The Lovely Miss Maine

|| fourteen ||

June 15

10 AM

Maine wakes up with the sleeping Phil's arms wrapped around her. As always, he wrecks of alcohol but his grip on her waist is tighter than ever. She just stares at him and feels blank, like who is this man next to her and why doesn't she feel anything?

She knows him as Phil, but she's not the same person she met him years ago. He looks unwashed, he stinks, she no longer finds him attractive; she used to have high respect and admiration for him but that's all gone now, same as her dreams of having a family with him. All down the drain now.

It's been a month since Phil almost choked her in their kitchen. It's been a month of torture being with him, he did apologize the day after and she stupidly accepted the apology and forgot about what happened. But now, she feels nothing but remorse for this man next to her.

She has no life, he walks her to school everyday and comes to collect her after work at the Day Care in the afternoon, . He forbids her to go out with Patty after work so she has to be sneaky, doesn't stop her from communicating with Richard though. She sees glimpses of him when he comes to pick up the kids from the Day Care but only once a week now because he's gone back to work and Aicelle, Patty's cousin and the Faulkersons' neighbor is usually the one who picks the kids up.

Today is Saturday, and she has to go to school for the play's rehearsal. It's been a great distraction for her, away from Phil who has been very clingy with her for the past weeks.

The show will be next week for their end of term activity and she is pressured to make it perfect for everyone, especially the parents. She's been helping Henry his lines while they are at the day care and he has improved a great deal. He knows his lines well and seems excited than ever, Maine knows the kid has the potential and he is also slowly gaining new friends too. She's noticed the change in Henry and she enjoys listening to his stories especially the ones that included his uncle.

Thinking about Richard, Henry and Ella just makes her smile.

Looking at Phil who snores in his sleep, she carefully unwraps his strong arms from her and quietly gets up from their bed. She stops dead when she hears him groan and sleepily asks, "Where do you think you're going?"

Maine sighs, closes her eyes without looking back at him. "I have to get ready for the kids' rehearsal," she replies coldly.

"It's fucking Saturday,"

"I know but the show's next week, we have our dress rehearsal today,"

"Whatever, what time will you be finish?"

Maine shrugs, "I don't know, Phil."

"Come home straight, if you're not here by 3 o'clock. I'm coming to get you," he commands, and with that he goes back to sleep.

Maine shakes her head, the day hasn't even started yet but Phil already ruined it for her as always. She has been feeling depressed and irritated the past few weeks because she lacks social life and enjoyment, the only thing that keeps her going are her text conversations with Richard, which she has to delete before Phil sees them.

She heads to the bathroom with a heavy feeling, she's been feeling sick every morning but she thinks none of it. She reckons it's just a cause of depression and having to sleep next to a horrible man everyday; Phil's alcoholic smell just makes her sick.