Chapter 32: Chapter 32

Arianna

Twenty one years later

It was eleven in the night by the time I completed making arrangements for tomorrow's special event and finished sundry preparations for the coming day's lunch in the kitchen. Allen had insisted on me n number of times to hire a help but making food with my own hands and serving it to my family gives me the satisfaction and happiness which cannot be held in words.

Allen loves my culinary and so the children. The delight I see on their faces when I make their favourite dish is priceless. I cannot forego seeing that joy going lazy and handing over my kitchen to a couple of cooks. Tomorrow is our 25th anniversary. Julie is coming home from Seattle with her husband and kids. The children are already excited to meet their cousins Tia and Albert after two whole years.

The Skype went on till the last couple of hours discussing various things. Among the girls it started from the dresses they would wear for tomorrow and the lip stick to put on. The shopping they were to do in the next ten days of holidays. Tia is two years older to our daughter Edith and Albert is one year younger to Henry.

The boys started with bike racing and the hangouts they plan for the coming weekend. I shook my head after eavesdropping on their unworkable projects. Once Allen comes to know about the kiddies ideas, all the sketches would go down the hill and something never imagined would come to life. My husband is very possessive about our daughter and fondles her too much but nourishes great expectations from our sons whether it comes to take over his businesses or inheriting his genes on the medical approach.

The house is explicitly ornamented with scented candles and colourful balloons. All the preparations were made by Edith. She is now sixteen and Henry is fourteen years old. He was out of the town relating to his science project and returned just two days ago. I see a part of Allen in him. He aspires one day to be a doctor. Looking around my eyes sparkle in happiness and my lips stretch. There is this unknown delectation encapsulating my heart. Can I be better fortunate for having bestowed with such a loving husband and caring kids.

I look towards the sky and send a silent prayer of thankfulness to my dad. My eyes close in a tranquilized peace, lips extend and a tear of joy automatically finds it way out of the corner my eyes. You promised and you were there for me, advising me whenever I required you. I know you and mom are watching me like the two angels, guarding me from behind blessing me with all this insurmountable pleasure in my life.

Inhaling deep I wipe the tear and look around the spectacular hall in merriment. The children had gone to sleep around an hour ago and the house was in pin drop silence. I was waiting for my husband sprawled on the sofa checking messages on my phone when I hear the twisting of the entrance knob. "Happy 25th anniversary my love...." Allen walks inside the house extending his arms with a weary face but a jubilant smile adorning his lips.

"We have one more hour for the bell to strike." I tell him and he points to the wall clock behind me in a cocky grin. I turn back and the ring hits instant with the anniversary song 'come back to me' playing on it.

I get up from the sofa and run into Allen's arms. He kisses my cheeks and tugs my head into the crook of his neck running his hands softly on my back. "Why didn't you go to sleep? You know, you have to get up early and prepare breakfast. Julie's flight would reach the city by six." I smile in contentment looking at my handsome husband and circling my hands around his neck. "I know but I wanted to wish you exactly when the clock beats twelve."

Allen pecks my lips and picks me bridal style in his arms, carrying me to our bedroom. Removing his coat I run my hand on his muscled chest feeling the coarseness of his chest hair under the softness of his superfine dress shirt. If my ears weren't sharp I wouldn't have heard a faint involuntary hiss escaping his rims. My senses immediately turn frigid and the smile on my features wipes away.

I look at Allen with questioning eyes. He shook his head and tries to steal away from my gaze escaping to the wash room. The room was pitch black but I know my husband can read my face like an open book even in the darkest of the rooms without a word of escape out of my brims. Nevertheless I am not miles slackened behind him too. I stop him holding his upper arm. Going alert I cautiously open the buttons of his shirt reading his eyes when there was a soft quiver in his body as my fingers reach a certain place on his chest.

Realization strikes my sight as I arrest him in my black pools. I jerk my hand away from the place not to cause him any further discomfort and tear open his gray dress shirt sending the buttons to fly in air. My vision directs to his chest as my eyes go wide recording the thick red scar which was still bleeding from the deep layers.

No words were spoken and neither were they required. It was just an impenetrable silence encapsulated in the feel of bruising pain. I knew his orbs were pointed upon me and mine were aiming to the wound on his chest. Moments later he hears me sniff. "Are you crying?" He asks me not more than a whisper and those were the only words spoken in the last half an hour between us. Love doesn't need words and has no language. It is a fervid, intense emotion that starts from the eyes and ends deep seated in the heart.

