6/7
THE v!rg!nWIDOW.😱
{A Night That Never Pas-sed}
EPISODE 6. LOVERS AS FRIENDS.
Astera’s P.O.V.
I stared at Stefan with a whole lot of sadness. He wants to know what is happening.
I got up and turned away, “There’s nothing to tell, Stefan. You never wanted to listen to me three years ago, so why now?”
Hisl-ips thinned when I mentioned three years ago. His mouth opened and I mentally prepared myself for his usual mouth lash.
None c@m£.
“Let’s go out, Tera.” He gr-unted instead, “For just one day, let’s forget the past…the pains…everything. Let’s just go out.”
“We were friends once.” He continued, “We were friends before we went into a relationsh!p. So, let’s go out like friends.”
My heart…my heart I thought was dead…fluttered.
I turned and stared at him suspiciously. Three years ago, I would have jumped on him and did a happy dance. Now….that old happiness is still there…but I’m emotionally tired.
“Why? Don’t you think it’s better if we go our separate ways?” The words caused me pain and I don’t even know why.
He got up too and took my hands into his. “No. It won’t be better. Let’s just go out…anywhere…without the thought of yesterday.”
“Alright.” I conceded. This house is haunting me, I want to be out of it. “Just give me a few minutes to dress up.”
💖💖💖💖💖
Thirty minutes later, Stefan and I were getting to our destination. He had asked me where I’ll like to go, I had thought of all the places that’ll be fun and finally, I reminded him of event center where children pla-ys.
“Yes, I remember when we used to go there together.” He said as he drove, “Do you remember.”
I nodded, smiling a little. The truth is that I never forgot a single memories Stefan and I made. I was so hopelessly in love with him, I practically fed three square meals from the time we spent together.
That was all in the past.
“We’re here.” He chimed, parking the car. We got out together.
Stefan walked to me and took my hands in his. I gave him a little smile which he returned and together, we walked into the theatre.
Stefan’s P.O.V.
In the darkness of the theatre, we watched the children pl@yviolins, sing with orche-stras and dance so merrily.
Before the third dancing group finished dancing, Astera was beaming.
She was smiling so ha-rd , I couldn’t look away from her beautiful face. I sat entranced.
This is the woman I used to know. Not the Asters that wears sadness like an invincible cloak shadowing her.
“They are so beautiful, Stef. Did you see that girl behind?” She asked excitedly, without looking at him. Her eyes were at the children performing ballet. “She just splitted that little legs of hers!” She said with awe.
I can just stare at her. Why didn’t she have children?
The question bothered me as I watched her shinning eyes devour the kids on the stage. Astera has always like children. So why didn’t she have any with her late husband?
💖💖💖💖
Hours later, the show is over. We c@m£ out of the theatre with our hands ti-ghtly together. The happy Asters was swinging our arms back and forth.
She seems pretty unaware of her actions so I left her to it.
“Where do you want to go next?” I asked her, trying to seem reluctant about it.
“Can we?” She beamed, “Let’s go have lunch first. I think I’m very hungry.”
“Any place in mind?” It’s been a long time since I c@m£ back to Magnolia. I don’t really know much exciting places anymore.
She c0cked her head to the side, thinking about it. It didn’t take long for her to look at me and smiled in realization.
“I know just the place.” She sighed.
I nodded watching her as she led the way to the car. My eyes unconsciously darted to her slightly swaying backside and held.
Asters has always been a very beautiful woman, nicely curvy and with a very attrac-tive backside.
Although she had been married for the past three years, none of these changed.
The usual sadness settled over me when I remember her marriage. The circu-mtances that led to her marriage. That $h!t never hurts less.
That she could give herself….her b©dy…to another man when we were supposed to be madly in love with each other, hurts like hell.
I pushed it at the back of my mind. Today is not about the past at all.
“Are you coming?” She asked with a smile, as she stood at the opened car.
😵THE v!rg!nWIDOW.😱
{A Night That Never Pas-sed}
EPISODE 7. THE NEXT TWO MONTHS.
Astera’s P.O.V.
