Christa had been in her home for two weeks now and it was terrible, Marybeth thought as they all sat at the dining table, she and Christopher on one side while Logan and Christa were on the other. To an outsider, they presented a happy family, but if one looked closer, they'd notice the cracks. How Logan and Christa were icing out Marybeth, how Christopher was playing with his breakfast and not eating it with enthusiasm the way he usually did, and how Marybeth was ignoring the two people in front of her who were shamelessly cozying up to each other. Or maybe the more obvious signs like how the two sides of the table had two different dishes for breakfast. The Renfry home was in shambles.
Logan glanced at Marybeth from the corner of his eye to check if she was watching them, but she wasn't; instead, her attention was on trying to get Christopher to eat, but he was refusing. Christa fed him a berry which he ate, making exaggerated noises trying to get Marybeth’s attention. “Christopher.” Christa suddenly spoke, and the whole table turned to look at her. Marybeth especially stared at her warily, “It isn't good to waste food. I don’t know if your mother has taught you that.” “I know that. I'm just not hungry.” Christopher said in response. “Aw, that's too bad,” Christa said, making a sad face. “I'd rather you didn't speak to my son ever,” Marybeth said. “Don't be so uptight, I'm only making conversation. “ She responded, waving her hand dismissively, then suddenly she sat up, “I just realized something. Christa.” She pointed to herself, “Christopher.” She pointed at him, “Coincidence? I think not!" She smirked at Marybeth. No, she couldn't have been. This woman wasn't implying that her son was named after her, was she? She turned to Logan, who had insisted on the name, and he looked away, refusing to make eye contact with her. Her eyes widened in realization. He did! He had named her baby after his first love. How could she have been so oblivious to such an obvious thing? “Mommy?” Christopher tapped her, “Are you okay?” “Mummy's ok honey. Don't worry.” She offered him a small smile, which he returned, albeit hesitantly. “Stop acting like that's the most shocking news in the world, I mean it was quite obvious you know.” She grabbed another berry smirking at her as she ate it. “Hmmm, well, it doesn't matter anyway.” Marybeth said, “A name is a name, it's the person that owns it that matters and you don't. “ She said, staring straight at Christa's gaze unflinching. Then she turned to Christopher, “Are you done, baby? Let's go to the park. Get away from the boring people in this house.” Together they left for the park. “I don't matter?” Christa scoffed, “I don't matter? Yeah right, lie I'm the one whose husband brought in another woman to live with them.” Then she turned to Logan, “Why didn’t you say anything?” “Like what?” He responded absentmindedly, scrolling through his phone. “I don't know, but you should have tried defending my honor or something. “ He chuckled at that. “What's so funny?” “I'm sorry, it's just you came into a matrimonial home with the plan to steal the husband and you're talking about honor. That's what is funny.” He responded. “Why did you say it like that? You're making it sound like I came up with the plan all by lonesome. We planned this together because we want to be together. Or is that not the plan anymore?” She asked gazing at him, her eyes searching for an answer. “Of course it still is.” He responded giving her a peck on the lips, “The plan hasn't and will not change.” “Good.” She said, smiling at him. True, he omitted the fact that the plan he was talking about was completely different from the plan she had in mind, but it didn't matter; everything would work out the way he wanted it to. At the park, Marybeth sat watching as Christopher ran around playing with his friends. “Not too fast, okay!” She called out to him. Her hand gripped his inhaler tightly, her body ready to dash to his side if need be. She couldn't believe her baby was named after Logan’s lover-it didn't matter how much they tried to deny it, it was obvious they were involved with each other. The divorce papers had arrived just the day before, and she had carefully hidden them deep in Christopher's room. She couldn't risk Logan or Christa finding it, who knows what they'd do. For now, Toto's room had enough space for it. She looked at her son again, now on the swing laughing wildly. It was good that she brought him out of that house. Ever since Cjrista moved in, it was like he was folding in on himself becoming a mere shadow of his former happy self. She decided then that she would do whatever it took to make sure she got custody of her son, because he was hers now, not the Renfrys’, not Logan's, just hers. “Oh, Mrs. Renfry!” A voice called out to her, its owner taking a seat beside her. She turned to face the woman who looked vaguely familiar “Hello. I'm sorry, do I know you? You look familiar. “ “Yes, we met at your husband's office the other day, I bumped into you when you stepped off the elevator.” “Oh, oh. Hi!” She responded by adding more familiarity to her greeting. “How are you?” “Oh, I'm good, thanks for asking. How are you? How's home?” “It's fine. I'm fine. Just brought my son to the park to let him have fun.” “Ah, yes it is important that children go out into nature. How's your husband?” That question made Marybeth pause. It was so sudden and intentional that it felt like there was a hidden message behind it. “My husband? He's fine, why?” “Oh, I was just asking. I remember you wanted to see him that day I ran into you.” “Yes, that’s true. That day you ran from the direction of his office, you said he was… in a … meeting.” She stopped. Her mind was working now- When she entered the office, Christa had come out of the bathroom, so there was no way anything could have happened. So that could only mean they are about to start but they must have heard her when she fell. She turned to the familiar stranger seated beside her, “What did you hear in that meeting?” The woman gazed at her sadly, “I'm sure you already know.” Marybeth slumped her head down in disappointment. She did know. Her husband didn't have the decency to be discreet even at work “I also heard something else, though,” the woman offered. “What did you hear?” Marybeth asked. “Your husband wants to get rid of you so he and Christa can play happy family with your son. But he wants to wait till he is older and more self-sufficient.” “I see. Thank you. What's your name?” “My name isn't important, I'm just glad I could help you.”The woman had left, leaving her to her thoughts. Her son ran into her, ramming himself into her body.