Iris:
Flashback.
"So what if I get angry at you someday and hit you in anger?" I asked, sitting on top of Kash while he giggled beneath me.
His eyes were always so expressive when he looked at me, and his hands kept moving, either rubbing my back or massaging my thighs as I sat on his stomach with my legs spread.
The morning breeze flowed in through the window, making my hair dance in the air. My hands rested on his chest as we joked around.
"Well, then I'd try to find out why you hit me so I could fix my mistake, so that you'd never do it again," he replied, pouting.
"Oh, come on, you'd hit me back," I teased.
As soon as I said that, I noticed the upset look on his face.
"No, Iris. I'd never hit you back." His tone turned serious, and it caught me off guard.
"No, but it would be justified though. No one should use their hands on someone else. So, you know what? If I hit you, hit me back. That would stop me from becoming an abusive person," I stated.
He started laughing and shook his head.
"I'll never hit you, so don't say things like that. But we can meet in the middle, I'll just promise never to give you a reason to get that mad at me. How about that?" he asked in his most loving voice.
I nodded, smiling.
"But right now," he said with a mischievous grin, "I want some milk."
As soon as he said that, I caught the playful glint in his eyes.
I giggled, and before I could react, he flipped me over, got on top of me, and began unbuttoning my nightshirt while I laughed.
End Of Flashback.
"Ma'am, we're home. We've arrived."
The driver must have been calling me for a while before I snapped out of it and stepped out of the car. My chest felt heavy with emotion, I was tired and drained.
I deserved it.
I shouldn't have splashed water on his face.
Of course, he splashed it back. I don't know why I got so upset, maybe because his fiancée had pushed me into the water first, and then he got angry when someone came to help me.
Or maybe because he accused me of things when he was the one who cheated.
I sniffled as I entered the house. I had spoken to my children a few times over calls, but I hadn't been physically present for them.
Still, I kept an eye on them through the cameras around the house.
When I got home that night, I went straight to my room. I didn't want my kids to see me in that state.
"Mommy, have you been crying?"
Their voices startled me as they walked into my room.
Both my children walked in, looking sad, and I hated it. They didn't deserve to see their mother cry.
"Oh no, I'm just having a rough day, you know. I worked really hard, so I'm tired," I said, smiling awkwardly and sniffling.
"But why? Why are you having a rough day? Did someone upset you?" Colin asked, crawling onto my lap and sitting down.
He cupped my cheeks softly with both hands.
Amy crawled onto the bed from behind, standing and hugging me. Her little arms wrapped gently around my neck.
"No, it's just that I've been missing you guys at work," I lied, hating that my children had to be the ones to calm me down.
"Aw, but we're here, Mommy. We talked to you, right?" Colin said playfully.
I nodded. "Yes, you did."
"And I'm so happy you're here with me," I added.
The two of them hugged me instantly. We stayed like that in silence for a few seconds before my daughter spoke up.
"Mommy, do you miss Daddy?"
Her question made me slightly uncomfortable. They let go of the hug and stepped in front of me so they could face me.
"I heard that when a man and a woman have kids, they are in love. Were you and Daddy ever in love?" Amy asked, making my eyes water.
Her words took me all the way back to when I had been desperately in love with him.
"Well, you know, people move on, and they fall out of love. Anyway, I love you guys now," I uttered, trying to change the subject.
I noticed the two of them exchanging a glance, probably not very happy with my answer.
The two of them kept looking at me before walking away. They stood in the corner of the room, whispering to each other.
"What are you two up to?" I asked tiredly.
They turned around, and Amy covered her mouth, giggling. Watching them smile instantly lifted my mood.
"Mommy, can you please go get our old tablets from the backyard storeroom?" Colin asked, making me frown.
"You want your old tablets right now?" I asked in confusion.
They had plenty of toys, but I had stored a few of them in the backyard shed to make space inside.
"Yeah, please! We want to show you something to lift your mood. Please, please, please!" Colin pleaded, jumping up and down.
I couldn't resist and gave them a nod.
"Can I do it after I change?" I asked.
They nodded happily and ran out of the room while I went to the bathroom. I showered and changed into booty shorts and a black top.
When I came out, I headed straight to the backyard to grab the tablets they had asked for. Even though they already had new ones, I figured they were planning something cute for me, so I didn't want to ruin it.
I left my robe in the living room to throw it on when I see my kids again.
But the moment I stepped into the small storeroom, I noticed it was packed. There wasn't much space to move around.
"I need to get rid of some of this stuff," I muttered, squeezing my way between two big shelves.
I reached the back, grabbed the tablets, and stepped out, taking a deep breath of relief when someone walked in.
"Are you okay?"
It was Kash, and his sudden appearance shocked me. The door slammed shut behind us as he stepped inside.
"Mommy, you two should talk and watch some movies on the tablet, okay?" Colin shouted from outside.
That's when I realized this was what they had planned all along.