Manhattan is a highly populated area. The Borough is bustling with traffic twenty four by seven. Even at night the streets are as busy as they are during the day.
But no matter whatever one says, Manhattan is beautiful in its own way. And if you live in an apartment that overlooks the city, you will understand what I'm saying. The beautiful sight you see whenever you look out the window was just breathtaking.
The penthouse apartment I lived in is on the thirtieth floor. Two elevators and a set of stairs opened into a private vestibule. The door led to the foyer and the foyer opened into the great room. There weren't many opaque walls in the apartment, just transparent glass ones so that one can enjoy the views.
The whole penthouse was a three sixty open type and had five bedrooms, five full baths and a half bath. Different areas could be closed off by the sliding doors. The great room gave the view of the Southern Skyline and as soon as you entered through the foyer you could see it. On the left of the great room was a glass dining table which could sit eight people and on the right were two couches and a coffee table right in front of a fireplace.
Turning the corner from here would lead to the master bedroom which had a personal terrace which provided a panoramic view of the Central Park. A huge king size bed sat in front of the glass doors of the terrace. Behind the bed were various shelves filled with books. On one side of the room was a powder room.
Moving straight from the master bedroom came the study which just had a small couch and a small glass table. Turning from there led to the master bath which had a ceramic bath beneath the windows which gave you a view of the northern city. Opposite that were two sinks. Besides the sink on one side was a door which led to the dressing room and the other side was the toilet. Besides the toilet there was a shower stall.
The master bath led to another corner from where you turned into a hallway. On one side were stairs which led up to the thirty first floor which was also a part of the condo and another set which led below, to the twenty ninth floor. A part of the twenty ninth floor was part of the condo only which had a guest lounge, small kitchen and balcony and the guest bedroom which had its own small walk-in-closet and a small bath.
On the hallway of the thirtieth opposite the stairs was another bedroom with a built-in-closet and bath. Beside the bedroom was an eat-in kitchen. Both of them had a fantastic view of eastern river.
The hallway led back into the great room with the dining table right there for easier access.
But as I walked in with my mother-in-law, we didn't have time to pay attention to any of the views. We were both frozen in our spot. Albeit she was due to shock and surprise but I was due to dread.
This wasn't any new thing for me. I had walked in on Christian having sex with women countless times and it was after a huge argument that he started giving me heads up of whenever he was going to have someone over so that I could make my absence before his companion got here.
We stood there for a whole minute in complete silence hearing the low, heavy grunts and sex talk of my husband and the high pitched deep moans of his latest score. I just looked at my mother in law because I did not know what to do while Debra processed in her mind what was happening.
And when she finally did, I just wanted to run halfway across the world cause let me tell you something, when my mother-in-law was angry, she could make Satan himself cower in fear and I am just a human.
She stormed towards the master bedroom and despite my gut telling me to run away, I quickly followed her. The sliding door was out of the way giving us a clear view of Christian fucking Smith laying on his back and a tall brunette girl riding him.
These were his usual types, tall brunettes with blond highlights and big busts who had a bit muscular frame.
"CHRISTIAN MAGNUS SMITH!" My husband's head snapped in our direction along with the girl's and he quickly pushed her off making the girl fall on the floor with a yelp. We got a clear look at his still erect junk as he covered himself with a pillow.
"Mom! What are you doing 'ere?" He sputtered out as the woman jumped up with a screech and quickly covered herself with the sheet trying to save her modesty.
My mother-in-law paid him no mind and instead looked at the woman.
"Get dressed and leave." She said to the girl so calmly that the tone of her voice made me shiver.
And apparently I wasn't the only one because I saw Christian's Adam's apple bob up and down as he gulped.
The woman tried to move but Christian was still laying on top of one half of the sheet making it slip as she tried to move away. She caught it before it could fall.
Then she looked at the clothes that were littered all across the room.
I took pity on her and removed the jacket which I was still wearing and then started collecting her clothes from all over the room. All the while I could feel three pairs of eyes on me.
I handed her my jacket and while juggling her clothes held the sheet up as a curtain shielding her body from the three pairs of eyes.
She lightly cleared her throat when she had my jacket on. I let the sheet fall to the floor and there she stood completely naked except for my jacket covering her till her upper thigh. I then led her to the other end of the room and turned the corner and led her to the bathroom.
"Change here." I handed her back her clothes and closed the sliding wooden door.
I walked back into the room and two identical pairs of blue eyes were on me.
I just looked at the floor, meeting neither one's gaze.
"You know about this, don't you." It wasn't a question, but a statement directed towards me by Debra.
"Yes." I said with my voice loud and clear and finally looked up at her. She was standing across from me on the other side of the room in front of the door. Christian was now lying under the sheets where his junk still made a small tent. He wasn't looking at his mother, just me.
Debra hummed while eyeing me with a certain glint in her eyes.
"I suppose you are not sleeping with other people just like my son is."
"Maa-"
"No, ma'am." I replied honestly, cutting my husband off.
"Learn something from your husband, Christian. I know I raised you better." Debra gave her son a stare down that made him squirm.
"Get dressed and meet me and Ethan in the living room." She commanded and left. Soon I heard cabinets opening and closing rather roughly. That woman knows how to hide her anger.
As I was about to step out of the room right behind Debra, Christian stopped me.
