Chapter 17- EMERGENCY

Trying to lighten the mood between the both of them had not worked, so much that even Aurora kept to herself. They were simply two married strangers, just sitting together and admiring everything around them except at each other.

Leonardo uncomfortable drank his coconut drink and gulped it down in haste, trying to calm the nerves and uneasy feelings that he was feeling within himself.

'You don't have to make things awkward like this" Aurora spoke, breaking the lengthy silence between the both of them. Leonardo turned and faced Aurora, her face unreadable but he could tell that she was just as uncomfortable as he was.

'I do not understand what you are trying to say, mi Signora" Leonardo responded, his response stopping Aurora in her track as she felt a small jilt of happiness. For the first time since Leonardo and she got married, he referred to her as ‘his lady' as though he was finally acknowledging her.

'I mean, we are both not happy about this union, trust me, I would rather be somewhere else"

'With your lover—" Leonardo pointed out as he interrupted her. His quick response had her shocked that he would think such a thing about her.

'What?" Aurora asked him, confused as to what it was that Leonardo was talking to her about.

'Avena can we stop the pretense, you must have had some guy on the side before this wedding was presented to you" she tried to open her mouth but Aurora quickly bit her tongue. She never had a boyfriend before and she would have loved to have told him that but on the other hand, she was pretending to Avena, who had a sea of lovers.

'It's not like that"

'You do not have to explain anything to me, two weeks ago I had never heard of you and I guess that is a lot for anyone to grasp. I don't want you changing your life to fit in my little world"

'What do you mean?"

'Avena, if you want to have— I mean if you want to have an extramarital affair then you are free to do so" Leonardo told her as he looked into her eyes. Aurora's eyes widened, not believing what Leonardo was telling her. Her face grew hot with anger and she stood up from her seat in haste.

'Don't you ever say that to me, I am not some whore that you can mess with" She slammed her hand against the table and walked towards to the beach. Leonardo at his table stunned with Aurora's reaction to him offering her freedom. He had thought about his decision long and hard and he thought that it would make her happy but it only upset her.

Turning his head, Leonardo saw Aurora angrily walked towards the beach, stomping her feet in the sand. He was never one to get involved in relationships as it brought too much complication but here he was, stuck in a marriage with a woman that he could not quite crack.

He called out to the waiter, paid their bills and walked towards the beach. He needed to run after Aurora and talk to her.

'Avena!" he called out to her but she was ahead of him, walking faster than her little feet should have been able to take her. Deciding that there was no way that he would catch up to her by walking to her, Leonardo ran after her, calling out her name but still Aurora did not stop.

'Avena!" Leonardo caught up to her, grabbed her arm and spun her around so that she was looking at him. Her eyes were red and swollen and just then, Leonardo knew that he was the cause for her tears.

'What do you want?" She angrily asked him, pulling her arm away from him and hugging herself.

'I—I apologize for what I had said to you earlier, I was not thinking straight" Leonardo tried explaining himself, knowing that deep down, there was nothing that he could do to make matters seem more innocent than it was.

'Oh great, we can all just apologize for questioning people's characters and then it will all be forgiven!" Aurora threw her hands in the air, in disbelief.

Still hurt by Leonardo's words and having to pretend to be someone that she was not, she turned around and walked away. Even though her back was turned to Leonardo, she could still feel him waking behind her. He was like that; his presence could be felt as soon as he entered into a space.

Leonardo reached for Aurora, missing her arm and as he turned, he tripped, landing right on top of Aurora. Landing on the sand, while not feeling any pain as Leonardo's hand broke her fall.

He looked into her eyes and he into hers and that same feeling of Deja'vu overwhelmed one more. Time seemed to have stood still and the only thing that brought them back to reality was the crowds cheering for them to kiss, realizing just how close that they were to one another, Leonardo got off Aurora and dusted himself. He reached out his hand for Aurora to grab but she refused his help and opted to stand on her own, dusting the sand off her body.

'Why did you do that?" she scolded him, while Leonardo stood in front of her silent, trying to understand the woman who was now his wife.

'You act as though I did it on purpose" Leonardo defended himself, not giving her another chance of accusing him.

'Well then, maybe you should stop following me!"

'Where are you even going at this point?" Leonardo, still stunned asked Aurora.

