Last Tears

Chapter 26

"It is very important to understand why those annoying people annoy you and then figure out where that fits into your world"

-Auliq Ice

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"So..." he said standing at the door. I was back to where I had been sitting a few hours ago before our honorable guests arrived. Difference was my thoughts were pleasant then while I dressed up in front of the mirror; now while I wiped the remnant of the makeup I applied earlier; my thoughts were nothing pleasant. He sounded cautious; testing to see if I was going to explode and I would have found his apprehension cute any other time. About twenty minutes ago I had been relieved when the husband spoke up and announced it was getting late and they had to leave. I eagerly led her outside and bade them goodnight waiting for her to leave but even outside she began talking to Akram about how she couldn't wait to work with him. How it'd be fun.

"I'm starting in five days; on Monday" she had said; "I'm really happy we get to work together again. It'll be like the practicals back at the school. She then began an anecdote of some hilarious mistake they had made once in those practical examinations. I just couldn't find the humor in anything related to corpses. So I bid them goodnight and went back into the house not caring how 'inhospitable' I was being. I had heard the gate finally open and the car pull out of the house three minutes ago and now here he was; after seeing off his guests.

"So what?" I asked my voice conveying my tiredness.

"You want me to submit in my resignation tomorrow? You can help me type it now..." he said trying to lighten up the mood.

I rolled my eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. You don't have to resign. I... just have to learn to deal with her for the rest of my life" I sighed knowing how stressful it would be "When I die; you don't need to perform an autopsy to know the cause. It would be her" I stated. "Oh wait" I paused dramatically, "I wouldn't know" I said in irritation as I quoted the phrase she had used on me too many times to count.

Akram chuckled and then stopped immediately when I shot him a glare but his smile lingered. I turned away and looked back in the mirror as I tried to get my earring off. I got one out and placed it in front of me and reached for the second one when Akram spoke. "Let me do it"

I said nothing as he came to stand beside me and gently unhooked the earring then placed it next to the first.

"Thanks" I couldn't even convey my gratitude through my tone. That woman had done some serious damage to me. He sighed and then slowly knelt down in front of me.

"I'm sorry; for tonight. I won't ever invite anyone for dinner ever again"

I sighed. "That's not what I want"

"Then what do you want. What can I do to make it up to you?"

I scanned the room as I thought of what to say but eventually just settled with telling him how I felt. "I don't think there's anything you can do. This is solely on me. I've faced a lot of snarky women before who didn't like me. Nasir's sisters were horrible and I dealt with it. Just this time; I'm having a hard time controlling myself" I explained looking straight into his eyes since we were the same height due to his kneeling position. I smiled, "It looks like I'm punishing you; standup"

He shook his head to convey that it was nothing before speaking. "If Nasir's sisters didn't affect you; neither should Nabeela. There's no difference"

"Difference is this time I have something to lose" I confessed

He looked surprised by my confession. He then stood up, "Give me ten minutes. I'll be right back"

I watched him leave the room and thought it the best opportunity to go change out of these clothes. So I grabbed the pajamas I brought out earlier; the long ash trousers with yellow polka dots and the yellow shirt that had an ash bunny print across it. I changed in a few minutes; brushed my teeth and came out to wait for him. I grabbed my phone and responded to Afra's message.