonah," Harry replied in his high-pitched tone.

"Really, how are they? kiss them hello for me."

"Who are JJ and Jonah?" Floret asked Timothée.

"The toy giraffe and the bear."

"Cake!" Harry uttered and rushed to the kitchen.

"So, Floret, how are you liking this flan?" Rita questioned.

"It's really good."

"Thank you."

"Honey, I'll just look at the kitchen for a while with Rita," Floret said to Timothée and got up from the couch.

"Sure."

Floret scanned the kitchen like a beeper. She found some pictures of Timothée with his family and a baby Harry. She couldn't help but notice how happy they all looked in those pictures.

"Uh, Rita. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Rita said putting the batter in the oven tray.

"Why did you leave Tim?"

"Floret, it's a long story and it doesn't concern Tim if that's what you really want to ask. He's a lovely guy and I did really love him."

"Then what was it? If I may."

"His parents, the mom specifically. Ugh, she didn't like me from the beginning and that woman, my god, she can't even stand someone who doesn't fulfil her standards I understand how much she wants us to stay together but she didn't let me live. All she did was criticize me for things I had no control over. For instance, she didn't like me befriending guys from work when I was with Tim and he didn't have a problem with it but she butted her nose everywhere. She thought the age was a problem and would continuously compare me to Tim's exes. You know Rebecca? That girl was so intrusive and my mother-in-law had no problem with her visiting us. Well, Rebecca once invited Tim to dinner and he said no of course but she is just so hung up on him. When I told about this to his mother, she told me straight to my face that I'm insecure that some young girl would steal him from me. My god, that was so humiliating, can you believe it? I mean there are countless more incidences where she crossed the boundaries but I hated her, I hated this woman from the bottom of my heart and when you marry, you don't just marry the person which is what everyone thinks initially but you marry the family and I got his family with me. And don't even get me started on his dad, his dad is such a-"

"Who's Rebecca?" Floret inquired.

"Wait, Tim didn't tell you about her?"

"No."