Betty's rambunctious meows disturbed Orla's sleep. Struggling to open her eyes, she stretched her hand on the bed, trying to pull Betty closer, but she wasn't anywhere close. Wincing, she finally snapped her eyes open, taking a cursory glance around the room in search of her cat.
"Betty?" She called out, worry creasing her forehead. Betty was meowing but she wasn't anywhere to be found in the room.
She jumped out of bed, scurrying out of the room. She had left the door open the previous night, and Betty had been able to leave the room. Cussing at herself for not being careful, she went on in search of Betty. "Betty, where are you?" She yelled out frustratedly.
"Are you looking for your cat?" Orla immediately curtailed her steps when she heard that cold voice. It was feminine, but the sound was icy, piercing her chest. She recognized the person in front of her even before she could look up at her. "She's doing well here." She cackled, causing a fresh wave of fear to rush through Orla's spine. "I didn't know you had a cat too, what's her name by the way?" She let out a small ingenuine smile.
"Good morning, ma'am." Orla was confused.
She never expected Elizabeth to visit them. She scratched her head, scolding herself for such thought. Callan was her son and she could come anytime, but she never thought it would be anytime soon.
The last encounter with her was dreadful and since then, she had prayed not to encounter her alone again, but there she was, in front of her with her cat in her hands.
"Spare me the greetings-" Elizabeth's eyes scanned Orla from head to toe. Her ginger hair was packed in a very messy bun, her matching pajamas loosely fitted her and she looked homeless that afternoon. "Spare me the greetings if you don't know the difference between morning and afternoon."
Orla's eyes flickered around the living room, settling on the wall clock. She stared intently at the time and it was a few minutes past two' clock. Her eyes widened in shock, she didn't believe she'd slept from last night until this afternoon. She wondered if Callan was back home last night, if he checked on her where she slept, if he…
"I see you've been sleeping. I heard that's all you do, sleep and do nothing. I know you're lazy," her eyes scornfully scanned Orla again, "I mean you look at it, but I didn't expect you to be daft as well. Callan made a great mistake." Wriggling her head in pity, she walked across the couch and took a seat, crossing her legs to display elegance.
"I am sorry, ma'am. I didn't have a great night." She tried to defend herself, but Elizabeth was not interested in whatever lame reason she had to give about her clumsiness.
"You don't have to be sorry. Stupid people don't get sorry for their nasty actions.
Orla was tempted to protest against Elizabeth's opinion of her being stupid. She opened her mouth to talk but quickly stopped herself, there wasn't any need for that. She knew Elizabeth hated her, and she purposely said those words to hurt her. Everyone hated her, there wasn't anyone who didn't want to hurt her.
A disturbing stillness jammed the room, and Orla's mind was filled with hatred towards her mother-in-law. She wasn't certain there would be a day she would get along with her. Mia was her choice and she wasn't anywhere close to being Mia.
"What's your cat's name?" Elizabeth stared adorably at Betty. She seemed to adore the cat, more than she'd ever adore Orla and that pissed her off even more.
Orla didn't seek her love, but it pissed her off that Elizabeth was grinning so hard as she played and talked to Betty and was so angry whenever she turned to talk to her.
Orla hadn't offended her in any way, she just hated her for reasons best known to her. Orla glared at her, thinking of ways to make her feel bad too, taste a dose of her medicine, and make her feel terrible the way she made her feel every time.
"What's your cat's name?" Elizabeth repeated, scrunching up her face in contempt.
Orla was about to respond when she got the cue. She could call Betty's full name to piss off her mother-in-law. Secretly grinning, she looked at poor Betty and said. "Elizabeth, her name is Elizabeth." Her eyes were on Elizabeth, taking note of all her emotions, and expressions as she said that.
"What the hell?" Anger fumed within her, her hands turned shaky. She released Betty causing her to land on the tiles with a loud thud. Orla quickly ran to her cat's rescue by picking her up and soothing her. "Are you joking with me, you wench? How dare you call your cat my name?"
The anger on Elizabeth's face satisfied Orla, that was all she wanted.
"That's her name," she said unapologetically, still kneading her fingers against Betty's fur. "And you shouldn't have dropped her that way, you hurt her and now, she would be so scared of you." She pouted, smirking when Elizabeth took a glance away.
"What gives you the impression that you can talk to me in such a manner?" Elizabeth raised her voice, almost frightening Orla but she tried to remain unfazed. "Callan has surely given you some nerves, I will see to that." She spat through gritted teeth, her eyes burning with flames of animosity.
His name, again.
She wished Elizabeth wouldn't talk about him. She didn't want to think about him now.
"I should have asked earlier, but what can I offer you? It's an honor for my mother-in-law to visit. What do you care for?" Orla smiled, pretending not to know about the havoc that's about to start.
Elizabeth stood to her feet, swatting her hands.
She smiled a wicked smile and said. "Getting married to Callan has to be one of your greatest mistakes because I know my son well. He will never love someone like you."
"You are right about that, ma'am." Orla nodded her head. "I know Callan doesn't love me and he would never love me, but that's not meant for you to say. I know that you wanted him to marry Mia, but it's not my fault that he chose me. So why?" She carefully placed Betty in between her hands and straightened out of the couch to face Elizabeth. She wasn't sure where she got the nerves to do that, but she had had enough of her and it was okay to talk back if she wasn't cool with what Elizabeth was saying to her. "Why do you hate me so much. Why do you keep blaming me because your son disrespects your wishes?” She didn’t stop. “Don't you think it's time you let go of him? Free him from your shackles. Can't you see he doesn't need you to dictate what to do and what not to do to him anymore? He's grown. He’s a man and no longer your baby. Leave him alone, let him be and stop blaming me for his mistakes." At that point, Orla was tired of it all and just wanted to voice it out.
"How dare you, Orla?" Elizabeth's palm landed on Orla's cheek, leaving a stinging impact on it. "What do you know about me and my son? How dare you shove your stinky mouth into my business?" She scoffed, threatening to slap Orla again, but withdrew her hand, already regretting the first slap, but didn't let remorse show in her countenance. "What do you know about my son and me?" She yelled, forcefully demanding a response from Orla.
Orla knew nothing about them, she just said those things because she felt that way. She didn't know the kind of relationship Callan had with his mother, but she knew that he loved and adored her so much the same way she did to him.
Elizabeth grabbed her bag with shaky hands. She hated to admit that Orla's words might be true, she loved her son and only wanted the best for him, there was nothing more. She wasn't controlling, she wasn't that kind of mother, and she didn't want to be that kind of a mother. But she really wasn't sure what kind of a mother she was to Callan.
"I am not here for you, I came here for my son and since he isn't around, there is no point wasting my time with a Numbskull like you." She said, turning towards the door.
The truth was that she was there for Orla. She was there to taunt her, and berate her but she met her match.
Orla's words touched the deepest part of her marrow and she didn't want to stay longer to hear more hurtful words from her.
“Good day." She walked out of the room without turning back.
As Elizabeth walked out of the living room, Betty fell from Orla's hands and lost consciousness.
"Betty?" Orla bent to pick her up, but she was unmoving.