"Are you sure your parents aren't pissed about us not coming over?"
"No, Lee, knowing my parents, they probably left for some exotic location for the weekend," Sana replied as she posed her mug and sat on the sofa.
Sana wasn't far off. Her parents quickly reserved a weekend in Deauville after spending the week on Roland Garros tennis courts to watch the matches.
"Good, because I don't want them to think I'm avoiding them or something," Lee said.
For once, he met parents who appreciated him. Lee didn't want his efforts ruined.
Lee smiled at himself as he thought how indifferent he was to Sana and how living without her was unthinkable now.
"Why are you smiling?"
"I was thinking when you showed up with your plumber dungarees for the inventory," Lee replied.
Sana facepalmed, "Lee, please don't bring up such files," said the woman as an embarrassment surge swept over her.
Lee turned to the side to face her, "you don't wear them anymore. I haven't seen them since."
"Of course, you haven't. I'm not going to wear something that will have you ventilate me with your puns."
The man reflected a second and realized he probably fell for her when he saw her in that attire. It was the first time he looked at a woman since his divorce without wanting to blast her off the face of the earth. Sana seemed so inoffensive in her dungarees. If were truth were told, Lee would admit he would have wanted Sana to give him a free hug.
Sana had the impression it was the first time she saw his lips curve. The last forty-four hours were a nightmare, and there everything fell back into place in appearance. The moment had that calm-after-the-storm effect Sana wished would last.
"Didn't they say anything at work?" Lee asked.
Sana shrugged and took a sip of her Yuzu cha before saying, "I told them I wasn't feeling well."
Sana omitted to say it wasn't HR but Olaf who called her. She didn't want to add spice and have Lee back in the hospital. Neither did the woman ask what Lee wanted to do about his vasectomy. All Sana knew was she would stand by any decision he made.
She wanted to have kids but didn't wish to impose anything on Lee. Only Lee could know what he needed. It was his body.
Could she live without having children?
Sana didn't know because she never asked herself the question. She thought she wouldn't need to, but she was in a situation where some reflection wasn't a vagary.
Where many would stay in bed or laze about in pajamas and robes, Lee acted like everything was okay. Sana wished to tell him he didn't front, but she knew his reasons.
The man didn't wish Dylan to worry as he did when he divorced. Again Lee carried the cross, and Sana just wanted to denounce Camille's actions.
Speaking of the woman, Camille wondered what she was doing, but Janet refused to answer her calls. When she tried to call her parents, Janet's mother said she hadn't seen her.
She didn't want to call her mother for advice. The woman had done enough by standing by her during her coming out. Yes, Camille's mom pepper-sprayed with words anyone who criticized her daughter.
Camille promised to be happy and live a quiet life for her mom's sake.
How did her life become such a riot?
Why did everything have to get so twisted?
Where could Janet be?
Ding, dong.
"Leave it, Sana. I'll get it," Lee said as he walked to the door. He opened, shut it, and came back to sit down.
"Who is it?" Sana asked.
"A vision of hell, nothing to worry about."
The door rang again.
This time Sana gestured to get up, only to have Lee hold her hand back.
"Lee, what's the matter?"
"Don't open the door."
"Lee."
The doorbell rang again. Sana sighed, freed her hand, and went to the door. Like Lee, she opened but shut it with nuance. The door slammed so hard that Lee began calculating the eventual repair cost.
"I told you," the man said when Sana returned to the living room.
Sana slumped back on the sofa. She warned them not to approach. Camille's audacity left her speechless.
2022 Camille was nothing like the woman Sana met at the wedding. That Camille was calm and serene. The woman wouldn't hurt a fly, whereas the one who stood at the door was a crocodile awakening.
The sound of turning keys brought their attention back to the entrance.
"Dad, didn't you hear the bell? I found mom at the door," Dylan blinked at the sight of Sana and Lee seated in an absolutely soundless room. The Tv wasn't even on.
The boy tried to assess the situation.
Did they really hear the doorbell and leave his mother at the door?
"Dad, what's going on?"
"Nothing," Lee said and got up to find Camille standing beside Dylan.
"What do you want?" Lee asked.
"Lee, I need your help. Janet left home the other night, and I don't know where she is," the rims of Camille's eyes filled with tears, "I don't know what to do."
