My Husband, Whose Heart Belongs To Another.

21. PEACH perfect

Harieth

I drew the seatbelt but just as I was about to reach for the buckle, it stopped. I attempted again but to no avail. It seemed stuck so I pulled harder once more but the result remained the same. I pulled and pulled and pulled.

Damn seatbelt!

“Harieth.” His voice startled me a bit, reminding me that I wasn’t alone and so I look up to him.

“Let me help you.” He offered quite politely that I was a bit taken aback by his suggestion. He had never offered to help me in the past.

Unable to speak, I watched wide eyed and a bit frozen as he reached out for the seatbelt, drawing too close for comfort. There, my heart started what now seemed to be its favourite rhythm.

Involuntarily, I silently drew in a deep breath, making normal breathing a bit hard for myself as if it would disrupt whatever insanity that seemed sane going on right now but not for one second did I take my eyes off him. I watched every sight of his face, taking it in while it lasted and only when the click sound of the buckle emitted and he looked up to meet my eyes did I realise how truly close we were.

He looked deeply into mine that I felt for the first time, we were having... a true connection. It felt as if... as if we were on the same page. His eyes were softer, and not as filled with hatred as it normally portrayed. Wait... am I reading this wrong?

Suddenly, he looked away.

“All good.” He stated as he backed away, fixating his eyes on the sight ahead and starting the car, simply pretending like we didn’t just have a moment. Wait... did we?

Slowly and silently, I let out the breath I seemed to have held in for quite a while as I looked away, fixating my eyes on the view through the window. My hands clenched tightly together on my laps as if doing that would get my entire being in control. This has to stop. Not only do I feel this way, I’m also starting to read a different meaning into every gesture of his. I’m in this alone. Just me. I wonder when I’ll get to understand that.

Christian

While she wasn’t looking, I stole a glance at her.

Nothing special just happened.

I told myself but the more I convinced myself, the more I realise something at least different actually happened. Okay, maybe having seen a different side to Harieth not too long ago, I might have developed a tinny bit soft place in my heart to be able to tolerate her as whole. After all, everyone deserves a chance to be treated as humanly as possible and in this case... this was her chance. Yes. That’s what... that’s what this is, her chance.

I drove the car to a stop once within the compounds of my home and waited for her to get off but when I heard no sounds of that happening, I had to look her side and caught her staring at me. I stared back, hoping she would read meaning into my silence.

“Are... aren’t you coming in?” She finally spoke up.

“No. I have to get back to the office.” I replied, looking away from her as I did.

“Hmm... but isn’t it late? I mean, I’m pretty sure office hours are over but knowing you, I’ll presume you just want to work yourself to perfection or possibly just get away from me as much as possible...” I shift my eyes to her to find out her eyes laid anywhere except on me as she spoke and for some reason; I just sat there, watching her chatter away.

One look to my side and her words trailed away. After a second or two, a sigh eluded her lips as she looked away from me for a moment. Suddenly, her eyes were back on me but this time, with a simple smile on her face that says everything’s fine.