"Why didn't you tell me about it, Maa?" He demanded.
I turned around and gave his scowling face a deadpan stare.
"Check your phone, you'll have 15 missed calls, 12 voice messages and 47 texts. I even stalled her for nearly an hour out in the freezing cold weather just to give you time enough to finish up." Just before stepping out of the room I stopped again. "How long did you plan for me to freeze my ass off in the snow before calling me back?" I threw over my shoulder and without waiting for an answer left.
As I made my way to the kitchen, I could already smell the aroma of tea. Debra was near the stove muttering into the phone something about Christian being an infidel husband and them raising him better. I already knew she was talking to her husband. They both shared everything with each other and had no secrets between them which was the primary reason they were a power couple.
On the counter was a plate of almond cookies which looked to be home made. I was about to take one when she roughly smacked my hand.
"Ow!" I exclaimed.
"Wash your hands." She scolded and pointed towards the sink. "Just Ethan... Yeah we should..." I just turned her out and after washing and drying my hands took the plate and went to sit in the Grand room.
Just as I popped one cookie in my mouth out from the bedroom came the girl, now dressed in her cream coloured blouse and pink woollen sweater along with black jeans. She stopped in her tracks as soon as she saw me.
I looked at her with half a cookie sticking out of my mouth and she stared at me wide eyed with her mouth opening and closing like a fish.
Soon she composed herself and cleared her throat. "I'm sorry for what happened. I didn't know you were his husband- HELL I didn't even know he was married. I sincerely apologize. If I had known he was married I never would have gone along with him. Even if he told me he was in an open relationship. You have to believe me I would never wanna be a homewrecker. I didn't even know he was ri-"
"Izz bhine." I stopped her rambling. I swallowed the portion of the cookie I had been chewing. "It's fine. Wasn't your fault my husband can't keep it in his pants." I looked around awkwardly. "You should probably leave before my mother-in-law comes." I whispered.
"Thanks." She nodded. She picked up her long coat and beanie along with her sneakers. "Again, I'm sorry." She said before disappearing out the door.
I sat there looking at the door before lighting the fireplace, lowering the thermostat and dimming the lights.
My unseeing eyes were looking at the flickering and crackling flames as my teeth munched on the remaining cookie slowly.
My staring match with fire was broken when Christian came out of the bedroom with a small towel drying his hair.
"Seems like you had enough sense to take a shower." I blankly said.
My husband just scowled at me as he sat down across from me and helped himself to one of his mother's cookies.
"What is Maa doing now?" He broke the silence after swallowing a bite.
"Making tea while talking to your father." He groaned at that and again we were drowned in silence except for the crackling fireplace.
"Thanks." I looked at Christian a little baffled by his words. He was facing away looking out the window at the falling snow. "For buying me time. It was my fault for not checking my phone and telling you to stay out of your own house in this freezing weather. So, I'm sorry for that."
I didn't know how to respond so I just hummed because 'Sorry' and 'Thank' you were two words I have never expected to hear from Christian Smith directed towards me. And that too in a single conversation.
He was about to say something else but stopped when his mother walked in with a tray holding three cups of tea and pastries which I had bought yesterday and were waiting in the fridge untouched.
She placed the tray on the glass coffee table and sat beside me on the other single couch across from her son who was sitting on the three seat one.
"Your father wants to talk to you face to face. He will be coming here first thing in the morning." She picked up a cup and took a sip of the hot tea. "Then we will have dinner with your in-Laws at their residence. Christian you will pick up your father from the airport at ten sharp. Meanwhile I'll take my son-in-law shopping." She smiled brightly at me as Christian grumbled a 'yes Ma'am'.
"I would love to take you up on that offer, Debra but I already had plans for tomorrow. I'm going out of town. But I'll be back before dinner." I gave her a small smile which clearly told her not to pry but she clearly didn't get the hint.
"Oh! Well what kind of plans? Maybe I can tag along. After all, I came all this way just to meet you guys. You don't want me to get bored, do you?" She gave me the old puppy look. But she wasn't the only one who could act.
"Oh I am sure my mother would love to talk and keep you company while I am not here." I gave the fakest smile I possibly could which she saw through clearly and her lips twitched for a second.
"Well then, I'll be waiting for you in the evening. After all, we have to get packing as well." Debra crossed her legs and took a sip of her tea.
"Packing?" I raised an eyebrow and looked at her and then at Christian who just looked away and picked up one of the pastries with his bare hands and took a bite. His eyes widened slightly and he took another one.
"Christian, manners." She chastised while also picking one up and took a small bite using the fork. "These are really good. I thought Giorgio was good but after eating these, he has a long way to go." She acted as if I hadn't asked a question. She just kept looking at Christian as she slowly ate, savouring the sweetness.
I diverted my eyes to him as well. He was looking at anything but us. His knee was bouncing as it did when he was stressed or anxious. It was a miracle he hadn't crushed the pastry in his hands considering how tense he was.
Debra didn't seem to be in a hurry as she calmly looked at Christian. Her gaze was searing and it was no wonder her son was fidgeting. I mean if she was staring me down like that as well even I would be as well. She wanted Christian to answer my question.
Finally after what felt like hours, but was only a few minutes, Christian answered. "After Christmas, we'll be moving to California." He sighed and raised his head. Bright blue orbs bore into my dull grey ones. "Permanently."