Eliza

8

—MIA—

We go around the remainder of the zoo without any problems. Eliza mainly stays by me, but she gets the same crocodile teddy as Easton, and they decide to name them after themselves. Eliza's is called Eliza, and Eaton's is called Easton.

We leave at half four. I'm exhausted as I put Eliza into the car seat and buckle her up, then help Easton with his.

I close the door and get into the passenger seat. Dante gets into the drivers, and within a few moments we're off.

"Do you guys want McDonalds?" He asks.

     "Yes please!" Sam exclaims.

I smile. Dante turns to look at me. "Should we sit inside or just go in the drive through?"

"We can sit inside." I whisper.

"Okay." He parks and I'm the first to get out. I go to the back door and Sam and Luca jump out. I pull the seat forwards and get Eliza out, lifting her onto the floor. She brings one of her teddies with her: the orange seahorse.

I help Easton out next, and everyone else gets out. We walk into McDonalds, and Eliza whispers what she wants in my ear for me to tell her father before he goes to order it with Emilio and Sam.

     He leaves Easton and Luca with me. We sit down in a booth, all having to squeeze in. Eliza sits on my lap, with Easton beside us and Luca across from us.

     "Mama." Eliza whispers, leaning back on me.

     "Hm?"

     "I'm tired."

     "You can have a nap when we get back."

     "I want a nap too!" Easton exclaims.

     "You can have one too honey." I tell him, smoothing my hand over his disheveled blonde hair. I lean close to Eliza's ear. "Make sure you thank your daddy for bringing you out today, okay?"

     She crosses her arms stubbornly. "Nope."

     "Eliza. He did something nice that he didn't have to do. He deserves a thank you." Despite my strained relationship with her father, that doesn't mean I want Eliza to not like him now that we're back.

     She shakes her head, kicking her legs lightly. I sigh and turn to Luca. I smile. "How is school?"

     He looks at me, bored. He shrugs.

     "What subjects do you like?" I ask.

     He shrugs again.

     I frown. We sit in silence until Dante returns. We all fit in tightly inside the booth.

     The food arrives within a few minutes and I open Eliza's for her. She eats it slowly, and by the time I'm finished with mine almost everyone else is too—bar Eliza.

     "Hurry, bitch." Easton says, and Emilio laughs.

     Eliza frowns. "Shut it, stupid egg!"

Easton glares. I begin to rub Eliza's back and she leans on me, pouting angrily. "Why don't we take this back with us and you can eat the rest comfy in your room?"

She nods. I smile and close up the box after putting everything back into it. We leave after that, making our way out to the car. Once everyone is buckled in Dante and I get into the front seats.

—

"Here you go." I say to Eliza softly. She takes the happy meal box to me and shuffles back to her pillows. I smile down at her as she opens it and reaches in for a nugget.

"It's not cold, is it?"

She takes a bite and then shakes her head.

"Good." I respond. "Why don't I see if your dad has any juice in the fridge to go with it?"

"Yes please."

I nod and stand, leaving the room. I go down the stairs and into the kitchen, where Emilio is sitting with Luca at the counter.

I offer them both a smile, which goes ignored. My lips tilt downwards and I go over to the fridge, finding nothing Eliza would like in there.

"Do you know if your dad has any juice?" I ask.

"It's in the pantry." Emilio says.

"Okay, thanks."

I walk over to the wooden door next to the fridge and open it. I step inside, my eyes roaming around the shelves, looking for juice. I turn around and I'm about to ask where it is when the door slams shut behind me. I furrow my eyebrows and try to open it, but it's locked. I knock on the wood, "Emilio? Luca?"

I hear them start to laugh.

I bang on the door. "Come on, let me out. This isn't funny."

"It is," Emilio says loudly. Slowly their laughs begin to get quieter and quieter until I can't hear them, or anyone at all.

I bang on the door, "hello?" My breaths begin to quicken and my eyes water. I hate small spaces. I feel like the walls are closing in on me. I clutch my chest and start to bang more profusely on the door. "Let me out! Please!"

I put my head in my hands and start to pace back and forth. I bang on the door again, fighting the urge to start sobbing.

Eventually, the door opens. Dante stands there, his eyebrows furrowed as deep concern shines in his eyes. "What happened?"

"I just.. locked myself in here by accident," I whisper. "I was looking for juice for Eliza."

"Oh." He says. He steps beside me and reaches up to the top shelf, grabbing a tray of juices. "I have to put them up here or Easton will come in and drink them all. What flavour does she like?"

I look at all of them. "The strawberry one."

He passes it to me and then puts the tray back up.

"Thanks." I say quietly.

     "It's okay." He says.

     I step past him and walk out of the kitchen, then up to Eliza's room. She looks up at me from where she's still eating slowly on the bed.

     "Here you go." I say, setting the juice down and opening it for her.

     "Mama, you took forever." She says.

     "I know, I'm sorry."

     I frown as I look down at my lap. I could've told Dante, but what if he said something to them about it and it made them hate me even more? Dante probably wouldn't have even cared; he doesn't care about me anymore, only Eliza—though I suppose it's fair enough.

     "Mama." Eliza says.

     "Yeah?"

     "I need space for my teddies."

     "Why don't we get you a new shelf?" I suggest. "You can have them all on display."

     She smiles. "Yes!"

     My lips tilt upwards. "Alright." I'll have to ask Dante about it. The thought makes me feel embarrassed; I need to get a job. I don't want to have to rely on him at all—whether it's for things for Eliza or me. I decide that I'll begin looking today.

AUTHORS NOTE: hey guys! Please drop scene recs to help me update more :)