Between Darkness and Dawn

14.

Nearly a week later and both Carmen and Cody had put the past behind them and tried to be as civil to each other as possible. It had worked out better than they had expected, and they had made an unspoken agreement to put their prior grievances and arguments behind them, and never mention them again. They were both much happier for it, but even though they shared a bedroom night after night, they had never progressed to anything other than a few appreciative, and passionate kisses. Cody was fully prepared to wait until they were married for that event, uninterested in pushing Carmen any further for the simple fact that he respected and adored her. He was sure the physical aspects of their relationship would add another dimension to their relationship and very possibly boost their appreciation and attraction to one another, but as far as he was concerned, he would never love her more than he already did. It was a love built from a chemical, spiritual, intellectual attraction and no amount of physical expression could change that.

Which was why Carmen called Harmony during that week, on her private call. It wasn’t the longest conversation they had ever had, but both girls had lounged around their bedrooms, chatting eagerly about the others relationship. Harmony and Godfry were apparently very happy together, and taking their relationship slow. Their experiences had brought them closer together and made them better people, so much so that Harmony barely spent an hour wondering over what to wear and Godfry ignored his friends joking jibes and found a new respect for women. “I’m so pleased for you both.” Carmen had smiled on hearing of their relationship, but as was inevitable, Harmony was more interested in her relationship with Cody. And if she was perfectly honest, she didn’t know how to describe it. “It’s like we’re the best of friends, who love and adore one another standing on the edge of something monumental. It’s like we’re waiting on something to happen. We’re living together like an old married couple trying to pretend they haven’t just had the most explosive argument of their life and it’s driving me insane.” She had confessed, confidentially. It hadn’t been easy, but Harmony had always been a great listener, and she understood her fear of relationships, her feelings for Cody and his for her, without ever having to be told of them. Because she had witnessed them first hand, for herself.

Their talk had run along similar lines almost daily. Whenever Harmony was free from class or Carmen had an hour to space, they would call each other up, using Cody’s mobile phone, and chat about their lives and what they were going through. It was after one such phone call, as Carmen was sitting in the library reading, and silently wondering what event her relationship with Cody needed to reach before the awkwardness was over, that Darick approached. He was pathetic and huffy as always of late, gritting his teeth while he asked her pass a message onto Cody, before leaving the room and slamming the door behind it. She knew that he didn’t like her relationship with Cody at all, purely because he was jealous that she hadn’t chosen him instead, but after her talks with Harmony, her new unofficial therapist, she knew that she had never wanted Darick but had thought him everything she should want. So she gladly set aside her third reading of Pride and Prejudice and made her way into the study.

Cody was busy doing more paperwork when she knocked on the door, filling out personal ledgers that kept track of every paid job he and his team undertook, with a second catalogue from the archaeological site waiting for his perusal. He was a little surprised by the interruption, knowing that only Carmen and the maid Valentina bothered knocking when they disturbed him, and even more surprised by the words Carmen chose to say to him, after he invited her in. “Darick wants to see you. He says someone phoned him to ask for a meeting and he wants to discuss it with you before agreeing or not.” She shrugged, not sure what it was all about or why Darick had to be so mysterious about it, but frankly it was none of her business, and when Cody asked why she had been used as a mediator between the two, she gave him an honest answer. Even though Cody believed that Darick was taking any opportunity to approach Carmen he could, and to show his disapproval of their relationship, even if it meant avoiding his boss at all costs.