Ellie-chan (COMPLETED)

Twenty Nine - Jealous?

Making love to Hayato almost every night has been part of my routine lately. Not that I'm complaining about it. But sometimes I wish that he tells me what he thinks about - us. I am beginning to fall truly, madly, deeply in love with him already. There's no turning back.  Does he feel the same way about me? There were times when I feel that the feeling is mutual. However, in times like this, when he doesn't tell me what he is up to - when he's not even texting me where he is and what he's doing, I feel like I'm just a wife of convenience. 

I was already about to go to sleep when our home phone rang. I reached for the receiver from the bed and made my voice sound a little sexy. There was silence on the other line. I frowned. I thought it was Hayato. Oh, well. Maybe, it was just one of those random calls. I was about to put it back when I heard a feminine voice said "Moshi, moshi."  It was my turn to be silent. I listened to her carefully. It was Rika!

"Moshi, moshi. Hello?" Maybe she thought I hung up on her.

"Hello," I replied in a lazy voice.

She chuckled when she heard my voice again. She sounded drank.

"I thought you were gone. Anyways, I just called up to say Hayato won't be home tonight. He's very busy, if you know what I mean."

Immediately, I felt a pang of jealousy. I imagined them together and in each other's arms. I controlled the urge to hit back at her or to hung up on her. I tried to remain as calm as possible.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean. I know Hayato will be home soon. Now, if you have nothing else to say, I still have a lot of things to do."

"Don't be too sure, honey. Hayato's with me right now. In fact, he's sleeping soundly in my bed. Do you want to hear him snore?" And she let me hear it. But that was her mistake. I breathe a sigh of relief.

"You're a liar. Why can't you move on?"

She started yelling at me. I put the phone down.  I heard the phone rang again but I ignored it. I went back to sleep. But no matter what I do, I just can't sleep. Perhaps, I'm so used to having my husband beside me.

At 2 AM, I decided to go to the kitchen and make myself a hot milk. I was already pouring the milk from the pot to my glass when I heard the front door click.  A few minutes after, I saw Hayato looking a little reddish. He came to me and kissed me on the cheek. I smelled alcohol in his breath.

"Why are you still up?" he asked.

"Where have you been?" I asked, ignoring his question.

"Had some drinks with my college friends," he replied. Then, he went to our bedroom.  A few minutes after, I saw him went to the bathroom. I hurriedly drank my milk, scalding my tongue in the process, so I can go back to the bedroom before Hayato's done taking a bath.  I can't hide my excitement.

I was already in bed for like twenty minutes but Hayato was not yet done. I was beginning to worry. Did he sleep in the bathroom while taking a bath? Given that he was drunk, there's a big possibility that he passed out there. I thought of checking on him. But, what if he was just enjoing his bath? After five more minutes, I decided to go check on him. I was about to get up when the door opened and he came in.

"Still awake?" He seemed surprised.

"I was just awakened by the sound of the door being opened," I lied.

He nodded. He didn't speak up again. He seemed to be acting strange. I wondered what happened at work. Should I ask him? The bad thing about being married for convenience is that you can't ask your partner regular questions that couples always ask each other. You always have doubts whether you're crossing the boundary or not. I sighed. I have a lot of things to ask him but I can't make myself to...I closed my eyes. I didn't open it though I felt the bed moved. I can also smell his cologne.  I felt the urge to turn and hug him.

"I -- s-saw you with a middleeasterner-looking guy this afternoon. You had lunch together. Who was that? A former flame? Or a ----current lover?"

Immediately, my eyes flew open. I turned to him and frowned. He saw me and Pharaoh!

"Of course not!" was my curt reply.

Is he jealous? I couldn't see his eyes. His arm was on his forehead so I couldn't get a better look at his eyes. My heart was beating so fast at the thought that Hayato may be jealous.

"Of course not what? Neither a former flame or current lover? Then, who is he in your life? You looked so happy to see him."

"He was just a former friend. We used to live in the same dormitory together. We just bumped into each other in Porta today so we thought of having lunch together."

He removed his arm on his forehead and looked at me. Maybe, trying to see whether I was telling the truth or not. Then, he got up and went to get something from his trouser pocket which was neatly folded on the couch. It was his cell phone. I saw him checked on it and handed it to me. It was me and Pharaoh, laughing like crazy. When I slid my finger to move to the next photo, I saw myself tapping Pharaoh's hairy arm. The next picture showed us having a toast. Oh my God! Anybody would assume there was something between us. I tried to explain who the guy was to me.

"I actually don't care," came Hayato's cold reply. It made me uncomfortable but at the same time, I felt a bit giddy. There's only one reason why he's mad. He's jealous!  I felt like giggling but I tried to control myself. He might get angrier that I was laughing at him when he's already feeling down.

"But I want to explain to you. He is just a friend," I insisted.  "I admit, I once had a huge crush on him but nothing came out of it. He only sees me as friend or a little sister. Nothing more."

"It doesn't matter to me. What I'm worried about is ---- the immigration officers. Our problem with them is not over yet. Just imagine if it was Rika who saw you both and not me. What do you think will happen? Can you make the immigration people believe you when you say he is just a friend?"

I felt like a balloon which was suddenly pricked and the air came out. My feelings was like that. Deflated. I was thnking and hoping that he was jealous but... Oh, well. Serves me right for assuming too much. I forgot we have the immigration officers to think about.

"I'm sorry. I was not thinking."  I moved to the farthest side of the bed and turned my back at him. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep. But I couldn't.  A few minutes after, I felt his arm and leg around me. I also felt him nibbling on my earlobe. There it was again. The hard and throbbing thing poking on my behind.

"You should not think about other men from now on.  Just think about me," he whispered before claiming my lips with his.