Some Day One Day (Maylor AU)

Chapter 28

Chrissie anxiously bounced Liz on her leg as she watched Mary fill her wine glass nearly to the brim, the latter smiling at the former before she went to fill her own. The headmistress sat forward and snatched the glass up from the coffee table, bringing the dark red substance to her lips and tilting her head back to down the drink, her eyes wandering over to the man occupying the armchair adjacent to the couch. His own gaze narrowed, mimicking her actions as he drank from a cocktail that he had prepared for himself.

Neither of them had said it, but they both remembered that day a year ago when Brian nervously introduced him as an exchange student. After all, the headmistress could never forget such a bold meeting—the dark-haired man confidently introducing himself and telling her forthright of his association with the blonde who turned her entire world upside down. Had Freddie not told her that, perhaps she wouldn't have such a strong opposition to his presence, but knowing that he was friends with the enemy—most likely keeping in touch with him, and worse yet, keeping Brian updated too—left the headmistress feeling uneasy. It made her question what she'd gotten herself into.

When Chrissie set her empty glass down on the table, her leg bouncing a little faster, she blurted out, "What's he doing here?"

Mary quickly glanced over at her boyfriend before returning her attention to the drinks and filling Chrissie's once more. "Oh, he's just waiting for a friend. He won't be here long."

"I can be here as long as I want, darling," Freddie chimed in, running his finger around the salted rim of his glass. "It's my house too, you know."

"That's not what the deed says," she reminded him pettily, shaking the last few drops of the wine into Chrissie's glass and leaving the room before he could respond—announcing she'd be back with more.

The dark-haired man rolled his eyes and leaned forward, tapping his fingers against his almost empty cocktail. He heaved a sigh and brought his gaze back up to the headmistress—but not before looking at the baby girl in her lap and being reminded of the reason that his friend moved to America. "You have a lot of nerve showing up here tonight," he muttered.

"I didn't know," she whispered, defending herself on those simple three words alone. That's what it all boiled down to anyways; that's what it always boiled down to.

"You don't seem to know a lot of things, Chrissie," he observed bluntly, taking the last sip of his prepared drink and standing up from the armchair. Towering over her, he tilted his glass in her direction and growled, "You're the reason he's not here right now, you know that?" Without saying his name, Chrissie knew exactly who Freddie was referring to. "If it weren't for you and your fucking baby, he could've finally left him." Liz began to whimper—her eyes glistening with tears. "He could've finally seen that he doesn't have to put up with—"

"Put up with what?" Mary cut him off, reentering the room and shifting her focus between her boyfriend and her new friend who had taken her daughter into her arms and was trying to calm her before she burst out crying.

The headmistress and the dark-haired man exchanged a silent glance, trying to agree on an answer to give her. When they couldn't, the task seemingly impossible, Freddie made the executive decision to tell his girlfriend, "We were just talking about how we shouldn't have to put up with the lack of food this gathering has." Mary's jaw dropped in offense. "I'm going to go start dinner, darling," he announced, patting her on the cheek in a patronizing manner and sauntering off to the kitchen.

"But you don't even know how to cook!" she reminded him.

"I'll figure it out!" he called back, his voice echoing through the house.

"No, Freddie, you're going to mess it up!" the blonde whined, rushing out of the room. Chrissie took this opportunity to gather her things and head for the door with her daughter, knowing that no amount of wine in the world could make this night any less awkward or more comfortable. Before she could get even one foot over the threshold, though, Mary's timid voice hit her ear. "Hey, where are you going?"

The headmistress pressed her lips together and squeezed her eyes shut, blinking away the tears that pricked them as Freddie's harsh words played over again in her head. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, turning around and answering, "I'm sorry, Mary, but this was a mistake."

"What? Why?" the blonde rushed towards her, clutching onto her upper arms and telling her, "I had so many good stories to tell you!"

"I don't know if I want to hear those stories anymore, Mary," Chrissie murmured, adjusting her hold on Liz who whimpered, dangerously close to a full breakdown. "I'm sorry," she apologized, shaking her head in regret, "I just...I don't think I'm ready to go out like this yet. I thought I was, but..." Her voice trailed off, her gaze shifting down to her daughter who looked right back at her, staring with eyes that consumed her with an immense amount of guilt.

"Please," Mary begged, pulling the headmistress out from her darkening thoughts, "We don't have to talk about him if you don't want to. I mean, I didn't even know you were with him when I invited you. I just...I got excited when I found out that we had something in common." Chrissie frowned. "Come on, we haven't even had dinner yet. Please stay. I haven't gotten to play with your baby yet."

The headmistress raised a suspicious eyebrow, spotting Freddie standing in the doorway behind them—one leg crossed over the other, hands tucked into his pockets, and lips drawn into a straight line. She clenched her jaw and returned her attention to Mary, saying, "Fine. I'll stay, just as long as he doesn't touch our food."

A smile appeared on the delighted blonde's face. "Deal."