Rude Awakenings After My Son's Death

"Why?"

"Because—"

"Dad, please, let mum come. She can bring me back after the exam."

“She can drive her own car.”

“Will you stay with him before he gets into the hall?”

I and Daniel engaged in a pointed stare battle. He didn't want my company and I didn't enjoy his but I stayed because of my son. I could not imagine a life without my Jordan.

"He will also need someone to help him after such a tasking exam." I held the car door handle.

Daniel turned away from me, muttering under his breath but I heard it. "Valente’s are stronger than this. They don't need to be tethered to their mothers."

My husband was a hypocrite. He was his mother's only child and he did everything she asked. He never questioned what she said or did even when she was blatantly wrong. I wasn’t that lucky with Jordan. His father’s approval was more important than air.

Daniel unlocked the car. He did not wait for me to be properly seated in the car before he started to drive.

I slammed the door shut just before it hit out iron-wrought gate. "Careful."

"Ssh. Jordan is reading."

I was quiet for a while until I noticed my husband was not driving through the main road. Instead, he took the tarred long path that winded through several parks in town. "Why are you taking this route?"

"It's away from the noise and traffic. Jordan can study better."

I tried to find Daniel's eyes through the mirror in front of the car. "It will take us longer to get to the centre."

"More time for him to read."

I wanted to claim that Jordan needed to rest but Daniel gave me a sharp look through the mirror, then turned the mirror away so that I couldn't see his eyes anymore. He never failed to throw in my face the fact that I didn't go to college. But how could I have when I was pregnant with Jordan?

"As long as you know what you are doing."

"Trust me, Alice. I'm always in control." Daniel tapped the steering wheel with his fingers.

The ride was quick and I almost got lost in the scenic view of orange and red flowered trees passing us by until Daniel stopped the car without a warning.

I steadied myself, after grabbing Daniel’s head rest to steady myself. My attention turned to my fragile son. "Are you fine?"

Jordan nodded, even though he looked deathly pale and trembled as he took in a breath.

"What was that?" I demanded.

"You ask too many questions." This was my husband's reply as he brought out his phone and stared at a message. "I have to turn back."

"We're close, Daniel. You can drop us off and do whatever you need to do."

"Good, then you can walk." Daniel unlocked the car.

"Are you out of your mind?" I screamed.

"Mom?" Jordan covered both of his ears. "Please, keep your voice down."

“Yes, Alice. Consider your son.”

I understood how much screaming affected Jordan. It was one of the reasons I refused to fight with Daniel but this time, my husband asked for it.

"He's your son too. Don't you want him to write his SAT?"

Daniel's looks turned cold. "If he doesn't write it, he's not my son."

"Then drop us at the centre first."

"Tiana just landed at the airport. There is no one to take her home."

"No one?" I almost laughed. "Fine, call one of our fifty drivers."

"You know how I feel about drivers."

Daniel had almost been kidnapped by a driver when he was younger so he had decided that only me or him could drive Jordan. It was mostly me. He also preferred to drive his parents and close friends by himself. Except that Tiana just wasn't any old friend. She was his first love and their love story had been paused by the fact that she went to a different college overseas.

"It doesn't matter how you feel. You have a son now." I reminded him.

"Tiana doesn't have anyone here. She's like my family."

But Tiana was more than a sister to Daniel. I have always had my suspicions but I had never been able to prove that they had rekindled their love relationship.

All I know is that since my husband got Tiana's new contact details he had not been the same. His trips overseas had also increased. That was also when our fights started.

"You can't expect us to find our way. This place is lonely. There are no taxis."

"Get out now! Both of you!"

"At least get one of the drivers to pick us up. You're not seriously going to leave us out in the street right?"