The Transient Wife

Chapter 26

 She didn't like her husband's sudden change of reaction when he saw her. And she was not sure if she should be happy that he recovered fast for he was all beaming widely now as he walked toward them purposefully, leaving behind Beth who stood stupefied staring at her.

"Ladies," he said in acknowledgement, but his eyes never left her. In fact, they were hovering over her as if he was ready to take her home and do something else. But she didn't care because she was so pissed. All she did was clench her teeth to refrain from saying something snappy. "You look great, babe," he added.

"I know," she raised her brow and looked over his shoulder. "I didn't know you were that close to her."

"We're associates," he explained.

"Whatever," she rolled her eyes and looked at Angelica and Chanty. Their faces alarmed her because they were not listening to her exchange with her husband—they were glaring at Beth like witches doing some silent curses in their minds.

Much to her disappointment, the subject of her ire and resentment trotted toward them like a cougar. "Here she comes," she whispered.

Philip turned around to face his so-called associate, the smile on his face not wavering. "Beth, I would like you to meet my wife."

If one had a good picture of Dennis, then he would simply try to give him longer hair, a healthier hue, and a smaller jaw. That would be the perfect picture of his twin sister.

"Cassandra," she said in that airy voice of a woman. "How fantastic," she added sarcastically, her eyes looking her up and down.

"Yeah, I know," Cassandra said calmly. "What a small world," she purposefully looked around and asked, "Where's the tea? I thought this is a tea party?"

Angelica snorted beside her and Chanty—well, she giggled. Philip was oblivious of the ongoing battle of estrogen-driven felines because he was still standing there, relaxed and smiling. Or maybe he just plainly didn't care.

She saw Beth's face colored with anger.

"I'll get you one if you want," Philip said almost instantly.

Was he stupid? He was going to leave her alone with this bitch who was ready to pull her hair off?

"Get three cups of tea, Philip," Angelica said with amusement, her hand on her hip. It was then that she remembered she had two comrades at her back. Philip was not entirely necessary after all.

Philip nodded and went away.

"I don't remember inviting you," Beth looked at Chanty and Angelica, her jaw clenching.

"We invited ourselves," Chanty answered, flipping her dark brown tresses behind her shoulders.

Angelica spoke up in that menacing voice of hers, "We haven't been to a tea party since we were..." she looked at Chanty, then at Cassandra inquiringly and then back at Beth, "five?"

"Six for me," Chanty nodded, "Yes, I remembered I had a tea party with my little girl neighbor because Philip wouldn't play it with me. That neighbor was my long-time imaginary friend, if you must know," she snorted as she said that.

"I've never had a tea party," Cassandra added, smiling now. "Seems like a poor and desperate attempt to be English."

"And can I suggest that you three go home?" Beth stonily uttered. "If you are here to criticize my party, you can turn around and walk out the door."

"We can endure it for an hour, I guess," Angelica answered dryly, looking around the room uninterestingly. "But nothing more than that."

Beth's eyes flickered toward Cassandra. "I heard you went to see Dennis. Don't ever do that again."