The Inferno's Indulgence

Chapt 03

Celeste

"Don't tell me you're crying again. Jesus fuck, woman".

Hurriedly, I pulled my hand to swipe across my face, trying my hardest to make a silent sniffle, something that he wouldn't be able to hear although his voice sounds as if he's only a few feet away from me. I relaxed my face, not wanting to frown in front of him again and have him make fun of me for my emotions.

"No" I lied, swiftly turning my body to the right to look at him. From head to toe he was dressed in all black, his dress shirt neat and ironed, his dress pants the same, his shirt tucked into his belt. He had the ends of his sleeves rolled up his arms. "I just- there was something in my eye. I think it was dust" I lie again, forcing a smile onto my face.

He swallowed, his large Adam's apple moving from its original spot and then back up again. His eyes lowered down to my lips probably noticing the small tremble in them. When he looked back into my eyes, I could see the spiraling. He was angry like always. I had always annoyed him, even with just my existence.

"We had a cleaner here today, I'm sure there's no dust. Is it him again? Are you crying over that guy? You're pathetic, Cele. Get your shit together. The relationship is over, who cares" he grouches.

My eyes roam his face as the stinging sensation of tears begin to feel the urge to expose themselves. At least I don't have on any mascara today, I thought. It would certainly be bad this time around. I sighed, collecting my breath and wanting to pull myself together before opening my mouth. It worked but only to an extent. "I wasn't crying you asshole" my voice breaks and sends shards of tears down my face.

I quickly pull my hand up to wipe them away, turning around and looking at the bowl of salad I was preparing before I was rudely interrupted. I was not sobbing this time so there is no need for him to come and ridicule me and my feelings.

"You weren't crying? Then who am I looking at because I have twenty/ twenty vision and I think I'm looking at a woman that goes by the name Celeste Abano standing here and crying over someone she broke up with. Why do you even think of him?" He asks, his tone harsh.

I shake my head, bowing my head to look away from him but making an effort. "I didn't deserve that".

He stays quiet for a moment before placing his hand onto the counter. The jingle of his keys colliding with the countertop can be heard as he's holding the ring around his middle finger.

"No one deserves to be broken up with that way but it's life, you have to move on. If you keep sobbing you won't realize the greatness that others see in you. You're so focused on him that you see nothing else. Get out of your own way" he tells me.

I stare at the tomatoes that I chopped up. They need to be put into the salad and tossed around so I can join my family at the dinner table, which is where he should have been. I'm not sure why he's come out here, or why every time I've been in distress for the past day he's come to my rescue. I don't need him. I don't want him to comfort me, especially if it'll just be him mocking my every emotion.

"Look, I'll finish that. Go clean yourself up" he moves towards me but I pull the large salad bowl away, countering his words.

I shake my head, swallowing down the lump in my throat. "No, I'll finish this. All I have to do is add the tomatoes. If you want to be a big help you could grab the champagne from the small cellar. I've already sat down glasses" I sit the bowl back against the counter and take the cutting board.

Without a word he backs away and goes to the opposite side of the kitchen where I can no longer see him. Within seconds, the salad is done and I've cleaned up my tears. I walk onto the back porch with a smile and sit the salad down at the middle of the table.