Betrothed for Rejection

Chapter 9: The Heart to Heart

Truly his attitude was now becoming a nerve wrecking pain in the a*s. Not caring one bit of the look on his face I grabbed his arm and helped him to the couch in the living room. As soon he was seated I rushed back up to my room and into the bathroom cabinet, picking up the first aid kit I rushed back down.
  Adrian was almost about to get up again; glaring at him angrily I walked into the kitchen and brought the mixture of lukewarm water and turmeric powder that was an old remedy my aunt had taught me of, grabbing all the accessories I walked back to him and sat down on the floor picking his injured foot and keeping it on my lap.

I looked up at him, his eyes were transfixed towards his foot on my lap. Ignoring his piercing gaze I carefully caressed the cut and analyzed it; slowly I took out the shard of the broken plate from his foot and received a silent hiss of pain in return from him.

Squirming as if aware of the pain he must have felt I replied.

"sorry... I'll try to be more careful, just hold still, this might sting a little..."

He just plainly nodded and I began to concentrate on my task again. Rinsing the cloth which I had dipped in the lukewarm water and turmeric powder mixture I dabbed it on his cut. Brushing away the blood and carefully caressing the foot with as much tenderness I could provide him with.

"I'm sorry..."

"what ?"

~Adrian~

I looked down and the clenching feeling in my heart increased. The guilt that I had been trying to bury down came slashing back at me, the moment I saw her in the kitchen when the lights came back on.

Her flame brown eyes looking up at me, with innocence and the way she blushed noticing the absence of my shirt to the moment when she bossed me around when I had cut my foot.

It amazed me surprisingly the the way she tenderly was taking care of my so called injured foot, it wasn't that much of an issue I was prone to cuts now, all sort of them, paper cuts were a usual thing my assistant usually had kept a pack of injury bands for me in my office drawer.

Ailey truly had a heart of gold and I had done wrong to her more than once; I mistreated her her, hell I had even crossed boundaries and insulted her parents, her late parents, which I didn't know of, how could I have been so cruel.

Without a second thought I said the first thing that came to my mind.

"I'm sorry..."

"what ?"

"I truly am sorry... Ailey... about what I said before... about your parents... I shouldn't have".

For a second I thought she would get up and slap me or more probably stab me with the shard lying beside her but what she did surprised me more. She opened up to me.

"I was six years old when they died you know.  My mother was a librarian and my father botany teacher. I was their only child. They loved me so much. Every night when I was scared of those bed monsters, my dad would lie down with me and tell me that no matter what happens his arms would always be open for me, in which I would always be safe... And I used to always believe him and sleep in peace..."

A few tears slipped out of her beautiful eyes and I felt a heavy stone being placed on my heart. I wanted to take her in my arms and protect her the way her father did. I couldn't leave this innocent girl to survive on her own. She needed protection and care. 

"...My mother would always take me in the kitchen and I would help her cook whatever I could...well... passing spoons and bowls seemed a lot of help back then... It was my sixth birthday when my dad and mum were told that they would have to chaperon for a cruise party for the graduating seniors... that night I wailed and cried for my parents not to go... but they promised to make the best of the best belated  Disney little mermaid birthday party for me the day they returned... the last words my parents said to me after kissing me good night were 'that they will be back in a blink of an eye... but no-no... matter ho-..how much I blinked or b-blink... they don't come b-"

She broke down in front of me and I crumbled in front of her too, kneeling beside her I hugged her tight while she sobbed in my chest and without further ado I pulled her in my lap hugging her tight, shushing her.  Pulling back a little I held her face in my hands and wiped her cheeks, she looked up at me her face all pink and cheeks all moist from tears. I pushed the strand of hair that had loosened behind her ear and looked back down at her.

"I am so sorry... I didn't know... I promise I will try to do whatever I can to make it up to you..."

"You know y-you shouldn't make promises which w-would be hard for you to k-keep..."

"Ailey... I promise nothing can stop me from making up to you... give me a chance to make it up to you".

Bringing her head close I kissed her forehead and hugged her tight while she hugged me back. We both laid down on the comfortable carpet in each others embrace and it surprised me even more that I felt more comfortable, at peace and a feeling of satisfaction and pure calmness that I had never felt before.