"While working for something, try to make sure you are doing it the best way you can even if you feel it won't turn out to be best for you. You don't know what's best for you until you have the experience of it." [Christian]
The Taxi Stopped at the end of the street. Riley paid the driver and looked around. The air was redolent with the smell of trash which encompassed the entire area weaving an unyielding feeling of disgust. The frivolous moon seemed to be walking with her. As she carefully walked ahead the smell of trash dissipating into nothingness. She knew she shouldn't have let her emotions overpower her. Expressing her undying love to a man when she was still married was wrong. So wrong. But by the time she realized that it was too late. Perhaps she would not have even realized it if not for Mindy's call. Maybe she was just overpowered by the shards of the past that we're sharpened when her parents admitted they wanted to see them together.
But then again, Memories of the past can not be compared to shards because they once made her life. They once made her feel something in her heart. Even if the past created cracks of insecurities within her.
Conceivably it was now time for her to zoom past things that she had already lost and make things right with what she has now. With a newfound determination Riley quickened her steps, she needed to tell Mindy about her lie and her past now.
On the other side, Christian was restless. Angry. Hurt. Betrayed.
The feeling of restlessness accentuated within him so much that it confined him to the memory of the lunch meeting with Stuart. The erratic feelings bombarded his heart and remembering the particular scene when she had almost abandoned him made him go Heebie-jeebie.
'Why did you lie to me, Riley Brown?'
'Fuck why!'
When he was still contemplating whether to ask her or just investigate it. The main door opened and Riley stepped inside without a noise.
At that moment their eyes met in the air and Riley pretended to see the time on the wall clock. Christian somehow felt anxious and irritated. She was avoiding him.
Why?
He could guess. 'She did lie to me.'
It was because her black and white eyes were not filled with the pride she always had but a kind of emotion between guilt and fear.
"Why didn't you sleep Mindy?"
"I was waiting for you." His brown pupils narrowed dangerously and there was a storm in his eyes. He knew if she said anything more he would probably force her to tell him the truth in desperation.
Riley, who had been trying to deceive herself, spotted the look on Mendicant's face. She bit her lip in guilt, telling herself again and again.
'Maybe he is angry about some other things. Maybe you are just overthinking Riley.'
The living room was quiet, the lights were dim but as they stood together in silence. They both felt inexplicably oppressed. Like there was a superpower that was creating a dangerous undercurrent between them.
"How's Mom's Friend doing?" Christian asked, wishing Riley would tell him with her lips about her lie. Maybe her admitting her mistake would make him a little mad but it would be better than if he found out by secretly investigating her.
After a moment of Silence, Riley finally spoke, wanting to get rid of the guilt she was feeling.
"I. Mindy. Mom's Friend that we went to meet is Stuart."
The atmosphere turned chilly as she gazed at him trying to read him but it was as if it didn't matter to him, he didn't react for a long time.
Christian felt cold all over As if the snow was falling on his head in December. 'Being lied to felt like a different feeling to Christian, Her words proved as shards as they pierced his heart. He never knew lies could hurt that much. Though he wanted her to admit the truth and had felt like it would hurt less if she said it herself. But it was as if her admitting it hurt more. Now he wished it would have been better if he hadn't asked the question. At least then he would be able to deceive himself. Deceive himself to believe that his methods were working on her. That now she was accepting him as her husband. That she was His. His. Alone.
But her actions have shown him the mirror of reality. The reality of their relation, that she did still considered him as a contracted husband and Nothing more. However, he knew he was no one to question her when he was deceiving her too. He never will.
His heart hurt with the thought that she met her first love by lying to him.
'Was it supposed to be acceptable?'
'Would any man be able to take it?'
'Perhaps a contractual husband could. Or should.'
The more he thought about it the more His heart shattered like a windshield but she will never know. She a cruel woman will never know. Perhaps he should have just used to be cruel to her.
Riley watched him as he clenched his hands again and then loosened them again and again. He seemed to be looking at his shoes in a daze. Finally, he looked up at her emotionlessly watching as she shifted from one foot to another in nervousness.
He said in a plain voice.
"Okay, I understand. Good night Honey."
After his words were over he turned around and strode away from the living room to the bathroom. Perhaps he needed to plan something more to get her heart. He needed to work harder.
Riley released a sigh that she had been holding onto since the moment she had spoken. Silently she watched his stiff back in confusion.
'How could he behave so indifferent about this matter? Did I hurt him that much? Or do I not matter to him? But he had kissed me when I asked for a divorce, didn't he say he liked her. Then how he was so nonchalant about her meeting Stuart. Wasn't he jealous last time Stuart came for lunch? But why didn't he react now? Did he lose interest in her? Or is he so hurt that he doesn't want to talk about it? What's going on?'
Frustrated Christian dialed Cynthia's number with a plan in his mind. The call connected on the third ring while Cynthia cursed the human who called her at 11 in the night. Standing up from her small single bed she pressed the answer button without seeing who was calling.
"Who the hell do you think you are to disturb me at this hour. Mad human."
Already Angry Christian was stunned with her response.
"Who are you cursing CYNTHIA. YOUR BOSS?"
Startled Cynthia pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. With a hiss, she stuttered.
"Si..sir. I. I wasn't cursing you. I"
"You what?"