Merciful

chapter twenty seven

Anaya pulled away from Ali her hands placed on his chest. He caressed her temple to her chin with his fingers both of them looking into each other's eyes, and neither of them could say a word. His orbs were dizzying, it was as if she was staring into an illusion, and he was falling in love with her eyes as they sparkled even in the dim light.

"U-um," Anaya began, as she broke contact.

"You should go eat something." She said.

"Let's go." He said taking her hand and walking out and down the stairs.

The food hadn't been set up, since Lunch is supposed to be hours ago.

"Martha made a vegetable casserole, do you want me to heat it?" Anaya said her voice very quiet. Anaya's heart raced so fast around him that she couldn't control her voice, immense shyness took over her.

"Huh?" Ali brought his ear closer to her mouth.

"She made a vegetable casserole, do you want some?" She said in the same tone.

"No, I don't eat vegetable dishes that much." He said.

"What do you want to eat then?" She asked

"Why are you speaking so quietly, Do I make you nervous darling?" He said his face leaned down to his height to look at her.

Anaya looked away from him, nervously as she played with her hands.

"I don't know, make me something please." He said.

"Like what?"

"Hmm.."

Anaya turned around and opened the fridge to see if there was anything she could make. She took out some ripe tomatoes, basil, and garlic from the fridge. She turned around to set the ingredients down and Ali was standing against the counter watching her intently.

"Can you stop looking at me? It's making me nervous." She said, her gaze directed down.

"Why? I am not doing anything." He said.

"Still.."

He tilted his head and grinned mischievously at her.

"Then I am not making it." She said about to walk out of the kitchen until he got a hold of her wrist and pulled her back.

"Okay, Okay. I'll sit and do some..." He looked around, and his eyes landed on a magazine that was on the table.

"-reading." He finished.

Anaya went back into the kitchen and start washing the tomatoes while looking at him. He sat on the barstool in front of her, reading the magazine. Anaya knew he wasn't actually reading a Cosmopolitan, and he was just pretending. So she waited for him to eventually look up, which he did, and when he noticed she was looking he immediately started "reading" again, nodding at the paper as if he was understanding what the magazine was about.

Anaya couldn't help but smile. She took a piece of french bread from the bread cabinet, and cut it to fourths, and brushed it with some butter. She put it into the oven for it to toast, and in the meantime, she cooked the tomatoes at low heat with garlic and some oil, and then tossed together with the tomatoes, basil with some vinegar, salt, red pepper flakes, garlic, and oil from the skillet.

She heard the oven ring and pulled out the bread. Waiting for it to cool a bit, she looked at Ali again and caught him staring. So she looked away nervously again. Taking out some extra basil for garnish.

She places the tomato mixture on top of the bread, and served it on a white plate.

"Here?"

"Is this a Bruschetta?" He asked.

"Yes, it is." She said.

"Aren't you going to eat it with me?" He asked, pulling the plates towards him.

"I ate with Martha," She said.

"Sit," He said tapping the stool next to him.

Anaya hesitatingly sat down on the stool. He took his fork and knife, and cutout a piece and ate it.

"Uhm," He groaned.

"Oh my god," He said muffled, with the bite of bread in his mouth.

"This is so good,"

He cut another small piece, and held it up to Anaya's mouth.

"Here,"

Anaya fiddled with her fingers, and thought of how it's the same fork.

"You've literally kissed him. Weirdo, stop being so nervous and awkward Anaya." She scolded herself.

She slowly came forward to eat it, but he took the fork back and ate it himself. Anaya gaped at him, as he chuckled.

"Sorry, it's just too good to share."

Anaya took the fork from his hand, and cut off a small piece of the bread, and ate it while looking at him, a sudden wave of confidence waving through her.

She handed the fork back to him, without a word, and looked away again. She could hear him chuckling. She waited for him to finish, so she could talk to him, and it didn't take very long for him to finish, he ended up eating three, and she was content because not only has she never seen him eat this way, but he liked her cooking this much.

"I would cook him a whole feast, if I could see him this relaxed everyday." A voice in her head said.

"What? Anaya!" She talked to herself.

"Oh no. My heart."

Her heart started racing again, as she looked at him, his flawless physique covered by his black dress shirt, the tie hanging loose on his neck, his hair perfectly styled with just the right amount of gel, and his muscular-veiny hand-

"Anaya?" His voice broke her trance.

"You said you wanted to talk?" He said placing his arm on the back of her stool.

"Uh..yeah."

"Umm.." She thought, she touched her eyebrow to think, but her mind was enchanted by the heavenly smell of his cologne.

Snap of it Anaya!

"I have a lot of questions, and I don't really know how to ask, or where to start.:"She said.

"Just tell me what's on your mind." Ali said, rotating her stool to face him.

"W-what's going to happen now?"

"I- I mean. Are we..or am I going to stay here forever?"

"And by that I-I mean like.. what, what will happen.."

"I understand." He said,

"Anaya, tell me what you want." He said.

What do I want?

I want a normal life, no violence, no guns. I want to live in a small house with you and Amee and I want to be a normal wife, with a normal job. I just want to be normal again. She knew what she wanted but she worried if it was even possible.

"I-I just want a normal life. Without the fear of violence, and murder." She said her tone very soft, and her expression timid with her head down.

Ali was quiet for a moment, as if he was thinking. Then he looked up at her, picking her chin up with his index finger.

"Give me one day. One whole day, and I will have an answer for you. Okay?"

She nodded.

"Anaya?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you love me?"