Part 28 Asha
I came home utterly exhausted that day. The meetings had dragged on endlessly, filled with tough decisions and numbers that never seemed to add up. Every discussion felt like it went in circles, with everyone contributing, but no actual progress being made. When I finally arrived home, I had to muster the energy to hop out of the car. My entire body felt heavy as I trudged through the front door. Kicking off my shoes, I froze, catching a familiar voice that didn't belong to Sandy or the kids.
"Ma?" I called, a surge of surprise pushing me forward. My pace quickened as I moved through the house. "Is that you?"
"Asha," my mother's familiar voice responded from the kitchen.
I hurried in to find her sitting on the kitchen island with Kayden and Chloe, just finishing their dinner. "When did you get here?" I asked, wrapping her in a hug. "Why didn't you call to let me know?"
She lived three hours away by car, so she always relied on the train for her visits, as it took her a lot faster. I usually would buy her the ticket, and either Roy or Brody would pick her up at the station each time. This wasn't the kind of trip she would make without notice—there was always a plan in place, a call beforehand to coordinate everything. But today, she just showed up, unannounced, and that didn't sit right with me. It wasn't like her, and the unease in my gut grew stronger. Something about this visit felt off, like there was more to it than she was letting on. Suspicion crept in.
"I missed my grandchildren," she said with a soft smile, pinching Chloe's rosy cheek as Chloe leaned closer to her.
"Did you take the train?" I asked, my words measured, my gaze locked onto her.
She shifted uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact. "Yes."
"Who's picking you up from the station?" I pressed, my tone sharpening.
This time, she met my eyes. "Someone from Aiden's office picked me up."
My breath caught in my throat as I took a step back. "W... what?" I stammered.
She sighed; her face tensed. "We had a chat on the phone..."
"Ma..." I breathed, feeling a knot form in my stomach.
"He told me he doesn't live here anymore."
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. Betrayal and disappointment surged through me, leaving me momentarily speechless. I swallowed hard, trying to collect myself, my mind racing with what to say next. But I knew one thing for sure—I didn't want Kayden and Chloe involved in this conversation.
"Kayden, Chloe," I said, my voice strained. "Go to your room. I need to talk to your grandma alone."
The kids hesitated for a moment, exchanging glances before nodding and heading upstairs. I waited until their footsteps faded before turning back to my mother, the silence between us thick with tension.
"When?" I asked, my tone sharper than I intended.
She raised her brows. "When what?"
"When did you talk to him?" I clarified, trying to stay calm.
"About two days ago," she replied.
"And you didn't think to tell me?" I pressed, feeling my frustration build.
My mother abruptly stood up from her stool, glaring at me. "And you didn't think to tell me you two separated?" she snapped.
"This isn't something we should discuss over the phone, Ma. I wanted to tell you in person," I explained, trying to keep my voice steady. "I just haven't had the time, with work and the kids having their exams this week."
"He's been living separately for a few months," she shot back, her voice hard, her pale face reddened. "You and I, we've spoken on the phone several times, and you didn't think it was important to tell me?"
"You never called me, Ma," I reminded her. The tension between us thickened. "When youcalled, you only asked for Kayden and Chloe."
"And you never called me either!" she countered, her voice rising as she planted her hands on her hips. "Aiden called me, and he was so sad, asking for advice."
I clenched my fists, barely believing what I was hearing. "Did he tell you why we separated?" I hissed.
"He said he made a mistake," she continued, her voice lowering slightly. "That he wanted to fix things, but he was at his wit's end about what to do."
"Fix things?" I echoed, disbelief washing over me. "Mistake? He cheated on me, Ma. He cheated on me for over six months."
"He admitted that. He regrets it and will do anything to make it right."
"You can't possibly just blindly believe that!" I shot back, my voice laced with frustration. "He's a liar and a cheater, Ma. And people like him don't just change overnight."
"But, Asha, this isn't just about you and him," she said, softening her tone. "What about the kids? They deserve to be with their father, even if he's made mistakes."
"Oh, my God, Ma." I threw my hands into the air in exasperation. "That was exactly what I was thinking before I realized how wrong I was. He hurt my children too by spending more time with her than with us. By always choosing her over us. That disappointment is going to stay with them for a long time. Their father needs to work hard to gain their trust back. But most importantly, I don't want their father's behavior to be an example. I don't want Kayden to grow up to be like him. I don't want Chloe to grow up to be like me, someone who was too weak to stand up for herself until it went too far to fix anymore."
My mother opened her mouth to respond, but the words faltered on her lips. I could see the conflict in her eyes, the tug-of-war between defending Aiden and acknowledging my pain. She loved him like a son—I knew that. He'd been part of our family for twenty years, so this separation wounded her, too. But that didn't excuse her dismissal of what I was going through.
She was quiet for a moment, looking like she was processing my words, but what she said next boiled my blood even more. "I know you're hurt. I'm not asking you to trust him blindly, but maybe you should talk to him again. Or find some counseling. You might find some understanding."
"Ma," I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to steady myself. "I'm not saying this to hurt you; I really don't. But I don't know if I can take marriage advice from someone who's never been married."
