Take a Breath (Take 1) Read Online Free Page B

you?  You have to take better care
of yourself than this.”  
     
   I sigh and he quickly turns into a McDonald’s about ten
minutes away from work.  “Jake, we’re going to be late.”  He
turns the ignition off and looks over to me. 
       “I’m getting you something to eat, what do you want?”  
     
  I frown at him and fold my arms.  I’m behaving like a child
now, but he is trying to tell me what to do.  “I’m not
hungry.”  He grunts and gets out of the car.  A few minutes
later he is back with the brown paper bag and slides up on his
seat.  He passes the bag to me.
       “Eat Ana, now.”  
     
  I huff out a ‘no,’ and I can tell he’s getting angry.  I
really am behaving like an insolent child and I’m getting hungry now
that the smell is hitting me from the bag, but I’m still being stubborn
because he is trying to tell me what to do.  
     
 “Ana, I’m not going to start this car until you start
eating.  I don’t care if I make you late, we will sit here all day
if it takes that long.”  
     
   I look over to him.  I’m super angry.  I can’t
believe this sudden interest in me.  Before at home we would talk
and do things as a family but it would always seem to me that he was
somehow trying to avoid me.  Lately he had taken more interest, so
much so that he is now blackmailing me to eat.  I grab the bag in
a huff.  “Fine,” I say with gritted teeth.  I take what looks
like a Sausage and Egg McMuffin and place it in my mouth; I let out an
unwelcome moan as I bite down into it.  I didn’t realise I was so
hungry.  I look over to Jake and he is sitting there looking
rather uncomfortable.  He wriggles in his seat and then
smiles.       “My job here is done, now let’s get
to work, I have a thousand things to do.”  
     
  I put my hands up exasperated, “You have a thousand things to do
and yet you hold me hostage in your car until I eat?”  He beams a
big smile like he is pleased with himself.  
     
 “It was deemed necessary Ana.  You have to keep
healthy.  I know a McDonalds isn’t healthy but it was the quickest
thing to order on the menu that wasn’t too messy for you to eat in a
hurry.”  
     
  I find myself gorging on the McMuffin and I’m a little annoyed
that he is right.  I let out a little hiccup and Jake looks over
to me and beams. 
       “Told you.”  
     
   I wriggle in my seat and mutter ‘told you,’ under my
breath.  Jake looks over with a cheeky grin.  
       “Hey, what was that?” 
     
  He proceeds to jab me in the waist and it tickles so much that
it hurts my stomach.  I laugh and try to grab his hand to push him
away.  He looks like he’s enjoying himself.  I finally manage
to grab two of his fingers and that jolt goes through me again. 
He looks over and the smile quickly fades as we’re fixed staring at one
another.  We are brought out of our trance by a car horn blaring
at us from the front.  Jake quickly looks up and sees the car
making a turn in front of him.  Jake had missed a stop sign and
nearly crashed into the car.  He stops dead to avoid a
collision.  
       “Hey watch it asshole.”  
     
  Jake looks at the man behind the wheel of the Jeep Trinity and
mouths, ‘I’m sorry sir.’  The guy shakes his head but carries on
driving.  Jake looks pissed now and the rest of the journey is
made in silence, the moment lost.
     
    Chapter 4
     
    We
both get in to work and all eyes are upon us as we walk in.  Jake
nods in my direction and I head off to my desk.  Jessie is sitting
there smiling expectantly.    “So Miss Thang, why are we late
this morning, did someone keep you up last night?”  I flop in my
chair.  “Babes, what’s wrong?”  
     
  Obviously seeing the sullen look on my face and concerned look
on Jessie’s, I have no option but to tell her.  “My mum has gone
again.”  
        She looks confused, “Ana, what do you mean your