Chapter 3: Art Class

“Momma, you okay? Why are you crying?” Leira asked when I entered the car. 

I tried not to be so obvious but I guess, I failed. I handed her the toy without giving her an eye and diverted my gaze opposite her direction to wipe my dried tears.

“Yes, sweetie. I’m okay. Momma just slipped off the stairs lately, but momma’s okay now,” I looked at her with assurance and gave her a smile. “Let’s go?” I asked to divert the subject.

She just nodded with enthusiasm and started singing the song I played using Bluetooth in the car.

I carried her along to her room, making her giggle, and sat on her little chair in front. The other children stared at us like we were doing some interesting stuff. I also smiled at them and was about to leave when Leira instantly uttered. 

“I know, my momma is gorgeous!” she exclaimed, making me divert my gaze in her direction. I chuckled upon watching her talking to a little boy who is bragging about something silly. 

She grinned while waving her hands at me, so I just shook my head and decided to leave their room with a smile on my face. 

She is the dearest. 

Instead of sitting and waiting in the waiting area, I’ve decided to just walk around the garden to freshen up. I need time for silence.

I need to unwind my mind from what I have heard lately. It is too much, to be honest, but... I don’t have any stand in his life making everything so fucked up. Life really is so not fair.

How I wish he’s still the Steffano I know. The only man I love, and the guy who respects and love me with all his might. The guy who will fight for me, and will never leave me hanging and helpless. 

A set of tears started to pool in my eyes upon reminiscing our memories in the past, and it is too impossible to happen again in the present. 

I love him, that I can endure the pain every time he hurts me physically, mentally, and emotionally. I love him, and I can still forgive him no matter what he will do or what he has done to me. But I’m ain't a robot. 

I can be a martyr, but for how long?

I have feelings, and the pain is too much...

I gestured my hands on the bluish sky and looked up upon closing my vulnerable eyes to control my tears from falling. I even took a deep breath, making my heart slightly tremble while harking back to the past we both have written, so as the happening lately which until now is still vivid in my mind.

“Mrs. MacMillan?” I diverted my gaze to where the voice came from and instantly wiped my tears to cover it up. 

I sighed and gave her a wide smile.

“President Leticia...” I uttered, making her reveal the beam in her eyes.

“Oh Goodness, you’re silly!” She chuckled and gestured her hands to hug me. I smiled and hugged her back, missing the old friend of mine. “I miss you so much, Euphoria. I never thought I could see you here,” she added and stared at me from head to toe with a hint of a genuine smile on her face. She even patted my shoulder as he did before.

“I miss you, too, Leticia. What are you doing here, by the way? The last thing I heard, you want to stay in Miami for good?” I asked upon trying to cover up the evidence of my crying lately. I am happy to see her, but I can’t deny the fact that sadness claims almost half of me.

Leticia is a good friend of mine back in college, and she’s the former president of our campus, the reason why I can’t help but call her President Leticia. 

“Well... My husband wants me to come home to my hometown, and I guess we will be living here for years,” she replied, making me nod my head in approval. “So, you and Steffano really ended up together, huh? Mrs. MacMillan...” she added her question while giving me an amusive and playful stare. 

I just smiled and nodded...

“I knew it! I know, you both will end up together. I am glad, you are living happily right now...” she crossed her arms and her smile went wider, revealing her perfect teeth

She’s still garrulous, like before. Well, I am once like her, but the times made me change like this. 

“Yeah, I am also happily living this kind of life...” I uttered bitterly with a hit of sarcasm, but don’t have any intention to make her smell the fishiness in my hellish life. 

“I remembered before, you both are dying to be with each other, which made me feel so jealous with the bond you both have...” she chuckled again, reminiscing our college days where Steffano still adores and admires me. 

I sighed and looked up to the sky and smiled bitterly while listening to Leticia’s words. 

“I thought, I will be living alone in the future since I am the one who’s a hopeless romantic, who’s always crying due to those assholes...” We both chuckled in chorus. “...but look at us now! We‘re both living with our dreams, and I am so happy for you, Euphoria...” I diverted my gaze to her and smiled at her when she added that. 

“Yeah...” I nodded. We were filled with silence thereafter. 

“Why do I have this feeling that you’re feeling the latter? You okay?” she gave me an eye and asked in concern, making me try to control my tears from falling. 

I don’t want anyone to know my situation. I don’t want to drag them to my mess. 

“I just missed being a flight attendant. You know, that’s the job I want to do forever...” I instantly uttered with menace, trying to find a better explanation to divert our subject. 

“So it’s true. Did you quit your job? I thought Steffano’s already okay with it? What happened?” she asked with a worried face. But it changed when a conclusion appeared on her mind. “Oh well, having an almost perfect wife is so hard. He will be living with jealousy if you will continue your job, for sure... Knowing that Freio—” she didn’t continue her words when a voice came from nowhere. 

“Mommy, foods!” A cute little voice echoed around the garden and a little boy instantly appeared in front of Leticia. I assume, he is six years old.

“Oh, my baby... Here,” she handed him a sandwich from her bag, but the boy pouted and is hesitant to accept it, making me chuckle due to the cuteness he possessed.

“Don’t want this, mom. I want pizza, and lollipop, and burger, and...chocolates!” he exclaimed. 

“Those are bad for your health, sweetie. We already talked about this before, right? No cho—”

“No chocolates every Tuesday till Friday,” it is him who continued her mom’s words and pouted again. 

I was about to come closer to him when another voice came from nowhere. 

“Momma, our class is over! Want shopping!” Leira instantly ran in my direction and clasped my right hand.

I heard Leticia’s chuckles from behind. 

“She really looks like Steffano. Your daughter’s so adorable...” she commented and gestured her hands-on air, while still holding her son who’s now pouting.

“She’s Selina’s,” I replied in a whisper but I know she heard it, making her feel dumbfounded and confused. She was about to say something when her son spoke. 

“You! Mom will give me lots of chocolates after Friday, and I will never give you some!” 

My eyes landed on him, and to my surprise, he is now looking at Leira who was now rolling her eyes at him. 

“I don’t need your chocolate. Momma will buy me lots of brands later! hmp!” she even raised her brows to the small boy. “Let's go, momma. That boy is so mean!” she added and grabbed my arms, away from Leticia’s who is now staring at me with turmoil. 

I just smiled at her full of bitterness before Leira grabbed me to the gate. I can’t help but sigh and grabbed her back to help her enter the car. 

I know, Leticia already concluded something. She’s not the president for nothing. Hope to not see her again without thinking of any explanations. I will be fucked up if ever.

—

“Momma, there are chocolates there! Let’s buy!”

“Sweetie, I thought you don’t like chocolates?” I asked. she just pouted, revealing her cute dimples. 

 

I roamed my eyes around the mall and smiled upon remembering those days when I and Tangerine used to make this mall our second house since we always come here 24/7, buying all the new brands this mall could offer. 

Am I that spoiled before?

“That annoying boy said, a girl is ugly if she’s not eating chocolates! I’m not ugly, momma, right?” My eyes landed on her and chuckled when she said that.

“Yes, sweetie. You are pretty, just like your mom...”

“Yes, just like you, Momma. You’re prettier!” she exclaimed.  All I could do is to laugh at her childishness. I am so lucky to have this little fella beside me. 

“Okay let's go there... But promise me not to tell this to Dada, okay? He will get mad, for sure.” She excitedly nodded and held my hands tightly with excitement. 

We both can only go out for fun 1 time a week.

We were about to move our feet, off to the chocolate store, when my eyes landed on a man intently staring at me, then his eyes landed on the kid beside me.