Love Not Included (An Arrange Marriage Story)

13

Nicholas was a mess he hadn't shaved in days, he barely ate anything, neglected to shower most days and just had zero interest in anything what so ever. He hated himself he couldn't even look himself in the mirror. The image of Theora crying crouched on the ground had been engraved in his mind and the guilt was slowly eating him whole.

Two weeks had passed since Theora left, both of their parents were still in the unknown about their fight but Nicholas thought how long did he have left till this shame he was harbouring inside came out in-front of everyone. Nicholas scolded himself continuously this was after all his plan all along he wanted to make her so miserable that Theora left herself like she wasn't a person just something to discard. He loathed himself for his lack of empathy and felt worse than scum.

All this didn't go unnoticed in the office, employees were whispering to themselves in the break room how the young boss's mood swings were getting weirder and weirder by the day. First he went on a war path and now he was disinterested about all aspects in the office something was definitely wrong they all concurred.

Playing with the pendulum on his desk instead of signing the ever increasing piles of papers was how he spent most of his day. Nicholas was so entranced by how the little metal ball started a larger chain of reaction that he hadn't noticed his dad knock on the door or come in.

"Good to see your focus is on your work" his father remarked sarcastically looking down at his son with a disappointed look. Nicholas startled by his sudden arrival but also wondered at the same time it that took Leon this long to notice. Nicholas coughed uncomfortably pushing the large pile of files to the middle of the desk.

"Just off to a late start I guess" Nicholas muttered nervously grabbing the first file and pretending to look through it.

"This should've been processed four days ago" Leon moved forward snatching the file away from Nicholas "You are extremely behind schedule which has never happened. Explain yourself"

"Explain what?" Nicholas feigned ignorance.

"Well firstly you're a mess" Leon spat angrily throwing the file on the desk "look at you!"

"It's a new look I'm experimenting with" Nicholas shrugged

"And it somehow involves looking and smelling like a hobo?"

"I'll let you know it's very in right now.."

"Nicholas"

"Yes"

"Cut the BS. Is this all this because of Theora?" His father asked. A look of panic came of over Nicholas. He contemplated should he fess up or not?

"What about... Theora?" Coward his inner voice scolded

"Nicholas"

"What! I'm fine!"

"Pathetic! The wife goes to her parent's house for a few weeks and he starts to loose his mind" Leon muttered angrily. Nicholas' head jolted up a look of confusion all over his face somehow Leon saw it as a look of admission.

"And to think I had to force you into this marriage now you can't bear to be away from her for a few days" Leon ranted on while Nicholas remained frozen in his confused state.

"Go home, shave, take a shower, and start being presentable again we're going to your in laws tonight. Your mother and I were planning to go anyway we haven't seen Demos since he left the hospital. I'll have someone take care of the pending files but only this one time next time you screw up like this I won't be so kind"

"Yes sir"

"I meant now" Leon demanded and Nicholas didn't waste a second scurrying out of the office.

As he reached his car, Nicholas stood by it for a second.

"I guess it's time to come clean" he told himself thinking about facing Theora and her parents soon.

"I screwed up so bad" he leaned his head on the hood of his car in despair. "I'm so sorry Theora. I'm so damn sorry"

Theora thought she'd be happy to be back home with her parents but it seemed her despair had crept into her luggage and made itself at home here too. She spent the days sitting alone in her room by the window as the fall days turned into winter. The little time she did spend with her parents her mind would wander off and she'd be sitting there silently like a ghost while her family talk animatedly.

"The blue one was so much better but who listens to this old lady anymore" her Yiayia sneered sipping her tea.

"Yiayia it's a nebuliser the color has nothing to do with its function" Carmen pointed out.

"I'm not stupid it was bigger and probably more powerful this thing takes forever" she said angrily

"Yiayia hey all have the same speed this is a more portable version which is easier to move around in the house. Now please put the mask over your head you need to do this atleast three times a day" Theora's mother pleaded with the adamant woman but Yiayia wasn't having any of it. For the past few days Yiayia had a chest infection and with taking care of her husband and his obstinate mother Fiona Botsaris had just about had it.

"Theora!" Fiona yelled bringing Theora out of her thoughts "seriously ever since you've come here it's like you're in a perpetual day dream. Please help us with your Yiayia"

"She's too busy dreaming about her dear husband to care about us Mama" Carmen teased.

"Who's stopping her? You've been to your house thrice and back but Theora hasn't even visited poor Nicholas once. These women nowadays have no concern for their husbands whatsoever" Yiayia ranted. Theora sent a scowl Carmen's way before moving towards her grandmother.

"Tell you what Yiayia we'll just use this nebuliser once and then we return it and get the blue one" Theora suggested

"But will they take it?"

"Yeah it has a three day policy but as the doctor prescribed you have to nebulise every four hours we'll just make due for now"

"Fine I'll use this one but we get the blue one immediately. It had shiner buttons too"

"Madam there's a call for you" One of the maids came in handing the phone to Fiona.

"Ah Odelle. How are you dear?"

Odelle! As in her mother-in law thought Theora panicking as her mother talked jovially with her.

"Tonight sure why not? Bring Nicholas too. Oh he's coming that's just wonderful"

Theora felt faint at the mention of Nicholas arriving.

"They are all coming her tonight?" Yiayia asked once Fiona hung up.

"Yes I'll go into the kitchen and instruct the staff on what to cook for tonight" Fiona said before scurrying off into the kitchen.

"I'm going to my room" Theora announced

"What's got into you girl?" Yiayia asked looking at her pale expression

"Well she has to get all dolled up for Nicholas Yiayia" Carmen teased again this time.

Theora threw a pillow at her face which caused the eight month pregnant Carmen to fall back into the  couch in laughter.

"Girls!" Yiayia warned them to stop. Theora stomped up into her room wanting to get away from everyone but for how long could she hide.

Numerous times over the two weeks she attempted to tell her mother or Carmen but got tongue tied each and every time. She just couldn't bring herself to do it not now when her father was in such fragile condition but that didn't mean she wanted to go back to Nicholas either. Theora thought she could stall it till her father felt slightly better till a month or two maybe but now with  Nicholas and  his parents visiting, Theora was really stuck between a rock and a hard place.

What was she to do? Theora collapsed on her bed groaning into her pillow.