Infuriating by Anna Andriychuk

She is infuriating.

As she sits there, all leisurely, like what they are having right now isn’t a proper conversation. In this spacious, practically mansion-like house with expensive wooden furniture and giant windows in the middle of nowhere, overlooking a gorgeous view of the mountainside.

As Zoe watches Sandra take yet another sip from her fancy wineglass, senses the delectable and rich aroma of a, probably, rather expensive sample, her eye mentally twitches. There is nothing Zoe wants more in this world today than finish this godforsaken conversation and be done with it. Leave this deceptively beautiful place with its uncooperative residents.

She doesn’t know whether to sigh in relief or plug her hair out in frustration when it actually ends. Because, unfortunately for her, it means she’d have to do it all over again.

The air is cold when she leaves, the sun kissing her skin with delicate touches of its rays, warm, yet not hot enough to melt the snow or keep the body comfortable and cosy. The snow itself is crispy, sagging slightly underneath every step she takes to her car. Black, quite old and used, but still as good as ever.

Driving away, her thoughts about their conversation resurface once again. She knows it is a duty of a proper respecting journalist to not be needlessly swayed by something as trivial as personal relationships. Oh, and gods did she repeat this every single second of that, frankly, fiasco of an interview. Will have to do so again with them rescheduling it.

She pulls over the second she finds a small crevice of space she can safely stop her car in. The moment she stops, Zoe groans in frustration, letting her head bonk against a steering wheel. The sound of the car’s horn permeates the surrounding, scaring away a few crows that nestled themselves on the tree branches she observes in her side window. But she doesn’t care. Not in this second.

…

Or perhaps she does. She angles her head away, the sound stopping immediately after. The only thing reminding her of this, arguably, stupid action is the pain radiating from her forehead. Dull and annoying. Yeah, just like this situation.

She knows Sandra is lonely. God, she pretty much admits so herself. And it’s not like it’s particularly difficult to figure that one out either, with how much she kept interrupting their interview with personal questions. Seeking connection. Reaching out to make this… friendlier, perchance? It tugs at Zoe’s heart, just a little. Makes her pity Sandra, in a way.

But it doesn’t excuse… that. Why did she write something like that? Did she ever stop even for a second to think just how much it would affect her son? His connections? His future? Maybe she just skipped it altogether, ignoring it just like the uncomfortable and meaningful questions Zoe kept asking her.

And her husband is no better. Sure, Zoe was having an interview with Sandra alone, but by no means is that an invitation to start, what, construction work? Turning the volume up to such deafening degree the house starts shaking?

It seems ignorance runs in that family. Zoe simply has hope that Daniel wasn’t so “lucky” as to inherit it. But only time will tell with that. His dog is lovely though. Snoop, was it? Well, he is definitely well-cared for, with his black-and-white coat that looked like it could be quite comfortable to the touch. Seems that, at least, this part of Sandra’s book was truthful.

She angles her head forward, looking at the long, winding road ahead of her as it slowly sloped down to the foot of the mountains. Giant pine trees overlook one of the sides, the other one – open for anyone to gaze out upon the beauty of snowy and rocky nature around them. To look at the relatively small city that now appears even smaller with how high up she is.

She sighs, turning the engine on, and slowly drives away. She has to do it. Finish this article and be done with it. Yeah.

Well, Zoe supposes she can take away one good thing from that little “talk” – that wonderful, breathtaking view. Maybe she’d even be willing to go back to that ignorant place once again if that meant having a chance to observe her surroundings from such a quaint and elevated spot. Yeah, maybe she could.