“Are you tired of me yet?” I tease.
Ava doesn’t find the humour in my statement. Her face is void of emotions. It’s weird because this is my first time seeing her without a hint of a smile. She drops her notepad on the stool beside her couch.
“A bit.”
My expression dampens. It prompts her to sit up and offer me a small smile.
“You missed my calls. Ignored my texts and emails.” Hearing her list them out makes me sound like an asshole. “We have discussed this before. If you need a break, it’s okay but you must inform me before going MIA. We were making such great progress and you disappeared without a word.” It feels like I am getting scolded by my favourite teacher. She lets out a small sigh. “I was worried.”
I kick out my legs. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. How are you?”
Perfect and living my best life. It has been a week since the launch of Project El and the numbers are doing great. At the moment, I am the definition of a fulfilled man. I have my wife back. And her bump is showing. It’s so small it’s adorable. I love kissing it every morning. The girls like to talk to their brothers.
“Good, actually.”
Ava observes me. Soaks in my smiles and warmth. I am different. I feel different. Better. Happy. I feel all of the things she always tried to tell me to allow myself to feel. I know now that I also deserve great things.
El made me come here. If I don’t feel like I need therapy after today, I won’t have to continue. But I will decide that later. Right now, my thoughts are on the getaway. Everyone but El is in on the surprise.
I would not trust those girls with a secret but I needed to give them an explanation for leaving with their mother for a month. They will stay with their grandparents after a week with Joshua. They need to spend time bonding with them while I go do the same with my wife. I miss our life before the twins sometimes. Just us and nobody else.
For a full month, I’ll breathe her, I’ll feel her, I’ll love her without worrying about my girls or their safety.
Ava is silent for another minute, then her head dips in a curt nod. “I watched your demonstrations.” My lips quirk. It always does when I remember the showcase. I was so nervous. El’s presence might have triggered it. She was in the front row. She smiled even when I fumbled. “Was it inspired by Brianna?”
“Yes.”
Pulling out my phone to explain the designs of the cars to her. The inspirations behind most of them. Her head bobs, she queries me, laughs at some things I say. It feels like a hangout with an old friend rather than a therapy session. I like it. I like the calm in my heart and the weightlessness in my chest.
“You’re happy. I’ve never seen you this happy in any of our sessions.” Because I didn’t fully understand the meaning of happiness, now that I do, I don’t need to do much. Happiness is like a tonic, only that you don’t have to drink it. You just have to love and be loved by the right people. “I am happy for you.”
“I am too.” Mostly because I know it will last forever. I rub my palms over my knees. It is time. It only feels right. “Thank you for your time, Ava.” Her smile is knowing like she can tell my next words. “I don’t think I need therapy anymore.” Without breaking eye contact, I continue, “I have everything I wanted.”
And more.
Ava rolls her pen between her fingers. Her head is cast down as she ponders my words. Or I think that’s what she’s doing. She lowers the pen to the stool and clasps her hands on her knees. My foot raps into the floor in an off-beat rhythm and I lean back into the chair. Her head raises. With a smile, she nods.
“How about you come for a few more sessions? Two at most. Just to check up on yourself. If you feel like you don’t need it after that...” She shrugs. “Then you are free. It’s bye-bye to Ava and therapy.”
“Okay.”
My phone pings. Laughter bursts out of my lips. My driver is here. Our session is not over yet but I feel no need to be here an extra second. Ava seems to agree. She doesn’t make a sound when I rise to my feet.
“I’ll be on my way now,” I tell her.
We exchange silent goodbyes and I take my leave. The driver pings me again. I send a smiley face and my phone beeps with a lot of angry emojis. I quicken my step once I am out of the elevator. Her mood swings are awful. If I delay, I might meet her in tears and she will blame it on me for keeping her waiting.
She is cute like that.
I spot her car among the row of cars. She is in the driver’s seat, a corner of her lips between her teeth as her fingers move swiftly across her screen. I don’t check my phone when it pings again. She pouts and punches the steering. Another fun fact, her punches now carry weight so I try to stay on her good side.
A knock on the window draws her attention to me. She scowls. I open her side of the door but nothing happens. I try the back doors. Nothing. All the doors are locked. She sticks out her tongue and picks her phone. I wait impatiently as she types and my phone vibrates inside my pocket. Yay. Another angry text.
Or not.
Wifey: Beg me.
I slide my phone into my pocket without a reply. Lines appear on her forehead at my audacity and I motion for her to open up. We squint at each other until she gives up. And the door opens soon after.
“My baby,” I say once I’m in the passenger’s seat. El doesn’t turn. The car starts. She volunteered to pick me but she is giving me so much attitude. “Elna, don’t do this to your husband.” She giggles. “My love.”
It works every time. El is in full giggling mode. I give her thigh a squeeze and her free hand covers mine.
“How was your session?” We slow down at the traffic light and she taps me. “Say something, Brandon.”
“Something, Brandon.”
I hide a laugh as she shakes her head. I think I love annoying her. Our car starts moving again.
“Jerk.”
“Wife of a jerk.”
“Ass.”
“Wife of an ass.”
El’s face is determined, her brows knit together. There’s nothing she will come up with that I can’t turn on her but I love watching her stress her pretty head. Plus, it is fun. I get to kiss and make up later in bed.
“I don’t like you very much right now, Brandon Stark. You are my least favourite person.”
“I love you very much right now and always, Elna Amahle Stark. You are my favourite person always.” She throws me a smile. Naughty woman. “So, why are we pretending to be angry at me today?”
She says nothing to that but her shoulders tremble with laughter. I love our new dynamics. We are doing right this time. We are also doing it much better.
As we near the mansion, I grow a little more anxious.
“You will not believe what happened today at the office?” I say. I poke her cheek.
El drives into the compound. She parks first before sitting on my lap. I cup her face and pucker my lips. She plants her lips on mine for less than a second. A frown turns my lips downwards. I want a real kiss.
“What happened?” El flicks the strands that continue falling over my forehead. I like the feeling it evokes so I close my eyes and let her play with my hair for a little while. “How was therapy? You didn’t answer.”
My eyes jerk open. “It was awesome. I don’t think I need it anymore but I’ll go a few more times before I make the decision to stop.” El bites her lips. She’s more than happy with my words. “Now, do you want to hear what happened at the office today?” I am being a bit dramatic but this is my El. “Yes or yes?”
Her lips purse. I know she will say no for the sake of saying it. But she surprises me with a small, “Yes.” Her head rests on the curve of my shoulder, she runs circles on my collar. “When do I resume work?”
I might have enforced a leave for a month. She thinks I’m being an overprotective husband but it’s all part of the plan for the trip. I haven’t taken a leave in such a long time. We have earned this vacation.
“Soon, okay? I promise.” My reply earns me a smile. El can decide to resume work. I won’t do anything about it but the fact she doesn’t makes me more happy and grateful to have her in my life. But onto the good news. I’ve been dying to tell her since but I wanted to do it in person. “We finally found a buyer.”
“A buyer?”
She doesn’t remember. The doctor said it is the pregnancy brain. She might forget things more often. It is not deliberate. I try my best to remember that but I hope El doesn’t forget my birthday. It’s the first one I am looking forward to. I look to the front of the house as if expecting the girls to run out any moment.
“Yes. For the club.” My chin rests on her head and I whisper, “Baby, we sold the club today.”