He was startled, in a way he could tell that something was wrong but couldn’t wrap his finger around it. Antonia had walked straight to the bedroom without her signature kiss saying goodnight and In a way he found it rather amusing, it was not shocking.
Was he overthinking thinking things, the thought that this could be what was happening flashes across his mind and he what he thought was best for the situation on ground, he decides to stay quiet about it and watch- Still listening to the sound of water from the faucet, he could tell almost immediately that some something was wrong.
His eyes followed the trail of mud that were right leading to the room, his heart kept beating loudly as he became more and more aware of a plight that looked clearly like that of a broken woman.
Regardless, his choice remained steadfast in being silent… He thought he was going to keep to that till apparently he had his answers no matter what it was.
He should be furious but he isn’t. Instead he had walked to the mini bar that was in the room and gulped down the liquor in quick succession.
The last forces out a grunt from him that felt heavy as it echoed through the room.
It was starting to seem more like Antonia was having a different issue from the ones he was aware about which made him more worried than he should be, or was she aware of the deal?
All through the night he was up watching as she tossed and turned in her sleep, the sorrow she felt was evident in her face and at minute he felt if anyone should be blamed over the recent plights, it should be him.
He didn’t find a peaceful sleep that night as well, as his dream felt like it was haunted by ghosts from his past.
He had to leave quickly in the morning, throwing on a pair of fitted gray pants and buttoning up a nice white shirt he was ready to leave.
Beneath his eyes was a black heavy bag from his lack of sleep and visibly stress.
For the final touch, he had picked her favorite tie as he walked out after giving her a pausing look.
****
The day refuses to go on very fast, he was there lagging over stuffs he shook be done with moments ago-
He was all ill-tempered that morning, snapping orders as he was all grumpy as he went through the details that were on the files, a knock distracts him and he looks up to find Damien poking his head through the door.
He rolled his eyes annoyed that he was being disturbed, all he wanted was peace and silence, he had the need for privacy or perhaps he was too concerned to even talk to anyone.
If anyone wasn’t going to let that slide away easily it was the man that was at the door.
“Are you busy, it is lunch time already.”He muttered as he made way in.
He must have been able to perceive the disrupted look that was portrayed as he soon made his way in.
He stared hard at the paperwork that wouldn’t have taken two hours to clear off on a normal day and seemed amused.
“Are you sure everything is fine?”He asked.
With red shot eyes he looked up from the table he had his face buried into.
He cowls and bites back irritation at the fact that Damien wouldn’t leave till he had answers.
“What do you even want?”He had asked.
“Just checking up on you man …”he muttered, surprised at how tense he sounded.
“You should be working.”He grimaced before returning his gaze to the work at hand.
“Just leave.”He added.
“Sorry I can’t.”Damien replies, shaking his head vehemently.
“, And why is that, I am still your boss.”
“Because you’re-“he shakes his head and awkwardly gestures with his hands.”You’re acting all funny and I can’t just watch.”
It’s Damien’s words all over again, this time with the true inflection of what the situation was, he could feel it sinking deeper into his soul and In a way it cut into him deeply.
Chris sighs, he could hear his heart pounding inside his chest.
For some reason he pulled back from his chair and walked out to the window after he stood up straighter, the same familiar defeated look at anxiety and dismay he had tampered down before returning.
It was the reason he didn’t want him any closer than he was, the man who asks a lot of questions wouldn’t necessarily have answers to.
“So, what’s worse?”he asks him slowly.”You giving me the look that I am crazy and all, or just letting me work my ass through this…”
He hadn’t thought that he’d feel this way yet he was feeling so terrible at the moment, he felt as though he was at the mercy of his emotions and deep down he could feel it tearing him apart.
“Why are you taking this harder than it should be? “Damien asked.”Do you do the right thing I think you should do, take the day off, go to a park or something.”
He thought about what the man had just said and it felt good, still he couldn’t see it as the way out of the madness his heart felt.
“You just insinuated I can’t work here because I am not in the right frame of mind, what more can I do about all of this? ”
“Yeah, and I am saying this as a good friend.”
After he asked, he felt his mind was racing, he truly hates looking all weak and submissive but for a moment he could feel his soul
wavers for a moment, his chest heaving.
Finally, his shoulders drooped in defeat, he thought It was best he did as told, but Still he didn’t think he would find sanity if he was still at loggerhead with her.
He picks up the phone and murmurs something into it, the good thing was that she picked.
Breathing a sigh of relief, he dropped the phone after talking with her for a while, trying his best to keep his face , he listened to the sound ricocheting off the walls of his heart.
******
To his dismay he still caught her In a foul mood, he had thought it was best he went home to see her and clear things off but here he was having a face off with her.
“You can’t tell me all is fine when you are acting all weird.”
Antonia looks at him with disdain, as if the very idea of his proposition is disgusting, she didn’t understand why or how he arrived at the conclusion.
Regardless, he presses on.”We’ve needed someone for a year,”he insists, meeting her scornful eyes.”All we need is to go see him, he is the best.”
He clenches his teeth as he spoke, it had been twenty minutes since he had been trying to convince her to let them see a therapist.
“You know I am right.”He mumbled.
“No, you’re not,”Tonia snaps, her dark eyes exasperated.”You feel you could just make certain decisions and you are so full of yourself.”.
“But I want the best.”He grimaced.
“This is an entirely different scenario. I cannot, I will not sign off on this.”
Her attitude only frustrates him. Her temper flares, but he forces it down.
“I’m not a psychologist-But I know all is not well.”His eyes narrow, and Tonia knows the man won’t budge.
Still, she takes a deep breath.
“I can’t do this,”she says quietly. She thinks back to Laura’s visit, was he aware of something… she pondered.