Wife Swap - S01 E40

6 months ago

Wife Swap - S01 E40

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 40

Athena Pov

I take a quick shower and change into comfortable clothes. I find my mother seated talking on her phone, when she sees she whispers and ends the call. She looks at my choice of outfit with disapproval. I am wearing, a white strapless crop top with lilac pants.

"Going somewhere?" She asks.

I nod fitting my phone in my small sling bag.

"You can't be hoping everywhere," She comments.

I understand what she is trying to say. She dreads the news getting out to the neighbors and friends that I have left my husband. She cares too much about what people think.

I sigh frustrated. I have a thousand words I can say to her but I know one out of those words will be something I can't take back so I always choose my silence.

I walk out just to find the taxi I had ordered is already here. I get in and immediately text Lia asking how she is and if she got Jax. I am yet to tell her and Fiona that I am no longer at Rome's place. She responds fast that they are getting the authority involved. I sulk filled with remorse for not being there for her. She has always been there for me.

I stand outside Methodist Hospital. I don't know if Joy will be happy to see me two times in a span of a day. I owe her an apology and deserve whatever anger and resentment she holds toward me. She could never choose a man over me, while I did.

I remember the many times I came here to visit her and how she spoke of someday having her own office and bringing the change the community needed as a medical social worker. I head towards her office, I may not have talked to her but I followed her progress on social media as she posted, except for her family.

I knock on her door and wait, she may be busy, or not here, or with a patient, or just senses it is me, and she feels she has no business talking to me.

"Get in," I hear her voice and I gather my courage and walk in.

When she sees me she sighs annoyed, "Why are you here?" She asks.

"You didn't give me time to apologize," I take a step closer and shut the door.

"I didn't come because your mother asked me. I came because I wanted to make sure you were still okay, I was in denial that you would just wake up one day and decide never to talk to me like I meant nothing, But now I realize that is just what you did. " She speaks hurt and tears form in my eyes.

I feel like words can't be enough to redeem myself, I sit and bow my head to my hands. "I don't deserve to ask you this but I hope it is not too much to ask for another chance,"

She huffs, "Why cause I am an option now that you left your husband?" She asks.

I wipe a tear, "He cheated on me, isolated me, gaslighted me, broke me into pieces and all I could do was ask what would Joy do but I am not you. I failed and now I don't know who I am anymore. I came here hoping I will find a part of me but the only place I can find myself is within me yet I feel like a guest to my soul, locked out without the key to open that door."

A gasp escapes my lips when I feel her hand on my shoulder, it is unexpected, and slowly I adjust to the comfort her hand offers. I didn't hear her walk to me. She squats in front of me and embraces me. We both start to weep. With her, I don't know how to hold myself back or hide what I am feeling. We remain hugging for a while before I start laughing and she joins me. She used to tell me if the pain is too much just laugh.

"I missed you so much," I say.

"I did drive halfway to visit you before I got angry on the way and drove back." She says and I laugh more. We both bare our grandmother's anger. I keep mine in check by being silent, joy contains hers by talking.

She stands and sits on the seat opposite me. "Don't ever do that to me again," She warns.

"I promise," I assure.

"What happened?" She asks.

She tentatively listens as I tell her about Mason, Rome, and the wife's swap agreement. Leaving out the part where I slept with Rome.

"Does your mother know about the wife swap?" She asks.

"No, and I don't plan to tell her."

"Maybe that will make her realize that Mason is not the man she always thinks he is," She insists.

I shake my head, "He didn't force me to do it, she will find a way to make it my fault." I reply.

"You are right." She agrees.

"Thanks for taking care of her stubborn self," I say.

"She is family what can I do," She smiles

"When can I meet your family?" I ask, my mind thinking of the appropriate toys to get for her kid.

"Eric will be back tomorrow and Astra is at the daycare. So, Tomorrow it is." She says.

"His name is Eric?" I ask.

She nods avoiding any eye contact like she is embarrassed, "And you may know him," She hints though I can't recall anyone with that name.

"Okay..." I say.

She smiles at me, "Moha, came back." She says and my heart paces fast at the mention of his name.

"That's great," I mutter. I feign calmness and a 'don't care' expression even though I am dying to know more.

Mohammed was my first boyfriend, I fell in love with him hard, and immediately after high school, he left for his home country with a promise he would come back. I never heard from him again until three years ago. In less than a year I was married to Mason.

Joy is quick to read the mood that I don't want to dwell on the topic as she quickly suggests we go out for brunch and drinks. An idea I welcome happily. She asks for a sick day and we leave.

Time goes too fast when you are having fun and all your problems are forgotten. Joy finally drives me back home. As we get closer I can see three men waiting outside. Even from a distance, I can tell it is Mason, Rome, and Moha.