Three can tango

4. Mother in the wall

I scoffed in disbelief, trying to suppress the anger rapidly building up in me. “I don't believe you. Where is Chris?”

I suddenly heard the cry of my baby and Chris stepped out carrying him with a smile on his face. My heart melted instantly. This was the sight I had craved for so long, and now that I had finally seen it, Chris didn't want me?

“I thought Angela passed my message to you?” He asked coldly, the smile gone, “what are you still doing here?”

I gasped in shock—he wasn't joking! He really wanted my child and not me!

“I will not allow my child to grow up without a mother, you bloody bastard!” I yelled at him furiously.

He shook his head, “Of course, he won't. He will have Angela,” he said and kissed her on the cheek. “She loves him as much as I do.”

I shook my head, “You must take me for a fool, Chris! If you think you can have my child, then you must be crazy!” I yelled and stormed across the room, “give me my child. Now!”

He glanced at Angela and she suddenly wore a devastated look on her face.

“You must understand her, Chris. She is a mother, she loves her child more than I ever will,” she mumbled. “And I know you love your son too. If being with her means you will be with your son, then so be it. I will never hinder your happiness, Chris.”

I shook my head in disgust. How did he manage to keep falling for this act of hers?

He glared at me, “There is no way I am marrying this whore.”

His words struck my heart like daggers and I swallowed hard.

“And what about your son? You don't have to be this selfish, Chris,” Angela insisted, “I love you so much, my darling…but I won't let you make this mistake of being separated from your son.”

I got fed up with her attitude, “Oh shut up and drop the act!” I snarled at her irritably, “is this really what you do all day?”

She sniffled, “I'm so sorry if I offended you, Asha,” she wiped the tears that miraculously gathered in her eyes. “I just want what is best for Chris.”

He grabbed her shoulder and pulled her to him. Now he had one hand cradling our little junior and the other around Angela while his eyes burned with hatred for me.

“You won't talk to her that way, Asha.”

“Chris, I carried that baby you cherish for nine months and not once did you come to visit me,” I muttered shakily, tears welling up in my eyes. “I called and sent letters, you replied to none of them, and now you are just going to treat me like thrash?”

My hot tears rolled down my cheeks, “What about your promises to me? All that talk meant nothing?”

“Yes, they meant nothing. But since you are so obsessed over being with me and if that's the only way I will be with my son,” he paused and looked at Angela who nodded reassuringly, “fine then, I will marry you and you can stay here and look after my son.”

At that moment, I was too consumed with joy and hope that I didn't see the fatal mistake I had just made. I should have asked about Angela, but I foolishly thought that once we were married, Chris would love me again.

I agreed, seeing a bright future for my child.

The wedding was almost a secret, attended by only my son, Angela and Chris's mother who was shooting hateful glares at me the entire time. After the brief, emotionless ceremony, I overheard Chris’s mother talking to Angela.

“She might be his wife, but you are the one we recognize as Chris’s partner, Angela.”

Those words shattered my heart, but not as much as when I found out that Angela would still be staying in the house. The wedding ring Chris bought for me, he collected it that night and placed it on Angela's finger instead. She shared the master's bedroom with him and that night of our wedding, I stayed awake all night, listening to Angela's loud moans.

Chris and Angela went on a honeymoon for a week, leaving me with my child as if they were the ones who had gotten married. And for five years, it was pure torture. Chris would take our son on trips with Angela, leaving me behind every single time.

We barely spoke and no one from his family spoke to me either when they came around. As far as they were concerned, I was a bug in the house and Angela was Chris’s true wife.

“I will be taking Chris to Miami for his fifth birthday,” Chris said to me one morning, “can you pack his stuff? Angela just got her nails done.”

“Chris, you really don't expect me to-”

He slammed the front door shut before I could finish. I sighed. I had no choice. Junior would be back from school soon and the chef was already preparing his lunch.

Junior was almost like his father.

They spent an awful amount of time together and frankly, I'd have no issues with that if Angela wasn't always in the picture.

I felt like everyday took something out of me. I woke up feeling empty and went to bed with a wider void in my heart. Junior was my last hope, the only thing keeping me in the house. I couldn't take the torture anymore, but I couldn't stand not being in my son’s life. He needed me.

While packing, I realized that his favorite car toy was missing. I rushed to the nearest supermarket to get a replica for him. Chris always tried to avoid a conversation with me, so I couldn't even ask him to get it on his way back.

I saw the Cadillac that was always used to pick Junior up in the garage when I returned and a smile spread across my face. I felt sad that he was leaving, but I couldn't stop it. Junior loved spending time with his father and although I felt him growing a bit distant recently, I didn't mind.

I tiptoed to his bedroom to surprise him and as I got to the door, I suddenly heard him grumble loudly.

“Where's my car, Marla? I can't find it!”

Marla was the maid, a really sweet middle aged woman.

“Your mom went out to get you a new one, Chris,” she replied softly, “she will be back soon, okay?”

His eyes brightened with excitement and my heart fluttered, “Angela is getting me a new car?”

My heart dropped.

“What? No, Chris. Your mom, Asha.”

He rolled his little eyes, “Angela is way cooler than Asha. She buys me everything I want while Asha only whines all day. Angela is my mom, not Asha. She's the one I want. Asha always gets in the way,” he scoffed, “I am glad she isn't coming with us. She will ruin everything. Phew!”

Marla gasped at the same time I did, “You can't say that, Chris. Asha is still your biological mother.”

“I wish she wasn't. Do you know how cool Angela is?” My own son went ahead with a monologue on how Angela was better than me.

I had never felt so worthless. Nothing made sense anymore. All these years I had endured felt wasted. What was I doing here if my own son didn't want me?

I shivered, my body suddenly felt cold. Nobody wanted me here. No one!

The toy car slipped from my hand.