Seep Into Me Slowly

[Chapter 15]

"No, I, I thought you and my brother were eager to tie the knot after dating for so long" Answered Silas with his own conjecture. "Then, when he didn't show up, I guessed he had the wedding jitters and backed out last minute" He continued with his theory. She swallowed down the knot in her throat. "Well, things didn't happen like that. I wouldn't have gotten married, I'm only twenty two" She provided and he nodded, prompting her to go on with her story. He played with her hair soothingly and she gathered up the courage to tell him.

"Something happened to cause all of this to happen" It felt like she was about to implode.

"Something...sexual" She looked into his eyes, the realization downing on his face. He looked at her with searching eyes "What kind of sexual?" He asked calmly, wanting her to confirm what he already knew.

Taking a deep breath in, she pronounced the words that she couldn't even admit to herself to the man in front of her "M-my father, when he learnt I was raped, I thought he'd send me to boarding school, or to live with one of my abroad relatives. The last I expected of him was to force me to marry off so I don't bring shame to the name of the family. I thought he'd do anything to get rid of me, as I became a burden and a shame. But, I never expected him to be that cold hearted" She sobbed now, fingers trembling.

"Why'd you have to marry my brother? I knew Ace and you dated briefly but that doesn't explain why he would...." He was hit with his own conclusion. Suddenly his jaw tightened only thinking the thought. He didn't want to believe it was true. Surely, there was a misunderstanding hanging in the air.

"Tati, what did my brother have to do with this?" He asked the dreaded question and she just sobbed more and more.

"I'm asking you again, please tell me what did my brother have to do with it?" He repeated his question and waited for her to calm down enough to be able to answer the question.

"He was the one!" She screamed in agony and frustration, her tears wetting his sweatshirt.

"He was the one to do what?" He further pressed until she caved in. "He was the one! He was the one to do it, he raped me" She bursted out in ugly crying. Hiccuping with each sob, as her hands darted to her face. He unhooked his arms from her, and sat upwards in the bed, his hands tightened into closed fists. His jaw grunt into tightness, breathing hardly. He felt rage, he wanted to find that piece of trash and beat him mercilessly for what he did to his wife. His Tati.

She whimpered in his bed "Do-do you feel disgusted right now?" She asked screwing her eyes shut. He furrowed his eyebrows, why would she think that? Then, he knew. He let her go when she confessed to him. She might've took it as him disgusted away by her when in fact he was seething with rage and wanted to punch something. He climbed back next to her. She coiled away and thrashed in resistance. Finally she gave up as he nursed her in his arms, she broke down on his chest. "Do you hate me now?" She daringly asked.

"No. Tati, love, I could never hate you. It wasn't your fault" He kept repeating the last sentence again and again until she believed him. He pecked her forehead lovingly "You're the bravest person I know. You're kind and beautiful, and gorgeous and don't let me get started on the food you prepare. Although, I've tasted it only once, I want to do it for the rest of my life. I want to drink tea with you daily, and fall asleep side by side by the loveseat" He confessed. She looked at him agape. "But, what about...?" She trailed down looking between the two of them. He understood her intended words. He pulled her closer to him "It doesn't matter. I'll wait for you, however long it takes. And even if you're not ever ready to be that type of intimate, I'll still want to hold you each night, hug you in my arms, and run my fingers through your hair" He rasped out, presenting his heart on his sleeve.

"I don't want you to suffer because of me. You deserve someone who's able to.." She couldn't finish her sentence as she broke down again. He fought her demons "I don't care what I deserve, I don't want anyone but you"

"But, it's not fair of me to live out my happiness at the expense of yours. We should get divorced, and you'll meet someone, and fall in love with her and have your own kids" She continued to break down further while he shook his head in rebuttal "Love, you're talking nonsense. I don't want to do that with anyone when I have you. I only want you, do you not want me?" He asks with a broken voice, resulting in her features softening. She grabbed his head with both her hands "I want you and only you" She confessed and he engulfed her in the tightest hug yet, both of them sobbing freely now, wetting the other's clothes.

They stayed locked in that embrace for a long time, refusing to let go of each other. Both their faces were red and blotchy from tears, but it didn't matter. They laid back on the bed, still clinging one to the other. She breathed in his relaxing scent, the one she loved so much it made her dose off in a sliver of happiness and serenity. He kept running his fingers through her shiny black hair, loving the silky flow-y feeling of it.

They retired to bed late at night, as they spent the most of it arguing and crying. But when they finally got the chance to sleep, they held on tighter, not wanting to let go. He kept kissing her forehead and crown of her head repeatedly when she lastly fell into slumber with clean conscience. She told him and he didn't leave.