Chapter 5 Good old days

I still have not learned to stay, to live without Sebastian. It only gets better, or I'd say bearable as I grow older.

Older now, with teary eyes I looked out through the window. I am a living dead right now, I wiped the tears threatening to fall off, my swollen cheeks hurting. I've been up all night.

By my estimation, it's 2:00 am by now, the sound from dropping a pin could be heard over the silence. The sound of hooting of owls, and night creatures like crickets etc, audible. My cell room void of light, the illumination coming from the moonlight.

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Years back

This man got me so addicted, he contaminated the air I breathe. My thoughts are full of him. I'd never let him out of my sight. The hours he spent at work were like years to me.

I counted each second close to his return. I always waited in anticipation, Madam Kate shook her head each time she saw me at the top balcony outside upstairs every evening, where I sat looking out to the estate, waiting for my man to return.

This balcony was at the top most floor. It provided me the best view, through the city, as our mansion was located at the outskirts of town, a hillside, the elevation high enough to aid a nice view.

I still recall the first few months of marriage, when I had not yet gotten used to his absence, as he would always spend most of his time with me. I know he has to attend to work, family, his businesses and political career, but as a youngster, I wanted my man by my side every second. He said we could work with that, and tried his best to be available.

But as time went on it started to feel that we had drifted apart. Probably I was overthinking.

In the first months, I and Sebastian always had our bath together, ate together- I had him feed me at every meal, go shopping, play games, and do couple stuff. This was after our honeymoon. Sebastian attended to work only when necessary, even worked from home and hardly left to his office, at the branch in the same city we reside. His hotels and other establishments across the country were run by managers, so he could stay in, always, I thought.

Months into it, I'd wake up, as early as 6:00am in the morning, stretching my hands across our king size bed, trying to feel my husband, he'd be gone. I'd gotten so frustrated.

"Where's my husband?" I said almost screaming barging into Sebastian's office.

"He He's ...at the con conference room ma'am" stammering in response to my rash question in bewilderment, the stunned secretary spilled the cup of coffee she held.

"Where?" I asked her, impatient of her response.

"There" she pointed down the hallway outside his office.

I took my attention off the lady, she obviously was caught off guard by my sudden appearance in the office. I'd never been to Sebastian's Company's premise. I remember her from the wedding, my husband's skinny secretary. She was astonished because it was my first time. By her reaction, she certainly recognizes who I am.

I hissed, and walked away, hoping to find my way to the conference room, the only thing on my mind was to set my eyes on My man.

It's been a month, desperate times, need desperate majors, I repeated this in my head. I gathered courage as I walked through the well lit hallway, not having an idea where exactly I was going.

"Oh...I'm sorry" I apologized to the lady I bumped in

"In a hurry?" She asked after confirming I was lost through my facial expression.

"Where's the conference room?" I was sweating all over, my hair in a mess.

"Which of them??" She asked, of course she must be a new employee, she didn't attend the wedding, she doesn't know who I am. I took a deep breath, sighed.

"Where's the President?"

"Oh, at the conference room to your left, after this next one up the stairs" She seemed happy to help, she smiled at me.

"Thank you" I said in a hurry and walked like I was running, towards that direction.

Doom! The huge door was opened ajar by a little pull.

Sebastian's sharp gaze which I presumed must have been on the projector met my hazy one.

He looked a bit surprised, but collected himself on time before I noticed. Our gaze was still fixed.

Pausing, "Wife, what brings you here?" He asked, with a maniacal grin.

A smirk already forming at his lips, I was all smiles until I noticed the presence of about fifty men in the room...nah hall.

Godammit! All eyes were on me, my emergence disrupted their meeting. Sebastian shouldn't have announced that I was his wife. The men had women also in their midst, most of them middle aged. All dressed in suites, black, ash brown and all boring colours, Sebastian wasn't an exception, he wore navy blue.

The oldness in the room...no hall hurt my eyes. I cooled down from the baptism of embarrasment.

I could see the oldies twitching the eyes in bewilderment, some annoyed hissed, I was too confused to read all of their facial expression at that minute. I just stood, cheeks red from embarrasment in front of the long table which they all sat parallel, Sebastian at the other end.

He coughed lighlty placing the back of his palm on his lips. I just knew he was trying to hold back his laughter. He resumed his composure.

"The meeting is adjorned, my secretary will communicate the time for the next, thank you" Sebastian announced, they all bowed their heads in courtesy and exited the room one after the other.

As I stood there, still shocked and ashamed, I was brought back to reality with a nudge by an old Lady using her hard leather bag.

"Get your act together young woman...humph" She shook her sagging head.

"..." I exhaled helplessly.

The only thing between us, the long mahogany table.

Sebastian had on this mocking smile as madam Kate earlier this morning when she saw me heading out.

"Wife!" He looked at me once again, He collasped in the chair behind him, cracked up, choked in his own laughter. He coughed hard, he enjoyed the show, reality show indeed.

"What's funny?" I asked him, feigning anger.

"Why are you still in your nighties?? Huh?" He continued laughing.

Jeeez! I was so focused on catching up with him that I forgot to change.

The bunny band round my hair with its two long ears, stood high. My Pijamas rumpled, and the yellow bedroom duck slippers looked so ridiculous.

"No wonder! Sheesh, your secretary was stunned" I collapsed on a chair too.

"You're something else" Sebastian said, recollecting himself.

"How am I going to face the world?!!" I exclaimed, holding my palms to my face.

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I smiled subconsciously, wiped my teary face with the back of my palm. Good old days...

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