Bitchy

A week went by in a blur as I finalized the plans and delegated parts of each attack to different underlings without letting them know what they were working on. The information circle was limited to the people in the conference room. We couldn't afford a leak so our men only knew something big was going down but they didn't know what it was.

I had a private meeting with Sira and Siara three days after little Josie, Sira's daughter, was born. Siara would be taking care of most of the workload at Cross Security in my absence so she had to be in the know and what war doesn't require a doctor. We all had to be alert and keep our loved ones close enough for us to be able to protect them.

It was Friday and also the date of Tatiana's arrival. We hadn't spoken of her since the day Miraj told me the whole story. I had seen her picture from the old file on Miraj but that was from more than a decade ago. I was curious what she looked like now. I could have had her investigated but I didn't want to. I didn't want her to be important enough to be known by me, to be of concern to me. I just wanted her out of my life.

When she arrived, the main house was informed about the doctor's guest. That morning, the doctor had called Miraj to invite him for dinner, for old times' sake. I wasn't invited. The doctor didn't say so in explicit terms but it was implied. At least that's what Miraj told me after the phone call. We were sitting at he breakfast table with Ari and Mathews ruined another good day with his stupid news.

"So are you going for dinner?"

"No. There aren't any old times that I wish to visit."

I hummed in response. I wanted him to go. I wanted him to take me so I could see the witch and satisfy my curiosity. I hoped she was fat and ugly now. I didn't even feel bad about fat shaming because I really wanted an advantage on her. I was ashamed of my own behavior now.

"I think you should go." Go and take me.

"We're not having this discussion, Eli. I don't want to go. If you want, I can call the doctor and tell him you're coming over to welcome home his daughter, in my stead", Miraj said with a not-so-amused smile.

"There is no need to be so bitchy, Miraj-" Oh shit! What did I do? I forgot about Ari for a second there and now we were going to have a 'bitchy' week. The moment I took a pause, I looked at Ari. He was looking at me. Then came the question I feared. "What's bitchy, mama?" Damn it!

I had no idea what to say. I still remembered the time Miraj had said 'fucking' in Ari's presence once and he had explained it away as a grown up activity. I remember being pissed at Miraj for a couple of weeks for putting me through that hell. Because every time Ari didn't find his parents somewhere expected, he would ask if we were 'fucking'. The entire household was laughing at Miraj and me. I wished I could erase that time from my memory.

This was a disaster.

I looked at Miraj for help. He was just as horrified as me. Why do three year-old kids have to be so curious?

"Uh-"

"Erhm-"

I think I had lost my ability to speak. I just knew I couldn't go back to the days when I was hiding from my own butlers and maids so I wouldn't have to catch them snickering at something my son said behind my back.

"Dada, something happen to mama? Why isn't she speaking?"

"Uh- No. Yes. I mean no. Nothing happened Ari."

"You cannot speak too, Dada?"

"Yes, Ari, we can't speak today. Finish your breakfast. Dada has to go to the office. I'll see you later. Bye."

Miraj got up from the table and walked as fast as he could without looking like he was running.

'Traitor!' I screamed in my head, wishing it could reach him. I just looked at his back as I thought of an excuse for myself. I was on leave from office.

"Mama, are you okay?"

Good idea. I turned back to Ari with pursed lips and scrunched eyebrows and said, "I don't think so, baby. I think I am sick." Then I called for our butler who was just outside the dining room, "Pablo."

He came in and said, "Yes, madam?"

"Pablo, can you look after the young master? I don't feel fine so I am gonna go and rest in my room. Just make sure he is busy."

"Yes, madam."

"Thank you", I said to him and then I said to Ari, "I'll see you in the afternoon, hon."

"Will you tell me what bitchy means then?"

Son of a-

Pablo fake coughed as he tried not to laugh. I gave him a glare then turned back to my son and said, "Yes, honey. Till then make sure you attend all your classes today." And be distracted enough to forget about it--is what I didn't say. I left the dining room the same way Miraj did. We were such horrible parents, running away from our three year old.