Side Effects To Marriage May Include

Chapter 24: Savouring The Feeling

< you cut me open
and I keep bleeding love >

-Leona Lewis.

Aria's PoV:

Hozier's Take Me To Church mentions that 'every 'Sunday's getting more bleek'.
This statement however is proven untrue, except for today.

Today is Sunday, June 16th.
To most people this is just one of the last days of breezy spring, leaning more so towards the summer heat to follow in the next few months.

This specific Sunday however, is different.

It's my mother's 10 year death anniversary.

Every year for the last ten years I've been going to the doomed cemetery, the land of the dead, in memory of her on this tragic day.

Losing my mom as a teenager to cancer was never easy.

Sometimes, I still think of the what-ifs.
What if she was still alive? I bet my life would've turned out completely different.

My life hasn't been the same since that day, my dad hasn't been the same either since that day.

Hell, I haven't been the same.

Every year, when visiting her tombstone, where her body is buried in a cemetery just on the outskirts of town, I can't help but break down.

Imagine not having your mom to talk about school, friends and crushes when you were a high schooler.

I've had friends over the years.
I've had my best friend Luna too, but it never fulfills the absence of the loving heart of a mother.

You have no idea about the enormous amount of times I've listened to Ed Sheeran's Supermarket Flowers, crying my eyeballs out reminiscing about what life was before the sunshine got stolen away from my world.

Although, over the years I've came to accept that death is a part of life, and there's nothing we can really do about it, it still tugs at my heart. This defeated loss.

•••

I woke up super early, my heart knows better than to sleep in, on this one particular doomed day.

I wiggle out of Nickolas' hold and hastily enter the cold white tiles of the bathroom flooring for the sake of an awakening, nerve-calming, cold shower, remembering to grab a casual outfit from the closet on my way.

After I get dressed hurriedly, I exit the foggy bathroom to the sight of Nickolas rubbing his sleepy eyes with his right hand -avoiding sunshine while so- and his his left hand is patting the empty mattress in a helpless search for me.

When he notices my silhouette coming out of the bathroom instead of soundly laying atop of him on the large bed, his lips pull downwards in the slightest frown.

He peeks at the bedside table, glimpsing at what I'm assuming is the clock, and his eyebrows knit together, matching the frown sporting his gorgeous face.

"It's only 9:30 a.m on a Sunday. Why are you up already?" He asks huskily in curiosity while standing up, more like stretching up, and walking towards me with slow, heavy steps.

I take a deep breath in "Umm, today is k-kind of a- a um.." I trail off not trusting myself on phrasing a proper sentence this early on the weekend.

Come on, you can do this Aria.

His eyes instantly fill with concern, seeming to, I rarely leave my sentences unfinished. I'm known to have a witty and firm response to everything and anything, but it's just extremely sensitive for me to open up on this topic.

"What's wrong?" Both his gentle hands cup my face and the burning in his eyes almost compels me to pour my heart out for him to console me, but I just can't seem to.

"Well, there's something I need to do today, and I'm —" I don't get the chance to complete when he interrupts me.

"If this is about that party in the evening, if you're not feeling well, we don't have to go. I—"

The party.

This evening.

Crap.

How come I forgot about that?
I mean my dress has been already picked out beforehand, so thank goodness for that at least.
I'm not really in the most cheerful mood for a party festivities and all, but this event is vital for the company and it's all part of formalities.
subsequently, it's given, since we're CEOs that we're both on the guest list for this extravagant occasion.

"No, it's not that. I'm fine, this has nothing to do with it. But I just need to go somewhere and I was hoping you can come with me? I mean it's fine if you don't, it's not like you're obligated or —" my excessive rambling gets cut off when he kisses me senseless.

My breath hitches every time he kisses me like a 14 year old getting her first kiss at prom.
So uncool..

They are just irresistible, and always catch me off guard and engrossed in their exquisite taste, they're so...magical.

Abruptly, pulling away from the mind shattering kiss, he tilts my chin up with the utmost gentle fingers, so that my eyes are looking straight into his.
"Of course I'll come with you. Just give me ten minutes to shower and we can grab something to eat and go " he states firmly but warmly and I nod comprehensively.

My arms automatically go in for a super tight hug, and a sense of security overwhelms me when he hugs me back even tighter.

We latch onto the hug for approximately a minute, long time relatively for a hug, but it only feels like a fraction of a second when the right arms are the ones holding you.
No words spoken, but the sounds of our hearts savoring the heavenly feeling.

By the heaves of his chest, which is currently a pillow to my head, I'm assuming he's sniffing my wet, water dripping hair.
A weird habit of his that despite its awkwardness and randomness, I've come to love.

And it still hurts and bums me out when we eventually have to let go.

Reluctantly, we pull apart and his hands drop from my waist, but not before pulling me in for one last kiss before I'm chuckling and nudging him in the direction of the humid bathroom.

A smile itches my face, as I involuntarily shake my head sheepishly to myself while I'm descending the stairs.

•••

A/N:

Ummmm

I've been having the worst writers' block before dwelling on writing this..

If you want more updates, please vote and comment ❣️

Love youuuuu❤️