JADE
I limped along the grassy floors of the pond, kicking stones with my one good leg and pushing off twigs and branches from my way.
One time I am happy and the next time, I go extremely angry. I am honestly fed up with this bumpy emotional ride between I and Luciano.
We can never stay happy for a minute together.
Something must definitely try to get us apart.
“Urgh fuck! He just can never understand me. I do not want him to touch me. It is my body for christsakes. Why is he flaring up! I am not doing this to get payback or to get at him for what happened between us yesterday!” I angrily scowled to no one in particular as I kept on walking into the stark black darkness that enveloped my entire surroundings.
I was boiling on the inside, exasperation almost making me to forget to breathe.
“Calm down Jade. Do not get too mad. Just calm down” I halted in my uncoordinated steps and inhaled deeply.
Maybe I was just overreacting. I need to go back to Luciano. We need to learn how to settle our differences without avoiding each other.
How will this marraige ever work?
I pivoted around but took an abrupt halt as I observed my surroundings.
I had never wandered to this part of the pond before.
I did not even know where I was again.
The realisation hit me like a ton of bricks as I drew in shortened breath.
I was lost. And I was lost in the dark.
Anxiety rippled through me and a million knots got tied within me. “Where am I?” I could barely even see what lay ahead apart from the glistening moon which shone over the pond waters some distance ahead of me.
God. No. No. Please. Was Luciano looking for me?
Sudden tears welled up in my eyes and dread filled me. “Luciano!” I called out to him at the top of my voice.
But the only sound I got as a response was an echo of my voice which reverberated across the landscape.
“Luciano where are you!?” I yelled more, shuffling my aching feet to search for him as I wandered more into the dark.
Oh no. I placed a hand on my chest as I walked to calm my erratic heartbeat but it did nothing to help me.
Suddenly I felt a cold chill run up my spine at the sound of twigs breaking from behind me.
I turned around but I did not see anything. “Is anyone there?” I frightfully asked but I got no response.
Gulping down my fear, I stealthily walked towards one of the numerous tall trees and carefully hid behind one, looking out if I would get sight of anyone.
Nothing happened to my relief. I combed my ruffled brown hair with a deep sigh when a large hand suddenly covered my mouth from behind causing me to let out muffled screams.
“Shh It is me Luciano. Don’t scream” he softly whispered in my ear before letting go off me. I pivoted in an instant and I did not even know when I enveloped him in a tight hug.
“Why did you run off?” He asked me, softly caressing my cheeks.
“Because you left me. You did not want to be around me” I almost sobbed.
“I went to the car Jade. I thought you would follow me. Only for me to wait for about more than five minutes and I did not see you. I had to come looking for you. You really wandered down here by yourself with a hurt foot”
I nodded, “I was so scared Luciano. I do not like being alone in the dark” I whimpered like a baby.
Honestly I did not. I had a childhood memory of the dark and it was not a pleasant one.
“Why?” Luciano asked me, brushing off my hairs from my face.
“I was little then. I can not remember much but all I know is that my mother held me in tears while we were in the dark and I could hear the alarming sound of gunshots going off. We were not alone. Other captives surrounded us.
Armed men were also with us and they seemed murderous. My father had been taken by one of them and I cried at the sound of the gun. Mother covered my mouth trying to stiffle my wailings.
But surprisingly father came back and we were set free. I have a hazy memory of everything but it was not a pleasant experience” I explained to the best of my ability.
Luciano listened to me attentively as I spoke. And once I was done, he pulled me in for a hug and planted two kisses on my forehead. “Nothing like that will ever happen to you again ok. You are safe with me” he reassured me.
“Let us get back home so we can take care of your foot”
I wiped away my little tears with the back of my palms as Luciano carried me up once more in bridal style.
Him being around me made me feel so secured and protected.
I laid my head on his chest as he walked towards the car, relishing the warm feeling of our bodies touching.
* * * * *
I noticed the nervous stares we got from the staffs who saw Luciano carrying me in his arms the moment we walked into our home.
Whenever their gaze met mine, they would quickly lower their eyes which I was very grateful for.
It felt a little awkward seeing their flushed cheeks stare at I and Luciano.
I expected Luciano to take me to our matrimonial bedroom but he instead took me to my private bed chamber.
Pushing open the door, Luciano walked inside and softly placed me on the bed like a todler. “Let me go get you an ointment ok?”
“Hmm” I hummed in response before he flashed a smile at me and left.
Minutes later he walked back with an ointment in between his fingers.
I scooted a bit for him to get a space on my bed to sit. Sitting down, Luciano raised my legs a little and placed them ontop of his.
With steady eyes, I watched him take out of the ointment and expertly rubbing it all around my aching ankle before massaging.
“Ouch” I whimpered as he went on.
“I am sorry. Should I stop? Is my touch alright?”
Something about the way he said ‘touch’ sent shivers down my spine.
I nodded for him to go on.
We sat in a deafening silence and it was killing me.
“Luciano look. I am sorry for not letting you help me when you wanted to earlier in the pond ok” I apologised, letting it roll off my chest.
Luciano stopped massaging my ankles and fixed his blue orbs intently at me.
“It is fine Jade. I am not angry. But why did you not want me to help you anyways? What did I do wrong?”
“No you did nothing wrong” I replied almost immediately.
“So what was the reason?” He shrugged his shoulders with hiked up brows.
I made imaginary circles on the bedsheets and casted my gaze down. “It ie embarrassing to say it” I shyly replied.
Luciano used a finger to lift up my chin, “Please tell me. I promise not to chide you for it”
I inhaled in sharply before speaking, “I started having perverted thoughts and…”
I stopped talking noticing the amused look on his face. “Stop looking at me like that” I whined.
“Perverted thoughts towards your own husband? Is that how you see it? C’mon now Jade” he laughed.
Hearing him speak got me feeling dumb.
Well he was my husband so how were the thoughts wrong?
“Well yes…” I murmured out airingly.
“We are married moglie. Whatever lustful thoughts you have towards me, I do not see it as perverted. It is normal between a married couple” Luciano lectured me like I was a four year old.
“So tell me, what were the thoughts centred on?” He chuckled darkly.
“I ain’t telling you” I laughed.
“Very well then” he sighed. “You will show me one day. And I truly can not wait to see what goes on in those perverted thoughts of yours” He added, flashing me bedroom eyes which got me fazed.
“You need to get some rest now ok” Luciano attempted to stand up when I held him back at once.
“Sleep in here with me please. Your presence makes me feel safe” I could not even stop myself from requesting such a bizzare thing.
Maybe it was not bizzare to him.
“Really? If that is what you want then I will” Luciano sat back on the bed with me.
I watched him anxiously as he came to lie behind me, pulling me against his chest and wrapping me with his huge arms.
“Goodnight wife” he kissed the back of my hairs.
“Goodnight.. Luciano” I whispered back.