Wait.
I did demand to know. Constantly.
No one told me anything!
Therefore, for two days, I followed her. Maybe I did it for my own selfish reasons. Maybe I did it because I had to make sure that no other man was in her life.
Whatever the reason, I followed her. I followed her until I had had an idea about what to do.
I was still unsure of how to go about it, even as I sat on the front step, waiting for her to appear. My elbows were braced on the top of my knees as I waited. I knew it was only a few more minutes before she would come home as I had left the park as Avidya buckled our baby into the car. I knew it would give me enough time to gather my mental strength to face my wife.
It was maybe ten minutes later when the redhaired woman pulled up to the house next door. I kept my head down in my hands as I heard the car doors open and then close.
“Will you be okay?” I heard the redhead say, her concerned voice carrying my way.
I didn’t catch a reply, but I assumed that Avidya nodded or gave some sort of acknowledgement. A few moments later, I heard soft, light footsteps coming my way. I kept my posture, hiding my face and fears.
What did I have to fear?
Everything.
“Zachariah,” Avidya sighed, her voice just above a whisper. She didn’t sound surprised to see me here. She didn’t seem happy, either. She almost sounded like she expected me to be here.
“Hello,” I said, raising my head to see her. She stood maybe a yard away from me with the baby carrier on one arm and what I assumed was a diaper bag in the other. Today, her hair was down past her shoulders with the tips slightly curled. Her green eyes were bright with life, yet tired at the same time.
She stood there, seeming not to know what to say. I could relate. I had so many things I had thought I’d be saying by now, but none of that was coming to mind. I just wanted to pull her into a hug and never let her go.
Screw talking. Screw trying to win my way back into her life.
I just wanted to stare at her forever. She was my sun, my life. She hadn’t changed one bit
“Are you two just going to stare at each other, or are you going to actually talk?” called the neighbor as she made her way to us. “My God!” Her steps grew harder, in a stomping sort of way, as she neared.
“Krissy,” Avidya sighed in warning.
“Don’t,” she barked, turning her blazing eyes to me. “You lay one hand on this girl, and I’ll make your life a living hell, got it?”
“Got it,” I appeased her. I would say that I’d never do such a thing, but yeah, that wouldn’t help matters.
“Don’t go yelling at her, either,” she went on, placing her hands on her hips as she gave me what would be called a ‘mother look.’ “And no dragging her away. You do anything to make her cry, I’ll cut you.”
“Krissy,” Avidya hissed. “I’ll be fine. Now go.”
“I’ll be back in an hour,” she stated before flipping around and marching back to her house.
“Sorry,” Avidya said with a shrug. “She means well.”
“She should,” I said, still not moving from where I sat. “I’ll behave. I just…we need to talk.”
She nodded as she stepped up beside me, setting down the car seat and unlocking the door. Once the door was opened, she picked up the seat and walked in, calling behind her, “Come on in.”
I pushed myself up and entered the house. At first glance, it fit Avidya to a T. Hardly anything personal, but the coloring and simplicity of it all was entirely her.
It even smelled like her to an extent.
“Make yourself at home,” she said, placing the seat on the table and bag next to it. She then started to get the baby out of the seat. I could hear him, or her, grunt as she removed him from the contraption.
I took a seat on the edge of the couch, not sure where to sit, or even what to say now that I knew she wasn’t going to run screaming. I felt out of my element more than ever.