Ever heard the expression of time standing still. Well, the moment was then for Lee. Never, even during their years of marriage, did Camille utter such words.
At that instant, Konbini entered the leaving room. Meow, what's this? Has the old mistress come to chuck out the new mistress? Meow, please do so neow, the cat thought as it slid between Camille's legs. Wait a minute, does that mean that she'll come back? Oh, no, I won't swap a hag for another, Konbini thought before going to its basket to observe. The cat watched how Lee came back to life after a few seconds of total stupor.
It wasn't the fact Camille needed help that retained the man's attention, but its summoning of his aid in particular.
"What do you want from us? Don't you think he has done enough for you already?" Sana interjected as she sprung from the sofa.
"Excuse me, can someone explain?" Dylan asked while he tossed his eyes at each person in the room.
"Go to your room," Dylan Lee said.
"Dad."
"Listen to your father," Camille added.
The boy's stare switched from his mom and dad before turning to the only person who could enlighten him, "Sana."
The teen put her in a delicate position, yet perhaps, it was her one and only chance. Sana turned to Lee, she knew he'd be furious, but she preferred the veil surrounding Camille lifted and Lees' truth reestablished in Dylan's eyes.
"Your mom and Janet want a baby."
There was nothing new for Dylan there. He guessed his father made a fuss.
"Dad, I know they want a baby. Stop treating me like a kid and giving mom and Janet a hard time."
"Dylan, please," Camille pleaded.
She imagined how the boy's words brewed the murkiest of emotions within the other adults in the room.
"No, mom, you have the right to have a child if you want one. You shouldn't be intimidated by what dad thinks of it."
Dylan's words slammed down on Lee's face like a judgments hammer.
Enough was enough for Sana.
"Dylan, may I ask you a question? Is it okay if your sibling is still your dad's child?"
Dylan frowned, "that's impossible." Of course, he imagined the physical interaction between his parents and was nowhere near their reality.
"Sana, please shut it," Lee said.
The woman continued, "well, they did insemination."
Dylan turned to Camille, "mom?"
"Dylan, I can explain."
"Go on, Camille, tell him how you tricked Lee."
"SANA," Lee yelled.
"Your mom isn't pregnant. It's Janet; it's Janet who's potentially pregnant."
"SANA, SHUT IT."
There she said it, come what may. Sana took risks; she spoke but quivered within.
"What, Lee?" The woman turned to face him, "are you really going to let her remain a heroine of modern times in your boy's eyes while you come off as an angry stricken fiend?"
"It isn't the time or the place, Sana."
"Pardon? Lee, tell me when will it be the time or the place? In nine months, at the maternity maybe. I wouldn't have said anything if she had stayed away from us."
"Mom," Dylan said.
"Who do you think you are?"
All turned to stare at Camille.
"Who do you fucking think you are to speak like this? It's my family your talking about."
"No, it isn't. Dylan is your son, but he," Sana pointed at Lee, "is my man and I'm bloody tired and pissed off by your conniving lies. I told you I don't want you near us."
Angered by Sana's actions, Lee didn't even pick on the woman's words.
"Mom is it true. Is Janet really having a baby, with dad'sㅡ."
Camille's silent tears said it all.
The boy's face twisted with disgust, "what is bloody wrong with you all?"
"Dylan, please," Camille grasped him by the shoulders, but the boy shrugged her off and ran to the door.
"Happy now?" Lee said as he ran passed Sana to chase Dylan.
Left alone, Camille faced Sana," why are you doing this to us?"
Sana lifted her eyes to the ceiling, "oh my, I can't believe this. Do you think I'm pulling any satisfaction from this? Do you really believe I can be happy breaking Dylan's heart and putting my relationship in peril by whistleblowing on your crazy shenanigans? So it's my fault now. Please come off your high horse and face reality."
Camille shook her head in denial and went to the door.
The calm tides only lasted seconds for Sana, who stood wondering if she hadn't wrecked her love ship for good.
Hi friends,
I wrote this real quick an hour ago. So it's pretty messy; the typos must be hefty.
Anyway, things are getting messier. I have never stirred such drama in my entire life!
Sana split the tea.
I hope her couple survives this.
Does anyone think she did wrong?
Thank you for reading
Take care!