Prowess

Throng

The day before Arthur's first day of work was Abigail's first day off from hers. The kind of windy weather that makes your face flush if you go outside. Grey clouds swirled promises of rain in the sky.

Arthur was a wreck. Beside his general love for art and dealing with children, he had no qualifications for the job. The fear of either letting down the students or his family was almost paralyzing. Abigail caught him trying to sneak away to Maya's house to confess he had lied about his resume three times before lunch.

By the third time, the woman sent him into the living room with a book and told the boys to watch him before he did something stupid. She then proceeded to cook them all lunch. After eating and putting away the dishes, the four huddled together in the couch, under a pile of blankets. It ensured Arthur was both comforted and under surveillance.

Even through Austin's fabricated annoyed huffing, the afternoon started out uneventful. Each to their own means of entertainment.

The quiet was abruptly cut off by the doorbell ringing. The couple exchanged an utterly displeased look over the boys' heads. Only one person rang their doorbell. Arthur stood to look through the peephole. By the time he opened the door, Abigail was behind him. She didn't need to be a mind reader to figure out who it was.

–Maya!

The strain in Arthur's happiness freaked Abigail out. She had not met anyone capable of displeasing her husband to the point of forcing cordiality. Maya was just extraordinary like that.

–Hello!—she replied, slithering her way inside.—I came by to bring some cookies. You know, to congratulate you on getting the job!

The neighbor's eyes drifted to Abigail, who did her best to produce a smile. Maya handed Abigail the Tupperware container full of cookies, while smiling and saying:

–You will be staying home, I presume.

Maya had been at the window, watching the other woman return home every day at around the same time. Although the Aguados weren't aware, she knew Abigail had been working already. She just needed to get some further information on the subject...

Abigail was having none of it, though.

–You-

–She just got a job, actually—Arthur rushed to interrupt.

Maya's eyes widened, in deliberated excitement.

–Is that so? Can I know where?

"No. Get the fuck out of my house." Abigail would have said in a perfect world. A world where she didn't have anything to hide, and she could afford to get on the neighbour's bad side. A world where saying what she meant wouldn't put her new family in danger. A world where Austin wasn't in the next room, listening in and looking for a reason to have free reign to swear.

–At the mall—she said instead, but the "fuck off" was embedded into the tone.—As a security guard.

Maya had the audacity to look Abigail up and down.

–Security guard? A lady of your size?

Arthur sensed doom in the tightening of his wife's jawline and the narrowing of her eyes. The Tupperware being squeezed in Abigail's hands didn't look like it could handle much more force.

A chill actually ran down his spine when she spoke in her special quiet tone.

–You have no idea-

–How hard it was to get the job!—the healer butted in once more, wrapping an arm around his wife's shoulders.—Which is why we really want to celebrate, so if you could leave us to it... It would be wonderful.