Chapter 35- SOCIAL
Aurora sneaked into the room with the hopes of not disturbing her mother in-law, who surprisingly was on the phone, chatting away.
'Oh! I will call you later, my daughter is here with my medications" She ended the call. Aurora walked over to signora Carina's bed and sat down, grabbing the glass of water on the bedside table and handing it over to her mother in-law.
'Here you go" she handed the glass of water and medication to her mother in-law who took them, Aurora watched her mother in-law place the pill in her mouth, followed by gulping a glass of water and swallowing.
Nothing made sense at that very moment, the woman in front of her although she had her many demons to fight, was not one that Aurora would consider a liar.
You lied about your entire identity, no one would have considered you a lie. Her mind taunted her as she realized how deceiving the face could be.
'Avena, is there anything wrong?" her mother in-law asked, Aurora flashed a smile at her to move from the awkward look she was giving the older woman.
'Nothing mother—I—I hope you do not mind me asking but where did you collapse exactly?" she asked, hoping that her mother in-law would not be offended by her constant prying but to her surprise, senora Carina smiled.
'Well I fell in the kitchen, dear" she answered plainly, her answer only confirming to Aurora than indeed the helper had said otherwise.
'Oh I see"
'Why are you asking?" her mother in-law's question had come as a surprise and Aurora struggled to think of the best response needed to subdue her mother in-law.
'Oh, it's just that I saw how hard the tiles in kitchen were and I simply thought that you must have fallen badly" Aurora lied, the smile on her mother in-law's face was enough for her to realize that the older woman had believed her.
'No need to worry my dear, I am feeling better now that you are here—But… oh I probably shouldn't" signora Carina pondered over the idea of telling Aurora what it was that she wanted to say, this only making Aurora feel impatient.
'What is it mother?"
'It's just that you and my son are leaving soon, I would really appreciate it if you could convince my son to stay a little longer?" her request had come as a surprise to Aurora who could not figure out how she would begin to change Leonardo's mind about leaving. He had been adamant on moving back to his own house and in the short time that she had known Leonardo, Aurora had learnt that his mind was not easily changed.
He used logic and mare emotions could not easily control the decisions in which he made whether in his personal life or work life.
'Honestly mother in-law, Leonardo has already made up his mind" Aurora tried explaining but with every word, signora Carina's face saddened and this broke Aurora's heart.
She took Aurora's hand into hers and covered it with her other hand, looking right into Aurora's eyes.
'Please try this is from a woman to another woman. I just need my son to stay with me a bit longer" Seeing signora Carina beg her with almost tears in her eyes, had hurt Aurora. The woman seated in front of her was like a mother to her and seeing her hurt, brought her pain as well.
'I will try" she spat out, not knowing how she would begin explaining herself to Leonardo or knowing if he would lend her a listening ear. Signora Carina's face brightened, like the early morning sun.
'Gracias" She thanked Aurora and smiled.
'Mother, I have to go now. Leonardo had just left but I need to make sure that all the food is ready for lunch"
'Okay" she responded before letting go of Aurora's hand.
She looked and felt strong but inwardly, Aurora was not in her right frame of mind. As she exited the room and there was only one thing on her mind.
Why did mother in-law lie?
**
'Could you please get me the salad?" Aurora ordered the help, she had spent the entire day preparing lunch and now she was toiling in the kitchen, preparing dinner for the entire household.
Leonardo had come back only a while ago, hiding in the corner as he spied on his wife. She was in the kitchen, with no jewelry, barefooted and not a hint of make-up on her face. Leonardo smiled at himself as he realized just how beautiful his wife looked, without make-up and how casually she maneuvered around the kitchen.
Again, she had managed to squash all the rumors about her not knowing how to cook. The more he got to know his wife, the more he was impressed by her.
'Hey come here" he whispered to one of the staff, who quickly came to him.
'What is my wife doing in the kitchen?"
'Oh that, sir she is making dinner. In fact sir, she made lunch and she is now preparing the meal for tonight" the helper informed him and she was very thrilled with all that Aurora was doing in the kitchen.
