Here And Now

06. Wife

"Roses and her favorite candy for my lady and," Weston cautious gaze averts to me from where he is bent and speaking to Kayla, "Daisies for her beautiful mother."

He approches me with the grace of someone approaching a wounded lion. Cautious, scared, nervous.

He should be.

Ever since a week ago from my talk with Jackson, I have given Weston the cold shoulder. Jackson's abrupt change in behavior and his words have left me scared of what he might know about my husband that he is hiding from me.

What my husband is hiding from me.

Needless to say, Weston was confused at first, he was doing everything he was supposed to and more but I had suddenly started being detached from him.

Slowly, I watched as the confusion turned into panicked nervousness.

"Thanks." I mutter, when he hands me my favorite flowers.

"You are welcome. If you need a few more minutes to get ready, you do that and I'll make sure the kids are ready." He beams at me, his touch from my arm not lifting.

"I am ready, though. Were you expecting more?" I ask coldly.

"No! No, I mean, you look fantastic love,  I just meant, that t-that--"

"I'll be out with the kids in a minute." I turn around to go to Kayla's room leaving him there to swallow on his tongue.

"Mommy! You didn't knock!" My 5 year old pouts and fists her hands at her waist.

"Sorry baby, I'll come again." I smile at her and come again this time waiting for her affirmation after my knock.

"Are you ready princess?"

"Yes, look my gown puffs when I sit!" She demonstrates to me how her pink tulle frock clouds around her as she sit, stands and twirls.

My daughter is the most beautiful baby girl on this planet. She takes after me mostly, except for her dirty blonde hair which she got from Weston.

Kayla wasn't planned but she is the most beautiful blessing any deity could have given us. Shortly after coming back from our honeymoon in the Maldives, we found out that we were expecting. None of us were thrilled with the timing, but we moved forward and six months later this little bundle of joy was placed right into my arms and I was left wondering why in the first place I wasn't happy with the timing?

Kayla was the best thing that had been gifted to me.

My eyes warm as I enter Dexter's room with Kayla's small hand in mine.

"You want to help me pick out your brother's outfit?" I ask Kayla as she adjusts the Rose she put in her hair.

She wrinkles her nose at that.

"He has no pink dresses, what is he going to wear?"

I laugh, "He's got his tiny suit, go pick out a blue one so he matches daddy." I shoo her towards his closet.

Meanwhile I struggle with a very active Dexter, who is completely recharged from his nap and feeding 2 hours ago.

Although Kayla wasn't planned, Dexter was.

Weston always wanted 2 kids contradicting to my wish for a big family, so when Kayla started preschool we decided it was time for Baby#2.

If Kayla was a blessing, Dexter was a goddamn miracle.

When we started trying for another baby I had multiple miscarriages. The doctor even warned us that one more and it would be my life in danger.

We had almost lost hope, but then after Kayla's second birthday I found out that I was pregnant. I was really scared, I couldn't go through the pain of losing another child.

But my baby was a fighter, there were complications yes, but together we made the 9 month journey, each eager to meet the other and I almost cried an ocean when they handed him to me 4 weeks early.

"There you go, baby. Stop messing up your hair, Dexter." I give him a stern look.

Both of my kids have all my looks except for their hair, the blonde they got from their father.

Even after my clear instruction, Kayla picked out a black suit for my boy, which he giggled and clapped his hands for, a clear indicator that if I forced him to wear anything else we would be late to the Christmas Party at Marley and Co., Weston's office.

"No blazer mommy." My son shook his head no at me.

"Oh-kay, we'll just put on the vest and go, right?"

"Yes! Vesht!" He flashes me a toothy grin.

He really is the most adorable thing in the world.

After I have got the kids ready and given them a few instructions on how they should not quarrel with the other kids or trouble the nannies, which went right over their heads, I descend the stairs with my clutch slung over my shoulder.

I gather my cream silk dress in one hand at my hip so I don't trip and fall over.

"Daddy! How do I look?" Kayla twirls around in front of Weston and gushes up at him.

"You look pretty, princess." He smiles down at her, though it doesn't quite reach his eyes.

What's up with him? He was fine just moments ago.

"Dex, go with your sister and wait in the car for Mommy and Daddy." He says.

"Alone in the car? Yayy!"

"You are not alone! Edward is there, do not trouble him!" I holler after them as the trot over to our car.

On events like this, Weston borrows his father's driver to drive us around. Edward is a 60 year old man, who should have retired a decade earlier but is way too loyal to Trent Bisley to leave his side.

"What?" I ask him, because he's just standing there, simmering quietly.

"You met with Hastings?" He all but bursts at me.

"What? How...?" I look at him confused.

He waves my phone in my face almost hitting my nose.

"You just got a text from Mattie confirming that Hastings closed down a deal on a house." He has started to foam at his mouth, his face all red.

"You went through my phone?" I ask incredulously, snatching away my phone from his hand.

"Oh hardly. You got a text and I happened to look over and imagine my surprise when I find out my wife has been meeting up with the enemy behind my back."

"He was a client-"

"One that you didn't inform me about!" We are full on screaming at each other.

"I DO NOT HAVE TO TELL YOU ALL THE DETAILS OF WHEN, WHAT OR WHERE I AM!"

"You are my wife. My wife! Forgive ME IF I AM UPSET THAT SHE HAS BEEN CONNUDLING WITH SOMEONE I DESPISE BEHIND MY FUCKING BACK!"

I pause, breathing hard. I stare straight ahead at the man whom I have spent 10 years of my life with but don't recognize at all.

He stutters, blindsided by my silence.

I speak finally,

"What is wrong with you? I do not question you about your whereabouts or who you meet but god forbid if I ever do that, you scold me for my nagging."

"I don't want to hear anything else, you stay away from Hastings and that's final." His demeanor is composed again, his voice cool except the crazed look in his eyes is ever present.

"I'll meet with whoever I please and that's final."

I brush past him and out the door.

What does he have against Jackson?

♤