Bitter sweet affair

Chapter 33 - Denial

Derek's POV
The whole kitchen was a mess. Spilled water over the counter, dirty dishes in the sink, soggy pasta in a pot.

I tried to open a can of tomato sauce, but I did not see the can was a little bloated. The minute the opener pierced the metal, the sauce shot like a geyser all over. The cabinets, the counter, and me. I hissed in annoyance.

It was going wrong, she was gonna be here any moment from now.
I should clean up and order takeouts instead. Just as I grabbed my phone the doorbell rang.

Hopefully, it's the daily newspaper vendor and not Reyna, I wouldn't want her walking into this mess.

I approached the door, twisted the doorknob, and to my horror it was Reyna.
"Hey, you're early," I said nervously.
She just brushed past me and walked in.

"I think I came right on time," she said staring at the mess I'd created.
"I-
She turned to me and suddenly gasped.
"You're..you're hurt. There's blood all over" she said pointing at my forehead.
I just recalled it was just tomato sauce I'd spilled earlier.

"It's nothing-
"What do you mean it's nothing? C'mon, let's move to the couch" she held unto me like I was a severely injured person.

She made me sit on a three-legged sofa. She was gonna get the medicine kit. I held her hand to stop her from leaving
"It's just tomato sauce, I spilled it by accident"
"Oh, my bad. I'll just get a wet towel to help you wipe off your face" she walked into the kitchen and straight to a cabinet, she found a napkin and she wet it, and squeezed the water off making the cloth damp. It was as though she knew her way around my house.

She sat across from me and gently touched my face with the napkin. I stared at her the entire time, it was as though time was moving slowly.

"Derek" I heard someone call.
"Derek" I snapped back.
"Yeah?" I said looking at her
"You zoned out on me. I was saying I'm done" she replied putting the napkin down.
"Oh, thanks" I replied running my hands through my hair.

"I'll help you tidy up the kitchen," she offered.
"I'll order takeouts and join you. I'm sorry you have to see this mess" I said disappointed that I couldn't even impress my crush by making a simple dish.

"It's fine" she walked into the kitchen and grabbed an apron. She wore it and struggled to tie it behind her.
I walked over and grabbed the rope from her hands, our hands briefly brushed against each other.
"I'll do it," I said and tied it up.

She put on the gloves and started washing the dishes. I grabbed my phone and placed an order.

My kitchen looked squeaky clean by the time she was done.
The takeouts arrived, I paid upon delivery and I set up a movie for us to watch. I looked at her from time to time while watching the movie. I watched her emotion change from time to time.

She started sobbing,
"Hey," I held her hand.
"He... He died. Leaving his wife all.. alone". It was surprising how she was like this. I decided on the wrong choice of movie, an action movie.

I wiped her tears away with my palm,
"It's just a movie"
She just kept on crying. She's such a crybaby, her face was moist and soft.

She's sending my whole body aflame.
"I'm sorry," she said wiping her tears.
"It's fine. I should have known you were a crybaby. I still remember how you cried when you got a B on a test, you worked so hard for" I laughed.
"Yeah, I remember that too"
Just then I noticed something, something that was gonna turn my world upside down. A wedding ring.

I looked up to see her smiling. She's married? Even though I wanted to believe she wasn't, that ring looked way too expensive and unique to be a fashion ring, and last I remembered Reyna wasn't into such.

"You're married?" I asked pointing at the ring, it was better to know now than stay in denial.
"Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention it" she smiled again.
"Oh.. how long have you been married?" I asked knowing full well it was gonna hurt me in the process.
"About 9 months now" she answered without sparing me a glance.
"Do you have kids?" The most crucial question.
"No, I don't" sadness was written all over her face.
Well, I was glad she didn't cause now I know hope is not lost. My heart was in denial.

"Hope he's good to you"
"..... Yeah.. he is" she answered.
Seeing how she hesitated before answering I knew something was wrong.

"Are you sure? Is something wrong? You can tell me" I wasn't the inquisitive type, but I couldn't help myself, not when it concerned the woman I love.

She looked me in the eye, placed her hand on mine, and shot me the fakest smile ever.
"I'm fine, trust me"
How could I trust her words when her smile was fake?

"I'd like to meet him some time"
"Yeah, sure. He should have been back by now though" She said.

I can't meet him today, I need time for my heart to digest the fact that she belongs to another man.

"Some other time."
"Oh, okay. I'm gonna have to leave now. I've got to make dinner before he gets back" she said fixing her bag.
"I'll walk you to the door"
She nodded as she walked beside me.
"Um.. don't you have a girlfriend?" She asked out of the blue.

"No I don't," I said.
Because I've been loving you for the past years. my heart screamed but it couldn't be heard.
"How come a handsome guy like you doesn't have a girlfriend?" she asked and I just shrugged.
"Okay, bye"
"Bye"
I walked back into my empty house and threw myself on my couch. What was I expecting? Was I expecting her to run into my arms and profess that she never stopped loving me? I let out an agonizing sigh.