Forgiveness

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Fine, I get it. I’ve become too obnoxious for you to even look at.”

“Are you done talking? I was waiting for you to finish off.”

She scoffed in disbelief. “You’re joking right?”

But he said nothing and only just stepped forward to her. He lightly held her wrist and without a word, he began to lead her out of the cemetery, not giving her a chance to speak.

“Let go of me, Xavier.”

“Keep shut. You’re done talking.” His voice was way too cool and calm, unlike hers and she had no choice but to clamp her mouth shut and let him lead the way. They passed through a grassy path before she spotted the place where Xavier’s car was parked. Once they got to the car, he opened the front passenger’s side for her, her eyes immediately falling on the flower bouquet that lay limply on the car’s seat.

Her mouth fell open. “Did you bring red roses for a funeral?” She couldn’t help but ask. Who brings red roses for funerals?

“Nah. I wouldn’t bring roses for the person I ended. They’re for you.”

“For me?”

He leaned into the car and pulled the large bouquet of roses out then handed it over to her. “I’m sorry. Truly.”

She gazed at the flower for a while before finally taking it in her hand, and pulling it to her chest.

“I’m truly sorry. I didn’t mean to disappear for a good three days and leave you alone. I thought that you needed space to process your thoughts.”

“I only needed space for that night.”

“I’m sorry I misunderstood. Besides, you’re the only woman in my eyes. There’s no other woman.”

As always, it takes Elaine days to come around after a fight. She gave a curt nod, held the bouquet tighter, and slipped into the car. She looked outside while he closed her door, rounded the cat, and got into the driver's seat.

“You’re hungry? I can catch us dinner,” he asked.

“I ate dinner already.”

“You sure?”

No reply.

“Do you want to go see your mother before we leave for home?”

“I don’t want to. Just take me home.”

“Of course.”

All throughout their ride to their mansion, no one said a word to each other. Elaine’s gaze was outside the window, all the while counting the cars and large houses that they passed by. It was like they only met each other for the first time as the tense air around them was new and all.

Even as they got back home, she opened the car’s door by herself, grabbed the flowers, and began to make her way into the house. From the corners of her eyes, she saw Xavier stepping out of the car with some shopping bags in his hands which she knew were meant for her but she said nothing and continued her journey into the mansion.

She dropped the flowers on her dressing table when she got to their room and stepped into the bathroom directly, not wanting to see him come into the room with her. The silence was thick between them when she finally got out of the bathroom just in time for him to step into the room dressed for the night. He’d gone to the other room to have his bath.

She simply wrapped her hair into a bonnet and slipped into bed, immediately covering herself with the covers and turning away from Xavier’s side.

******
The morning of the next day soon emerged, earlier than Elaine had expected. Her eyes fluttered open at exactly 11 am and she slowly sat up on the end, her hair falling over her face. She looked beside her on the bed only to find it empty, her face morphing into one of disappointment. She’d expected him to be next to her when she woke up but it seemed that their bantering and back and forth wasn’t ending anytime soon.

Elaine rose from the bed, threw a swimsuit in, and decided that it was a nice morning for swimming. At least, it would help cook her head off and lessen the anger that enveloped her every being.

Soon enough, she got to the pool and threw her robe off before slowly getting into the water, letting the coolness spread on her legs to her lower body. She knew that it would do a good job of making her think thoroughly.

She let out a squeal of surprise when the water behind her made a sound and a tall figure emerged from underneath it. Her mouth fell agape. Xavier combed his hands through his hair and his eyes fell on her. She gasped, her eyes scanning his body, from the waters that cascaded from his hair down to his chest and disappeared underneath.

At that moment, she realized just how much she’d missed the man and how much she wanted to wrap her hands around him and bury herself in his embrace.

“Ho…how did you manage to stay underwater for so long?” She couldn’t help but ask.

He ran his tongue through his lips and moved to her side. “It’s a skill. I can teach you if you want.”

“I’ll leave since you’re here. I don’t want to disturb your swim.”

But before she could step away from him and get out of the pool, he got a hold of her waist and pulled her backward, his hands wrapping around her.

“You’re not going to leave like that, are you? We could talk this out, baby,” he leaned into her further, his nose pressing into her neck. “Fuck, I missed you. You have to stop torturing me.”

“I don’t know what you’re saying.” She resisted the urge to lean back into him.

“Fuck, you do. I’m almost dying from the silence between us. We can’t keep this up. What do I have to do to earn your forgiveness? I’ll do whatever you ask me even if it means staying underwater for an hour.”

“That’s an exaggeration, I know.”

“It’s not. You know that I mean whatever I say. I’ll do anything to make you forgive me, hmm? Do you want me to make breakfast for the rest of the week? Or perhaps the month?”

“I don’t want anything. I told you. I was angry because you left me all alone in the house.”

“Never again. What you want for breakfast.”

“Pancake and green tea?”

“Done.” He caressed her open stomach and splattered kisses around her neck. “Can we be good now? I promise I’ll be good, okay?”

“Fine. On one condition.”

“Anything.”

“You must promise not to leave that way again and you must tell me whatever plans or dangers are going on. I want to be involved in your business too.”

He paused for a while and agreed. “I promise. I won’t keep you in the dark ever again.”

“Then we’re good.”

“Fuck, I love you.” He turned her to face him, and backed her against the tiled wall so that she was sandwiched between himself and the wall, he descended his head down and took her lips in his, kissing her like it was their first and last. His hands immediately began moving around her body, falling on her breasts and ass which he squeezed and pressed her further to himself.

Elaine wrapped her hands around him and pressed closer to him, a moan escaping her lips at the feel of her nipples scraping his bare chest. Their kiss was deliciously slow and passionate, their heads cocked to the side as they deepened the kiss, their hands having a fill of each other’s stomach.

But it was at that moment that Elaine’s stomach decided to show itself. Its rumbling sound filled the air around them regardless of the smacking sound of their mouths.

“Now I see your stomach wants to be fed first.”

“I don’t think so. What we’re doing is more important.”

She intended to lean into his lips again but he wrapped his hands around the back of her knees and pulled her to him causing her to wrap her legs around his waist and he began to step out of the pool, the water dripping from their body.
“Where are we going?” She whined.

“Don’t be a greedy girl. You have to feed your stomach.”

“It’s not important.”

“The plans I have for you, trust me, you’ll need it. It’s important.”

“Whatever.”

As they strode into the house, a single thought played out in his head. “Want to go to dinner with me?” He asked.

“Are you asking me out on a date?”

“You can see it that way? We could have dinner together, right? How do you see that?”

“Not bad.”

“I bought you a dress. No, dresses.”

“How thoughtful. Since when did my husband become my personal shopper, hmm?”

“Since my heart decided to love you. I’ll be your personal shopper forever as long as you don’t leave me.”

“You better keep to your words.”