Under the Surface

Chapter 9: Martin

It was about 4:30 pm and the garden was slowly starting to decrease in people as they made their way home. Martin said goodbye to family friends and once again, congratulated the Hewitt's on their anniversary before finding Danielle and JJ and taking them home. Stella was staying on afterwards to help clear everything with her staff. Martin and his kids got into his Mercedes Benz. Car rides were always quiet in their family. Stella and Martin barely spoke as it is, let alone being stuck in a car with each other, and the kids were too invested in their phones and half the time had earphones in so couldn't even hear a word being said - if there even was anyway! He pulled out of the long, gravel driveway and adjusting his rearview mirror. "So guys, did you have fun?" he asked, turning the radio on low. "I just hanged with Zach and we found a soccer ball so we just kicked that around on the gravel," replied JJ, whilst playing a game on his phone. "Hope you didn't kick the ball and break any of those fancy and expensive stone statues they have?" said Martin, looking at his son in the rearview mirror, then averting his stare after he realised that's something his wife would say, not him. "Nope. But we almost did!" he replied, chuckling. "What about you Danielle? Did you have a good time?" he asked, already knowing what her simple response would be. "Meh. It was alright, wouldn't be my top pick of activities to do on a Saturday afternoon," she replied, staring out the window. 

Stella arrived home about an hour later than three of them did. Of course, they were all full from all the food so they didn't have a family dinner and Danielle and JJ took the opportunity of a long evening to stay in their rooms and to do their own thing. Martin decided to go into the living room to watch some TV. He wasn't sure what he wanted to watch but he started flicking through the channels trying to find something that seemed remotely entertaining. Except his mind kept thinking of Jamie. I wonder what she's doing now, I wonder if she's told her girlfriends about her amazing experience of a trip to New York with her boss tomorrow...I wonder if she's excited to see me? His thoughts got interrupted by Stella who walked into the room and sat down on the plush, beige arm chair diagonal to the sofa he was sitting on. Ugh, I just want to be alone, he thought to himself, as he lowered the volume because he could tell she came in here to talk and to not join him watch whatever this trashy reality show was. "I just wanted to talk to you about today" she started, crossing her legs in her emerald, silk dress. Talk about what, he thought to himself, already pissed off. "I really appreciated how you came up to me and said what a good job I had done. It meant a lot." she revealed. Oh. "However..", fuck sake, "I just, I feel like, if we're at a family event like this we should maybe be with each other at it. I didn't see you at all after you came up and said that to me, you left me alone looking like an idiot while I had to talk to the Graham's, the Levine's, the Harmon's and so on by myself. All of them were with each other and I can't help but think how strange it must look that we never stood there together talking to couples." she said. Jesus Christ. He could feel his teeth clench in anger and frustration. "Stella" he began, trying to sound as calm as possible however his annoyance and frustration started to seep through into his voice as he kept talking. "For the the past two weeks all you've rambled on about is this fucking anniversary party and how important it is for you and your fucking image. I was trying to distance myself from you because I thought you would be too busy and have too much on your hands and I didn't want to bother you! I mean, how can you possibly find a problem in that? I don't understand how your brain works sometimes!" he could hear the rage in his voice and it nearly surprised him. Stella glared back at him before continuing "yes, yes it was an important event for me, this is what I do Martin! And don't try to say you were trying not to bother me, please. You were hanging around with Robert and your other buddies, whilst I had to stand there like a foolish women who didn't even have a fucking husband! I mean, did it even once occur to you to maybe come over to me and put your arm around my waist and stand with me whilst I talked to people? Not even as a gesture, just something a fucking loving husband would do!" she yelled. "Fucking hell Stella! Why do you always do this?" he snarled. "Do what? Tell you to act like a fucking husband?" she retorted. At this point Martin was standing up, walking around the room in exasperation with his face in his hands, groaning in frustration at the whole situation. "I can't do this with you right now." he said. She stared back at him, waiting for him to continue in whatever he was trying to say. "I'm going to New York tomorrow. I think it'll be good to spend twenty-four hours away from each other at the moment. I'll be home Tuesday evening." he said, returning back to his normal voice because he no longer felt any emotion because over the past few years his wife had drained it out of him, he felt numb and emotionless in this moment. "Fine." she replied, crossing her arms and turning her face away from him as he walked out of the room.