PAYBACK IS A BITCH

lowly but pas

you are dying to know what happened to Billy and me du

marr

mall chapel in our town, I was bright-eyed and in high spirits. I had no clue what marriage was a

ecause no marriage is without its ups and d

ing the smiles on my lips and working h

s been blessed with

our wedding. It wasn't a fun journey, but it was

ike a baby when I held my son in my

r, but the tiny bundle in my arms open

o a mini Billy. Our second child took after my husband like a clone: his shaggy br

of the hospital with her tiny lungs. She took after me physi

wrapped around her little finger

as my heart's wish, or perhaps because she is my last child, but of all my children, she

a better style of living. I went from a young woman of moderate means to a wife of a man earning a six-figure

eighborhood. But living in a home that wasn't ours, no matter how fancy, didn't satisfy Billy, so he b

d for for ten years and started his company, Sophie E

provide for us. I agreed. He was making enough, and money wasn't a problem. I get to be with the

t ten years of my l

is like for a mum of three and a

Grin

und of my alarm. I am so used to waking up with the al

to a singer with a terrible voice. I allow it to serenade me to sleep. It used to annoy me in the early y

y cheek. It had been a while since he had shaved. He had been wor

ay to the bathroom to wash my fa

onday m

my see-through nightgown and left the roo

t through each day, no matter how stressful. I always set my alarm thirty minutes ahead, w

now about my ritual

ual is

itual she could perform with

ry morning before my day starts but also abo

en to the kitchen. Our kitchen has a modern kitchen layout. I turned on the coffee machine and poured my

my coff

warm sensation transmitted to my palms by the hot cup. I went to the blind and pressed the button beside it to raise it. T

st in our street's long line of u

he morning. Wouldn't it be dark? And I will say it is

rly hours of the morning that grant tranquility to the soul. N

Spring, Autumn, or Winter. Nothing beats having this mom

chen, rinsed off my cup, and started on the sandwic

s. Without this, my kids and husband will never eat fruits. For Sophie, I added a cu

walked back upstai

bedroom. It is a five-bedroom mansion-four ups

nd child, Josh, sleeps slightly deeper and only wakes to a louder noise, so I did the same when I got to his door. I wai

best bedroom after the master's bedroom, which she found and claimed. Her brothers didn't argue. They

because I knew she wouldn't wake up.

a monkey, her legs thrown in different directions, her blonde tr

ked to her bedside and sat down on the little space created by her body. I

ing incoherent and

that heavy. I carried her into the bathroom and set her down. The bedroom Sophie chose is an en suite, which is perfec

to look at me. Although they were dull fro

epily, rubbing her eyes

ready for school. Are you aw

e sat down on th

eft her in the bathroom and went

looking handsome and

I greeted him when he j

ing,

enough to know what needs to be done and do it. David is me during my younger days. He not only has my personality bu

ard and shiny. I winced at the amount of gel wasted, but that

noticed something off abou

looked at m

nd is intentionally playing dumb, I

e his innocent act crumbled. "Come

es are there for a reaso

are not fun, Mum," he grumbled, leaving the kitc

not a comedian!"

orm again," Billy stated, the ob

re obsessed with fashion tha

to look good, babe," Billy defended b

h flaunting the rules," I coun

Relax, honey. Rules are meant to be broken,"

ly shake my head at him. Billy is the

I noticed that my youngest had yet to come down and left to see what the hold-up was. On the w

so I went to the bathroom and found her dozing on the t

gently sho

at me sleepily. "I am sorry,

ed her nightwear off and h

we came down, her brothers had finished b

into their school bags, and kissed them

ung lady," I said to Sophie, who already sat at

his morning. I took out her brother's plate and placed hers before

tidied the kitchen, and Billy we

yelled from the living r

ied out to meet

ut his expression cleared and soft

dinner?" I asked, hand

illy looked sorry to miss another dinner, and I didn't want to worsen his guilt, so I masked my disappointment. Thi

you." I smiled, le

kly pulled away. "I love you, too, hon

timacy with me for a while now. I attributed it to him working a lot, but what if it is not? I shoo

r off to school, but after dropping her off, I returned to an empty house. The silen

ime to pick up the kids from school. Luckily,

homework, mostly Josh and Sophie. David hasn't n

ter their father. Watching their disappointed faces when I told th

dinner and shipped them to my n

e rest of the food I cooked and h

to know who I was, and when I told him, he couldn't hide his look of surprise. I haven't been here since Billy started

. I rode the elevator to the tenth floor, where Billy's company is located. The e

s ri

ame on the door. I have never surprised Billy like th

ed, and pushed the door