“Mommy, inhaler!” He wheezed. She quickly collected herself, giving him the inhaler and directing him on how to use it.“Good boy!” She applauded him and he gave her a wide grin before running back to keep playing. She stared at her son, her mind reeling with this new discovery, Logan wanted Toto to be older before he got rid of his mother. Insane, the audacity of this man.After a while, she decided they had spent enough time at the park.“Toto! Come now we have to get going!”“I'm coming!” He yelled back, running and yelling bye to his friends. “Ouu, you're so stinky. I'm gonna give you a bath when we get back.” She carried him, trudging to her car. “No baths, Mommy. I'm not stinky I promise.” He whined.“Yes, you are,” She responded, giggling. “No time to waste.”Meanwhile, back at the house, Christa was alone and she used that time to move around the house, imagining herself as
Christa had been in her home for two weeks now and it was terrible, Marybeth thought as they all sat at the dining table, she and Christopher on one side while Logan and Christa were on the other. To an outsider, they presented a happy family, but if one looked closer, they'd notice the cracks. How Logan and Christa were icing out Marybeth, how Christopher was playing with his breakfast and not eating it with enthusiasm the way he usually did, and how Marybeth was ignoring the two people in front of her who were shamelessly cozying up to each other. Or maybe the more obvious signs like how the two sides of the table had two different dishes for breakfast. The Renfry home was in shambles.Logan glanced at Marybeth from the corner of his eye to check if she was watching them, but she wasn't; instead, her attention was on trying to get Christopher to eat, but he was refusing. Christa fed him a berry which he ate, making exaggerated noises trying to get Marybeth’s attention.“Christopher.
Logan paced the guestroom his head turning to the door periodically. He was waiting for her to co.e to him and apologize like she always did. He waited for an hour and she still didn't show up. He frowned at the door, looking at it like it was the cause of the current situation. She had refused him.. She'd never once refused him before, heck, she was the one always instigating. Why was she acting so differently now? Was she really that and at him for forgetting their son? It wasn’t a big deal, the boy was okay now and was fast asleep. It's not like he got traumatized or anything. In that moment, his phone rang, he glanced at it thinking it was Christa and was ready to ignore it, but it was his uncle, Ryan Renfry. He cleared his throat before he picked up the phone.“Hello, Uncle.”The voice at the other end of the line was a deep baritone voice “Hello Loahan, how have you been?”“Very well Uncle.” He paused a bit, “To what do I owe this honor?”“I've been informed that Christa is ba
“Ma'am.” He began trying to reason with her, “You have to understand that this isn't the first time a child has been left at our establishment. Parents come with their kids and drop them off, going off to do whatever it is they have planned for the day, but they always come back for them before the day is over. So we assumed this was simply the case. It is not uncommon to see parents who don't wish to parent here in New York, ma'am.”“Wow, so you had no sense of urgency? What if something had happened to his father or to my son while he was under your roof?!” She demanded.“Then we would have called an ambulance.” He responded simply, “In my opinion, madam, I think it would be more productive for you to turn your anger towards your husband, who felt it was alright to leave his son here without saying a thing about where he would be going to you.”The manager was right. She knew that. But she needed an outlet for her anger and Logan wasn't around. She decided to keep her anger; she'd r
Weeks had passed since the roses came, and since then, Logan still had not come back. She was tired of coming up with excuses for her son, who kept demanding to know when his daddy would take him to buy cars like he’d promised. On this faithful day, when she felt she would snap, the sound of the code being punched into the door echoed in the room and Christopher turned around hopefully, his mind wishing that the person about to enter was his dadLucky for him, it was his dad. Logan walked in, his hands filled with luxury items.“Daddy!” Christopher cried out running to meet him.“Hey, my boy.” He responded, kneeling down to accept his hug.“Where did you go, Daddy? Did you forget you are supposed to take me to look at cars?”“No son, I didn’t forget. In fact, I was busy searching for all the best shops for us to go to so you can have only the best cars.”“Really!?”“That’s right.” “So what about these bags then?” He asked pointing at the bags in his father’s hands.“These are for you
Divorce. What an intense word that she never once thought she would have to use. Her husband did not love her, it was very obvious, even a blind person could see it, but she still loved him; however, it seemed her love wasn’t enough for her marriage to be alright anymore. She sighed deeply, hands gripping the railing tightly. From her point of view, she could see the entire living room and she gazed at it sadly. From the high-scale furniture to the matching carpet and drapes, all of which she had single-handedly picked out in a bid to make this house a home. It all seemed worthless now. She gazed at her son’s room and she decided not just yet. Logan did not return home that night, choosing to remain with Christa, and she was happy about that. She did not know how she would react to him when she saw him. He was acting as though she were only dependent on him, and she supposed he was allowed to feel that way because she had let him have that kind of power over her, and that was a terri