Love, Helena

Chapter 3

Amber huffed a bitter chuckle, "Whatever." She pulled her phone out and tapped furiously, sliding it in her pouch again. "I'm almost twenty years old. I think I get to choose who to spend my time with and when."

She stormed out of the room before Wren could even say a word in response. She knew she had left when she heard the sound of a car pulling away. She sank down on the bed and ran her fingers tightly through her hair feeling helpless. 

Her sole concern, and only achievement in life was being a mother. That was all Wren remembered... Now she felt like that was also slipping right from between her fingers. She heard it in Amber's rage. She saw it in the darkness when she closed her eyes that night after trying to pretend to her other children that nothing was the matter.

She felt herself slipping away from reality. Her husband hadn't spoken a word to her other than polite exchanges here and there. He took a bedroom downstairs opposite his assistant's, Sharon told her with a hint of sad embarassement she chose to ignore. She dismissed the older woman's worries with a smile and carried herself to bed. As long as the children were having a good time together. As long as she could see their smiles and hear their laughter, that is all that mattered to her.

~~~

"Mommy, why is she here?" Ophelia pointed a finger to the assistant that's been glued to her father's side the entire week.

They were sat in the living room having afternoon tea before Zach and his assistant sauntered in, cutting short the familial conversation. Ales and Lennon were by the windowsill playing chess, and Ophelia was curled up in Wren's lap as she read her book, brushing her fingers through the little girl's hair.

Ophelia did not like the assistant one bit. She hadn't gotten past her father's cold greeting and the cold shoulder he'd been giving her the entire week, when she was looking forward to seeing him for months on end. No matter what Helena did, the little girl was no longer talking about her dad. She was now annoyed because of the woman stuck to his side, invading their home. She wanted her out and away.

"She's our guest baby. She helps daddy with work." Wren kissed her daughter's forehead trying to speak in hushed voices to keep the conversation between them.

"I don't want her here mama. It's not her house." Ophelia protested, crossing her arms stubbornly.

Wren didn't miss the grimace on the assistant's face as she narrowed her eyes at Ophelia, trying to bite down her retort. Helena was truly confused as to why a full grown woman might be considering arguing with a four year old. She raised a challenging brow to the woman.

Zach looked up from his phone to his daughter, "Now, that is not very polite. That is no way to treat our guests, little one. How about an apology?"

Wren's brows shot up in surprise. Cara's lips twisted in a self satisfied smile, as she looked expectantly at Ophelia. "Oh, Zachary, It's alright. She's just a little girl."

Ophelia hid her face in her mother's chest like she always did when she was upset or looked for protection. Wren's fingers tried to soothe her, running up and down her arm as she observed her husband.

He met her gaze then lowered it to Philly, "No, she can apologize. My children are not so disrespectful."

Wren almost lurched from her seat at the murderous instincts that arose in her blood. She wanted to wipe the petty smirk off Cara's face and yell at Zach, maybe claw his eyes out for good measure. Just what was he thinking to bring this woman to their home, and frighten her little girl to impress her? Who even did this woman think herself to challenge her under her roof?