Roses And Thorns

Chapter 50

It's been a week, a week in Ian house, she's just sitting in the house doing nothing, he'd be gone before she wake up and come back when she was already asleep.
Karen was tired, so tired, it was around 7pm when she decided to go and take a shower, she looked at her reflection and for the first time in years, her eyes fell on a tiny scar on her tummy, a result of the miscarriage, she sucked in a sharp breath and traced it with her index finger, unlike other women, hers healed quickly and faded sooner, now, it just remained like a birthmark and she now felt conscious of it, has Ian seen it?.
Of course he has, so what did he think of it?, did it make him look at her and wonder if she's less pretty or did he look at with guilt and regret for the accident?.
She yelped when he entered and their eyes met in the mirror.
"You should've knocked!".
"It's my house".
"I live here now!".
He rolled his eyes and looked at where her hand was, covering the faded scar, she looked away.
"Kar-".
"Don't!, Whatever it is you want to say just don't!".
"But you don't know what I want to say".
She looked at him then turned away giving him her naked back.
He leaned closer and rested his rough stubble on her shoulder and replaced her hand with his where hers were, she slapped it away, he kissed her shoulder and replaced it, this time tighter.
"You're the most beautiful woman on the planet Karina", he finally whispered.
"I don't need your pity!".
"I wasn't giving one".
She took one deep breath and leaned on his chest as the water ran down their bodies, no words were needed, it's like he was apologizing for a mistake he never did and she was doing the same thing, they needed each others more than ever when she'd left him and called him a murderer.
"I'm sorry Ian", she said
"No, I'm sorry Karina", he pulled her hair away and murmured something she didn't hear, probably because it wasn't in English, she relaxed in his hug and pushed all thoughts aside, this is enough, for now.

"I want to take you out for dinner".
She swallowed hard, that was a very dangerous idea, she knew people will see them and the tabloids and everything, it wasn't a good idea.
"Ian... people will see us".
"I don't give a fuck, let them see, it's just dinner who said we should be enemies?".
She nodded and finished up with the bath then minutes later she was in one of her dark blue shiny dresses backless with him beside her at the back seats.
"You look so edible".
She rolled her eyes at his comment, of all comments really?.
"I mean it, you're mouthwatering".
"Was that a compliment?".
He kissed  the back of her hand, "Huge one".

He'd made reservations for a private booth, she sat as he finished pulling a chair for her and ordered for she was still dumb in Russian.
"It's a beautiful place Ian, thank you".
He just nodded, Karen looked at him and found him troubled, something wasn't right, the urge to ask if he's healed or if he even attended his therapy sessions was so big, she wanted to ask but felt like it wasn't her place.
"Just ask Karina, you can't keep quiet forever".
"Since you know what I want to ask, why don't you go ahead and start answering?".
He mussed his hair, "I am a doctor, not a shrink".
She sighed, not this again, the waiter brought their drinks and she gave him a quick thank you, she took a sip of it to lighten up her nerves and give her the confidence she needs.
"Alcohol will never give you the confidence to face me, just stop it".
"Why didn't you ever tell me?, why didn't you ever tell me that you were sick?".
He scratched his jaw, he looked frustrated and a bit, pissed?.
"Because I didn't want to acknowledge that I wasn't mentally fine, I never wanted to...to give Lisa the satisfaction that she'd broken me".
He said with so much hatred and Karen fought the urge to continue asking him more questions, it's not safe getting mad out there with all the company.
"Ian, I think it's best if you just move on and-".
"No, no Karina, don't even start with the lecture, she destroyed my life and that's it, I will never forgive her for that, never!".
She tried to look around and see if there were people nearby but saw none, she reached for his hand on the table, "Ian please".
"No!, I nearly killed you because of her!, don't you dare take her side, don't, just don't even think you can change my mind in this!".
She nodded, took a sip of her wine and whispered, "I need to use the bathroom".
He grabbed her hand, "Are you running away?".
She rolled her eyes and tried to free herself from his grip but failed, "Answer me Karina!".
"Are you crazy?, where would I even go you idiot?".
He relaxed, "Okay, two minutes that's all I'm giving you".
She straightened her dress, "Two minutes aren't enough".
"That's all I'm giving you or I'll follow you in that bathroom of yours, I know for a fact that you don't have any pants on, so two minutes are enough".
Her jaw was on the floor, how did he-, she walked away from him with his chuckle sound enveloping her ears like the sweetest music.