Malice

-20

Remember those time gaps I mentioned? Get ready! There are two in this chapter and one is MAJOR.  

-Lu 

-Reagan- 

There was one slight difference about Theodora this time than there had been the other three times I'd seen her. Or rather there were many little differences. Every other time she'd been dressed to impress-save the time when I went to her glass house and she'd been beat up-but now she was in sweats and a t-shirt and sneakers. She looked slighty hung over and incredibly too impatient for someone who wanted something. 

"What now?" I didn't hide the irritation in my voice. Did she not know that John and I were split? That I had absolutely fucking nothing to do with whatever they had going on? By the duffel that sat at their feet, I knew it was nothing good. 

If her hair hadn't been in a messy bun, I imagined this is where she would have flipped it and scowled. I just got the scowl. Some nerve. I wanted to go off. It was excusable when she was standing on the doorstep of my home but Nathan's? "John's been arrested." She said and I could see the flash of panic in her blue eyes. 

My stomach fell and I didn't have to ask why. I knew why. "When?" 

"Last night." Wouldn't he have called me by now? Or had he called her? I frowened and wondered then how in the hell she had known where I was. It was evident that I hadn't been the only one to confide in a lover. Go figure. "I need you to take Matthew. I've got some things to do and I can't reach my sitter." 

Funny hadn't that been the excuse last time? I laughed and looked at her like she had lost her fucking mind. "I'm sorry, Theodora, but I can't. I have things to do as well and it's not my responsibility to babysit your child." 

Her brow twitched and a small smile touched her bare lips. Really, even with no makeup on she looked wonderful. "But it is your responsibility to pick up John's slack. You're his wife." 

I nearly fell over. This bitch. Refering to her child as 'John's slack'. I really had to keep myself from slapping her. And what did she care that I was his wife. She certainly hadn't cared while she was fucking my husband. Behind me, I could feel Nathan's presence which only pissed me off more because neither one of us deserved this. 

Here I was, ready to move on with my life and they couldn't stand the thought of leaving me alone. "I can't. I wont. This is something you're going to have to take care of on your own. You're his mother." Truly, it was sad that anyone had to say that to her. 

Theo just stared at me for several long seconds before she looked down at her son and smiled. "Mommy has to go now. Be a good boy alright?" Matthew nodded and she leaned down to kiss him quickly. It wasn't until she turned to leave that I actually realized she was serious and had ignored every word I said. 

Matthew just turned and watched her walk down the sidewalk. "Shit," She was nearly to her car when I stepped outside and had to jog to catch up with her. "Hey!" Theo turned at my voice, hand on the door handle of her car and popped a brow. How could John have standed this stuck up bitch. Even though she was a few inches taller than me, I got up close and personal and glared at her. "Why don't you grow the fuck up, you self centered bitch and take care of your son." I snapped. The words would have left my mouth earlier, but he'd been standing there, listening. 

It's like she didn't hear it. Theo smirked before she yanked the car door open and got in. She didn't give me another look; didn't look back to wave to her son. She sped off like leaving her child was the easiest thing she had ever done in her entire life. 

Tears stung my eyes-for him-and I silently cursed her and John. And when I looked away from her disappearing car, Nathan and Rocky were with him. His laugh was beautiful as the big pit bull licked his face. That was when I knew that if no one else was going to give the boy the loved that he deserved, we would.