A Wife's Revenge

|21|

I wake up with a splitting headache. I'd drowned myself in a pool of thoughts before managing to get a few hours of sleep. I wasn't going in for work today, I'd call in sick. Finding out about Luke's plan had disorientated me completely.

My attorney, Jean-Ann had called me the night before, informing me that she'd been able to file the cases and Luke had been subpoenaed. The first hearing would be today, by 12PM.

I go to Louis' room to check up on him. He's awake. "My love," I say as I carry him out of his crib. "Oh." I say, as I realize he'd made a mess. "That stinks baby, you know that?"

I take out his onesie and diaper. I clean him up. "It's time for a bath, hm?"

"Good morning, ma'am." Ashley enters.

I smile, "Ashley. Good morning. How are you? Your night?" I ask as I get Louis into the sink. He opens his growing teeth at me, smiling. I chuckle.

"It was great. Yours?"

"Well, not too good. Have you had breakfast?"

"Yes, pancakes and bacon."

"Can I have some?" I ask. I am a bit hungry.

"Definitely, I'll go make you some, ma'am."

***

"I miss you more, you should come over you know? Your godson misses you too. Right, my love?" I say as I clean spit of Louis mouth and use my right shoulder to hold my phone as I speak to Lydia. I put Louis on the counter, holding him with my left hand. "Well, then it's settled. I'll text you the address. Please, can you get me a burger on your way? I'm starving." I tell her. I end the call and quickly text Lydia my address. Louis touches my breasts, meaning he was hungry. "You'll have a bottle. With milk. You're a big boy, you need to stop eating from mommy." I say, and as though he understood what I'd said, he begins to cry. I close my eyes and massage my temples for a second, then I reach out to carry him. Being a mother wasn't an easy task, I'd learned it. "I wonder how Judith treated me as a child," I say as I pat Louis back and reach for the pancakes Ashley'd made for me.

"Can you please pass me the Hershey's syrup? The pink one?" I sit down on the counter chair. "Louis you have to learn how to feed from a bottle. Ashley, can you please warm up a bottle of milk for him?" I begin to devour my pancakes when I hear a strangely familiar and annoying voice.

"Yes, ma'am." Ashley responds.

"Hello, grandson!" Her loud laughter follows afterwards. "Natalie. Why do you have eye bags?"

I roll my eyes and drop my fork. "Think of the devil and she arrives." I murmur.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing, mom. You're here."

"Of course I am. Where else would I be? I'm standing right in front of you!" She says as she stretches her hands for Louis.

"Right. Why are you here?" I ask, giving her Louis. I shouldn't be surprised she showed up, she was fond of barging in whenever she felt like or whenever she needed money.

"Please, Natalie, I beg you, I'm here to see my grandson and his mother. Don't tire me with questions."

"Ashley, please can we have a moment?"

"Yes, ma'am." Ashley responds.

"Mom, can you please just tell me exactly why you're here?"

"But I just told you. I'm here for you and my grandson."

"Okay." I say as I get off the chair. I'm already walking away when she finally comes clean. "And!" She says. I turn, my arms folded. I raise an eyebrow up, waiting for her to say what she wanted.