Indecision is Hurtful

Chapter Five

   Audrey stood up and walked towards the podium, her heels clicking hastily. Gabriel's eyes widened as he attempted to catch up to her but she had already opened his drawing app.

   "Audrey what do you think you're doing?" He asked, still surprised at her actions and made a move to cover up his work.

   Audrey bared her clenched teeth, her eyes glaring daggers at him.

   "You tell me," she spat as she had already pulled up his latest designs. He looked away from her and bit back a frown at her stubbornness.

   "So. Mind explaining?"

   "There's nothing to explain."

   "Ha! Try saying that to another Audrey."

   "I said there's nothing—"

   Before he could finish, she walked towards his desk, opening his manila folders. She took out the printed pieces and the colored croquis from his sketchbook and even scoured for more of his drafts. She looked them over with scrutiny and raised a brow as she showed them to him.

   "As far as I can remember, your muses never had dark hair," he didn't dare meet her gaze. "And this red streak on the left portion of her hair," she tsked. "And most of the accessories you drew your muse to hold is always held by the left hand. Now what could that mean?" She crossed her arms for the billionth time today.

   Gabriel turned around, entirely averting her gaze as his eyes began to burn. He forced his eyes not to blink lest the tears would fall in betrayal. A few seconds later, he heard her heels click towards him once more and he clenched his fists in suppression of his feelings.

   "You may not have noticed but," she huffed. "I've been acquainted with your assistant far more than you think," she pointed out causing Gabriel to look at her in disbelief. "We've developed something similar of... friendship between one another— all differences aside."

   "You're joking," he deadpanned.

   "Am I?"

   "Are you serious? I thought you hated her—"

   "Oh you know me Gabriel, I hate everyone. But do you know what she had been doing outside of work?"

   "I..." he bit his lip, thinking deeply about what she was doing everytime she had to go home after work. He gave up, having no clue, and sighed.

   "I don't."

   "Of course, you don't. You're a recluse," she huffed and pulled her lips down to her signature disappointed frown.

   "It's not that. It's just... It's just because I never seem to reserve any time for looking into what she does outside of her usual task."

   "You've always failed to observe those that are around you. Even your own son, for heaven's sake."

   "It's not like you're any different!" He blurted out, immediately regretting his words. "I-I'm sorry, I... I was out of line. I didn't mean—"

   "I already know that I wasn't a good parent, Gabriel," her confession shocked him, his face contorted in disbelief.

   "I knew that from the start ever since I had Chloe. I doubted myself, pressured myself causing me to make rash decisions with this attitude, even to my own child," Gabriel couldn't believe this revelation coming from Audrey Bourgeois. Was he really talking to the real Audrey right now? This new side of her suddenly scared him for some reason but he continued to listen.

   "With this pressure building up as the years went and came," she continued. "I treated others even more worse as I drowned in all that doubt and fear of commitment to my family. I just focused on being exceptional, because I thought it was best if I could just... just vent this internal frustration I've submerged into all these years. I couldn't even say I love you to Chloe and I would always tend to find fault in her."