December 23rd - 12:00pm

"No sé qué hacer, él se está comportando distante. ¿Acaso hice algo mal?" Roman spoke into his phone, talking to his mother. Since yesterday he and Virgil hadn't talked since, he slept on the couch and he hasn't seen him all morning. A few people asked if they were okay and what had happened - Roman brushed it off as a small argument and they would be as right as rain soon enough, but he was worried, he didn't know what he did to make Virgil so mad at him.

Before his mother could respond, another voice caught his attention. "Hello, Roman" the voice made his body straighten, head turning in her direction.

"Espera, mami" he murmured before moving the phone away from his mouth. "What do you want?" He asked icily, glaring daggers at the woman he hated - hated for ever treating Virgil in the ways that she did.

"I just want to talk" she began, voice falling to innocence, "I...overheard something that I think you deserve to know. We may not like each other and have vastly different views but I have been through this before and it hurts" she explained and Roman wasn't buying her act one bit, yet he was curious, wanted to know what sort of lies she would try to feed him.

"Just get on with it" Roman shot back, tired of her stalling, she nodded and spoke. "I listened to a conversation between Virgil and Gabriel. He said he... and I truly am sorry, Roman, but he said he's thinking of ending things between him and you"

Roman was a tad surprised, and for a moment he worried, anxiety shot through him at the thought of Virgil wanting to leave him - but then he remembered who he was talking to.

"¿Que fue lo que ella dijo?" Roman heard the faint voice of his mom so he quickly placed the phone back to his ear. "Que Virgil quiere terminar con conmigo" he explained quietly, voice uncharacteristically quiet.

"Are you sure?" He then asked Charlotte. "I am, Roman, and like I said I really am sorry. From personal experience I say don't let it take you down, if he wants to end things you should do it first - don't think I'm trying to force you or anything, but ever since a past man in my life did that to me I regret not ending things first. I'm merely trying to help"

Roman ignored most of what he said for he truly didn't care, instead he focused on something that he realised, something that came to light as she explained. She must've gotten to Virgil somehow, sometime a few days ago, and he didn't tell her - possible manipulation? Roman wouldn't be surprised, with all the stress and emotions Virgil was under he wouldn't be too hard to trick, either. It wouldn't be too far-fetched to say she used the excuse of family to get close to him.

"Okay" Roman nodded, "Quite honestly I'm not surprised, he's been acting very distant lately" and he saw the mostly masked delight that shone through her eyes. It made him hold his phone tighter.

"Si acaso piensas en dejar a ese pobre chico-"

"Estoy mintiendo, mami, confía en mí" he cut off his mother quickly.

"If you're sure" Charlotte carried on, ignoring whatever he was saying into the phone, she couldn't understand anyway, but from the tone of his voice she was convinced he was under her trap, "I won't tell him a word. I'm sure he wouldn't even let me talk to him" she chuckled a little, sending Roman a smile he would see on a grandmother - a smile full of fake love and compassion. He would be surprised if she knew the meaning of the word.

"Ingenua y un desperdicio de espacio" he spat once Charlotte was out of earshot, turning back to face the wall before him. "Ella no volverá a ver a Virgil de nuevo si mantengo mis manos sobre ella" And Roman smiled a little at that, his mother was always protective of his boyfriend, especially after the boy had been through so much. Of course he didn't tell her, but she could tell. A mother's instinct, if you will.

"Por más que me encantaría ver eso, yo me encargaré de esto, mami, lo prometo" Roman spoke with confidence, he understood the situation now, all he needed to do was try and fix it.

They quickly ended their conversation after that, Roman leaving the hallway to bump right into Amelia who wore a frown on her face. "Ah, Roman" she brightened up a tad her Roman could see she was trying to hide her true emotions.

"How are you?"

"I'm alright, I'm just...thinking" he smiled a reassuring smile for he was telling the truth - he was desperately trying to think of a way to make all this better again. Dumping all of this information on Virgil wouldn't do much good, he needed a way to break it to him gently, but how to do so escaped him.

"Well, if you ever need anything just find me" she patted his shoulder gently before carrying on her way, Roman watched her go before slowly turning back forward. He missed his family.

While walking by Virgil's room he tensed, staring at the door for a few minutes, his mind arguing for him to go inside and talk or go downstairs and find the children to help get his mind off of things. Shaking his head, he sighed and walked towards the door, resting his hand on the door handle, ready to push it open and-

Will you stop being such an idiot and listen to me!

Roman drew a couple of steps away from the door, grasping onto the banister to hold himself up, the sudden memory blaring through his mind on full volume, much louder than Virgil originally said it, but now he was away from the door and it was gone.

He closed his eyes and turned the other way. He felt like an idiot.

The day passed by at an uncomfortable pace for everyone. It seemed with rising tensions everyone could feel it, no matter where they were in the house, it was solemn and somber, the festive feeling of Christmas spirit drained from their bodies. They could stare at the decorations for hours and still feel nothing. It was like any other passing day.

The kids wanted to ignore it, so they did, they focused on their toys and Roman's stories, they smiled at the decorations and wouldn't let a moment of silence fall over them, not even Mia, because they were scared, scared that Christmas would fade away if they stopped.

Although one person was different, one person was happy, smiling, finding it all to be...entertaining. Revengeful, even, she finally got her revenge after Virgil left for ten years, finally able to carry on ruining his life until he was a shattered mess of who he once was. 

In her room she was content, hoping one day he'd regret ever coming back home.