The next two months, I spent getting myself back. After Stefan and I went out on that very day he c@m£ to my house, we settled into a platonic friendsh!prelationsh!p.
We get together sometime, anytime we can and we just hang out. We go places and we see places.
This two months is the best thing that ever happened to me. I find myself falling in love with Stefan all over again.
It’s a feeling I fought—still fighting. It wouldn’t do me any good to fall for Stefan because I know that I’ll never want to go back into that prison called marriage ever again
I also know that Stefan will never want to marry me anyway. The wall between us is just too thick.
The past is something we never talk about, in fact, we treat outselves like there was no past.
Although sometimes I look at Stefan and I think he is remembering the past. He just doesn’t want to talk about it. Just like me.
I do know that someday, we will talk about it.
After the first day Stefan and I went out, it didn’t take me up to a week to vacate the mansion and put it up for sale.
My housekeeper and I p@rted on a very good note. She promised to call me when she gets to her daughter’s house. Her daughter who just gave birth.
Stefan had come to help me pack into my new house and he helped me arrange things. Now, I’ve finally settled in and it feels good.
This freedoms feels really good. The best thing that ever happened to me was living that mansion of horror.
I’m starting to find myself again and I felt myself smiling often as the days goes by. That is all thanks to Stefan.
That man has always made me happy, even without much effort. Just by being there.
We went on a business trip for the past one week and he’d called ahead last night to tell me that we’ll be having a late lunch once he gets back.
I guess that is why I find myself parading my new ap@rtment with smile on my face.
I am in the mood for some music but I can’t even pl@ysome on the speaker because it will be loud. I have a really bad phobia for loud noises.
It’s a phobia I never had three years ago. I try to hide it from Stefan because the man has always known me as a music freak. The louder the better.
The doorbell rang.
I c@m£ out of the kitchen and found myself rushing to the door. I unlocked the deadbolt and threw it open.
Stefan stood behind the door in immaculate black suit that looks so nice on him. “Hello, Tera.” He smiled at me.
I returned the smile, opening the door wi-der for him to enter. His eyes took in my dressing in pure male admiration.
“You are not dressed up yet.” He observed.
“You did say it’s a late lunch. I just wanted to finish doing the dishes so I’ll prepare.” I replied sheepishly.
He nodded as he entered to take his seat on the couch. “Do you nee-d help with the dishes?” He asked casually.
And that’s just one thing about Stefan. He is always re-ady to help, even when I’m cooking.
God forbid that Daniel will ever want to get his hands dirty by doing the dishes.
“What’s with that face? Is it something I said?” He asked, his eyes running all over my face.
I smiled at him. “No, it’s nothing. I’ve finished the dishes. I’ll just get you something to drink while I get dressed.”
“Alright.”
I got him a wine before going into my room and closing the door. I quic-kly scanned throu-gh my wardrobe, withdrawing one if the new clothes I bought after Daniel’s burial.
All dressed up, I followed him out. One of the reasons why I’m also happy about this new house is that it’s far away from the mocking eyes of the town people.
“I have some papers to give Mr Finn in Jeksin’ street, do you mind if we eat around there?” He asked as we drove off.
I hesitated. Jeksin’s street is not so far from the sto-rey building Daniel and I used to leave in. It’s a long journey from here.
“Alright.” I answered, knowing that there’s nothing much to do with my time for the rest of the day anyway.
The drive back to town was quite plea-sant, we made small talks between comfortable silence. He told me about his trip and how it went, and I told him in turn, what I’ve been doing for the past one week.
“How is the job hunting going?” He asked.
“It’s better. I’ve narrowed down the search to three places.” The thought of a job is one I’ve put my mind in, and quite determined to get one.
It’s not because I’ve run of out money but because I nee-d to keep myself occu-pied. To keep the memories of my marriage at bay.
The times I spent with Stefan and the move to a new house have occu-pied me for the past two months but not for longer.
I nee-d to retain my sanity and being occu-pied and too busy to think is the best way to do that.
Daniel made sure that I’ll be half-mad from staying married to him before he died.
Tbc