Chapter 31
“What the hell is even wrong with you?” Jaxon asked, his voice thundering in the whole room.
“If you don’t know how to use a gas stove, why even attempt to do so?” He asked again, Ruby’s head was bent downwards as she sobbed silently.
She was not even paying attention to anything that he was saying.
“I’m talking to you! Stop being so dumb!” He snapped as he grabbed her shoulders and he made her face him.
“You look at me when I’m talking to you?” He hissed as he held her chin and lifted her head.
To his surprise, she was crying and she looked scared.
“Seriously, so this is what you’re going to do now? Talk to me for Fuck same!!! What the hell is wrong with you!!” He barked at her. His voice reverberated around the whole house.
Ruby shuddered at his voice as more tears flowed down her cheeks.
Her actions got Jaxon more pissed as time went by.
“It’s certain that you’re going to burn my house down one day. What’s there in turning off a stove? It’s just to turn it off!! And why did you leave the water boiling for so long? Huh? Talk to me!” He yelled at her again, his voice echoing in her head as more tears flowed down her cheeks.
Jaxon finally took a deep breath as he took a good look at her, observing her closely.
She looked visibly shaken.
“Ruby?” He called in a low voice as he held her by her shoulders.
“Ruby?” He called again, as he shook her slowly.
She was sniffling, shaking and she looked scared. Very scared.
“Are you okay?” He asked, noticing that her chest was rising and falling as she breathed rapidly.
“Ruby, are you okay?” He questioned in a low voice as his eyes furrowed.
He couldn’t help but groan inwardly, he definitely brought trouble to himself the moment he married her.
It was one after the other. Now he didn’t even know what was wrong with her.
It seemed like she was having a panic attack and she was not saying anything. Just panting.
“Ruby” he placed his hand on her wet face as he tapped her slowly.
“Look at me” his voice was low as Ruby managed to look at him.
“Are you okay?” He asked yet again, though it seemed like she was not fine at all.
Ruby shook her head indicating that she was not fine. She found difficulty in breathing and it felt like her lungs were being constricted each time she thought of the incident that claimed the life of her family.
“Come here” he held her closely as he took her to the couch and he made her sit, before sitting beside her.
“Ruby?” He tapped her face as she looked at him with tear-filled eyes.
It was like she was in a take of shock.
“You’re okay” He said, trying to sound reassuring. Whatever was making her to act that way, was definitely related to the fire earlier.
That was probably why she was not able to move to turn it off.
“You’re fine. Just take in a deep breath and relax your nerves. Everything is fine” Jaxon assured in the most soothing voice ever as he held her face.
“Just look at me and take a deep breath” He instructed brushing off the strands of hair away from her forehead as Ruby took in a deep breath.
Her breathing began to slow down. Ruby’s eyes fluttered as she stared at Jaxon.
“Jaxon” Her voice was low as she held his hand.
“Are you okay now?” He questioned curiously, Ruby searched his eyes which were devoid of any emotions. One couldn’t even tell if he was being caring or if he was pissed.
“The fire” she stuttered as her chest heaved.
“There’s no fire” Jaxon chimed in softly and Ruby sighed in relief as she suddenly hugged him tight.
Burying herself in his arms, Jaxon sucked his teeth as he stayed still, giving her the time that she needed.
Ruby didn’t even know what pushed her to hug him, but there was one thing she was certain of, which was that she found peace and warmth in his embrace.
His smell was calming and it surprisingly calmed down her nerves.
“I’m sorry” She apologized in a croaked voice as she lifted her head.
“I’m sorry for any inconvenience that I caused you. I didn’t mean to I swear” she pointed out.
“Ruby” Jaxon called as their eyes met.
“Why didn’t you turn off the stove? Or better still you could have brought the kettle down” He voiced out. If he was not home, she would have probably burnt down his house and herself along with it, because she could have been so scared to move.
“I’m so sorry, it’s just that I have a very bad experience with fire” she explained in a low voice as she slowly picked her nails nervously.
“Which is?” He raised a brow at her.
“When I was 18, something traumatic happened” she began as her eyes welled up with tears.
“You got stuck in a fire?”
“No” She shook her head as she wiped off her tears.
“My parents died..” she breathed as Jaxon mouthed an oh’.
“It was my eighteenth birthday and they had gone to get me a birthday cake. It happened right in front of me. I don’t know what happened..” She sniffled silently.
“But the brakes of my father’s car failed and he collided with a tree near our house, that was when his car blew up and caught fire,” she said, as she batted get lashes, to prevent more tears.
Despite the efforts to save them, nothing could be done. They were burnt without recognition.
“Since that incident, I’m not really a fan of burning flames. That incident traumatized me. So I use an electric cooker to make my meals back home” she informed. It was only her sister Kimberly who cooked with a gas stove.
“I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have gone near there” She apologized again.
Jaxon listened quietly to her story and when he was done, he abruptly stood up from the chair and began to walk back to the kitchen.
Ruby watched him in amusement, so he was just going to leave. What was she even expecting? For him to hug her and tell her that it was okay?
Jaxon walked over to his refrigerator and he brought out a can of freshly squeezed Orange juice, which he poured into a glass cup.
Ruby’s eyes widened as she saw him walking back to her with a glass of orange juice.
“Drink this. It will help” He informed with the usually unfathomable expression on his face as Ruby hesitantly collected the glass from him.
“Stay there. I’ll make dinner” he added as Ruby’s eyes flew open.
“Wh.. at?” She stammered in confusion.
“Sit quietly, don’t make me change my mind” he added as he walked towards the kitchen.
Ruby took a sip from the glass and it was truly refreshing.
She had to blink repeatedly to make sure she was not dreaming.
But seeing Jaxon in the kitchen with an Apron tied around him, confirmed it all.
He was cooking!!! Could he even cook!!
…
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