A Love Too Corrupt

§*Chapter 41*§

When they finally got to the beach Anyae looked out at the ocean and then at Constantine.

He stared at her as she took in the beautiful scene around her.

"Beautiful at night isn't it?"

Anyae nodded and sighed as a cool breeze blew across her face and played at her hair. The sound of the rolling waves and the gentle brush of the wind against her skin created a serene atmosphere. It gave her a momentary sense of peace...

While Anyae had her eyes closed Constantine had slipped his hand into hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. He led her into a walk along the shore with him. Anyae had tightly held her Mom's urn in one arm while squeezing his hand in hers. He lightly squeezed hers in return as they walked closer to the water. Constantine looked over at her in concern,"Are you sure you're ready to do this?"

Anyae met his gaze and sighed,"Yeah....I'm ready.."

He slid his arm from hers and watched her walk closer to the water's edge. She murmured a prayer and emptied her mother's ashes into the sea. Anyae stood silently looking out at the ocean for a few more minutes. Constantine came up beside her and grabbed her hand in his,"Come on Lotus..."

She was silent most of the walk so Constantine stopped at a comfy Italian diner called Rosalina's.

Anyae looked at him in confusion as they sat a table by the back. "Constantine why are we here?"

He picked up a menu and browsed through it instead of meeting her gaze,"Because we haven't had dinner."

"But I'm not hungry."

He ignored her reply.

"Constantine."

Silence.

"Constantine-," he cut her off almost immediately and spoke without sparing her a glance.

"Anyae I'm not arguing with you. You're eating something before we leave this table. No ifs, ands, or butts about it. Now shush and choose something to eat."

Anyae frowned but sighed,"Ok fine but let's just order it as take out. Ok?"

Constantine nodded and led her up front to order. Once they ordered their large plate of manicotti and breadsticks they headed back towards the condo.
The moment they went inside Anyae's stomach groaned out a complaint. Constantine looked over at her and cocked his eyebrow but opted to say nothing. After they ate she took a shower and Constantine started to undress for sleep. While she washed her mind went right back to the day her mom died.

I should have been there....She shouldn't be dead...I've failed my Momma....it's my fault...

Though she tried to think of something else she couldn't manage to take her mind off of it. Her body trembled as she pressed her hands over her mouth and silently sobbed. Her chest felt constricted and tight as her breath got quicker. The glass walls of the shower began to slowly close in on her as she sat and curled herself into the corner of the shower floor.

Constantine had just pulled on a pair of sweatpants when he heard a sob come from the bathroom. His eyes widened as he hurried over to the bathroom door and strained his ear to listen.

There it was again...just barely over the running shower, he could hear her sobbing. It wasn't the fact that she was crying that broke him but it was how she was crying. The sobs were ugly cries that tugged at your heart. Constantine opened the door and pulled back the shower curtain to see her curled up as tight as ever on the shower floor, rocking and crying. At the sight he grabbed a towel and picked her up, carrying her into the bedroom. He set her at the end of the bed and made her look at him.

"Baby look at me ok, just focus on the sound of my voice and close your eyes."

Anyae did as he said.

"Now I want you to slowly count backwards in your head from 10 and take deep breaths while you count."

She close her eyes as started to count in her head as he did aloud.

10.....9.....8.....7.....6.....5.....4.....3.....2.....1

Inhale. Exhale. Slowly she opened her eyes.

"Better?"

Anyae nodded and hugged him tightly, he hugged her back just as tight and rubbed her back in soothing circles.

There were no words and for a while they remained like that until they both pulled away for sleep. That night he held her to him and drifted off to sleep in guilt with what he knew on her father heavy on his mind.