THE ALPHA'S MATE

A flicker of awkwardness crossed Sophia Hayes’ face, but she quickly recovered and walked over with the baby in her arms. “Oh my! Justin told me you’re a doctor working overseas and very career-driven.“

She generously poured me a glass of water. ”He said you’ve been so busy that he couldn't even tell you that he remarried. He didn't want to disturb your work.”

I was born with the ability to understand what plants were saying. Afraid of being treated like a freak, I never told anyone about it, not even Justin Lake.

It seemed Sophia was putting on an act. The pothos beside me was practically shouting updates.

“Doc, she recognized you! Last month, she went through Justin’s phone and spent half an hour staring at your photos, calling you an old hag!”

The spider plant chimed in immediately, “That's right! She even saved your photos and sent them to her side piece. She said you looked like some country bumpkin and wasn’t a threat at all.”

A syrupy smile spread across Sophia's face as she motioned for me to sit down.

“Oh, Justin says you’re always busy. What brings you here all of a sudden?"

Pretending not to know who I was, she took the stance of the lady of the house and turned to pour me another drink.

I looked around.

The couch was different. The curtains had been replaced. Even my favorite coffee table had vanished, swapped out for a gaudy marble monstrosity. Every trace of me had been erased.

Sophia pushed the glass toward me and adjusted the baby’s clothes.

“Have some water. Justin went out to buy seafood. We have an important guest coming over today, so we’ll all be having dinner together.”

I lowered my gaze to the tea leaves floating in the cup and listened to the cactus sneering from its corner.

“Important guest? Please. It’s just that gigolo from the bar. This woman’s got nerve. Justin finally has a day off, yet she’s bringing her lover home for dinner, calling him a relative from her hometown.”

I lifted the cup and took a sip.

When Sophia handed me a plate of fruit, she deliberately tilted her wrist, revealing a Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra bracelet.

“Mother, look. Justin bought this for me last month to celebrate the baby turning six months old.” She raised her hand and let the bracelet sway in the air, unable to hide the pride in her voice. “And he said that his washed-up ex-wife working in Afrikad sends home enough foreign-aid money every month to keep the baby and me living comfortably.”