"I am giving you advice as a mother!" she shot back, her voice rising in anger. "Do you know how hard it was to raise three kids by myself?"
"I know it's hard, Ma. I was there, remember?" I sighed, feeling exhausted by this conversation. "But Kayden and Chloe are good kids. They won't give me a hard time like the three of us gave you, I promise. And they still can have their father. They can still spend time with him."
My mother nodded slowly, as if weighing my words carefully. "I understand, Asha, trust me. But what I'm trying to say is that you don't have to forget what he's done, but you need to give him one last chance. Think about this. If Aiden genuinely wants to change, wouldn't it be better for the kids to see their father trying? To strive for redemption?"
"He's only asking for a chance because now he has no other choice," I countered, my voice shaking with the anger simmering beneath my skin. "I can't trust him to keep his word anymore. He's broken our trust too many times. I will not risk letting him hurt us again."
"Why is it so hard to make you understand, Asha?" My mother sighed in frustration.
I was about to retort when familiar footsteps echoed behind me, and I stiffened. A jolt of shock ran through me. My eyes widened at my mother. "You've got to be kidding me, Ma. You called him here?"
She shifted on her feet, a look of guilt crossing her face. "I thought I could encourage you to sit down with him and talk things through."
"What made you think we hadn't done that?" I shouted, unable to contain myself any longer. "You need to stay out of this, Ma. It's not your place to interfere like this."
I turned to face Aiden, the bane of my existence. I hated him so much I could kill him. "This is just reducing your points even more, Aiden. I hope you know that. Involving my mother in our problems? Convinced her to take your side? That's low, even for you."
"I told Elaine that you would hate this," He said quietly. "I wasn't even sure if I should come."
"But you called her." I seethed before I added in a harsh tone. "Seeking her advice."
"He's not asking me to take his side. I'm not taking anyone's side." My mother disputed. "He was just asking me for advice."
I closed my eyes, taking a slow, shaky breath, willing myself to stay calm. When I opened them again, tears burned and blurred my vision, but I pressed on. "Then what you need to do, Ma," I said, my throat tightening. "Is to advise him how to be a good man and a good father. Advise him of everything you've instilled in us since we were little—the value of trust, the importance of honesty, the appreciation for having a family that loves us. Advise him on how to move forward from here, how to fight to regain his children's trust. That's what you need to say."
My mother fell silent.
"You shouldn't advise me or pressure me, your daughter, to swallow my pain and continue living with a man who didn't respect me. Who didn't love me enough to be faithful. Who didn't even put his own children first. You should have told me to be strong, to have courage, and to set an example for Chloe on how to be resilient."
Both my mother and Aiden stood in silence, their heads bowed, absorbing my words. I could see that my words hit them hard with painful clarity.
"And Ma, your precious son-in-law hurt me more than you can imagine. I don't know if he's shared the whole truth with you, but when he broke up with that woman he was having an affair with, he didn't stop there. He kept pursuing her, begging her to take him back. He didn't want to end the affair. That's not a mistake anymore. They're probably still sleeping together if he can help it. And that, Ma, is a conscious and deliberate cruelty."
I paused for a moment as my voice cracked with the weight of my emotions.
"And I want you to take my side, Ma. My heart is broken, and instead of comforting me, supporting me like a mother should, you dismissed it like it was nothing and defended the very person who broke it. Not once since you came have you asked how I was doing. You didn't even ask if I'm okay. How do you think that makes me feel?"
At that moment, I vowed to myself that I would never do this to Chloe and Kayden. I would always be there for them, giving them whatever support they needed. If they were wrong, I'd guide them in the right direction. But if they were the ones being wronged, I'd hunt down the person responsible and give them a nasty piece of my mind.
When they both couldn't say anything else, I knew it was time to end the conversation. I was too exhausted to continue. And seeing them teaming up against me hurt too much. "Since he's here, you probably want to catch up with him. I'm going to take a shower, then head to bed. The guestroom should be ready. Sandy always keeps it fresh with new sheets. Good night, Ma."
I walked up the stairs, leaving the silence behind me. Neither my mother nor Aiden said a word as I slipped away, and I was grateful for the brief reprieve. I knocked on Chloe's door first to say goodnight. She was tucked behind her study desk, focused on her homework. I kissed her temple, feeling my heart swell with love for her.
"I will always be on your side. No matter what. Remember that, okay?" I whispered.
She looked up at me, her smile small but reassuring. "I know, Mom."
Satisfied, I moved on to Kayden's room. I frowned when I saw him glued to his laptop, playing video games instead of studying. His headphones were on, so he didn't hear me knock. When he noticed me standing there, he scrambled, trying to switch back to his schoolwork quickly. Normally, I'd have scolded him, but tonight, I let it go.
"Love you, honey. Always remember that I'm always going to stand by you." I said, my tone soft, wrapping my arms around him.
He grinned sheepishly. "Wow, no scolding this time. Love you, Mom."
I smiled, feeling a brief sense of peace. "Just this once, okay? Now, get back to studying."