The noise finally drew the monsters from their lair. Jake appeared at the top of the stairs, hastily buttoning a shirt, his face flushed. Behind him, Linda leaned against the doorframe, wrapped in a silk robe that was far too familiar. She didn't look afraid, she looked content.
“What is she doing in my bedroom?” I asked, staring at Jake.
“Linda came to visit you, Stacy. She stained her dress with the cake she brought for Leo. So, I gave her your nighties.” He explained, not a single curve of hesitation appeared on his forehead, a sign how good he was at lying that I could never see before.
“Mama Linda…” Leo threw himself in Linda’s arms, kissing her cheeks affectionately he said, “I miss you, Mama Linda. Why don't you stay with us anymore?”
“It seems like you have been visiting Jake and Leo more oftenly, Linda. He is closer to you than I, as if you are his biological mother.” I said, the word sounded so bitter that I almost bit my tongue.
“While you were away, Linda used to take care of Leo. It's natural he will be close to her. Don't overthink too much, Stacy. Leo is your child.” Jake answered, his voice ever so convincing to believe.
Linda walked into the kitchen and came back with a papaya cake in her hand.
“Look, What I have brought for you!” She said, showing the cake in front of Leo. Leo’s eyes lit up. He quickly grabbed the spoon and was about to dig in.
My mother’s instincts worked ahead as I held his hand and looked at Linda, “Do you know how much sugar this cake contains? Is this how you have been taking care of my child while I was away?”
“Stacy… I-I made this with my own hands. What's wrong in letting him feed a little sugar? It's not like he is diabetic or something.”
“Diabetic or not! This much sugar is not suitable for children.” I said, “And I won't allow anyone to poison my son!”
I intentionally emphasised ‘my son’ and Linda went on crying. “Why do you hate me so much, Stacy? I just love Leo because he is Taylor's nephew. I consider him as my own child. Is it wrong?”
“Stacy! You are going too far.” Jake snapped. “Linda didn't mean to hurt Leo. She has been taking care of him for the past two years when you were gone.”
“But, I have returned, haven't I?” I began, “Do you think she loves him more than I? If that is so, why don't you just announce her as Leo’s mother just like you mentioned it in his school?”
Jake's eyes widened in surprise. The realization made him flinch for a moment before he regained his calm as he said, “There must be a technical error, Stacy. Linda accompanied Leo in the school for his admission. So, they must have misunderstood her relationship with him.”
“Stacy, why do you hate me so much?” Linda sobbed, her face as pitiful as if she had been continuously bullied by me. “If you want I will stop visiting Leo and Jake. But, please don't put fake allegations on me. As Taylor's widow, I feel deeply hurt.”
Seeing tears in Linda’s eyes, Jake rushed to her side. He immediately pulled her in his arms as if deeply hurt to see her crying. He then looked at me, his eyes instantly darkened.
“That's enough, Stacy. Apologize to Linda right now!”
“Apologize for what, Jake? Speaking facts?” I asked, my eyes wet despite trying hard not to cry.
To say I was not hurt seeing him comforting Linda, would be a lie.
Even when I hated the man who stained our marriage and the morals by having physical intimacy with his brother's woman and decided to leave him for good, my heart bled seeing him holding her.
The man I chased for a decade had hugged another woman right before my eyes, wiping her tears off and kissing her gently yet he had the audacity to call me out for slandering her.
“I thought you were more mature than this!” He spat, “But, I can now see what kind of a woman you are, Stacy.”
While we were arguing, Leo’s small face twisted into pure rage. He grabbed the heavy Lalique paperweight from the console table—a gift Jake had given me for our third anniversary—and hurled it with a strength born of pure spite.
It caught me square on the temple.
The world didn't go black; it turned a searing, electric white. I felt the warm, sticky slide of blood beginning to mat my hair, dripping down my cheek and onto the cream silk of my blouse. I staggered, my vision fracturing into a kaleidoscope of pain.
"Leo! What have you done?" I gasped, clutching the banister as my knees buckled.
“You are not my Mommy, Mama Linda is!” He yelled, “Stay away from us.”
His whole body was trembling, not in fear but rage. Linda jumped to his side. Looking at Jake, she said, “Jake, Leo is shivering! We should get him to the hospital.”
He didn't look at the blood gushing from my head. He didn't look at the jagged gash that would undoubtedly leave a scar. Instead, he gathered Leo into his arms, shielding him as if I were a rabid animal.
"Stacy, for god's sake," Jake snapped, his voice vibrating with disgust. "Look at what you’ve done. You’ve terrified the boy so much he felt he had to protect himself."
"He... he hit me, Jake," I whispered, the floor swaying beneath me. "He’s bleeding me out, and you’re worried about his feelings?"
"It’s just a scratch," He spat before he rushed towards the front door, “You will be alright. But, Leo… he is a child.”
He left me just like that, bleeding. Linda tugged by his side, he started his car and left.
I stared at my hand that was dyed red in blood because of pressing it on my temple to stop the bleeding.
Now, I let the blood stream down as I grabbed the phone and dialed a number I thought I would never.
“You were right! There are people who are worse than you. Help me leave Jake Vance and his whole estate just like you did, Taylor.”
“In return, I’ll give you what you always wanted. My body.”
As I hung up the call, I recalled the old memories with Leo. Two years ago, I used to be his whole world. He did not leave by my side even for a second and always called me mommy, making me feel like the luckiest person on the planet.
I stared at the blood. I said, “Three years of affection, three years of making me feel the mother I always wanted to be, Leo, I repaid you today with my blood. After today, there will be no ties between us.”
