WHEN HE BROKE ME

“ Not again, not again,” I said, shaking my head vehemently as crimson read liquid drooled down my thigh.

“It’s okay, Violet,” Gregory said, wrapping his arm around me. His broad strong shoulders accommodated my head while his fingers cleansed the blinding tears that trickled down my bloodshot eyes.

A clatter of footsteps rang across the hallway as his mother, Patricia, now graced us with her presence. Her wrinkles threatened to spill over on her neck with every vigorous movement.

“Where is it?” she asked with a stern fold of a forehead.

“We...we lost it,” Gregory replied, still caressing my face.

“That’s your fourth miscarriage in your six years of marriage, Gregory. You’re not getting any younger and neither is she.”

“I know, mother.” His eyes turned sharply away from her staring blankly into mine.

“Gregory,” she said, crossing the distance between them.

“I have let you have your way, way too long. I think it’s time we tried mine.”

“I will not, mother. I won’t cheat on my wife.”

She looked at me for a minute and then returned her gaze to Gregory, watching him with bent brows as her fingers clutched her purse tighter.

“You are rich enough to afford as many wives as you want in this town of Mississauga and yet you choose to hold on to a barren love.”

“Mother,” he said, turning sharply.

“I will not have you talk to me like that in my own home.”

“A home, Gregory,” she said with a scoff, chuckling at his last sentence.

“You call this place that hasn’t heard the cry of a baby since your marriage in 1988, a home.”

His stare dropped to the floor beneath her. His head drifted to avoid meeting her in the eyes as he replied with a chronic stutter in his voice.

“We...w...we are trying, Mother.”

“Try harder!!” she shouts strolling off into the corridor from whence she came

“I’m sorry,” he said, bending to tend to my overflowing tears.

I grabbed his fingers, staring loosely on his face.

“She’s right, you know,” I said lowly.

“Oh, babe please don’t start. I can’t put you through that kind of pain. I promised I won’t hurt you.”

“Right now it’s the only way,” I said with a sob.

“I re...” He shushed me, placing a finger on my lips, caging back any words my tongue was almost about to spill.

“Say nothing more.”

He bared me upon his strong arms lacing my cheeks and forehead with little soft kisses as we headed for our bedroom.

His blonde short hair swept across my skin each time he brought his face to mine. Patricia was right we had stayed long enough without a child and it was high time one of us took a stand. Even though it was not going to bode down well with the other.

“Good morning, madam,” Agatha greeted bending slowly.