Chapter 9: chapter 9

AMELIA’S POVI simply stared at him. Did he say what I heard?“What do you mean by ‘I quit my job’.” I said again and fumbled with my toothbrush which fell on the counter. “What it exactly means. I gave my notice to quit.” He stared at me. “A month ago.” Then added. My jaw opened and closed with no words to utter. I couldn’t even form a single word. To be honest I couldn’t even comprehend what he told me just now. And to know that he was planning on quitting even before a month was a little surprising for me. “When did you plan on telling me this,” I said calmly.“I was waiting for everything to clear up before I told you.  The long work hours were just an added thing. I always tried to be early but because of my notice, my workload doubled and I could do nothing about it.” I simply nodded and shoulder past him on the way to the bedroom. “Amy…” He was hot on my trail.I threw down some extra pillows and pulled the sheets down so I could get under them. “Amelia I was not sure how you would take it, that’s why I didn’t say anything.”“So, you also failed to mention that you also didn’t like your job in the first place. Otherwise, why you would quit.”“I didn’t say anything like that. I did like my job.”“Yes, you did but you didn’t like it enough and you never told me a thing. I tell you every single thing about my life, Zach. I talk to you every single day about everything. But you… you didn’t even think to tell me that you were planning on quitting your job.”He huffed a sigh. “So, what. It was in the spur of the moment, you decided that you did not want to work—” “I got a job offer.” He intervened. I threw my hands up and tried not to show how much it hurt me, that he didn’t say anything. I just threw the covers on me and huddled against my pillow. Fuck, it hurt.It hurt to know that things have been changing in my husband’s life and I didn’t have a clue. I would have not reacted like this if he even commented about his work or this new job offer. But what bothered me is that he just hid it from me.I would have been concerned if he had said he was not happy with his job anymore. But that was not the case. And I was not reprimanding him that he did not tell me before he quit. It was his job he could quit anytime. Did he think about me? Or how I would feel about not knowing anything about it for mostly a month?This was some bullshit. “Hey, Amy. Hear me out.” Zach said and sat on top of the sheets while he tried to grab my chin.I pushed his hand away and burrowed further into the sheets.“I don’t want to talk today. I just want to sleep. Good night, Zach.”“I don’t want us to sleep on a fight. Please just hear me out, I did—”“It isn’t the first time we are going to end the day with a fight. So, just let me process whatever you said today.” I didn’t look at him at all. If I did, I know I would cry.  Only by a miracle, was I keeping my voice from wobbling. “But…but It’s your birthday tomorrow.” He said hesitantly. Oh, god I totally forgot. With all that’s happening around me, I totally forgot my own birthday. I glanced at the clock and it was nearly twelve. “Happy 29th birthday to me,” I uttered sarcastically. This time when Zach grabbed my chin, I didn’t have time to thwart his hands. His soft lips landed on mine and I tried to resist but couldn’t. I groaned into his mouth when he swiped his tongue against mine and retreated too quickly to even taste him. “Happy birthday, sweetheart.”My eyes watered. Fuck it. I pulled Zach closer and cried against his chest. Sometimes I think I need to check my mental health. Because who would cry against the person who brought them to tears. But he is my person and I would like to think of this as just a dark phase in our lives. I felt the most protected and loved in his arms and I would spend the next day in my home with the kids, while my husband went to work which he would be relieved off soon and would join the new job which I don’t know about.Life was good, even if I said that in a sarcastic way. My eyes drooped and the rhythmic way Zach was rubbing my back, made me let go of all of the things which were holding me back and go to sleep. Maybe tomorrow is another shit show but at least we would be together as a family to face the show. ……. I groaned awake and felt my body lock up. Hissing in pain, I cleared up the knots on my back with a long stretch and my hand fell on the empty side of the bed.I looked to my side and saw Zach was indeed not there. I sighed. It’s not like I am surprised he left before I woke up, after all this isn’t the first day, he did that. But at least a handwritten birthday note would have sufficed. It’s not even the start of my birthday and I am already miserable as fuck. Gosh, I have to change my attitude and be positive so that my kids don’t become as insufferable as me.I looked at my nightstand and to my dismay, no hot brewed coffee was waiting for me today. I finally sat up on the bed pulling the sheets higher and glanced at the clock and nearly shouted. Fuck, it was late. I overslept. With a sleep-muddled brain, I jogged to Ria’s room to find her crib empty. “What?” I asked shocked, to myself.I immediately go check Theo’s room and when I find that empty too, I nearly go into a panic attack. With slow steps, I reach Gia’s room. Hoping that she somehow gathered all her siblings to a cuddle party or some pretend play. But then I find her room empty too.“There is no need to panic, there is a very perfect reason why all my kids are missing.” I reasoned with myself. I slowly walk back and go down the stairs and when I hear Theo’s excited squeak at something, my heart thuds and shudders like it finally started beating again. I grabbed the staircase railings and nearly fall to my knees. I was not overreacting as such but because I am that protective of my family and I know many horror stories to know that home invasion in America almost ends in someone dead. I breathe greedily through my nose and calm myself down. It could be Mia or Nick down there with the kids. Zach would have called them just to check in with me after the glorious weekend. I finally calmed enough to go down the remaining stairs and into the living room. I gasped when I saw the decorations. “Mommy’s here.” I heard Gia whisper hiss and I jumped when they all began to sing.