Wife Material

15

Every time I speak or move, I notice Lilliana flinch.

She hasn't spoken and I refuse to push her to do anything she doesn't want to do. I've asked her if she wants to call her mom and she said she does, and her cousins.

I do as she asks and when I'm off the phone with her family, I let her know that they're on the way to Greece and will be here as soon as possible.

We sit in silence in her room, and every time I turn to look at her, she's mindlessly looking at the TV in front of her. When she does manage to close her eyes and rest, she sleeps for five minutes before she wakes up suddenly in panic.

She's released shortly after the police interviews her and I listen closely for every detail. I don't care if the police is involved. I'll find Daniel and Oron and kill them. I'll make them regret what they did to Lilliana.

"Daniel wanted me dead. He thought that was the plan, but Oron didn't want to. Oron wanted me to be a daily reminder for you that he won. That he took my dignity and you couldn't do anything. He didn't even care about me at all. I was just collateral damage of his plan to destroy you."

Those are the only words she says to me on the way back to the house. I grip the wheel tightly enough to turn my knuckles white.

Talia, Vanessa and Malik - Lilliana's cousins - as well as her mom have just arrived and I welcome them in.

"Where is she?" Talia asks immediately. I guide them to her room and knock lightly on the door. "Hey, your family is here. . ." I keep my voice soft and when she turns to look towards the door, her eyes quickly fill with bushed tears.

"Lili. . ." Vanessa whispers, and that's enough for her sobs to begin again and for her two cousins to carefully approach her.

Vanessa and Talia sit at each side of my wife , keeping a safe distance, enough to make her comfortable with having them around.

I turn around to give them some privacy, but I hear Malik follow me into my study.

"I asked you for one thing, Haze. One fucking thing when you married Lilliana. To keep her safe and protected. That was your job. You were supposed to protect her, especially in a country dominated by dangerous people who hate you and see her as a way to get you. Who only see her as a mean to an end. Nothing fucking more. That was your job. Protect Lilliana. And you failed. The first thing I'm doing as soon as she's somewhat healed is ensure that this sham of an agreement is stopped."

I sit at my desk with my head in my hands, allowing him to let his anger out on me, because he's right.

"Oron is on the run. I need all the manpower possible to find him. He knows that I'll come after him, so he has a plan to stay out of the public light for some time. Lilliana did mention that Daniel didn't know that she was supposed to live, so he probably doesn't have a good hiding plan. I say we start looking for him and lure every other complicit out using him."

"Did you not-"

"I heard everything you said, Malik, but there's nothing for me to say. I know how I've failed as a husband, and my job was to protect her so I'm not going to argue or defend myself. You're right and this marriage should end. Can we do this, now?" I slide the folder in front of me towards him, trying to lower my voice and mantain a calm façade.

"Okay."

At 6:00pm, I grab the chicken soup that I had the cook make and walk upstairs. When I walk into the room, Talia and Vanessa are laying on the bed holding Lilliana while watching tv, Malik is sat on the sofa and I notice Delani smoking on the balcony.

My wife stares ahead, looking at the empty space. The streaks of dried tears are very evident and I simply want to hold her take away the pain she's feeling.

"Hi," Lilliana's voice startles me and I quickly straighten my back against the headboard to look at her. She walks into my room and closes the door behind her.

"Are you. . ." I don't finish my sentence because I know she isn't okay.

After an awkward silence she says, "I'm feeling . . . Better than before."

I nod.

"I came to tell you something I remembered before. There's someone who got Daniel involved in this. A woman. I remember Oron telling him to ask her for protection, so I'm guessing it's someone who has power. I don't know if this helps you find them, but yeah. . ."

"Yeah, this is good information. Anything you can remember helps."

She stays by the door for a while, just looking around. "Malik said that we're leaving Greece in a couple of days. Is it true?"

I nod, "Yes. It may help you heal to be away from this place."

Her eyes are thoughtful. "Are you upset?" Her voice is uncertain and barely above a whisper.

"Upset? About what?"

"Me losing the baby. I didn't even get to tell you before I lost it. You had to learn about the baby when you found out I lost it."

"I won't lie to you. I haven't even had the chance of thinking about that. But I'm not upset. Not at you at least. At myself. At the world and at Oron and everyone that caused it. I need to put all of that aside though, and focus on you and your well-being."

I won't fail again.