Forgiveness No Punishment

Tree

Tree

All the rain of the world couldn't wash away the guilt and redemption he feels. And even if he drinks all the alcohol in the world, it will not give him peace, even for a second. Either way, with poor judgement, he drank a dose of cane beer to numb the burning of his soul, but all he achieved was a confrontation with a tree on his way home.

"Poor tree! I hope it gets better, I will pray for it," was Sibel's response when she was informed about the accident by the police.

He waited in vain for her to show up at the hospital room. The police officer told him about her nonchalant response. He chuckled, but his eyes were glued to the door.

She never came.

He left the hospital that night and went home feeling broken. Thanks to the airbag, the accident didn’t cause too much damage to his body, just some bruises and cuts from the shattering glass.

But no one could see his broken soul, how he was mourning his past actions.

Another car was waiting for him with one of his men sitting in the driver's seat, silently obeying his orders.

As soon as the car stopped, he stood for a moment contemplating his home from the window. Inside those walls was confined his love that he had almost lost days before. 

Not saying a word, he got out of the car and strode through the pain, taking the time of the world with each step he made toward the house.

He knocked on the door and rang the bell to get her attention. 

Finally, she opened it.

Sinbad looked her over from head to toe. She was a paragon of an angel in that white night dress that hugged her body, leaving his imagination wanting more details that a first glance couldn't capture. 

When he met her eyes, which showed no mercy toward his recent condition but instead scolded him and were filled with hate, his heart twinged with pain. He had no reason to demand anything from her, as he couldn't convince his brain in time of her innocence.

"If you think I am gonna be a perfect little stupid wife for you now, forget it! If you want to eat, there is the kitchen. If you want to get a shower, call your lover. If you want medical care, go back to hell, I meant, the hospital. By the way, I am grieving for the tree now and you are a monster for hurting an innocent tree." She listed his "ifs" and then turned around in annoyance for being disturbed by him, who remained rooted on the doorstep.

His body slowly felt the ground holding him as he watched her climbing the stairs step by step without looking back at him. His eyelashes closed, giving permission for his tears to fall down, taking his soul into the river of guilt and shame.

Sibel, who once helped him by giving back his dropping hat with a genuine smile that captured his soul, now walked away burning in hate towards him, grieving for a tree and not caring if he was hurt or not. She left him there, in his darkness, in the new circle of his own hell.

"She can never find out the truth. Freedom is what she wants and I will give it in my way."

He talks to himself as he gets up from his misery, planning to turn things his way.

It could have been midnight or later when Sinbad opened her room door and stepped inside like a feather floating in the air, slowly and silently approaching her bedside.

He saw her glowing face illuminated by the chandelier that was on over her nightstand. She had forgotten to turn it off after reading the book that was on top of it. He took it and read the title.