Chapter 35 Chapter Thirty five

Chapter 35 Chapter Thirty five
Mira’s pov

Saturday came quicker than I wanted but I had no other option but to keep to my promise. Aunty Ruth and mum weren’t around when I left and that saved me from aunt checking my dress and making mum look sad. 
I hesitated before knocking at Martinez's house. My legs felt heavy as I stood at the entrance. I really don’t know what the parents would think of me after that video, coming back here felt like walking straight into enemy territory. I needed the money though,it’s making my college dream achievable without stress and helped me avoid asking Mom for things we couldn’t afford.
I raised my hand to ring the second time, but Mr. Martinez opened the door before my finger touched the button. 
His jaw tightened the moment his eyes landed on me. 
“You are the girl from the video right.” 
As I was about to nod, Emma past him, barreling into me with enough force that I had to catch myself against the doorframe. 
“You came!” She mumbled and wrapped both arms around my waist, burying her face against my stomach. “I knew you’d come.”
“Emma, honey, give her some space to come inside,” Mr. Martinez started, sounding half-amused and half-exhausted, but Emma only squeezed tighter, her small body trembling.
I dropped my bag and hugged her back, one hand gently smoothing down her hair. 
“I missed you.”
Mr. Martinez stepped aside, rubbing the back of his neck. He scoffed, glanced at his watch, and walked off toward his stairs without another word.
“Come on.” Emma tugged my hand, pulling me inside. “I have lots of my drawings to show you.”
I noticed Mrs Helen by the kitchen counter, a wine glass in her hand despite it being barely past noon, her makeup perfectly done, everything about her were arranged and perfect except her eyes, which slid a little too slowly when she turned to look at me.
“Mirabel!” She called, lifting the glass towards me. “You came, Anyway, there’s grilled chicken and rice in the refrigerator and snacks in the pantry. She can have a little snack today.”
“Sure,”
“We should have a party.” She laughed at nothing, setting her glass down hard enough that it sloshed over the rim. 
“What are we celebrating?” Emma exclaimed, bouncing on her toes.
“We don’t need a reason to party sweetheart.” 
Emma tugged on my hand and leaned up on her tiptoes.
 “She’s so drunk,” she whispered. “Mummy, maybe you should sit down.” 
“I’m fine, baby.” She waved her off, already turning back toward the counter, humming something under her breath.
I squeezed Emma’s fingers gently, trying to keep my face calm while her mum kept talking in circles, gesturing vaguely toward the kitchen and then back at us.
“Make yourselves comfortable. Anything you need… just… whatever you need, okay? I won’t be too late. Or maybe a little late. You know how these things are.”
I smiled and nodded.
“Come on,” Emma said suddenly, voice urgent as she pulled me toward the stairs. 
I let her lead me away, grateful for the escape. Mrs. Helen’s looping words and glassy smile were making my skin crawl. We climbed the stairs together, Emma’s small hand gripping mine like a lifeline. Once we were inside her bedroom with the door pulled mostly shut, she climbed onto her bed and curled her knees up to her chest, hugging them tight.
“Emma?” I sat down carefully beside her. “What’s going on, sweetheart? You can tell me.”
She hesitated, biting her lip hard. 
“You can’t tell anyone. Promise?”
“I promise.”
She was quiet for a second, gathering herself the way she did before spelling a hard word out loud.
“Daddy has a girlfriend.” She bit out. “I heard Mummy yelling about it.”
“Ohh,” I grasped, not knowing what to actually say. 
“That’s why Mummy’s sad all the time.” She reached for her teddy and clenched it on her chest. “I heard her tell Aunt Debby she doesn’t know what to do anymore.”
I pulled her into my side, one arm around her shoulders, my mind racing too fast to land anywhere useful.
“I’m so sorry you’re carrying that, Em.”
“Don’t tell Nat I told you. He gets really mad when I talk about it.”
“I won’t.”
“Do you think they are getting a divorce?”
“I…I”
“I don’t want them to get a divorce.” Tears started dropping from her eyes. “It will make mummy sadder.”
I rubbed slow circles on her back, searching for words that could possibly help. 
“Sometimes grown-ups make really big mistakes. But none of this is your fault, okay?”
We sat like that for a few minutes, the silence broken only by Emma’s occasional sniffles. I was still trying to process everything she’d told me when I heard footsteps towards the door. 
Nat appeared in the doorway, still in gray pajama pants and a t-shirt, hair messy like he’d just rolled out of bed. He looked unprepared, caught off guard. His eyes moved from Emma’s tear-streaked face to my arm around her shoulders, and his entire expression shifted. 
“What the hell did you say to her?”