Going back

17|| Coffee

"No. I- you know what I've gone through. I have played the part of a perfect wife for a decade. I did everything you asked of me and this is how you repay me?"

"No, I didn't mean–"

"Shut up." Lisa walked to the door and rested her hand on the handle. Without looking back, she spoke, "If you continue behaving like this, Iris won't be the only person you lose."

Slamming the door shut on his protests, Lisa sighed and leaned against the wood, casting her gaze to the ceiling. Laughing quietly, she pressed a hand to her face and drew in a shaky breath.

"Hey."

Snapping her head to the right, Lisa was surprised to see Iris standing there. Her blue eyes shone with some foreign emotion, and she scuffed the carpet with the toe of her shoe.

"Hey Iris." Lisa's expression collapsed into a practised smile. "Are you hungry? I can make you something to eat."

"Um, thanks Lisa, but I'm not. I was just wondering... do you want to go out for some coffee?"

X

"So, what did you want to ask me?"

Iris slurped on her frappuccino, surveying the cold interior of the cafe with quiet contemplation. There were only three people inside and a bored cashier who spent more time scrolling on their phone than they did taking orders.

"Who said I wanted to ask you something?" Iris shrugged, trying to play it cool even though curiosity burned a blazing inferno in her eyes.

"Call it intuition."

"I... heard what you said to West- I mean, to David. I just wanted to say thanks for defending me."

Lisa grinned and sipped her black coffee. "You could've said thanks by paying for the meal."

"Don't push your luck."

Lisa laughed, which caught the attention of the slightly creepy man huddling in the shadows. He smirked, licking his lips, and waggled his fingers in what seemed to be a wave. Lisa swiped her thumb across her neck and tapped her knife against the table, causing him to quickly turn his attention away.

"I suppose you want to know what David meant at the end of that unpleasant conversation?"

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't intrigued, but I don't want to pry into your privacy."

"It's okay. I'd rather you hear from me. On one condition." Lisa pointed her fork at Iris and then stabbed it into her cake. "I tell you this, and you tell me exactly why you hate the others so much."

"Deal." Iris rested her head on her splayed fingers. "You go first."

"Okay." Lisa took a deep breath and leaned back. "About six months after your parents... divorced, I met David. I was under a lot of stress at the time. You see, my previous husband- that is, the boys' father- was... not the nicest man in the world. He had caused me to lose my precious baby girl a month before by–" Lisa broke off and turned her head to the side. "I don't want to get into that now, but David offered me a contract marriage. I would play the role of a perfect wife and he would protect my boys."

"So... David didn't cheat on Mum?" Iris couldn't stop the question from pushing past her lips.

She remembered seeing Elise hunched over her phone, eyes brimming with tears as she stared at the article of David's remarriage. It happened so quickly that there were rumours of an affair. Iris didn't realise the slight bitter resentment she held towards Lisa until it melted away at that moment.

"No, he didn't. David, for all his faults, still loved- loves your mother very much. I could never take her place in his heart, and I have no desire to anyways."

Iris let out a shuddering breath, squeezing her eyes shut. She pressed a fist to her heart, wishing her mother was here to hear these words. Although Iris herself detested her biological father, she knew Elise loved him- even after all the pain he put them through.

"Then why did he kick us out?" Iris asked quietly, an old rage pushed away the brief flicker of hope in her chest. "He left us to die on the streets without so much a backwards glance."

"I don't know," Lisa answered honestly. "I can't claim to know what's going on in that man's head, but I do know this isn't healthy for you."

"What do you mean?"

"In the last few weeks, David has been..."

"Overbearing? Pretentious? A really huge prick?"

"Well, yes, but also think about how you have been acting. Of course, you have every right to be mad- but have you asked David why he left you both years ago? Have you actually had a proper conversation with him?"

"I don't care about all that stuff." Iris scoffed, crossing her arms and staring out of the glass window. "Besides, he won't listen to me anyways."

Lisa stared at her with unwavering amber eyes. "I think you do. Otherwise you wouldn't have asked me to join you today. I think that it's time you and David have a serious conversation."

*****************

I hope you guys liked it!

Stay safe and thanks for reading :)