Stay by my side, Mi Confidant

The Comfort

The usual routine for Creighton in the stables. Cleaning and brushing the hair of Spencer and Stacey, and being well-fed.

"Good morning, Lady Agatha, Spencer is ready for you." nodded and greeted politely as he gave the bridle to Lady Agatha.

"Good morning," she is wearing a grey Equestrian outfit and noticed Creighton's hesitant face down to his rundown shoes.

"Good morning, Spencer." she taps and caresses Spencer's neck.

Creighton, solemnly looking at her from behind, uttered himself.

"I do wish to know more about her but a lowly man like me does not have any right to do that."

"Creighton," Agatha called out, looking sideways [right]

"Yes, Lady Agatha?"

"Do you know how to ride a horse?" she suddenly asked holding Spencer's bridle.

Creighton was a little surprised.

"Yes, Lady Agatha" he slightly nods and placed his right hand on his left arm.

She hopped onto Spencer and looked at Creighton, slowly pulling the bridle.

"Then, take Stacey with you, and follow me."

"Huh" Creighton in disbelief

"I'll go ahead, just follow me behind" she gently squeezes the middle of the horse's ribcage and uses the calves of her legs for Spencer to gait slowly.

"Yes, Lady Agatha."

Creighton hastily prepared Stacey with saddle and bridle, and without proper Equestrian attire, he hopped on to Stacey and manages to catch up with Lady Agatha from behind. Creighton learned how to ride a horse when he was a farmer. He used his friend's horse to deliver crops to small villages.

Lady Agatha looked sideways and saw Creighton following her behind. It made her feel at ease, as she looked in front and modestly smiled. 

He followed Lady Agatha into the deep forest where there is a small pathway. They both could hear the birds chirping, breathe the fresh air, see the blue sky head up and as they go along.

Lady Agatha halts Spencer, by pulling the reins, and so Creighton did the same. They both hopped off the horses and held the bridle. Creighton follows Lady Agatha. Suddenly, Creighton saw an open sanctuary surrounded by colorful and bright flowers of tulips and daisies. There is a small green pathway in between the flowers, and at the far end looks like an altar made of marble, that has a white transparent ceiling shade.

"You can leave them there, and follow me," and she walks through the green pathway.

"Yes, Lady Agatha," he put and hanged the bridles on the old fence for the horses.

Creighton follows her from behind, he looks around as if it felt like a safe and serene place. And for him to think that the place looks like a secret garden.

He saw Lady Agatha picking some flowers as they walked through the path. Creighton was surprised to see as they reached closer to the altar.

"This is —" in his thoughts as he stands beside Lady Agatha on the right.

A moment of silence, as the air breeze touches the trees and sways. The rustling sound of the leaves. Lady Agatha placed the flowers on the altar where her family lay to rest. Their jars of ashes were placed in a secured unbreakable glass made in a square with pictures of each one of them smiling.

Lady Agatha holds both of her hands at rest and Creighton secretly glanced at her.

"Did Donald tell you anything about my Family?" with a sad face while looking at her family photos.

"Sir Donald told me that you lost your family." he again glanced at Lady Agatha.

Lady Agatha felt a sudden comfort that she couldn't explain being with Creighton. A comfort that this man, Creighton who just came to work and trying his best to give a better future for his son, is giving her peace of mind that she does not feel lonely when he and Liam are around. 

"Why his existence feels like something I have been looking for? Even though I had everything, this is exactly ... what I needed. A home! Why does he feel like home? Could it be Creighton, the man who will be there for me at my worst?" Her thoughts stormed her mind as her lips started to tell her story.

"Mother died when she gave birth to Arley, my little brother. Then, my father died in a car accident. At that time, Arley was only 15 years old, and I was 20. It was hard for both of us, at first. We only had Butler Donald, it was tough, but we managed to live well. Since I was the eldest, I was entrusted with all the assets and businesses of the Ashton that I need to learn and manage, while Arley was attending school. Butler Donald was the one who taught me everything like my father used to."

Creighton sincerely listened to her as the air breeze flaws and the momentum sound of trees calms their mind.

"At 17, Arley got a stage four neuroendocrine cancer, and it was too late when I came to know it."

Suddenly, Lady Agatha's tears slowly dripped from her eyes which made Creighton look melancholic towards her.

"I was angry that Arley did not tell me that he was gravely ill. He must have seen me working all day and night to solve all the company's problems plus our Uncle Douglas intervening in our lives caused him not to tell me and just cheered me up until he was 18 and died."

She could not stop her tears as she wipes them. Creighton felt her pain and her sorrow for being left alone all her life, as he thought, "Seeing her tears is already breaking my heart. I want to comfort her. I want to hug her. But I can't. What should I do? To at least relieve her sorrow?"

Then, he looked at her, sincerely "Lady Agatha, I do not know if I have the right to say this or have the right to comfort you -" as she looked at him back in tears.

"But, I just want to know that whenever you feel sad, angry, or lonely, and whenever you feel like crying, please call me, I will be willing to openly listen to you until all your troubles will disappear. So, please don't keep it all to yourself, Lady Agatha."

Creighton warmly smiled at her as she was stunned to hear those words from him that were nostalgic and compassionate.

She thought to herself...

"Hearing him say those words to me, makes my heart relief. I'm glad I came to know you, that even in a short time, you let me feel that I can trust your words, and from this moment on, I wouldn't feel lonely any more" she tenderly smiled back at him, as her tears mend away.

The way they looked at each other and expressed themselves in their thoughts truly signifies that they needed each other in a manner of genuine comfort. This could be the beginning of expressing their hidden feelings to one another over a span of time.