His finger goes to the bottom of my face and lifts my chin to meet his eyes. I blink several times in an attempt to arrest my tears and try to look at him normal but knew it was a lame attempt. He understands me with every ounce of my flesh. "Don't cry, it's just a small injury." He pleads almost cracking on his speech. I sniff more and tell him not meeting his eyes. "Wait here, I will get the first aid kit." I run to the washroom closing the door behind me and burst to tears. No sooner that I reach the place there was a twist in the door knob and he records every iota of my explosion with his restraining optics.

Not saying a word he pulls me out of my seat with his hand and kisses me senseless, violent and unreserved. My screams go muffled under his insistent mouth that was parting my shaking lips, sending wild tremors along my nerves evoking from me sensations I had never known I was capable of feeling. I cling to him as the only solid thing in a dizzy swaying world and before a swimming giddiness spun me around, I knew that I was kissing him back.

Few minutes later of our sweaty engagement of breath-ragged, hair-pulling, nail-scraping pleasure I drag him to the bed. Kneeling myself between his legs I bandage his scar with an antiseptic and ointment. "Allen can I ask you something as a gift on our anniversary?" I look into his eyes and ask him with expectancy. Holding my hand he pulls me up to his lap. "Did I ever decline you on any of your wishes sweetheart?"

"Promise me you would stick to your words." I extend my hand for him to hold. He measures me sceptical with his scrutinizing gaze for a second and clasps his hand with mine. "I promise, just say the word, my love." He kisses my head and hugs me.

"Quit mafia"

Allen

The next day morning at the breakfast table....

Julie reached home before 7 in the morning along with her husband Richard and kids. By the time I reached home after an emergency from the hospital the breakfast table was filled with laughter and giggles except for one person, my daughter Edith who was having a scowl on her face.

I point to Edith with my eyes and ask my wife the reason in our routine visual conversation. But this time Henry beats his mom in answering me. "Allasandro rejected Edith. He said she is too overweening." Everyone around the table aired into another fit of chortles. "Finally there is somebody born in this world to castigate our Victoria princess." I tell pouring the mango juice into my glass.

Edith stomps around the dining table to sit in my lap and faces me gritting her teeth. "Daddy, why are you laughing?" My eyes move around the people sitting around the table and raise my eyebrows at her in an amazed snicker. "Princess everyone is in smiles here and so I am." I tell her putting bacon into my plate while offering her some. She stops my hand mid-way and raises her index finger at me. Her lips wrapped in a thin line and eyes going red in anger. "I'm the princess and nobody dares to refuse the beautiful princess Edith Penelope Rodriguez." Every one observing us in silence till then lands to another quake of chuckles but Edith had least interest to care. "You are my daddy and daddies are not supposed to laugh at the defeat of their daughters. Now say sorry to me."

Arianna

We finish the breakfast filled with fun in the midst of all the drama of Edith and Allen ending up saying sorry to her. The children leave to their room to play video games. Allen and Richard go to the garden discussing hospital, kids and future plans. I and Julie walk to the kitchen to get the lunch preparations started. Just then the calling bell rings.

My hands go static while cutting the vegetables and motherly instincts inflate. I miss him so much, my son...my baby. Taking deep breaths I try to control the pounds of my heart. That can't be him. Allen sent him away to Chicago University to pursue on his dream, his career in business analytics four years ago and he will be back only after six months and the completion of his education. I try to reason out my fickle mind but my legs involuntarily lead me to the front hall.

"Mom" my eyes go stock-still as he parades inside the room in swift long strides with a beautiful bouquet of white roses in his hands. No words come out of my lips as I raise my head in a daze appreciating the tall, young and handsome man I created twenty one years ago. My hands go to his robust shoulders running gently in endearment as I look into his eyes with unbound fondness and love.

"Mom, wish you a very happy twenty fifth anniversary." His voice was deep much more masculine and hoarse than I could recollect from the last four years that I sent him away. "Charles" my voice breaks addressing my son in a soft susurrus as tears long controlled in my eyes fell down in streamlets. I run my hands softly on his hairy cheeks. He bends down and kisses my forehead. "Dad knows about my arrival but we wanted to surprise you. Now stop crying." My son says softly, comes closer and pulls me to his chest after wiping away my tears.

I breathe out the air in contentment hugging him back. My family is now complete with my husband kids and family.