"Whatever." I rolled my eyes. I swear Jeremy was gay when we were younger, and I bet one day he still may be. He had the softest blonde hair that was shoulder length. It was silkier than the girls’ in the shampoo ads and he combed it more than three times a day.
"Oh my god! Is that a peacock?"
Jeremy raised an eyebrow with a confused expression as he pulled out a bag. I sighed when I realised what it was. It was a bag that was the same blue color as a peacock.
"Oh my bad," I said as I opened it and pulled out a small box. It was wrapped in a ribbon of the French colours. Inside was a necklace with the Fleur de Lis pendant. I couldn’t help smiling.
"Here, turn around," Jeremy said as he unclasped the necklace.
I turned around and he secured it. I could feel the cold metal on my skin and laughed. "Thanks, Gwen," I said, using the nickname I called him as a kid.
He ruffled my hair again. "No worries, kiddo."
I saw Darius walking in the garden and called him over.
"Look," I said, showing him the necklace.
Darius smiled and said, "Looks good."
"I know, right!"
"This girl has a weird fascination with necklaces and lockets," said Jeremy and I rolled my eyes.
"Anyway, I have to go," said Jeremy.
I looked up from playing with my locket. "Already?" I asked.
"Cathy is back in the hotel. She's got jet lag." He was rolling his eyes. I gave him a hug, yes, another bone crushing one.
"Tell her hi!" I said. He waving and then shook Darius’ hand before leaving.
"Cathy?" asked Darius.
"His girlfriend," I said, trying to see the necklace that sat perfectly between my collarbones.
"He has a girlfriend?"
"Duh." I pouted as I watched. Darius smiled.
"What?" I asked as he stared at me. Did I have more ice cream on me?
"Your mother’s looking for you."
"Oh shit," I said, sighing deeply.
It was just past midnight when we got home and I groaned when I remembered that our parents were still staying with us.
"Get a good night’s rest, you two. We have plans for tomorrow," called my mother and I groaned my disapproval. Leave it to my mother to make plans. Darius chuckled but I glared at him. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was like this. He wasn't the one wearing a pink cupcake dress.
"Me first," I said, quickly closing the bedroom door in his face so I could change. I could hear him outside as I pulled my suitcase and opened it. Damn, he brought the wrong suitcase into the room. This one was filled with the soft toys I had won, not my clothes.
I pulled out my smaller bag and pulled out a grey elbow sleeves dress with red and white butterflies on it. I had sometimes worn this as nightwear at home and I might as well tonight. I changed into it quickly and washed my face before opening the door.
"Took your time, huh," he said as he walked in.
"Took your time," I mocked on my way out. I went downstairs and froze on the steps where my parents were.
"Oh darling, I wan-"
"NO!" I yelled before she could go further. I turned around and ran back to our room. There was no way I was sitting down for another 'talk' with them. I walked in, just as he was getting into bed, and closed the door.
"It's boiling," I complained as I waved a hand in my face. Yesterday there was no heater, and now it was full on.
I walked over to turn the fan on and Darius looked at me.
"It's going to get cold with that on," he reminded me. I shrugged, grabbing my pillow and blanket and walking to the floor where I was to sleep.
"What are you doing?"
"Sleeping."
"There's space on the bed."
"Nah, I like the ground." I lay down on the blanket on the floor.
"You weren't saying that last night." He sounded teasing.
"Shut it," I said, my face reddening. I pulled the blanket higher on my shoulders.
"I bet you, you'll be back in here in no time," he said.
"Deal."
No deal. It was freezing. It had been three hours and I was still awake. Damn it.
I sat up. I had turned the fan off an hour ago but it was absolutely freezing and the cold hard floor wasn't helping either. I looked up at Darius who was sleeping, his breathing steady and calm.
I grabbed my pillow and slowly walked to the bed. I wickedly thought about suffocating him with my pillow, just for revenge. But then I would get arrested. Not worth the bother. I was too tired anyway.
I crawled in my space on the bed and, just to make sure he was asleep, I poked his cheek with a finger. He stayed still.
"Thank god," I said, turning to my side. He was sleep. Now where are the covers?
I felt around with my hand and grabbed the edge of the cover, slipping under it.
I closed my eyes, ready to go to Dreamland.
"I told you."
Damn. So he was awake. I felt my cheeks flare up. Good thing he couldn’t see my face.
"Oh, shut up," I snapped in mock annoyance. But I didn’t protest when I felt his arm wrap around my waist. Instead, I leaned back into his chest that was warm and cozy. The warmth made sleep overtake me and the last thing I remembered was the smile on my face.