'Oh"
'I must say Signor Leonardo, you have chosen a good woman to be your wife" the helper informed him, feeling proud of the compliment but refusing to let it show, Leonardo simply nodded his agreement.
'I have to go now, I can see that you are clearly hiding from your wife" the helper joked before leaving Leonardo to feel proud of himself.
He leaned in one last time and this time she was busy preparing the tomato sauce, the smell of the food filled his nose so much that he was almost pulled in by it.
'I see you Leonardo" Aurora spoke to him, not once did she look at him as she spoke, rather she continued to stir the tomato soup.
'How did you know I was here?" Leonardo walked away from the shadow of the kitchen towards his wife, who still had her back to him.
Maybe because I could feel your presence and smell the smell of your skin. She thought to herself, all those, words that she could not gather the courage to tell him.
'I just know things" she responded plainly, turning her attention back to her pot of tomato soup and adding the necessary ingredients needed for the sauce.
'Can I help you?"
'No"
'What is there that I can do?"
'Leonardo, I said its fine!" She raised her voice as she turned to face him, her legs weakening in the process as she saw his face, hair wet, covering his face as though he had just had a swim.
Her mouth watered, she held herself back from grabbing him, pushing him against the counter and filling her mouth with him.
Control yourself. She warned herself, the last thing she wanted was for Leonardo to think that she was just like Avena.
'What is wrong with you?" Leonardo asked her, he was clearly upset with her behavior as he crossed his hands over his chest.
'I do not know what you are talking about?" She answered, ignoring him once more and turning her attention back to the pot of sauce on the stove. Her childish behavior was upsetting Leonardo more.
'Can you look at me when I am taking to you!" He slammed his hand onto the kitchen counter so hard that Aurora turned around, now looking into his eyes; she was not sure that she should defy him.
She watched as he ran his hand through his wet hair, pacing the kitchen as though he were a mad man losing his grip on his last bit of sanity.
'This is not what neither of us want but you cannot fault me for trying, Avena" he told her, no longer hiding how upset he was with her. Leonardo's face reddening as red as a tomato in the process of ripening.
Inwardly upset with herself and her behavior but knowing that there was no other way that she could express her feelings to him. Aurora needed to keep him at bay, at any cost and all this was for his own good.
'I do not know what you are talking about, I simply asked that you leave the kitchen and I do not need your help" she told him, looking straight into Leonardo's eyes, not fazed by his height as he towered over her small frame.
'You are lying"
'And you know that how?"
'Your eyes tell me all that I need to know Avena, there is a reason that you are lying to me" Leonardo spoke softly, almost reaching the core of Aurora's pain. A part of her wanted nothing more than to pour her heart out to him but she stopped herself.
I cannot tell you all that I want to Leonardo, please do not make me say it. She thought to herself.
Swallowing the lump in her throat, gathering the last of her nerves and fixing her posture, Aurora looked up at Leonardo.
'You do not know me, two weeks is not enough for you to say you know me" she told him, almost forcing the words out of her mouth. Being mean to Leonardo was something that she did not want to do but as matters stood; she needed to keep him at bay and at all times.
Leonardo looked into her eyes, it was the most beautiful brown eyes that he had ever seen and the shine in them only made him want to hold her closer to him. Reading people was what he was good at but Aurora was a puzzle he could not crack and the more he wanted to find out more, the deeper and deeper he was lost in her liquid identity,
'You are right, two weeks is not enough to know everything about my wife" he told her and hot dessert heat ran through her body, the way his lips curled as he called her his wife, just another way for him to teas her.
To make matters worse, the curling of his lips, just another indicator that Leonardo had won yet another one over her. She hated when he said sweet things to her with the hopes of getting a reaction out of her.
Taking in a deep breath, just enough to make up for the moment she had spent forgetting how to breathe as she stared into his eyes. Stepping back from Leonardo was the best way to create the distance needed between them until she missed a step, falling backwards and shutting her eyes.
She tried reaching for the counter but missed, only to feel a strong grip around her waist.
'Open your eyes my love" Aurora heard Leonardo's whisper and the mint smell of his mouth brushing past her nose for her to grasp the scent. Opening her eyes, she hitched. Leonardo's face was only a few inches away from hers and his smile was just another dig at her.