Women

Women
Joseph studied Susan’s face as she wheeled herself closer to him. His gaze lingered longer than necessary, tracing the tightness in her jaw, the way her lips were pressed together, the controlled fire burning behind her eyes. She stopped beside his bed, the soft whir of the wheelchair fading into silence.

“What’s this about?” Joseph asked at last, his voice calm but guarded.

“About us,” Susan replied immediately, her hands resting firmly on the wheels as she looked up at him.

Joseph shifted on the bed, pushing the sheets down and adjusting his posture so he was fully facing her. His back straightened slightly, his expression sharpening. “Then speak.”

Susan inhaled slowly before she began. “I have a doctor’s appointment today,” she said, her voice steady. “About our child.”

“So?” Joseph cut in sharply, not allowing her to finish.

Susan’s eyes flickered, but she didn’t retreat. “So I’d like it if we would go together,” she said almost instantly, meeting his gaze without flinching.

Joseph rubbed his eyelids with his thumb and forefinger, exhaling through his nose. His face showed the lingering fog of sleep mixed with irritation. “Is that why you barged into my room like that?” he asked. “I just woke up.”

“Is that not enough of a reason?” Susan shot back, her tone firm, unyielding.

Joseph shook his head slowly, then let out a long, tired sigh. “Woman, I just woke up,” he said. “I don’t have time for this— this— this morning. It’s early.”

Susan’s shoulders stiffened. Her voice rose slightly, a sharp edge creeping in. “You don’t have time for the well-being of your child?”

“Don’t twist my words,” Joseph snapped immediately.

“Twist your words?” Susan fired back. “You literally just said that. Your words, not mine.”

Joseph’s jaw tightened. “What did I say exactly?” he cut in again.

“You said you don’t have time for this. This morning,” Susan replied without hesitation. “And I saw the disgust on your face when you said it, so don’t lie.”

Joseph sat up straighter, irritation flashing in his eyes. “That was not what I meant, even if I said so,” he responded. “What I meant was that I don’t have time for any of your rubbish this morning. Not that I don’t have time for my kid.”

Susan let out a sharp breath, her fingers curling slightly on the wheelchair armrest. “It’s the same thing,” she clapped back. “If you don’t have time for me, that’s an extension that you don’t have time for my child.”

Joseph scoffed under his breath. “You can deduce whatever the fuck you want to deduce from what I said,” he replied coldly. “You already know what I meant. End of story.”

“Yeah, end of story,” Susan repeated, rolling her eyes dramatically. She paused for half a second, then continued, her voice firm. “You’re following me to the hospital.”

Joseph laughed once, short and humorless. “No the fuck I’m not.”

“Yes, you are,” Susan shot back without missing a beat.

Joseph leaned back slightly and scoffed again, shaking his head. “Seems you’ve forgotten who’s the boss in this relationship,” he said. “Maybe it’s high time I reminded you of that.”

Susan’s eyes narrowed. “Reminded me what, huh?” she snapped. “That you’re the coward that won’t visit his wife at the hospital after she was brutally attacked? The coward that won’t do anything even though he knows his mom was behind the attack?” She paused, her lips curling bitterly. “Should I call her your mother or your lover? Because I’m not quite getting that right.”

Joseph’s entire demeanor shifted.

His gaze darkened instantly, his jaw hardening as he leaned forward slightly. His voice dropped low, dangerous. “Woman, watch your mouth.”

Susan felt it.

For the first time since she entered the room, panic flared inside her chest. Her heart skipped, her breath hitching for a split second— but she swallowed it down. Her face remained composed even as her pulse raced.

“What if I don’t?” she asked quietly.

Joseph’s eyes never left hers. “I won’t warn you again,” he said, his voice still low, still cold.

Susan saw it clearly then.

He wasn’t bluffing.

Her voice softened when she spoke again, dropping lower, calmer— but she still didn’t back down. “You must follow me,” she said. “I don’t care.”

Joseph straightened fully now, his tone rising with controlled fury. “I don’t care if you don’t care,” he snapped. “I’m a man of principle and schedule. If you wanted me to come with you to the doctor’s appointment, you should have told me like two days ago so I could make plans for it.”

He gestured slightly with his hand as he continued. “You can’t just drop something like this on me now and expect me to change my schedule. No. I am the fucking Governor of the state of California, for God’s sake.”

Silence fell between them.

Joseph paused, his chest rising and falling once before he spoke again. “I’ll follow you to the next appointment,” he said. “Just make sure you inform me a day or two prior so this doesn’t repeat itself.”

Susan stared at him for a moment, unimpressed. Then she scoffed softly and rolled her eyes.

“I promise,” Joseph added quickly.

“I hear you,” Susan replied flatly.

She turned her wheelchair around without another word and rolled toward the door. The wheels moved steadily across the floor as she exited the room.

Joseph watched her leave.

When the door closed behind her, he let out a low sigh and shook his head slowly. “Women,” he muttered, as if in disbelief.