-47-Cold Christian
"You will have to carry me along with my past." [Riley]
.....
"Great. Also, I am inviting my friend over to our home tomorrow. Will you be okay with that?"
"Yeah, I would love to meet your friends."
he finally replied to her, looking straight into her eyes, trying to read the words she couldn't say trying to find the slightest glimpse of love.
It was the first time she was inviting her friends to meet him. 'Is it because she is accepting me?'
But as always he couldn't decipher her emotions. Silence unbearable silence. For a few moments, no one spoke, and then she made another attempt.
"The Good news that I wanted to tell you is that my best friend is alive."
"Huh? What do you mean? Who is your best friend?"
"Do you Remember Mindy, two days ago when I returned home I was in an awful mood?"
"Yeah. I think you said it's because you saw someone."
"Yeah. Exactly I am talking about him. The man I owe my life to. He is alive."
Christian felt a strange pain in his heart. It was the second time she talked about him and he realized that however, he thinks that it doesn't matter but deep down in his heart, it did. 'The man she owes her life to. Then won't you be the woman I owe my life to?'
"That's wonderful. But where did you met him?" His eyes glistened with unshed tears but he forced them back. For he won't cry in front of her. Not because he was insecure. Although he knew, Men were never supposed to cry. They were supposed to build a rough exterior of the stone. He did that. Yet what was he supposed to do? When his wife. His First love. His everything. Was confessing her love for a man that wasn't him. He had a heart too.
"In the party. He is the one who is acquiring our company." Her smile lightened the air the way he had never seen before. While he glued his eyes to the plate figuring out how to not burst into tears nor force her.
Yet she continued without the knowledge that she was breaking his heart.
"You know Mindy. It was a masquerade party and he came to me asking for the dance. I rejected him. But he continued pestering me until I said yes. Although I saw his blue eyes, I got to know the truth when we were dancing."
It took him a while to dissolve each word she said. And His fake expressions fell, as he imagined what had happened between them. His heart brimming with hopelessness, but he managed to force his courage down his throat.
Mindy didn't react. Riley could feel him lost somewhere. Her voice today didn't felt soothing to him, it just cracked his eardrums. Creating a noise as she blabbered how much she is happy.
Managing to keep his emotions in check, he asked.
"Yeah. I am happy for you Honey. But What's his name?"
"Stuart. His name is Stuart."
Hatred filled in his stomach as his mind raced on the name. Stuart. He had heard it somewhere? 'But where? Who are you, Stuart?'
Clutching his pants tightly he took deep breaths to calm himself down. For he knew, if he didn't calm down he will certainly do something drastic.
Silence has a unique voice, it shouts your inner chaos. Riley lifted her eyes and focussed on him. She noticed his heavy breathing, his hands that were clutching his pants while his beautiful pointed brows were scowling and his lips were pressed together.
She wasn't expecting his sad reaction. 'Why does he look so sad? What happened to him? Did I say something wrong?' She tried thinking about what had she said in the last few minutes and realized there was nothing wrong with her words. 'Then why does he look so sad? He was so happy just a few minutes before.'
'Perhaps it's because you are praising a man in front of him. Like you love him. Perhaps it's because you are admitting your love for Stuart in front of him.'
'I didn't say anything about love.'
'Do you think he can not add two plus two?'
'I.'
'Riley, Don't I yourself. You know he likes you. And here you are adding thorns to his flesh by admitting your love for another man. At least take pity on him. You are being insensible.'
'Maybe you are right.'
She was afraid to admit that her subconscious's voice was right. She was afraid to accept his emotions. More than that afraid to know her own emotions in response to his.
Amidst their silence of the night, even the sounds of his harsh breathing were echoing. Although the area they were living in wasn't quiet. Yet there was a kind of uncomfortable silence. That she so badly wanted to break.
His face and his silence caught her attention again. A face personifying anger, hurt, and things she couldn't comprehend.
After almost what felt like an eternity to her he spoke through gritted teeth. "Nice name. I am happy for you."
Just when Riley was going to ask him what was wrong with him. He stood up from the chair. The voice of the wooden chair scraping against the floor fell against her eardrums. and she looked up at him in confusion.
"I am not hungry Honey. So I am going to sleep early."
"But Mindy Didn't you said on the phone that You haven't eaten anything from noon and now you are saying that you are not hungry. What's wrong? Did I say something? Is it because of me?"
"No Honey. It's not because of you. It's just that I don't have the appetite to eat now."
"Mindy. I. Although I don't know what's wrong. But if it's because of me. I am sorry. Please forgive me."
After apologizing, she looked up only to see him gone.
.....
That night both of them couldn't sleep. For different reasons. She couldn't because her different behavior had made her irritated. So she spent her time reviewing her work while he spent his time in his grief watching her painting in his other house. Stroking her face through his hands. As hot tears poured out from his eyes. 'You love him, Riley Brown. You love him. Why! I have tried every method to make you mine. But the more I get near you, the more you make me realize you will never fall for me. What should I do? Huh? Die! No, I wouldn't. I will never give up on you. At least Till the day, I am alive.'
The house that he had purchased just near the one he and Riley lived in. It wasn't ordinary. The apartment was luxurious. Complete Opposite to the one he was living in with her. Yet the warm ambiance he felt was in a cheap home. 'How ironic. People say money makes you happy. However, in his case, it was never that kept him happy.'
The painting was of Riley from two years ago. he had ordered the world-famous painter Louisiana to create it for him. Her strokes were beautiful yet incomplete. Only half of Riley's face was drawn. Showing him how beautiful her incomplete self was.
On the other hand, Riley wanted to talk to him, to call him but she didn't want to be seen as a clingy woman.
'What if he left only because of some work.'