In Honour of the Heart

Chapter 19 : I have been down and I have been beat.

He inverted an unopened pack of Marlboro light, bought from the nearby shop and rapped it against his palm. I opened in a one short movement exposing the silver foil. Isaac thwacked it against his fingers to encourage the cigarettes to come out. When one emerged far enough to take up, he turned it around and replaced it in the pack. This last one was lucky and he was sure he was going to reach for it very soon.

 Isaac held another one between his index and middle fingers, between first and second knuckles. His palm was facing him and fingers were pointing upward. He brought a match to the tip and sucked it. He looked far away as he pulled a smoke into his mouth. Was it Ethan who had called to regarding his wife?

He regretted switching off the mobile in haste. He could have given a piece of his mind. Well, now he had his number.

Isaac held the smoke in his mouth for a minute, removed the cigarette and took deep breath as he inhaled it into his lungs.

His heart was on fire, let his insides burn too.

What was he going to do? His lips formed in an 'O' shape, when he blew smoke rings. He wished to release a cloud of tension with it. The musty, acrid stench encompassed and dominated other neighboring smells.

It was getting dark. A pale, quarter moon was hanging on the darkened sky, trying to keep its existence between mass of heavy, drab clouds. Everything around him looked sooty. Isaac saw his own faint shadow and lighted another one - he was in no hurry to return to the hospital. The gloomy surrounding suited his mood.

Was Ethan "the old friend" whom Belle had mentioned? Was he her lover?

Talking to him might not be a big crime but meeting Ethan without his knowledge was deception.

His wife of ten years was seeing that jackass. He could give someone a bloody nose right now. Isabelle didn’t have a single reason to see another man when he provided her with everything. How dare she go behind his back?

The scintillating thought of seeing that nurse oscillated in his mind. She was giving him looks. Isaac let his mind wander and then came back to reality after few minutes.

Didn't Isabelle think for a minute?

His thoughts were driving him mad.

He pressed the last, 'lucky' cigarette hard against the surface, grinding it and stubbing it until it stopped burning and threw the empty pack in dustbin.

And Isaac started walking with determined step.

Once inside, he watched the sleeping figure of his wife. She appeared to be dozing off. Isaac made sure not to make any noise as he went towards the small couch in the room.

"What time is it?" Her voice startled him. She was not sleeping.

Isaac went near her bed. She sat up after an effort.

"Quite late. Why are you up? Did you have your soup?

"Umm, yeah but where were you? I couldn't sleep in this strange room. Although the sisters are friendly I still miss my own place."

"Hmm."

Isabelle raised her eyebrows as slow, hazy odor penetrated her nostril. "What is it? I recognize this odor. Did you smoke? But you didn’t touch it after Susan's birth. I thought you had left that toxic habit forever." Her voice turned sad. She threaded her fingers in his hair.

"Stop it Belle.” He removed her hand. “It’s nothing. Just felt it.”

"I hope you remember your promise Isaac. I don't like it. Good night. These medicines are making my eyelids heavy. I can't keep them open."