Chapter nineteen
I love birds, and I'm sure most people do, too. But right now, I feel like throwing rocks at them. They were chirping like the house was on fire or something. They were chirping loudly and it was annoying when all I wanted was to sleep.
"Shut up," I muttered, trying to roll onto my stomach and felt something that I knew wasn't the bed.
Opening my eyes, I stared into a muscular chest. Oh, not again.
I lifted an arm that was somehow draped around his neck. I rubbed my eyes, trying to wake up, and lay back down on the bed. Should I get up? Nah, that took too much effort. Besides, I didn’t even see the sun. I’m going back to bed.
Turning on my side, I snuggled back into my spot and closed my eyes. I mean, he was asleep, right? So maybe he won't mind if I just pretended he was my teddy for a while.
That reminded me. I needed to get my teddies out so I can name them.
"What are you smiling about?"
I looked up to see Darius looking down at me, his eyebrows knotted.
"What to name my teddies," I said and he suddenly broke into laughter. I glared at him. "Hey, what's wrong with having teddy bears? Just ‘cause you have no childhood."
I heard a loud bang downstairs and groaned. The parents were up. But then again they were always up. I don’t want to think about what they had planned for us today.
I closed my eyes to try to get back to sleep and felt something on my cheek. I opened my eyes, frowning at Darius. "I'm trying to sleep." He was trying to get the hair off my face.
Tucking my hair behind my ear, my eyes met his and for the second time in twenty-four hours, I felt the same tug inside me.
That weird feeling you can't quite explain. And just like last time, it ended just as quickly as it began.
The door burst open and we both jumped apart, me going under the covers and Darius sitting up. The smell of something strong and horrible told me it was my mother. As always, she sprayed way too much perfume than needed.
I heard her say, "Is she still sleeping? Wake her, or she will sleep like that for all of eternity."
"I'm awake," I said, peeping out of the sheets.
"Well, get ready. We're heading back today," she said.
I frowned. Already?
But then it had been a week. Well, it would be a week but the journey itself took a while. I sighed, thinking about the routine back home. This week was near perfect, near, but going back would change things again. The ringing of Darius's phone confirmed that.
He was going to go back to work and I was going back to my 'housewife' duties by sitting like a porcelain doll.
"We're leaving soon. Hurry up, Ivory."
I closed my eyes as I heared her foo
tsteps fade away and rolled onto my stomach, placing my head in the pillow.
"Whatever," I muttered. I planned to sleep at least another half hour. I mean, the sheets were so warm and so cozy and smelt like Da-
Whoa!
I sat up and hopped out of bed.
"What happened to sleeping at least that half hour?" he said and I looked over my shoulder. Did I say that out loud?
"Eh, I will, in the car," I said, grabbing my suitcase. Wait, wrong one. I walked out of the room to the guest room where my clothes still were.
Like I said, and I never broke my word, I slept in the car. Like a baby. Maybe worse since I did take up 2 of the 3 seats at the back and made Darius squish into a corner. But a girl needed her space to sleep. And then we were pulling into the driveway.
The only good thing about returning to this house again would be my orchids. I have to check on how they were doing. I also have to call Alicia and Rose and everyone. Which reminded me about that stupid cocktail party tomorrow. Do I have to go?
"We'll be back in a week to check up on you both. Goodbye," said my mother. I rolled my eyes at her and returned my dad's hug. Mother is not the one who would know anything about a proper goodbye.
'Take care," whispered my dad and I nodded, waving as the parents left. Thank god for that.
"Where are you going?" I asked as Darius called for the driver.
"I have things to do at work. You can have the day to yourself and go see Rose or something," he said, grabbing the files as Ma came out. Wow, how considerate. Or not.
I rolled my eyes in exasperation. Yep, just like I thought. Back to normal.
Wrapping the blanket around my shoulders, I lay down on my back looking up at the stars. Then I heard the door to the backyard open.
"Now why would anyone with a brain be out here when it’s warm inside?"
I looked over my shoulder and saw Adrian walk up to where I was. He stood with his hands in his pockets.
"What are you doing here?" I asked. Adrian looked at the ground, kicking something away and sitting down and I sat up.
"I said I'd come by, plus I had to visit my favourite sister-in–law. Or Cousin-in-law."
"Darius. Isn't he-"
"I know, he's at work. He spends most nights there so if I were you, I wouldn't wait up," he said, looking up at the sky.
"I wasn't waiting up." I frowned and looked at the moon in the distance. Don't kid yourself, I thought. I was sort of waiting up, but thought I’d see the stars. So it wasn't really waiting up, was it?
"What are you doing?" Adrian was asking.
"Looking at the stars." I watched the fog come out of my mouth. It was freezing outside but there was something warm about being here.
