Mrs Jones (GxG)

17. {New Beginnings}

Drea hasn't gone to work since last Wednesday. Since the incident with me dropping Alex a week and a half ago. The improvements are moderate. Still, they're not enough for us to go back to 'life before metamorphosis' yet. We also had to postpone our New York trip until this coming weekend and now more than ever, our decision to not let Alex be a part of that animated film was proving to be the right one. Because how could we have gone to California like this?

Drea's job was not taking her working from home very well. Last week probably. This week, not at all. They have been adamant they needed her on-site. They called every day trying to get her to come in but each time, she refused. Her sticking to her guns this well was equally surprising and prideful to see, knowing she typically wasn't one to go against authority. It highlights the seriousness of the situation. A situation that brought out a woman in her that wasn't there before.

It was Friday evening, just after dinner, and she was at a conference with her line managers. They wanted to try to change her mind since a conversation with her supervisor didn't do it. But Drea was hell-bent she wouldn't leave me and Alex when we needed her the most. I was touched but suddenly, I felt so guilty too.

As I watched her pace the room, her frustration more tangible than I was, a knot formed in my stomach. The guilt that had been my shadow since the accident with Alex now twisted tighter, constricting my chest with each heated word she hissed into the phone. This was my doing, my fault. She was fighting battles she wouldn't have had to if not for me. If not for my inability to control these newfound abilities. I wanted to convince her that we were fine there without her. That she could go because she could go. She was in control of her abilities, but I wasn't. I was still fazing through things. It wasn't as often as a week ago, no, but I had accidents every day. Just this morning, I dropped my mug of hot coffee in the kitchen.

Luckily, she was there to help clean up because the second it fell and broke, Alex was like, new play toy! We weren't okay at home without her. Not right now.

Her voice broke through her controlled exterior, and I could feel the tremor of her anger. It was a rare display, one that both worried and moved me. Her eyes, glowing with a fierceness I'd never seen, spoke volumes of her commitment-a commitment that was now putting her career at risk. She had always been the steadfast one, the rock. But even rocks erode under constant pressure.

She walked into our bedroom again, her brows pulled together in irritation. I glanced up from my laptop screen to look at her, my work forgotten. How could I focus on pixels and designs when the fabric of our lives was fraying?

Her phone was pressed to her ear with one hand while the other was crossed beneath her breasts in what I registered as a protective posture. She was wearing a white tank top that hugged her torso with no room to spare and a white ladyboy shorts with a black waistband. Her light hazel eyes seemed to glow a soft amber colour, brighter and brighter the longer the conversation went on. I couldn't help but wonder what they were talking about. From the way she was hissing into the speaker, I knew it wasn't pretty. It was intense but just how intense? Were they firing her? Would she resign? What would we do then?

We didn't need the money, I knew that. My salary alone could sustain us, even with Drea's somewhat flashy lifestyle. On top of that, we had three Airbnbs and shares in the Pendri hotel that were other sources of income. Her being a social media influencer and earning from that is another thing. Her meteorologist job wasn't her main income and that has been made clear in many of the financial conversations we've had. It was, in her words, lunch money. So I knew without it, we'd still be fine.

I'm just a bit nervous that she will get bored at home. It's not something she's used to. She's an outgoing person. She loves hanging out with her friends and enjoys going places. I can't shake the feeling that she's going to get bored here and I don't want that. Despite the bubbling anger she was feeling, the same anger I could feel radiating through our mate bond, she smiled at me. Her smile was tight and distant, a stark contrast to the warmth we usually shared, but I returned it. I wanted to reach out, to smooth away the crease between her brows, to tell her it would all be okay. But the words felt hollow even before I could voice them. She was caught in a storm, and I had steered her into it. She rubbed Alex's head tenderly and leaned in to kiss him but halfway through, she paused. Her eyes burn brighter as if they would combust into flames. Then, swiftly, she pulled back, twisted on her heels and growled into her speaker.