HER MOTHER'S HUSBAND

HOW DISGUSTING

Vanessa laid on her bed, eyes open, staring at the ceiling like it had the answers. But no….no answers, just guilt bouncing around in her chest like it was doing a home workout.

She hadn’t even had the guts to look at herself in the mirror since that last night in the bathroom. The whole house felt different now, like the walls were whispering, judging her. “You really let that happen again?” “You went back in there?” “Girl, seriously?”

She let out a tired sigh and pressed a pillow against her stomach.

How would her mom feel if she ever found out? Like really found out…not just the looks, or the weird tension between her and Steve, but the whole truth.

That she had not only imagined him touching her… but had wanted it. That she had replayed it in her mind so many times she’d lost count. That she was the one who walked in on him… the second time.

"God, what is wrong with me?" she muttered under her breath, eyes pinching shut.

She could see her mom’s face in her head. Her soft voice, sweet eyes, always defending everyone. Even Steve. Especially Steve. “He’s a good man, Nessa. He might not be perfect, but he’s been there for me.”

Yeah, he’s been there for her… alright.

Vanessa groaned and rolled over, curling into a ball, like that’d protect her from her own thoughts. How do you even forgive yourself for something like this?

Then, like clockwork…the sound of a suitcase wheeling across the floor.

Her eyes snapped open.

"No!".

"Not now"..

"Please not now"..

Click.

Door opened downstairs.

Her heart dropped to her stomach.

“Mama?” she whispered, sitting up, hair a mess, eyes wide. She peeped out her window. And just like some sick joke from the universe, there she was…Mrs. Isabella.. herself dragging her suitcase inside, her coat still on, purse hanging on one arm, tired smile on her face like she couldn’t wait to see her daughter.

"Oh hell no"...

Vanessa scrambled out of bed, barely fixing her shirt, still wearing the same oversized tee from yesterday as she couldn't sleep without one…. She sprinted to the bathroom, splashed water on her face, dried it half-heartedly, and took a deep breath.

"You can do this. Just don’t be weird. Don’t act guilty. Don’t say anything stupid.. Nessa please".

She came downstairs just as her mom was kicking off her heels at the door.

“Mama,” Vanessa said, trying to force a smile, her stomach doing somersaults.

Isabella’s face lit up. “Baby! Oh, look at you.”

They hugged, and for a second, Vanessa felt like crying. Just right there in her mother’s arms. But she held it in, biting her tongue.

“You look tired,” Isabella said, pulling back a bit to study her. “Are you okay?”

Vanessa immediately went for the safest lie. “Just cramps.”

“Cramps?” Her mom tilted her head. “Your period?”

Vanessa nodded a little too quickly. “Yeah. Started yesterday night.”

“You took anything? Eaten today?”

“No… I’m not really hungry,” she mumbled, suddenly remembering she hadn’t had anything since morning. Or maybe yesterday since the incident between her and Steve. She couldn’t even remember anymore.

Before Isabella could say anything else, they both heard footsteps on the stairs.

Of course. Him.

Steve walked in with his casual confident steps, like nothing happened. Like they were all just one big happy family. His shirt was slightly unbuttoned at the top, and he looked fresh out of a shower.

Vanessa avoided his eyes like they were made of fire.

“Isabella,” he said with that same calm voice that used to make Vanessa feel safe but now made her skin crawl. He opened his arms, and Isabella melted into his hug.

“Hey, love,” she smiled, hugging him tightly. “Missed you.”

He kissed her cheek lightly. “Missed you too.”

Vanessa just stood there, stiff like a statue. She felt like she didn’t belong in that room. Like she was watching someone else’s life from the outside. Like she didn’t deserve to even be breathing the same air.

Isabella turned toward them with a warm smile, her suitcase now parked by the stairs.

“So,” she said cheerfully. “How have you two been? Just the both of you here? How was it?”

The air froze.

Vanessa didn’t move.

Steve looked at her.

She looked at him.

Neither said anything.

Not a word.

Just silence.

That silence that screamed louder than any argument could. It stretched long enough for Isabella to start looking from one to the other, brows slightly raised.

Finally, Steve cleared his throat and chuckled a bit.

“Yeah… she was such a good girl,” he said, throwing a glance at Vanessa. “It’s been nice spending time with her.”

"Nice?"

"Nice? Did he just say that?"...

Vanessa nearly choked on her own saliva. Her jaw clenched. Her fist balled by her side.

"Nice?"

He made it sound like they’d bonded over pancakes or something…not… whatever that was.

She rolled her eyes hard and looked away, but of course her mom caught it.

“What was that?” Isabella asked, squinting at her.

Vanessa faked a weak laugh. “Nothing, Mama. Just… my stomach, remember?”

Steve gave her a slight smirk. That same smug, silent little smile that made her want to throw a chair at his head and then kiss him stupid. "God, how did she even get here?"

Isabella sighed and gave her a gentle pat on the back. “Go lie down, sweetheart. I’ll come up with some ginger tea.”

Vanessa nodded and turned, walking up the stairs slowly like she was dragging all her shame behind her. She didn’t look back. She couldn’t.

Behind her, she heard Isabella giggling softly, and Steve saying something low about how she should rest too.

Then their footsteps heading upstairs together.

And the bedroom door shutting.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Back in her room, Vanessa locked the door, leaned against it, and slid to the floor.

She didn’t even know how to breathe anymore.

How disgusting.

Not just what had happened but how much she had wanted it. Still wanted it.

Even now.

Even after seeing her mom.

Even after hearing them giggle like two teens in love.

Her mind betrayed her flashing back to the water running down his body… the way his hand lingered on her skin… the way he looked at her that night like she was a woman, not some kid.

She hugged her knees tightly and tried to squeeze the thoughts out. But they came anyway faster, louder.

She imagined her mom finding out.

"What would she even say?"

"Would she cry?"

"Would she scream?"

"Would she slap her?"

"Would she ever forgive her?"

She didn’t even deserve it.

All this while her mom had been calling to check up on her, asking if Steve had been good to her, if they were getting along, if she was okay. All this while, Isabella had trusted her.

And Vanessa had betrayed that trust with every lingering thought, every stolen glance, every stupid heartbeat that quickened whenever he walked past her.

She groaned and buried her face in her hands.

“God, I’m disgusting…”

Meanwhile downstairs, laughter echoed.

Her mom and Steve. Probably reminiscing about something cute. Probably talking about dinner plans. Probably cuddling.

She couldn’t do this.

She couldn’t even face either of them now.

Her phone buzzed on the bed.

A text from her best friend, Ethan.

“Yo, you alive? You've been ghosting all week.”

She stared at it, debating if she even had the strength to talk to anyone.

Then another buzz.

“Is something wrong? You good?”

"No"... she screamed in her head…

She wasn’t good.

She was far from it.

But what could she even say?

“Yeah, I’ve been quiet because I made out with my mom’s man, and now I can’t stop thinking about him naked in the shower”?

Yeah, no.

She locked her phone and tossed it aside.

This was her mess. No one else’s.

And she had no idea how to clean it up.

All she knew was… something had to give.

Because if she stayed in this house much longer, with both of them smiling like nothing happened?

She might lose her mind.