SILENCE
Chapter 22

Larna looked around the cinema as everything was new to her, she couldn’t help but stare at all the beautiful ladies that were walking on their two feet flaunting their heels. Her heart ached but she knew that she couldn’t do anything about it so she just had to accept her fate.

‘Have you decided on what movie to watch?’ Fernando asked after he got back

‘Well I wasn’t really paying attention to all that, I used the time to scan the place.’ she responded

He sat down just next to her, thanks to Ster kinekor prestige for the lovely lounge.

‘I have an idea.’

‘You always have ideas Fernando.’ She said

‘Well let me just say what I want to.’

‘I am all ears.’

‘So you see that place right?’

He asked pointing at the fountain of water outside

‘Yes?’

‘Don’t you think it would make a nice place for a picnic?’

‘Ah ah, I am not getting into trouble with you.’

‘Larna stop being rigid, come on we could seat outside and just stare at the sky.’

It was already getting dark and the stars were quite visible

She looked at him hesitantly but something about the way he spoke assured her that she could trust him.

‘Wait for me here.’ He said

He walked away and was only back after twenty minutes waking her up from her wondering thoughts.

‘What do you have there?’

‘Let me treat you like a lady.’

She shifted uncomfortably

‘I didn’t mean it like that’

‘It’s okay, I guess this is just strange to me.’

They walked to the other side of the mall just near the fountain and he laid out a piece of material from one of the plastic bags. He helped her to seat then removed two glasses of wine with a non-alcoholic wine with some grilled chicken.

‘Wow.’

‘You like it?’

‘This is beautiful.’

‘You mean the chicken?’

She laughed, he was funny.

‘I mean this, the gesture and just the setup, everything is just wonderful.’

‘Well it’s for you my lady.’

She smiled weakly as she lifted the glass signaling him to pour some wine for her

‘This is wonderful.’ She whispered licking her lower lip

Fernando stared at her as she did that and wished he could be the one to place his lips on hers, yes he had a job to do but a little fun with his victim wouldn’t hurt so much.

The rest of the time they talked about random stuff, Larna managed to tell him all the things she remembered about her life. Something she had not told Elisha because it seemed pretty easy to talk to Fernando unlike him.

Fernando too told her about his childhood and his growing up, he had created an avatar before all this. A creature that he would make people believe that was him.

‘Seems you had an interesting childhood.’ Larna said when he was done speaking as they stared at the sky

‘You can say that again.’

‘Sorry but why are you single?’ she asked

‘What makes you think that I am not seeing anyone?’

‘Well for starters you spend your days with me and not once have I heard you talking to anyone else apart from Ben and Elisha and what lady doesn’t throw tantrums knowing that her man is spending so much time with another lady?’

‘Well one who knows that she can’t be compared to the other lady.’

‘You are joking right?’

‘I could or not.’ He said making a face that sent them into laugher

She looked at her watch and noticed that it was 9pm and Elisha would be dead worried so she decided they had to call it a night.

‘Fernando it is late, we need to go.’

‘Yah I thought so as well, don’t want to be that boy who takes you out late after a date.’

She chuckled

He knew just what to say and when to say it.

‘We should do this more often.’ He said when they got to the car

‘Yah, I had a great time with you.’ She responded

He kissed her forehead lightly, something that he had not planned to do and was wondering if it was supposed to be a genuine kiss or that of Iscariot.

*

He got home and it was pretty quiet, he went room by room checking for his wife but she wasn’t there. He got worried but remembered that he had left her with Fernando so he decided to call him.

‘Dude where are you?’ he asked

‘I am sorry I didn’t mention, I took Larna for a movie but we are just driving into the yard.’ He responded before dropping the line

Elisha paced about in the house and tried to process what he had just heard, how was it possible that he had not once thought of convincing her to go out and yet a total stranger had done so.

He knew Fernando was good looking and spending time with Larna would just make him fall for her but he decided not to think of the worst of him because how then had he allowed him to keep her company each time she was around.

Now he was torn between thinking whether he was a bad husband or was just afraid that once she got to see the world again she might not like him as much.

He heard them walk in their voices filled with laughter, she sounded very happy and it was the first time in months.

‘Hey man.’ Fernando said

‘Hey, thanks for making her see the world.’ He smiled but Fernando could tell that jealousy was eating him up, the kind of reaction he wanted.

‘Larna, will see you tomorrow.’

‘See you tomorrow.’ She smiled as he walked out

She was still in a moment when Elisha cleared his throat

‘What was that about?’

‘What?’ she asked surprised

‘You left the house without telling me, you didn’t replace it wise to call me huh?’

‘Wait Elisha are we arguing right now?’

‘No we are not, I am just stating my grievances. How could you just leave the house without mentioning a word to me?’

She looked at him at a loss of words

‘And when did you become close to Fernando?’

‘Elisha I spend all my time with him and you dare ask me that question?’

‘What are you insinuating?’

‘I am not insinuating anything, I just don’t want you two becoming close. Like how happy you sounded when you walked in; that doesn’t happen with me.’

‘Maybe if you concentrated on helping me recover than wanting me to be your wife I would be that happy.’ She said walking away angrily