“Fuck.” I whispered to myself.My eyes took everything that was before me and I nearly cried again when I saw Zach behind Gia and Theo.The coffee table was pushed before me and the whole living room was decorated in balloons and the kids drawing. It was so adorable.  On top of the coffee table was a chocolate glazed cake with two candles. The cake was round and on the smaller side with some holes in it. No doubt Theo would have just poked his finger in and tasted it while his dad would have been busy doing the decorations. I looked back at Zach and wondered how he was here and how he pulled off this. “Mommy, blow the candles!!” Gianna yelled when they finished my birthday song with Riya’s cute giggle at the end. She was on the couch wearing cute onesies and playing with the balloons. I crouched down before the table and closed my eyes to wish. I opened my eyes and blew out dramatically as the kids hugged my sides with giggles. “Mama, can I eat the cake now?” Theo asked with his finger in his mouth, looking at the cake longingly. “Yes, dear. You may.” I kiss his cheeks as he grabs a piece with his tiny hands and stuffed it into his mouth. I laughed and took another piece and fed it to Gia. She herself started smashing the cake.When I heard a click, I glanced up to see Zach taking photos on his phone. I looked down at myself and realise I am in a loose DIY t-shirt with nothing underneath.“Zach!! I don’t look good.” I protest but he keeps on clicking. Sometimes when the kids feed me the cake or paint me with it. “You look beautiful.” He breathed and looked me in the eye.I blushed. I fucking blushed!! Because my husband of six years said that I looked beautiful. I looked down and my hair came down on my cheeks to hide their hotness. I took a (mostly unabashed) piece of cake and stood up. I made my way around the coffee table to Zach. He stood up too and opened his mouth for the cake. I gracefully gave the cake but Zach being Zach, grabbed my hand and sucked it for all the cream for good measure. I noticed the camera turned our way and tried to retrieve my hand, and he does stop sucking and it came out with an inappropriate pop. I glared at him.He just smirks and pulls my chin to his and kisses me thoroughly. I taste the sweetness of the cake and I almost taste the tang of something else. I melted into the kiss and came back only when Zach released me. “How was the cake?” Zach asked me cheekily and turned off the camera.I looked at that and realise that the passionate kiss would be forever recorded and I didn’t care. I then only understood what Zach asked me.“I didn’t eat yet,” I start but stopped when I see amusement flashing in his face and realize that he is referring to eating cake from his mouth. “Shut up.” I slapped his chest and looked at the kids to see if they noticed their parents doing the yucky but they were busy ruining each other’s t-shirts with the cream. “Extra Work.” I sighed. “Not for you, my dear wife. Today you rest and let your super husband do all the work.”  “Are you not going to work today?” I asked confused. I was extremely happy that I got this surprise but I do know Zach had to eventually go back to work.“No.” He said sheepishly and glanced back at me. “The day I came very late was my last day. I don’t have to go back anymore, Amy.” He said softly.I nodded my head dumbly. I didn’t expect that a chapter of Zach’s life would end this quickly. But I am not sad either. I am just…“If that was your last day then why were you so late. Wouldn’t have they let you go early.” It's not like a norm to be early but I thought they wouldn’t have at least dragged his work out.“They did but at the last minute gave me a sending-off party.”  He said and quickly winced.Yeah, I get it, Zach. You couldn’t invite me too because you didn’t tell me that you were even quitting your job.“I would have surely noticed you being home more Zach even if you didn’t outright say that you quit your job.” I butted in and grabbed the cake from the grabby hands so that they don’t get their mess on the carpet too. Zach followed me to the kitchen. “Amy, understand, it was not my intention to hide anything from you but I didn’t know how to breach the topic and today it’s your birthday at least be happy and celebrate it.” He pleaded and helped me discard the cake. “I am sorry too, Zach.” I put on a smile which surprisingly is not forced. “I know how tough this all is but thank you for today.”His smile is bright now and he scoops me up for a kiss.“This day is not over yet. You just feed Riya and get changed we are going out for breakfast.” He murmured against my lips and left me panting in the kitchen.I heard him usher the kids upstairs and I did exactly what he said.…….Nearly forty-five minutes later we all trail to our van and situate the kids in their seats. Zach was already in the driver’s seat when I climbed in and I looked at him and saw that he was holding a card. “What’s this, Amy.”I glanced at it and the name ‘Gerald’ was printed in bold letters. “It’s a visiting card. James’ father gave it to me when I ran into him a few weeks ago.”“Visting card to a happy ending massage center?” Zach growled. My eyes widened and I took the card from him. And like he said, the massage center’s name was down below. What the fuck? I thought to myself.Why would he give me a card to a massage center which is basically for giving pleasure? I glanced back at Zach and saw his furious eyes on me.……- VV 🖤💫……Don’t forget to comment and to give your ratings and do follow me! Check out my Instagram for upcoming chapter’s sneak peek.