Till Forever Falls Apart

38). Anika

ANIKA

There's a bright light coming from somewhere and it's really fucking irritating me. I tried to move away from it but for some reason I couldn't move. Something heavy is crushing me. 

I slowly opened my eyes and tried to make sense of my surroundings. And then, I looked at the weight that's been crushing me or more like the person that's crushing me. 

Zane.

He looks so much at peace like this. Nothing like the excruciating pain and torment I saw on his face last night. It was killing me to see that raw pain on his beautiful face. His eyes which are always filled with happiness and mirth were looking so damn helpless.

I slowly traced my finger through his whole face. His eyes, his cute little nose, his beautiful mouth which curves into the most beautiful smile I've ever seen. God! I just love this man. So fucking much. 

I slowly rolled him to his side and quietly slid out from the bed. I'm still wearing the same dress I wore for our date yesterday. I looked back at Zane for a moment before I went into the guest room, where my things are. 

I brushed my teeth, did my business and then took a quick shower. Then I changed into a long white flowy dress. Put my hair in a half bun and went into the kitchen.

The apartment is still quiet. I guess Z is still sleeping.

I quickly looked for the ingredients to make some chaii for me and then started making a cup of coffee for Z. 

Now, he loves my chaii but can’t betray his coffee, which made him go through so many sleepless nights and packed schedules, by just abandoning it. He told me that he feels like he's cheating on his coffee with chaii and yes I laughed like a lunatic after hearing this. Well, now he has decided to drink them on alternative days. Today chaii and tomorrow coffee. And today is coffee day.

He is just fucking adorable.

As I was preparing some scrambled eggs, toasted bread and bacon for our breakfast, the front door bell rang. 

Who would possibly be ringing the bell at seven in the morning? 

I opened the door to find a gorgeous woman, who might be in her early forties, standing with a nervous look.

“Umm…yes? Can I help you?” I asked her.

“Who are you? And where's my son?” She asked with narrowed eyes. 

Her son? 

Fuck! Is she Zane's mother? She has the same eyes as his. The same deep ocean blue.

“Are you Zane's…mother?” I asked her.

“Yes, dear. And who you might be?”

I didn't know what to say. How to explain to her, what Zane and my relationship is, when we ourselves have not put a label on us yet?

“Umm…I'm Zane's…friend. Anika Verma. Please come inside, mam.”

She offered me her hand and said, "Hi dear, I'm Samantha Sterling. Zane's mother. I shook her hand. She had a firm grip.

Then she straight went towards the living room, sank into the couch and made herself at home.

“I've never heard of any Anika from Zane before? Are you his new friend?” She said while smiling sweetly at me.

But before I could respond to her, the door to his room opened and he, in his sleepy haze, did not notice that we had company and kissed me on my lips or more like ravaged me. IN. FRONT. OF. HIS. MOTHER. 

My eyes widened and I tried to push him away but he was not budging. To make him realize I bit his lip. Hard. Only then he broke the kiss and looked at me with confusion, like he's asking ‘What the hell was that for?’ 

I looked at his mother who was gaping at us with her mouth hanging open on the floor. My cheeks heated with embarrassment. 

Finally, coming out of her stupor she cleared her throat and that made him turn and look at her.

He looked at me again but now with wide eyes and then turned towards her mother again.

“Mom? What are you doing here?” He asked her.

“I came here to meet my favorite son. Can't I?” She said.

She looked so fucking nervous like she don't know what to say and how to say it.

“Let's not pretend that, mom. I was never your favorite. You've been doing just fine without me all these years, so I don't see why you're even here and saying all this bullshit.”

Fuck. I guess, when he said that his relationship with his parents is not that great, he was not lying. I feel like I'm intruding on a family matter and that I shouldn't be here. But for some reason, I can't seem to move.

Her eyes teared up a little and she stood up.

“That's not true. Not at all. You are my son, I care about you. You are a part of our family and I can never forget about you. I've been trying… for three years to see you, to just…catch a glimpse of my son but every time I ask to meet you… you just refuse me. I had no other choice other than to come here unannounced.” She looked on the verge of a breakdown.

I looked at Z and found him clenching his jaw so hard, I'm afraid he's gonna break it. 

“You should've gotten the hint that I didn't wanna see you.” He said with a clenched jaw.

I've never seen this version of Zane before. Had it happened before he told me everything about his past, I would've gotten angry at him for talking to his mother like this. But, now that I know everything, I can understand that everything from back home reminds him of his friend's death.

“Please don't say that, Zane.” She blinked her eyes in an attempt to avoid crying. Then said, “We miss you, Zane. But that's not why I came here today. I came to tell you that Ethan and Martha are throwing a small gathering for close friends and family for Michael's birthday. He would've turned twenty-seven. It's this weekend and they would love to have you there.” 

Fuck! I looked at Z and he looked like he'd seen a ghost. His face turned so pale.

This is going to be rough for him.