MAYA POV
Whenever you see those reunion scenes in movies or in viral videos, you somehow long to feel those emotions. To maybe want to see how others would react to your home coming. I guess that's what my mom wanted, she wanted me to run into her arms and tell her that I loved her. I think my love for her will always remain in the past tense. You'd think a dad who abused you, he'd be the villain, not the mom who stood idly by and left.
My adoring wife has repeatedly reminded that I should keep an open mind, I should allow myself to hear her out. But hearing her out will just allow the small metaphorical box of trauma to open, for me to really think about how she'd left. How she didn't care, maybe she did care. Should I really be questioning if she cared or not? But with a family-loving wife, I found myself sitting in a café about an hour away from our house. Carina's hand rested on my thigh, a common thing that we've both found comfort in.
"Get your notebook out, you'll have something new to add to your portfolio of stalker notes" I joke, leaving a kiss on her cheek as I see my mom enter the café. Carina's smile grows at the reminder of her past.
"Hi" My mom awkwardly mutters as she sits opposite us, she anxiously looks around us, something that had been passed down to me.
"Hi, why are you here?" I ask in a snarky tone, Carina's hand tightens on my thigh.
"I wanted to fix things, I know that will take time, but I want to be here" her eyes grow glassy as she pleads, I roll my eyes instantly.
"Frankly, I don't have the time or the grace to give you any attention" I say as I stand up, taking Carina's hand in mine as we leave the café.
"I didn't get my croissant" Carina muttered as we reached the car, a chuckle leaving both of our mouths. "Go get one to go, I'll put on the seat heater for you" I peck her lips as she waltzes off.
The last few months had shown the perfect transformation between the late evening sunlight to the first frost in the mornings, the difference between summer and fall. Despite what Carina loves to say, this is her favourite season. The summer is surprisingly mine but with a smoking hot wife skipping around in a bikini, you can't blame me. Fall is hers because in her words I'm a heater, I'm her heater. She'll happily cuddle up when she's cold, usually completely on top of me like a weighted blanket.
Sharp knocks hit the window next to me, expecting my wife to be there I find my mother still here.
"I know you don't want to hear from me which I accept. It's something my therapist and I have been working on. Since the day you were born, I kept a journal and I'd like for you to have it. Maybe it could show you why I left, or just generally what has happened since. I know you are in contact with your brother, and I know that I shouldn't reach out to him. I hope one day we can talk again, and maybe I can be present enough to watch your love grow. I love you, that has never changed" with her small speech finished, she handed me a heavy and messy notebook. There were pieces of paper wadded into the confines of the book reinforced by multiple rubber bands.
"What have you got there?" Carina asked as she jumped into the car, humming as she felt the hot seat below her.
"My dear mother gave it to me. I don't know if I want to look at it" I mutter, the condescension leaving my tone as it's replaced with confusion.
"Well, the way I see it is that she's not here. This could give you answers or leave you with more questions. It's completely in your control" Carina says as she slowly picks up the notebook and places it on her lap. "We have a show to watch, and your mom is not going to ruin that" She points her finger at my face as she speaks as she feigns attitude, jokingly biting on her finger causes her to laugh. Suddenly the world feels calmer again.
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CARINA POV
God, I wonder what it was like to have your mother come up to you and what time with you. I'd do anything to have that with my mama, but I guess things are different. I know my mama loved me; I loved her with all my heart. But Maya didn't have the same thing. By the time she was 11, she didn't celebrate any big holidays, she didn't get hugged by her parents or enjoy the small things. I hope she looks at the book, it's something I've hoped for the past two weeks. It's been sitting at the end of our dining table and each day, minute, or second; I want to ask her about it. I want to read it, that's the so-called 'stalker' in me.
"Babe, can we go shopping? I've got our list in the way it should be" Maya shouted from the bedroom, it's a common occurrence that when a list is involved, she'll take over.
"Do we really need to?" I call back, unscrewing a bottle of wine as we speak.
"I thought we could go to the Italian shop on 7th, buy some more of that wine you're probably opening right now" she says in a humorous tone, entering the kitchen and standing next to me.
"How did you know?" I question with a grin on my face.
"One more twist and the wine cork would have made a slight pop" she relays.
"You've got ears of a dog" I reply, wrapping my hands around her shoulders. "Shall we go?" I ask, the quicker shopping is over, the quicker we can get on with our lives.
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"Do you really need to lift up every bag?" I question Maya as I see her work through the shopping cart, the bags already lined up throughout filled with the beginnings of our shopping. We always go for the heavy things first, something that actually makes a lot of sense, and something that soothes my wife's brain.
"How else am I going to know if the weight is distributed evenly" Maya retorts and continues, the flexing of her biceps does wonders for me and apparently the women surrounding us in the fridge section.
"Why do you have to do it when you're surrounded by women, though?" I ask her and she grins, an almost smirk which she knows pisses me off slightly. It's the facial expression she does whenever she wins a debate or wins any competition between us.
"Is my stalker jealous?" she feigns innocence as she asks, looking around the aisles and back at me.
"No" I mutter, growing embarrassed.
"Oh, if you're not then I think I'll check the bags again" she challenges me, giving me no room to argue she starts to pick up the individual bags and making all the delicious movements needed to flex just the right muscles.
"You are such a bitch" I argue.
"And you're my very sexy Italian stalker" she gloats, leaving a kiss on my cheek before she directed us to the next aisle on her list.
"Can you believe they've changed where things are in the store. The aisle with all of the veg and fruit were right next to the front door, why are they back left? You know I like to list our shopping by need, aisle, and weight. This has completely thrown it all off. Can you make a list of what's in each aisle, I'll need to correct my lists for next week" Maya rants, waving her hands around and maybe drawing attention from the store workers.
"I can do that bambina" I chuckle, she huffed loudly before continuing the mission at hand.
