Take a Breath(8)

We say our goodbyes to Matthew and head out to work. The sun is shining and it is a beautiful day. I love the start of summer, it is my favourite time of year. The winters here are too cold and I just want to curl up in bed for three months and hibernate. It’s always times like that I wish I was a bear. It is weather like we have now that you feel you don’t have a care in the world. How far from the truth can that be now.

We head down the route seven and we are almost there when Jake suddenly speaks, “Have you eaten, Ana?”

I quickly realise I haven’t eaten since yesterday lunchtime. No wonder I had a banging headache this morning. So much has been going on, I have actually forgotten to eat.

“You have to eat, Ana. It’s important. You didn’t have anything last night either did you? You have to take better care of yourself than this.”

I sigh and he quickly turns into a McDonald’s about ten minutes away from work.

“Jake, we’re going to be late.”

He turns the ignition off and looks over to me.

“I’m getting you something to eat. What do you want?”

I frown at him and fold my arms. I’m behaving like a child now, but I can’t have him telling me what to do.

“I’m not hungry,” I say, in protest.

He grunts and gets out of the car. A few minutes later he is back with the brown paper bag and slides up onto his seat. He passes the bag to me.

“Eat, Ana. Now.”

I huff out a “no,” and I can tell he’s getting angry. I really am behaving like an insolent child and I’m getting hungry now that the smell is hitting me from the bag. I’m still being stubborn though, simply because he is trying to tell me what to do.

“Ana, I’m not going to start this car until you start eating. I don’t care if I make you late. We will sit here all day if it takes that long.”

I look over to him. I’m super angry. I can’t believe this sudden interest in me. Before at home we would talk and do things as a family but it would always seem to me that he was somehow trying to avoid me.

Lately, he has taken more interest, so much so that he is now blackmailing me to eat.

I grab the bag in a huff. “Fine,” I say, with gritted teeth.

I take what looks like a Sausage and Egg McMuffin and place it in my mouth. I let out an unwelcome moan as I bite down into it. I didn’t realise I was so hungry. I look over to Jake and he is sitting there looking rather uncomfortable.

He wriggles in his seat and says, “My job here is done. Now let’s get to work. I have a thousand things to do.”

I put my hands up exasperated. “You have a thousand things to do and yet you hold me hostage in your car until I eat?”

He beams a big smile like he is pleased with himself.

“It was deemed necessary, Ana. You have to keep healthy. I know a McDonalds isn’t healthy, but it was the quickest thing to order on the menu.”

I find myself gorging on the McMuffin, but I’m a little annoyed that he is right. I let out a little hiccup and Jake looks over to me and beams.

“Told you,” he said, triumphantly.

I wriggle in my seat and mutter “told you,” under my breath.

Jake looks over with a cheeky grin. “Hey, what was that?” he asks.

He proceeded to jab me in the waist and it tickled so much that it hurt my stomach. I laugh and try to grab his hand to push him away. He looks like he’s enjoying himself.

I finally manage to grab two of his fingers and that jolt goes through me again. He looks over and the smile quickly fades as we’re fixed, staring at one another.

We are brought out of our trance by a car horn blaring at us from the front. Jake quickly looks up and sees the car making a turn in front of him. Jake had missed a stop sign and nearly crashed into the car.

“Hey watch it, asshole,” the man shouts.

Jake looks at the man behind the wheel of the Jeep Trinity and mouths, “I’m sorry, sir.” The guy shakes his head but carries on driving. Jake looks pissed now and the rest of the journey is made in silence—the moment, lost.





Chapter 4





We both get in to work and all eyes are upon us as we walk in. Jake nods in my direction and I head off to my desk. Jessie is sitting there smiling expectantly.

“So, Missy, why are we late this morning? Did someone keep you up last night?”

I flop in my chair and sigh.

“Babes, what’s wrong?” Jessie asks.

Obviously seeing the sullen look on my face and concerned look on Jessie’s, I have no option but to tell her.

“My mum has gone again.”

She looked confused. “Ana, what do you mean, your mother’s gone again?”

I let out a heavy sigh. “She’s done it again, taken all her things and gone. Vanished without a word or note. Jake tried to call her, but she has disconnected her phone. I don’t think we’ll hear from her again.”