AFTER MY HONEYMOON

chapter 2

The place was very noisy with loud music blasting through the speakers as the DJ changed the songs occasionally, according to people's request. Any time a new song was played, people would hoot and shout and begin to dance.

This was the most decent club in Greenwich, in this part of London. Richard Wilson never frequented this kinds of places he also didn't like drinking because he was among those people who believed, that a person should always be In control of oneself and also because his wife absolutely abhorred it. She hated seeing drunk people because according to her when people are drunk they tend to make mistakes that they sometimes regret for a life time.
The first time he heard her say it, he nodded in agreement although he hadn't thought that deeply into drunken mistakes. But as time went on, he got to understand her plight from stories she told him as well.

Richard sat there on the barstool looking at nothing in particular when he heard the voice of the bartender who said...

" Sir here is your drink it's on the house since this is your first time here".

He just nodded and took the cup from the bartender which contained a golden brownish liquid in it and he drank it in one go. It stung a lot but that certainly wasn't compared to how heavy, disturbed, tormented and betrayed he felt.

He suddenly began reminiscing about his childhood he remembered he was a happy child. He was the only child of his parents for at least 8 years but he lost his mum at that early stage as well. She died due to pregnancy complications and neither she nor the baby survived it. He remembered overhearing his parents arguing one night he heard his father say

" Juliet why do you insist on continuing this pregnancy? The doctor already told us that we should terminate it please Juliet I really don't want to loose you". The pitch to his father's voice raised a little when he said

"Don't you think it's unfair to both I and Richard, do you want to leave Richard without a mother to care for him, come on Juliet please be reasonable please".

And his mother who has always been so soft spoken replied " Benard you know how long we have been trying for another child. Our prayers have finally been answered so please don't ask me to remove this pregnancy please don't worry I will be fine I promise".

He didn't listen to more after that and quickly ran to his room and although, he couldn't understand much as a child he knew that his mum might likely leave him all alone in this world and when he came to the realization he cried that night to sleep. He still remembered his mother's reply when he asked her if she was going to die she only smiled and said

"Richard where did you hear that mummy won't go anywhere the scan said you will be having a baby sister aren't you excited?".
And he nodded his head....he went as far as asking her to promise that she wasn't going to leave him and once again she smiled, replied and said " I promise". And she never kept that promise infact she didn't live too long after that.

He was still in his thoughts when he felt fingers trace his shoulder blade in a feather like touch and a lady whispered into his ear and said " Hello handsome need company?" He turned and saw a woman most men would call a goddess with her long brown hair and dark eyes and replied " No thanks".

she sat on the stool beside him but this time she tried to touch his hand where he placed it on the table. Maybe it was reflex, because he immediately removed his hand looked at her with cold eyes and said " I'm married so please stay away... go disturb someone else".

And he called the attention of the bartender and asked for a refill of his drink. Seeing that he had no interest in looking at her anymore she sighed and said .....

"Oh well your loss I guess..... So many men would jump at this opportunity". he looked at her once again and said

" I'm not many men you see".

At that time the bartender had already refilled his drink so he turned to it, picked up the glass and began twirling the liquid inside. While doing that, he could hear the sound of her high heels walking away.

At another corner of the same bar,the lady who had earlier approached Richard walked up to the man who sat there smirking at her as she came closer to him. She sat down slowly beside him and said " your brother is a tough one he barely even looked at me I'm really upset". Aaron smiled and said" that's Richard for you the ever faithful husband I wonder what he will do now I mean he looks so devastated". She turned to him and said " well I don't know what you are talking about but he seemed lost in thought when I got there I had to touch him to get his attention but I certainly won't mind touching such a fine specimen like that his wife is a very lucky woman".

Aaron looked at her and said...

" Then what about me?". she rolled her eyes and said

" Your the ladies man remember" he took a sip from the drink in his hand and looked once again in the direction Richard was sitting and noticed he had left. He smiled and said to Catherine " I guess I won the bet then I told you he won't look at you...he's too dedicated to his wife" he said so with a dark look on his face. She pouted her lips and said to Aaron "come on please it's not like you need the money I will treat you to lunch tomorrow".

Immediately Richard stepped out of the bar, thunder struck and the rain started pouring down heavily and since he didn't bring any umbrella with him, and there was no shade near by he quickly ran to his car which he parked not too far from the bar. As he got to the car he quickly opened it and got inside and decided to wait since he knew it wasn't good to drive with such heavy downpour and certainly not in the distressed state he felt....his mind was too clouded.

Looking at the water droplets on the windshield he decided to turn on the radio since everywhere was quiet and he didn't want to be left with his thoughts at least not yet. The song that came on he realized was Lillian's favourite song.

He began to think again he remembered when she told him that it was her favorite song he quickly went to listen to it and also fell in love with the song. The song spoke about finding the one whom you didn't realize you have been searching for and asking them to stay with you forever. But then again did forever still exist for them, he didn't think it still did...not after what he just found out. He looked at the cupholder compartment in his car where he had dropped the flash drive in anger.

It was the same flash drive that contained all the pictures and videos. From day one he was torn between believing, and not believing but then again the world we live in today worked with evidence and he was holding it right there in his hands. He picked it up from the cupholder and began to glare at it as if his gaze could burn it and erase all he had already seen, and had formed a permanent picture in his head....he could barely close his eyes without seeing them.