He's My Husband

FOUR

Emilia didn't want to think what it meant for her husband to side with her. She knew he hated her. His behavior when he saw her had said it all. She must have done something to change his mind. But what? All they had done since she arrived was fight like cats and dogs. Actually the last time they fought was in the kitchen where he'd taken Lisandra's side. And a few hours later, he'd changed. What was he up to? His behavior was putting her on edge.

To make matters worse, Max had strolled in and flopped on the bed watching her as she went through her nightly routine which consisted of wiping off all the makeup, brushing her hair and moisturizing her hands. When she couldn't take it anymore, she'd whipped her head around and asked "What are you looking at?"

"You" he'd answered in a raspy tone that had turned her insides to liquid. For the first time, Emilia had wanted to run and hide. She didn't want to feel the way she did towards Max. She sure as hell didn't want to forgive him for what he'd done. It would have been easy to forgive him if he'd been with a stranger. But Lisandra? Just the thought of them rolling around in the same bed she was about to sleep in made her want to puke out the dinner she'd had earlier.

So she got up and brought fresh sheets from the closet. "Change those sheets, will you? I can't risk sleeping on a dirty bed"

Frowning he'd said "Mel changed the sheets this morning"

"It doesn't matter. As it is that bed is already tainted with yours and Lisandra's dirt. I'll see about bringing a new one in tomorrow but for now clean sheets will have to do"

"Emilia..."

"I'm going to check on Zander and make sure he's okay" she'd told him then left in a hurry. Whatever excuses he'd wanted to give her about his relationship with Lisandra didn't interest her. The fact was that he'd slept with her enemy number one. Period.

Taking her side, staring and smiling at her wouldn't change a thing. Although she'd admitted to herself that she had come back knowing she was capable of handling him when he was angry. If he lashed out at her she would do the same because she'd prepared herself for that. What she hadn't counted on was for him to change his mind so fast. In a day he'd gone from mad, to jerk to the man she married. The man who'd loved watching her do anything because he claimed it was the highlight of his day.

For a second there, it had felt like the nine years hadn't come in their way. She had been transported back to when Max would come home exhausted and fight to keep his eyes open just to watch her change into her nightdress. He'd once said she was his anchor. He could overcome anything life threw at him so long as he knew she would always be with him. She'd believed him back then. She'd believed so much that she had forgotten about herself and lived for him. But now that the cloth had been ripped from her eyes, she saw everything clearly. Whatever he'd told her back then was total bullshit. All of it had been a lie. And she would not fall into that trap again. God knew her stupidity had almost cost her her life the first time.

She'd found Zander asleep. She was happy that he'd settled down but it was annoying because she had nowhere else to go. She couldn't go back to her room until Max fell asleep. Whatever he was up to, she'd figure it out tomorrow. Right then she had wanted to rest. It had been a long emotional day. She couldn't take anymore but she would be damned if she went back to face Max. So she had decided to go to the living room and watch TV. She gave him another hour and when she was sure she'd find him asleep, she went back upstairs. Only he wasn't sleeping. He was facing the other side and he waited until she had settled down then asked,

"How was he?"

"Fine. Fast asleep" she'd told him but then he'd shocked her with his next question.

"I meant as a kid. When he was born, did he cry a lot?" when she'd taken too long to answer, the bed had shifted, indicating he had turned to face her. It would have been so easy to face him. So intimate. And it took everything in her to stay still "Emilia please. I just want to know a little about my son. Please don't deny me that" he was begging.