Two

GEORGIA

Waiting for him all night

The night breeze wafted through the windows, fanning my face softly and making it possible for me to breathe.

But it wasn't helping my aching heart and my anxiety. It wasn't helping my overthinking either.

It's been over twelve hours since James and I had that very, painful altercation. He hasn't been home since then. I've been standing here next to the window all afternoon and I watched the sun go down and the crescent moon appear in the sky.  All that time, I was muttering a single prayer.

‘Please bring him home to me.’

Not because I wanna fight with him or continue interrogating him about Betty. I just need him here. With me. This is his home. This is where he belongs. He shouldn't be out there with whoever.

But then hours have gone by and still no sign of him. I'm almost tearing up now. If it clocks midnight and he still isn't here, I fear I might not be able to hold myself from falling apart.

I know this isn't the first time he's sleeping outside. It's not our first fight either. But something about this one feels a bit too serious and ominous. It feels as if he succeeds in staying outside tonight, then that means I've lost him forever.

That's the thought haunting me. It's killing me, actually.

“Ma'am,” Mercy's soft voice behind me made me turn around softly. She's holding the house telephone.

“Who is it?” My heart kicked at the thought that it could be James. Maybe he wants to apologize. That would be great.

“Your mother-in-law.” She replied, stealing away that brief excitement from me and replacing it with panic.

My mother-in-law. The woman who despises my existence the most. Nothing good has ever come out of ever having a conversation with her.

“Maybe you should talk to her instead, please,” I said to Mercy, with a soft, pleading smile. I don't have the heart to handle my mother-in-law's harsh words right now.

“I was going to but she demanded to speak to you.”

So that means I don't have any choice but to answer the phone. She handed it over and I cleared my throat calmly.

“Good evening, Ma'am.” My voice was all shaky and jittery. My grip on the phone is badly trembling. I can already feel her rage.

“You, good-for-nothing! It took you forever to take the phone from your annoying maid. Didn't it?!” She barked right into my ears.

“I'm sorry, Ma'am. I wasn't close to her…”

“Save your silly explanations!” She cut me off harshly. “Where is my son? I've been calling him but he isn't taking any of my calls. What have you done to him, you little witch?”

“I don't know where he is either, Ma'am. He's not here at home. He left in the morning and he isn't back yet.”

“He left for work?”

“No. He just left.” I was avoiding telling her about my issues with James. She's gonna pick on me terribly with it. I won't be able to handle her brutal taunting.

“Oh well, it's better he's somewhere out there than in that house where you suck him dry with your poisonous witchy powers.”

“Ma'am, please. That's enough.” God, my heart hurts so bad. First, it was James's verbal abuse of me and his mother. Will I ever get a break from their verbal brutality?

“It's hardly enough! It's never gonna be enough until you let my son go. Release him. You've drained him enough. He's becoming a working ghost all because he's sticking with the side of a woman whose womb is as infertile. Release my son, Georgia. Do you hear me?! Release him!”

“Just take this, please.” I handed the phone quickly to Mercy. Tears were already pouring down my face and there wasn't any holding them back.

She left with the phone, speaking to James' mother. I didn't get to hear the content of the conversation. I didn't want to.

I rubbed my aching chest, shutting my eyes at the pain twirling in my heart. What did I ever do to deserve such mean and cruel treatment from them?

With my mother-in-law, I've been the most filial daughter-in-law. I've done the impossible to make her like me. But it seems the more I try to impress her, the more she detests me. She literally vowed never to set foot in this house again until I'm gone.

What could be so disgusting and unfixable about me for her to hate me that much? I adore her. All I ever wanted was to have a mother-daughter relationship with her since I don't have a mother. Or a father. Or a sibling. I just wanted her to love me.

Why is that so impossible? Why is happiness so impossible, dear moon goddess? Am I cursed or what?

“Please stop crying, Ma'am.” Mercy's soft whisper behind me made me aware of her presence.

I quickly dried my tears. It's not actually her first time seeing me this vulnerable. But yeah, it still doesn't change the fact that I hate her seeing me this way.

“What did she say?” I asked, turning to look at her.

“She asked me to call her once Alpha James returns home.”

“It's alright. Do call her.”

“Why don't you come have dinner, Ma'am? Please. You haven't eaten anything all day.”

“I'm not hungry.” A sob slipped through my lips. She held my hands quickly, consoling me.

“Ma'am, please don't cry.”

“I can't help it. I just want my mate back home with me.” I said, glancing at the window. It's gotten darker outside. Will he still return tonight?

“I hate to tell you this but I don't think Alpha James will be coming home tonight. If he planned on coming home, he would have been home already.”.

That's true. I know that. But I can't accept that. My heart's hurting too much already.

“Just have dinner, please. It's something light. You've gotten so pale in just a day.” She pouted, touching my skin.

Mercy happens to be the only one in this house who still treats me with a little bit of decency and respect. And I love her.

“Thank you.” I forced a smile, deciding to go have dinner.

“I'll be fixing some things in the living room. Let me know if you need me.”

“Sure, dear.”

I went to the dining room and the food was right on the table. I grabbed a spoon and scooped up a minimum amount into my mouth.

It tasted like agony. But it wasn't the food I was tasting. It was my tears that had dropped into it. I was still crying. Just silently now.

I ate another spoonful and it triggered a nausea effect inside me. Again, I do not have an appetite. So it's making this whole eating thing feel very tedious.

At the third spoon, I just knew I couldn't do it anymore. I took the food into the kitchen in an attempt to flush it down the sink.

A sudden dizziness hit me just when I was about to turn on the faucet. I twirled in the air and in the blink of an eye, I hit the ground.

Darkness was slowly taking over me. But I could hear someone passionately yelling out my name.

Every inch of me hoped that was James. Maybe he's back home and he's here to fix our marriage. Maybe he still loves me as much as I still do.

Maybe…

My eyes shut, as darkness completely took over me.