Hailey walked in and stood in front of the doorway. She took time for a breathing exercise, pushed her boobs up, inhaled deeply, and used her fingers to control her facial relaxation. Then she walked in.
'Good day, Mrs. Beatrice,' Hailey said nervously.
'Hailey, how is your mum?' Beatrice said wittily.
'She's doing great. She's better now,' she said, her heart racing, her hands clenched behind her back. Beatrice stared at her with a smile.
'I'm happy she's better now. You have to take care of your mum.' She paused, Hailey avoiding eye contact. 'I just wanted to know how she's doing. Go back to work,' she said, grinning, a pen between her hands as she rubbed her palms together.
'Thank you, ma,' Hailey said, grinning.
'You're welcome.' Beatrice picked up her phone, and Hailey left.
...
A flashback at Teresa's residence. Hailey was mopping the floor, then cleaning the shelf and table. A short clip showed her wiping her face with the towel hanging on her neck, then in the kitchen making a meal. Teresa walked in, glancing at her with a smile.
'Mrs. Beatrice is coming. You'll taste it with your mouth,' she said, sounding devastated.
'You won't have any?' Hailey asked.
'I would, but it would have been finished by now,' young Hailey said grumpily.
'You won't, Hailey. You'll be caught up in a movie series.'
'Are you here to help?' she asked furiously.
'Even if I want to, I'm welcoming my guest,' she said, frowning.
'She's here already?' Young Hailey's face expressed panic and lament.
'You're working up like you're trying to impress your ex. Beatrice is right here.'
'Mum, come help me just this out,' she said, opening the pot as the flame gushed out.
'Beatrice is no visitor, girl. Whatever you make out, she will have it,' she said furiously, walking out.
Back in presence: Beatrice and Teresa dining together, Beatrice all smiles.
'Most times I get pissed. Hailey can be so obsessed,' Teresa illustrated.
'I don't think so. You got jealous,' Beatrice chuckled.
'She cooks well when we expect Beatrice,' Teresa said grumpily.
'Now you're jealous,' Beatrice chuckled.
'I might sell her to you, 'cause I ain't getting any action from my daughter.' They giggled.
'I'm never going to steal her from you.'
'I know, but Hailey is doing too much. I know that too. Hailey is your daughter too.' Her fork cut into a piece of beef. 'She's just been a kid. I don't know what she's doing, but I know you girls fight a lot. Whenever Hailey catches a flu, you two are definitely not on the same team.' They chuckled.
'I'm not here for Hailey. You doing good?' Beatrice said, chewing.
'I'm fine, much better,' Teresa nodded, sipping a drink. 'She might be stubborn, but she is sweet, always happy watching you.'
'Is she?' Beatrice nodded, placing her tongue in her cheek. 'Teresa, my being here shouldn't always be about Hailey. You passed out and were told at the hospital to ease the stress. You're stressing out, girl. I know you want the best for her. Same as I do,' Beatrice cautioned.
Hailey walked in.
'Hello, Mrs. Beatrice,' she greeted.
'Hailey, heard you made this?' Beatrice said, picking a slice of fruit.
'Yeah, I heard you were coming,' Hailey grinned.
'The taste is good,' Beatrice said, chewing, without even glancing at her.
'I also made a smoothie.' Hailey walked toward her.
'Like a mother studying her son's wife-to-be,' Beatrice smiled, staring at Hailey. Hailey's smile dropped, her gaze displeased. 'I would have been the happiest mum if Gary was a match,' Beatrice said, still grinning.
Hailey's face turned discreet, vile to grave, gazing at Beatrice. Teresa's phone rang. Teresa stared at the phone as she walked out.
'I will still choose you, Tricy,' Hailey said, shattered. Hailey sat and took her hand. 'I'm not giving up. I never will. This was meant to be.' Teresa's voice echoed from another room as Beatrice pulled away.
'No one has ever called me that,' Beatrice said, shocked, standing up. 'I will go meet your mum. I'm going now,' she said, leaving.
...
In the office.
'Hi, Hailey,' Naya said, fumbling through her handbag. 'Aren't you going home?' She stood, hanging her bag.
'Yeah, but I've got this to get done,' Hailey smirked, pulling a document from a file.
'Come on, girl. You'll live for another day,' Naya confronted, her hands placed on the counter.
