Unexpected Outcome

Unexpected Outcome
NICOLE

Esmeralda tells the housekeeper to leave us as soon as she places a tray of tea, coffee, and other treats on the center table in the living room. 

We're seated across from each other. Esmeralda is still smiling like she's happy to see me but I know that can't be true. Why would she be happy to see me? That makes no sense at all. 

"So," she begins, grabbing a cup of tea and sugaring it before stirring slowly. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"I think you have an idea."

"I don't, actually," she replies. I try to ignore how her answer enrages me, and remind myself that I didn't come here to pick a fight with anyone. 

"Let's start with why you're doing this to yourself, then," I begin calmly. "You haven't been eating and it's clear. Why? Why are you hurting yourself like this? What do you think you'll achieve?"

Her gaze meets mine, and the smile slips from her lips. I prefer this seriousness, because at least it lets me know that we'll be real with each other. 

"You're being judgmental, Nicole, and I really don't appreciate that. Remember that you're in my house and I can ask you to leave at any minute."

I bite back the scoff that threatens to leave my lips. My house? "I want to understand what's going through your mind right now. What you're doing to yourself isn't normal, Esmeralda. Why aren't you eating? You're just going to hurt this baby even more."

"Even more? What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you've already hurt this child by giving it a father who isn't with you," I explain, not holding anything back. "Children should be created in loving relationships. If it doesn't work down the line, fine, but you did this out of spite and malice. You went to sleep with him on the day I told you that he was the man I was seeing!"

Esmeralda stares at me with a stern expression on her face before she takes a sip of her tea. I wait for her response and I have to wait for it for a long time. 

"You don't know anything about that," she concludes. "Roman and I could still end up together. Once I give him this son and he falls in love with the baby, he'll look at me with different eyes. And you? Whatever baby you'll have will never be his firstborn son. It's as simple as that."

I can't believe my ears. "Do you really think that having a baby is going to make him fall for you? Roman never even wanted to have children. That's not how things work."

"Who're you to say what works and what doesn't?" she exclaims. "You don't understand much of anything either, Nicole. You were having an affair with him while he was engaged to another woman, and now you're judging for doing the same!"

I'm starting to lose my patience but it's important that this doesn't end in an argument. It's clear that she won't accept that what she did was wrong, and I'm not delusional enough to think that anything I tell her will change her mind. 

"Whatever, alright? None of it matters anymore. What's done is done. What I want to talk about is how we'll move forward from here."

"Why? This has nothing to do with you. This is between the father of my child and me."

"I'm his wife," I remind her. "Whether you like it or not, we're married. And Roman loves me, Esmeralda. He loves me."

The look in her eyes hardens. "Your point?"

"You hurting yourself and causing scenes to keep him by your side isn't amounting to a damned thing," I claim, not caring about how harsh I should be right now because the truth needs to be told. "You're only going to put your life at risk. And this baby's. And you're tormenting him. You're making this so much more difficult than it has to be!"

"Of course, you think that way," she claims before reaching for a scone. With a knife, she cuts it open and starts buttering it. "You want me to be quiet so you can live with him and forget about me existing. But that's not going to work. I'm here to stay."

"That doesn't mean you should stop eating and doing other things to grab his attention!" I exclaim. "Don't you understand that this won't make him love you?"

"I don't need his love. I just need him close to me. I don't want my baby to grow up in a broken home!"

"Maybe you should've thought about that before sleeping with a man who didn't know you, and didn't even remember your name the next day!"

This seems to hurt her. I see it in her eyes. But she lowers her gaze and continues buttering her scone. I turn my face away. 

I think I might've wasted my time coming here and this makes me feel so discouraged. It's clear that Esmeralda doesn't want to listen to me. She is convinced that she'll accomplish something by doing this, and nothing I say will help. 

It might only make things worse. 

So, I stand up and her eyes follow me. I haven't touched a single thing on the tray. 

"I thought I could come here and have a decent conversation with you," I claim. "I thought we'd come to an agreement. But you're determined to keep acting like a maniac. Like someone mentally unstable. You know what? Keep doing what you're doing. I hope it brings you some sense of accomplishment. And peace. I'm only sorry that this baby has someone like you for their mother."

I start toward the door but she calls my name. I stop and turn around. 

She's standing now. "Wait. Don't go yet."

"I have nothing else to do here."

What's her deal? What's she trying to do now? 

"I...I know that things between us are difficult now, and we'll probably never be friends again."

I nod because it's true, and wonder what she's getting at. 

"But you were nice enough to come here and express your concern. So, thank you for coming. Really. I've been waiting for this moment for some time now."

"Why?" I ask suspiciously. "It's not like you even took my advice."

Esmeralda smiles, then raises her hand. I didn't even notice that she was still holding the knife in her hand, a knife that's a little too sharp to be a butter knife in the first place. 

She drags it across her skin, and a scream forms in my throat before I race toward her. The force of my impact knocks her to the ground, and she lands on her back on the floor, bleeding. 

The housekeeper hears the commotion and races toward the living room. She screams when she sees Esmeralda pinned beneath me while I try to press against the bleeding gash on her arm. 

"Call an ambulance!" I yell. "Now!"

It's not long before Esmeralda loses consciousness. The feel of her blood beneath my palm is one I'll never forget. Horror washes over me as I stare at her pale face.

"What have you done?" I ask. "You crazy fucking bitch. What have you done?"

Esmeralda doesn't answer me. 

She smiles.