Part 3
In an apologetic tone, Adrian took the initiative to explain, “Madeline, it’s not easy for Sophie to raise a child alone. She doesn’t know anyone else here. She only has me.”
His words felt like a slap. He conveniently forgot sometimes that, I too, only had him.
“Of course, I understand. She must’ve been through a lot,” I answered calmly.
“Madeline, what’s that supposed to mean? What’s your attitude?” He lost his temper all of a sudden.
“I said I understand,” I repeated, my voice losing its lightness, “Is that a problem?”
“Do you have to talk to me like that?” he snapped.
“Then what do you want me to say?” I countered, frustration creeping in.
Silence fell between us, heavy and suffocating. Finally, he mumbled a defeated, “Do as you wish,” before hanging up.
Wasn’t it ironic? He once said I was annoying when I questioned him visiting Sophie. And when I called him to ask when he would be back from Sophies’s, I was also the annoying one. Now, even trying to understand him earned me his frustration.
With a sigh, I tossed my phone aside. Dwelling on it would not change anything. There was more important thing to do, like a stack of documents in front of me.
The night shift ended and I deliberately lingered after cleaning up my desk. The thought of returning home, held no appeal.
When I arrived, Adrian had already left for work. I took a shower and went off to sleep, but just as I began to drift off, had the tranquility was shattered by the insistent ringing of my phone. It was
Adrian.
“Madeline,” he sounded like he was holding back pain, “my… my stomach hurts.”
I mumbled a response, but I was too tired and fell back asleep. In a dream, I seemed to hear Adrian calling my name, but the sound felt distant, so I pushed the dream away.
After some time, I was completely awakened by the sound of the door opening. Adrian stood by the bed, his face a mask of hurt.
“Madeline, why don’t you care anymore? You used to be worried when I was sick and you would even make porridge and give me medicine.”
That was indeed the old me. I remembered it only too clearly.
Once, Adrian had a stomachache, so I asked for leave to bring him medicine at his office. As luck had it, I got caught in the rain on my way there, leaving my hair soaked and me looking quite a mess. However, things just got better when his colleagues laughed at my appearance and Adrian did not even try to stop them. To top it off, he told me never to come to his office again because, in his words, I was an embarrassment.
“Are you feeling better now?” I rubbed my eyes. “We might be out of medicine, though. Maybe you can grab some yourself.”
Adrian was speechless, then frustration boiled over. He grabbed my arm and shouted, “Madeline, how long are you going to keep fighting with me about Sophie? I told you, there’s nothing between her
and me!”
“Oh, okay,” I said, my calm a stark contrast to his anger.
In a fit of rage, Adrian slammed the door and left. The silence that followed was liberating.