'Anywhere! As long as it is away from you, then I'm going!" She yelled at him and stomped away. Leonardo stood still on the beach in utter disbelief as he watched Aurora walk away from him.

'Fine, I don't want to see you either!" Leonardo yelled at her and ran his fingers through his hair, frustrated that he was working himself up over a woman. He watched as Aurora walked away from him and decided that he would not run after her.

**

Leonardo sat in his dining room chair, his laptop on the table as he prepared lessons for his students. Being away from them had proven to be difficult as they brought him peace. For the past three hours, he had tried working on his laptop but he was too angry. Aurora had not come back after their messy fight and the more he looked at his watch, the more worried he got.

Deciding that there was no use denying it, there was no way that he could work while Aurora was out. He packed his laptop away and just as he was about to stand up from his seat, Aurora walked in. She walked straight to her room and not once did she acknowledge his presence.

Although she was mad at him, Leonardo was at least grateful that Aurora was home safe. Gathering up the last of his courage, Leonardo walked up to her room door and lightly knocked.

'Who is it?"

'Avena there's only two of us in this house therefore it can only be me" Leonardo answered, trying his best not to sound irritated but failing at it miserably. 'You cannot stay inside this room all day long?"

'Watch me!" she yelled from within her room and her childish attitude further pushed him away from her.

'I made lunch"

'I am not hungry" Aurora replied to him. Her one word answers a clear indication that she was still upset with him.

'I'll be in my room if you need me for anything" Leonardo informed her and just like that he walked away from her door and into his own room.

**
Aurora sat on the carpeted floor in her room in silence; Leonardo had come to her door with a piece offering in the form of food. Still upset with the way he had spoken to her at the Tiki Bar, Aurora buried her head in her hands.

Even when she had worked as a maid in the Russo household, she had never been this insulted in her life before. Having her character questioned by a stranger who was now her husband had hurt herself respect as a woman.

I just want to go home. She thought to herself as she sobbed and wiped her tears from her eyes. The door to her room swung open, slamming it into the wall, so hard that Aurora quickly stood up from the floor. Without seeing what it was, she ran to the other end of the room and held her pillow to her chest.

Her heart beat so fast that it slammed against her chest, her eyes wide as she saw that it was Leonardo standing in her doorway.

'You! Get out of my room" Aurora yelled at Leonardo but not even her yelling could deter Leonardo from his mission. Aurora's face relaxed as she could see the concern and fear on Leonardo's face.

'We have to leave, now"

'Why? We just got here"

'My father just called, my mother is not doing well and we have to fly back to Texas" Leonardo informed her almost out of breath as his emotions were everywhere.
Aurora felt bad for him, she had experienced the pain of losing her mother and she knew just how Leonardo was feeling, dropping the pillow to the floor, she moved from where she stood.

'I'll be out in less than five minutes, I'll pack up now" Aurora responded and like a gush of wind, Leonardo bolted out of her room. Aurora pulled out her suitcase and threw all her belongings into her bag. By the time, she walked to the living area, Leonardo was already there and looking panicked as she saw him there.

'I am ready" She told Leonardo, who quickly looked at her and nodded his head. He grabbed his suitcase while Aurora grabbed hers as well and they both walked out of the beach house.

The flight in the private plane was far worse than it was on their way to Hawaii, Leonardo was silent and looking ahead. The two had not said anything to one another the entire trip. Aurora had tried to speak to him but all her words were lost to her, she did not know what to say to make him feel better.

'There's food in the fridge if you want to eat" Leonardo broke the silence between them.

'I know that there is food but I am more concerned about you"

'About me?" Leonardo smiled sarcastically.

'I am serious, I know how it feels to have a sick mother" Aurora tried explaining to him but Leonardo's thoughts were elsewhere rather than on the private plane with her.

'How would you know? I have never heard of your mother being sick rather she— never mind, it best that I say nothing"

Aurora watched as Leonardo lifted his blanket over himself and shut his eyes; Aurora's heart ached for him, as she could understand the pain of having one's own mother sick. She wanted to tell him just how her mother had passed on but once again, another hurdle stood in the way. She could not tell him of her mother's passing because once again, she had taken the identity of Avena whose mother was still very much alive.