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Chapter 4

Mia’s breath escaped in raspy pulses as she drove to her in-law’s house. Time seemed to be going backwards, the faster she drove the longer the journey seemed.

“Breathe Mia. You’ve prepared for this eventually.” She coaxed herself as she pulled up to the house. She checked her face and her body to ensure she had removed all remnants of her work attire. Feeling satisfied, she opened the car door, pulled out the bags from the passenger seat and walked into the house. Her legs shaking under the weight of her body.

“Ma, I’m back.” She called out, shutting the door behind her.

“In the kitchen.” A voice echoed back at her. Mia swallowed past the lump in her throat and ignored the fluttering in her stomach. Her heart was repeatedly slammed against her chest at the sight of Gabriel holding their daughter in his arms. Her mother-in-law eying her intently.

“What are you doing here?” Mia contorted her face to resemble confusion. On the inside she prayed that her facial expression gave nothing away.

“I thought it would be nice to eat lunch with my family today.” he handed their daughter off to his mother. Amiyah squirmed from the loss of her father’s touch. As it was, she’d barely had contact with him in the past three years. Amiyah’s interact with her father was limited to nights and weekends, and most weekends Gabriel wasn’t home. “Where were you?” he shoved his hands in his pocket and waited for Mia to explain her absence.

Mia raised her hands for him to see the grocery bags hanging from her elbows. “Ma and I needed some snacks.” She placed them down on the kitchen counter. “We have been drained running this little monster around.” Mia pinched her daughter’s cheeks and squelched her nose up at Amiyah and she giggled.

“We got hungry and I started making lunch late.” Marina intervened with a calm smile on her face. Mia thanked the heavens for her mother-in-law. Three years ago when Mia told her mother-in-law that her relationship with Gabriel was no longer working, Marina had been supportive. She promised Mia that whatever decision she wanted to do, she would support her. This was the basis of Mia dragging Marina into her charade for the past year.

“Mammy, I-choc-late.” Amiyah out-stretched her hands in the directions of the grocery bags.

“I’ll get you a chocolate sweetie.” Marina took a bag and exited the kitchen with Amiyah.

“I was a bit concerned when I couldn’t find you here.” He took a few steps closer to Mia, wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against his body. Mia groaned from the force. She turned her face to the side, as his face came closer to hers. Gabriel smiled into her cheek. Mia pushed against him, she wanted to be free from his touch.

“You smell heavenly.” He lowered his head to her neck and exhaled. Mia pushed him harder until he recoiled back. Gabriel smirked at Mia’s heaving chest and smouldering eyes.

“Do not touch me.” She half growled half whispered through clenched teeth. She’d promised herself to never raise her voice at Gabriel in such close proximity to her daughter.

“I can promise you will enjoy my touch, Mia.” He whispered. “You used to open those pretty legs for me real easy.” He reminded her of a time she loved him. She breathed heavily to alleviate the bile rising up in her stomach. She was also reminded that he was probably entertaining other women at the same time.

“Can you take the pie out of the oven, Mia?” Marina called out from the living room.

“On it.” Mia responded. She grabbed the oven mitts to carry out her task.

“I like the view.” Gabriel cocked his head to the side to fully look at Mia’s butt as she bent down to retrieve the pie from the oven. “Perhaps, I should visit you for lunch more often?” he suggested.

Mia slid the pie on the counter. The sound of it grating to her own ears.

“Please don’t.” Mia turned her attention back at him. Her hands on her hips.

“Something to hide?” he squinted his eyes. Mia’s chest tightened at the accusation, immediately reminding herself not to panic.

She scoffed. “I don’t want to see you more than I have to.” She responded, truthfully.

Gabriel chuckled, he parted his lips to respond but his mother entered the kitchen with Amiyah.

“Amiyah wants her dad to take her out on the swing set.” Marina handed her off to Gabriel.

“Anything for my girls.” He placed a kiss on Amiyah’s cheek.

