Mafia Angel

9

Victor

"Shall I serve dinner, sir?" I nodded to the stewardess and turned to Elena. Her face was so peaceful in her sleep. The last two days have been stressful for both of us. Elena continued to ask me questions, looking at me like she expected me to lie to her with every answer. She kept her distance, although she tried to hide it, but I felt that she still hadn't decided whether to give our marriage a chance. Her kisses were restrained, her hugs somewhat stronger, as if she wanted to make sure that I would stay.

She was confused, scared and I understand that. But I miss her smile, the real one that makes her eyes shine, her cheekbones fill. "Elena, my love?" I turned to her and gently moved some hair from her face. Slowly, her eyelids trembled, the lack of makeup was something that only made me admire her beauty even more. "Victor?" her sleepy voice rumbled inside me. Women don't understand how beautiful they are when they wake up. The flushed face, the way they frowned, as if taking away their sleep was the most irritating thing in the world, the disheveled hair that made their face look childishly cute, the fist clenching and eye rubbing gesture.

"It's time for dinner, my love" I stroked her cheek lightly, Elena flinched and sat up abruptly, turning to raise the back of her seat, probably to hide her worry, but I saw it and her fear of me pierced me like a knife . "Elena?" she turned and looked at me questioningly. She was trying to hide it, but I can see her keeping her distance and it's killing me. "What is there for dinner?" she cleared her throat, started to fold the blanket, trying to look normal, but her hands were shaking slightly and she was doing the same fold twice.

"I don't know" I got up and went to the toilet. Only two days ago, this woman looked at me with tenderness and light in her eyes. I had decided that I was making progress, that I was watching her fall in love with me, and now everything is disappearing, leaking through my fingers and I don't have the strength to stop it, to hold it back. "Victor?" I closed my eyes, took a breath and turned around in the small space to open the door. Elena was standing in front looking up at me.

Those beautiful green eyes, those cherry lips, the fiery hair, the freckles on her nose and cheeks, looking like someone ran a wet brush over her face. I love this woman, my breathing, my life, everything depends on her and I, my family, my job, we fail everything. If I tell her how crazy I am about her, will it change anything? Will that make her stay? I promised her a family, children, a happy marriage, I stand behind my every word, but will she believe me?

"May I come in?" a blush crept across her face, her eyes darting around. I relented, she hesitated only for a second, but entered the toilet and closed the door behind her. "I..." my hands were itching to touch her, to hug her, I want to give her confidence, to give her a decision, but also to leave her the right to free will. I tried to make more room for her, to keep the distance she needed to feel safe. I leaned my palms back against the small sink and waited.

"Do you hate me?" her question caught me off guard. "What?" my brows sunk, her eyes shot up and my being screamed to try and calm her down. "It's all so confusing" the moisture in her eyes acted like snake venom on me, one by one my organs started to tingle, but I was afraid that if I tried to touch her, she would run away and I wouldn't know what she was thinking, what want. "I don't understand, Viktor, you're....you're so kind, so gentle, how..." her eyes fell behind me and I followed her gaze.

She was looking at my hands. "Elena" I sighed, sat on the edge and opened my arms. Elena didn't know what to do, I want to give her a solution, but mine is only one and at the moment it hardly matches hers. She looked at my open arms, her teeth digging into her bottom lip, but it only took a moment before she sank into my arms. Her body was trembling, her fingers were desperately clutching the shirt on my back. "It's okay my love, it's gonna be okay" I started into her hair and she sobbed.