"Why? They're probably dead and we just don't know because of the distance," he said. "They're so beautiful, though. They're in their purest elemental form."
"Elemental form?"
"Well, they shine, right? They shine not because someone shines a light on them or because of something we as humans did. They shine because of who they are, their true selves. It's just beautiful."
"That's...deep. But it’s warm inside, you know? With food."
I laughed and shook my head. "Do you know you can buy a star?"
"Why would you want to buy a star?" he asked, looking at me like I was crazy. I shrugged. For some reason the thought of having a star was warm and fuzzy.
"Well, you name a star after someone, not really buy it."
"And why would you want to do that?"
Another star in the sky twinkled.
"The thought that someone is trying to give you something so pure and far away, yet they try to reach for it. It's something that can never be captured yet they try so hard. It takes a lot of love and devotion to name a star after someone."
"It's damn expensive, I bet."
"But it's not about the money," I said, turning around to face him. "It's the thought behind it. It's like even when all of us die, the star will still be there."
I saw him open his mouth and I cut him off. "I know you're going to say, 'what if the stars are already dead and we don't know it?' Well, we're not going to find out till we die. But it's the thought that someone is trying to give you the impossible.
Just imagine looking up at a star and saying, ‘That's mine,’ or having someone give you that. No gift can beat something that will forever remain in history. A star named after you, one that will always shine."
"That's deep, babe, real deep," he said, swatting a fly away. "But imagine all the doughnuts I can buy with that money."
I shook my head and he broke out laughing. "I'm joking. Who put that crazy thought into your head?"
"No one. I just thought about it and apparently one can buy a star. I wanted to, actually, but it never worked out."
"Why?" he asked, looking much more curious.
"My friend didn't agree with me. She thought it was flaunting the fact that you have money," I said, suddenly getting angry. "She completely missed the point. And by the time I worked up the courage to buy her one, she was gone."
"Gone?"
I shrugged. “We had a falling out, a stupid reason. But we hadn’t spoken to each other in months. Pointless buying her a birthday gift.”
I looked up at the moon. It seemed bigger than usual and closer to the horizon, with a shade of orange.
Every night as a kid I had looked at the moon, saying to myself that no matter who I missed, if I just looked at the moon, they would be looking back at me.
Staring at the moon right now, I wondered, is anyone looking back?
Chapter TWENTY
"You should go to sleep."
"Hmm?" I looked away from the moon, realising I had probably spent a good ten minutes staring at it, so much that my eyelids were getting heavy and it was hard to focus.
"It’s past two. Come on. He's not going to come home any time soon, anyway," Adrian said as he got up and offered me a hand. I yawned as I held mine out and he lifted me up effortlessly.
"Do you sleep in the master’s bedroom?" he asked.
"What?"
"I think I'll go in there, and then Darius can come and I can scare the shit out of him. Damn it, Adrian, why are you so smart?" he said, talking to himself and losing me somewhere.
"Huh?" I asked sleepily, locking the door behind me. I felt his arms on my shoulder and saw him lean down.
"It's okay, dear cousin-in-law. Go to bed. I'll take care of it."
"Whatever. Night," I said, yawning and walking toward the stairs. I didn't know how I did but I managed to get to my room, and without bothering to change, I flopped onto the bed. Too exhausted to pull the blanket and too exhausted to turn the lights off, I took a deep breath, then exhaled it along with my consciousness.
I welcomed sleep.
But it soon ended. I wasn't sure how long I had slept before I heard a commotion. I squinted at the clock, but my eyes were too fuzzy to notice the time.
"I'M GOING, MAN."
Automatically, I sat up upon hearing the voice. I walked to the door and opened it. I saw Adrian bend over to pick up a blanket and pillow from the floor.
"What's going on?" I asked, blinking to get my eyes adjust to the light.
"Apparently, your husband doesn't like sharing a bed with his favourite man," said Adrian, sulking like a girl. I let out a laugh and shook my head.
"There's other bedrooms, help yourself," I said. Adrian walked toward the other end of the hallway.
"Yep, going far away from the insane man," Adrian said.
I let out a sigh as I closed the door and walked back to bed. I should have probably switched a light on, but I didn't, andwalked right into the damn bed and yelped.
"Freaking hell," I swore, bending down to rub my knee as I climbed in. The bed heater was on, making it warm and cozy. I slipped under the sheets and grabbed the pillow, hugging it and feeling like something was missing.
I closed my eyes and tried to get back to sleep.
I felt the pillows fluffiness envelope me and frowned, since when did the pillow move? Opening my eyes I stared into a dark grey shirt and my eyes widened as I pulled back looking up.
Marriage by Law Page 13