'I'm fine. Come on, girl, hit the road. I'm fine,' Hailey insisted.
'Come on, Naya,' Lili said, and they left, bidding her goodbye.
A few minutes later, Hailey stared at her watch and walked to check an office that still had its light on. Her face displayed trauma and worry. She sat back, waited another minute, then walked back to check the room. The light was still beaming.
"Hey!" Hailey walked into her office. "I was about leaving. I noticed you never left," she said, standing at the doorway.
"Yeah, a lot of paperwork," Beatrice said, her eyes rolling through the papers she held.
"I'll wait," Hailey said, sitting. "I can give a hand." Her chest tightened, though she kept grinning.
"Here, go through those documents." Beatrice flipped through a stack of papers on her table.
"Sure, I always love to help," Hailey said firmly. Beatrice glanced at her, her eyes edging beneath her lashes.
An hour later, Beatrice yawned and stretched.
"All clipped, checked," Hailey said, arranging the papers and placing them aside. She walked toward her. 'I can help erase the stress.'
'Hailey, not today,' Beatrice said weakly, dizzy. Hailey walked closer, and Beatrice glanced at her sideways.
'Relax, okay? Massaging the neck will help.' Her palms glided down Beatrice's neck to her shoulders.
'That feels better, thanks,' Beatrice muffled, her head resting on the soft sofa.
'You like it, mmm. I can go deeper,' Hailey asked, smiling. Beatrice glanced at her and stood, irate.
'Does your mum know?' she asked, pulling Hailey's hands off her shoulders.
'I called her earlier. I'll be sleeping over at my friend's.' She leaned on the table.
'You'd better be going. I'll drive you off,' Beatrice said, standing. Hailey nudged her back onto the seat, staring at her romantically.
'I know you like me, but you're pretending.' Her hands crawled down Beatrice's shoulders. 'It's just the two of us here, no distractions.' She twisted the office chair. 'We can just act like it's only us.' She stared at her. 'Just let it out. Don't hold it back.'
Beatrice pulled her hands away and stood, adjusting her gown.
'You can wait outside,' she said, walking to the door. Hailey followed her.
'Stop fighting it. I've caught you gazing. It's okay, it's normal,' Hailey said softly, holding Beatrice by the waist at the door, building tension in the room. Beatrice caught her lips.
'Hailey, I'm not taking the risk. You're pushing way too much,' she said, her breath shaking.
'Let me take the risk, Tricy. Give it a try. I'm pulling so hard—only if you know how hard I'm drawing the rope.' She stepped back, inhaled deeply, staring at her.
Beatrice walked to her desk, picked up her handbag.
Later, Beatrice got home, removed her seatbelt, and reached for her bag. A message dropped in.
'Hi, thank you for the ride. I hope you got home safely. Catch you in dreams.'
Beatrice read it and ignored it.
...
Teresa and Beatrice walked from the room into the living space with glasses of wine.
'What do you think about cheating?' Teresa asked, giggling as she sat on the white couch.
'So obvious?' Beatrice lamented, placing her tongue in her cheek, dropping her glass on the wooden side table.
'I know you've got the money, know how to look pretty and smell all good,' Teresa giggled. 'Charles is a nice man.'
'And I love my husband.'
'It's okay, getting tempted here and there. A little control and discipline—I know it isn't easy,' she cautioned.
'I'm doing just fine, Teresa,' Beatrice said, sipping her drink.
'It's so fine if you have fun,' Teresa said, smiling.
'Teresa!' Beatrice said, giving her a long stare.
'Come on, he had Gary before he admitted he cheated.'
'Girl, I'm not fighting my husband with that, but it hurt,' she said, raising her hands. 'It's my fault.'
'Andrew's death caused you so much trauma. He knows that.'
'A lot, but I'm okay. I want out; Charles refuses to let me have that space,' Beatrice lamented.
'If he makes you happy, have the moment. Charles cheated too.'
'I don't want to play that card.'
'Have fun, Beatrice, if he's good and he makes you happy.'
'I haven't done a thing. There's no one,' she said defensively. Teresa smiled.
'I bet on it, you do.'
'I swear it, Teresa,' Beatrice vowed.
'Girl, a little fun won't hurt.'
'Teresa!' Beatrice exclaimed, and they
....
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