“Except being faithful.” Mia muttered under her breath. His eyes darkened. Marina gazed back and forth between her son and her daughter-in-law. Gabriel didn’t know that Marina had all the full story, so she grasped at straws to keep up the pretense.

“Did you say something, dear?” she turned to Mia, noting Gabriel relaxing.

“No.” Mia smiled and the conversation dropped. Mia and Marina took lunch out on the patio, watching as Amiyah ran around with her father.

“Gabriel, come eat before you go back to the office.” His mother called out. Mia rolled her eyes. He could starve for all she cared.

“No worries.” He pulled the tie and jacket off. “I’m taking the rest of the day to spend with my family.” He winked at Mia, she immediately turned away. Marina covered Mia’s hand with her own and gave her a reassuring squeeze.


“Leave your car here tonight.” Gabriel pushed her car door shut.

“What?” She whispered. Amiyah was in his arms asleep.

“I’ll drop you off at Ma’s tomorrow before I go to work.” He pulled her keys out of her hand and walked to his car.

Mia rolled her eyes. She stared at her car and hesitated.

“Or do you want to spend the night?” Gabriel questioned. He’d put Amiyah in the back seat and stood waiting. Mia wished she could have seriously considered the question. However, she didn’t trust Gabriel to look after their daughter. She’d been changing diapers and feeding Amiyah for three years while he consorted with his mistresses.

She shoved her hands in the pockets of her sweater and walked to the car. He’d come around the passenger side to open the door for her. She walked past him and got in the back with Amiyah. “You can’t leave her alone here. She could roll off.” She defended.

Gabriel shut the door and got in the driver’s seat. He pulled out into the road and began their drive home. Mia shifted in her seat, her eyes catching the attention of something shiny. She ignored it, assuming it was the street lights or the reflection from other cars.

There was another flash in same corner of her eye as she shifted again. This time she reached out under Gabriel’s seat. She fished out fabric. She couldn’t what it was. She reached over head and put the car light on to illuminate the back. She immediately threw it to the front. It landed on the steering wheel.

“Is this a hint that you want to—“ The excitement in his voice causing her stomach to churn.

“It’s not mine.” Her voice was harsher that she intended.

He was silent. Mia scoffed. “If you plan on transporting our daughter in this car, at least ensure there isn’t any underwear lodged all over.”

“An oversight. I will be careful next time.” He responded, coldly. He placed the underwear on the foot of the passenger seat.

“You are disgusting.” She spat.

“You’ve been aware for a while now, darling.” He countered a small smirk on his face. Mia gagged. Her entire body feeling tainted. Her anxiety to get out of the car was growing with each passing second. Their drive home was silent thereafter.

At home Mia pushed open the door grabbed her daughter up and made her way into the house, leaving Gabriel behind. She put Amiyah to bed and immediately jumped in the shower. She scrubbed her skin until she was sore, her eyes pressing down to stop the tears.

Mia shrunk to the floor of the shower and stared blankly at the wall. The sound of the shower drowning out as she got trapped in her thoughts. She hadn’t known how much time had past, but she got up, turned the show off and grabbed a towel.

On her way to her room, Gabriel stood in her way.

“I had a good time with you and Amiyah today.” His eyes roamed her freely. “How about we try for another one?” he wiggled his eyebrows at her. Mia scoffed, pushing past him.

“Are you kidding me?” she made an attempt to walk away. Gabriel grabbed her arm and pulled her in front of him.

“Having another child would be a blessing.” He let go of her arm and trailed a finger across her collar bone.

Mia slapped his hand away. “I just found another woman’s panties in your car.” She reminded him.

“What’s the problem? I am married to you.” He said.

Mia gazed at him as if he’d lost his mind. “In the same car I lost my virginity to you in and you expect me to have sex with you?” Her mind body felt slimly and repulsed by his mere proximity.

He gazed at her in silence. “Just leave me the hell alone.” She pushed past him and went to her room.

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