Repulsion

64.

E R I C A

I saw him in the kitchen preparing coffee for both of us, in nothing but his towel. I rolled my eyes, and settled on the dining table.

Seconds later he was standing in front of me forwarding me my cup of coffee.

"James and Jessica are going today. We should go with them till the airport.", I suggested.

He sipped his coffee, hair still slightly damp from the recent shower, and then looked at me, "It's not necessary. They have their bodyguards."

"Eric we are not going to protect them.", I chuckled, "We will see them off."

"I don't think they will mind if we don't go. Also, I don't really go and drop people to airports. They have cars. A lot many for that."

I narrowed my eyes at him, "You went to drop David and Venus!"

He looked at me, "That is different. I will drop Nonna tomorrow."

I know what is the background of this.

I sighed and shifted my chair a bit, so I was just beside him.
"That's not different Eric. They are your parents. Your father and your mother. You love them and..."

He stopped me, "You are wrong. I don't love them. Did you not see how I behave with them?"

His posture was stiff and for a second, I swear I saw the cold exterior of the man, who I met an year ago.
I leaned forward and made him look at me. His eyes softened considerably but the demeanor didn't.

So I leaned in to kiss him.
I well knew my responsibility to make him do correct things without being hard on him.

"Erica...", He sighed as we pulled away from the kiss, "I know what you are trying to do. But my relationship with them is long distorted. There's no going back."

"Eric with family, there's always going back. We never know when who will be taken away from us. I know the importance of family because I never had one. You too should not take them for granted."

He looked at me briefly, and then looked down, "I will ask Henry to take you.", with that he stood up with his no-negotiation face, picked up his coffee and left the table.

"Eric you can't just walk out on our conversation.", I said exasperated.

His head snapped in my direction and he clenched his jaw in anger, "I can. And I will if you talk nonsense."

A hard thud of the door and he was out of my view.

It's been long since he has talked to me like this. Genuine anger. I wonder what could have happened that led to this. It was James who requested me to do this. Evelyn's death anniversary was near. And he said Jessica is hysteric at that time.

I have seen Jessica sulking through the past years, but I never felt it is my position to ask them the reason. The reason is pretty clear now. She lost her daughter, and her only son refuses to acknowledge them.

They said it was better this year as he atleast talked to them because of work. Or something related to me. One of the reasons why James wanted him to take over completely was to establish some reason for them to contact.

I know if Eric goes today, Jessica too would feel better knowing her son has not limited their relationship to formal exchanges and greetings. But I guess, I will let them down again.

*

I walked in my room to get ready. He was sitting on the study table, typing furiously on his laptop.