Unconventional

Good

It was early morning when Emilio stirred in bed, the first rays of dawn creeping through the blinds. He glanced over at Jennifer, sleeping beside him, her face soft and peaceful in the morning light. But the calm only fueled the anger simmering beneath his skin.  Emilio clenched his jaw. Today, she would learn.

Moving quietly, Emilio slipped out of bed and padded down the hall, stopping at the children's rooms. One by one, he carefully lifted each of the kids out of their cribs and beds, carrying them to the car parked outside. He strapped the triplets into their car seats and buckled Amelia into hers, working with cold efficiency. His movements were methodical, controlled. This had to be done right.

When the kids were secure, he returned to the house and walked into the bedroom, looming over Jennifer. His shadow fell across her, and she stirred, blinking groggily as she realized he was standing over her.

"Emilio?" Her voice was soft, unsure. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the clock—it was barely six in the morning.

"Get dressed," he said flatly, his voice low and devoid of emotion.

Jennifer frowned, confused. "What? Why? What's going on?"

"Now," Emilio snapped, his eyes cold. "We're leaving."

Her confusion deepened, but she swung her legs out of bed, fear prickling at the back of her mind. She'd learned not to question him too much when he was in this mood. Quietly, she threw on a pair of jeans and a sweater, her fingers trembling as she tied her hair back. As she finished, Emilio grabbed her arm, not roughly, but firmly, and guided her outside.

The sight of the car already packed with the children sent a cold wave of dread through Jennifer's body. "Where are we going?" she asked, her voice shaky.

"Get in," he said, opening the passenger door and practically shoving her inside. She barely had time to fasten her seatbelt before he was behind the wheel, the engine roaring to life. He pulled out of the driveway without another word, the tires grinding on the gravel as they sped down the road.

Jennifer's heart raced as they drove in tense silence, the kids in the back too young to understand the dark cloud hanging over the car. She wanted to ask him again where they were going, but the tightness in Emilio's face, the way his hands gripped the steering wheel like a vise, kept her silent. The sun was still low in the sky as they drove through streets she didn't recognize, further and further from the house, until the landscape began to change, turning rural and unfamiliar.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Emilio spoke, his voice low and controlled, but menacing. "We're not coming back, Jennifer. Not until you get it."

Her stomach twisted in knots, panic rising in her chest. "Get what? Emilio, what are you talking about?"

He kept his eyes on the road, his jaw clenched. "Your place. I'm done with this sneaking around, this pretending you don't know what's expected of you. You've been out of line, and I'm going to make sure you understand who you belong to."

Jennifer's breath caught in her throat, her pulse pounding in her ears. "I-I'm not sneaking around. I haven't done anything wrong. Please, let's just talk about this."

Emilio laughed bitterly, his eyes dark and wild. "You've been talking to that man behind my back. You've been lying to me. Talking to Maria, asking about leaving, thinking you can just walk away like she did. That's not going to happen, Jennifer."

She stared at him, wide-eyed. "I haven't—Emilio, I'm not going anywhere! I'm not leaving you. I just... I just want things to be okay, for the kids."

"The kids?" Emilio sneered, glancing at the rearview mirror where the children sat quietly, oblivious to the storm brewing around them. "You think I don't know what's best for them? You think you can make those decisions on your own? No. You're going to learn, Jennifer. You're going to see what happens when you step out of line. When you forget your place."