Let's Again Together

Kelly's POV " The number you're trying to call is switched off. Please try again later, thank you." I kicked the sofa in anger. It was 11:53 PM and Greg wasn't back home yet. He usually wasn't this late from work and if he was having a meeting or something, he'd have called earlier to inform me. Probably it's network, I should try again. I dialed his number, and it said the same thing: Switched off. I huffed angrily and flung my phone on the sofa. A part of me is afraid, while another part of me feels restless. "Mummy, will daddy come home today?" Mirabelle asked. That is Mirabelle, our only child and daughter and, yes, she is still awake. At times, she can be stubborn and adamant. I would wonder where she got that from. I walked over to her and carried her up. " Yes, honey. Daddy is stuck in traffic, he will be home soon," I said with a fake smile on my face to assure her. " You should go back to your room and sleep. You have school tomorrow. " I peeped at the time on my phone sitting on the sofa, and it said 12:05 AM. " Mummyyy, I don't want to sleep until Daddy comes back." She whined. "Mira, don't argue with me, go to bed now" I shouted. Now, I am getting mad at her already for no reason. " But.. " Mira tried to make an utterance. I glared at her and she pouted. I could not blame her, she would always wait for Greg to come home, and we'd both tuck her in bed every night. Recently, Greg kept late nights at the office and would always come home late, at times very late. I can not even go to bed now, not until he is back home. At that moment, we were interrupted by the honking of a car. I hurried to the window and saw Greg driving into the garage. I heaved a heavy sigh of relief. “I can now go to bed now that Greg is back, and I pray I don't resume work late at dawn.” I muttered silently. A few seconds later, the door flung open and Greg walked in. "Yaay, Daddy is back," Mira said, jumping excitedly. She ran to him and waited for him to pick her up, but he just caressed her cheek and smiled at her. "I was worried sick about you. I called your line but it was switched off. Why didn't you call or text to inform me you would be home late?" I said and went to meet him. I hugged him and waited for him to hug me back, but he did not. I released my arms that were wrapped around him. "Why is Mira still awake by this time?" Greg asked, staring at me coldly. "And why did you come home late? You know she doesn't go to bed until she sees you", I replied to him with a question, in a bid to know what kept him late today. For the first time since his arrival, Greg faced me and asked, he sounded harsh. "And you couldn't tuck her in yourself?” “Are you trying to blame me now? We both know she will cry and not stop, if possible, until you pet her. And this is what you hate at a hundred percent - seeing Mira cry.” I bolted out with a loud tone. Greg started unbuttoning his shirt without paying attention to my rant. " You talk as if you do not know your daughter’s behavior.” I moved closer to him and continued. “She did not let me. We always tuck her in together, and she does not want to go to bed without seeing you" I said. I am seriously pissed now, but I can not show it or display how pissed I am. He came home late and instead of apologizing, he threw questions at me. "Are you the boss of hers or is she the boss of yours? Weren't you supposed to force her to bed since I wasn't there? Since when did you start taking orders from a six-year-old girl?" Greg asked, now maintaining his death stare at me. I could not fathom where I got the courage to fire back at Greg, "And since when did you start keeping late nights?.” I could sense my best friend, Sophie, 's influence on my behavior. And I don't think this is what I really want. "Do you realize you are disrespecting me in the presence of our daughter?" He fumes and moves closer to me. "If you had come home earlier, we wouldn't have been having this conversation in the first place, neither would we be arguing in front of her" I said, fuming as well. OK, I need to stop this right now before the issue on the ground escalates. But I find it somehow difficult for me to just keep mute after every statement Greg made. "So you are saying it is my fault that there was traffic? Is it my fault that I decided to come home straight when my mates out there usually leave their offices and retire at a bar? " I groaned inwardly. Greg has started his usual; always putting the blame on me for his mistake, and instead of apologizing for coming home late, he is trying to pick up a fight with me. " Mira, go to your room," I said. Greg was right, we shouldn't be arguing in front of her. Besides, I did not want her to witness another night of argument and banter, it is unhealthy for her. Just like her father, she hesitated a bit. " I am coming to tuck you in, okay? Daddy and I need to talk in private" I said after noticing her reluctant moves. Mira huffed and left for her room. I turned to Greg only to see him heading towards the stairs that lead to the room with his office bag in his left hand. I will not allow him to leave, not until the air is clear concerning his whereabouts. I said to myself as I ran to block him from approaching the stairs. Unfortunately for me, he heard my approaching footsteps and turned to face me.