CHAPTER 18
Since the last two days the tension between Nate and Michaela is growing. And the situation with Audrey doesn’t help. Even though Michaela did what Nate felt the urge to do in that current moment, he cannot overlook the fact that she spoke a bit too much than what was necessary.
He has known Audrey for as long as he can remember. All what she feels right now is not completely her fault, he has been the one leading her on forever. He always considered her a child and her feeling held no value to him. For all he knew, everything fades with time.
When he left Nana’s and went to the city to carry forward the business, he was more than confident that her infatuation will drain. But distance makes the heart grow fonder. For the first few times that he visited Nana, she would touch him all over, tell him how much she missed him, and spill to him her secrets half of which he was sure could be called storytelling.
This time when she came he had almost forgotten what being close to her felt like. She is a child he didn't ask for. He needs to constantly shower her with attention, feed her emotions and ego, take away the insecurities and be on her side without bothering about whether she was right or wrong.
When Audrey irritated the hell out of him yesterday he intended to ask her to excuse him and go out for a while. Until Michaela decided to react. Had it been anyone else Nate would have given them a dress down, but with Michaela he lost his temper. He knew he had done wrong the moments those words came out of his mouth. And it was no one’s but his fault alone. Had he asked Audrey to back off, or even better not cooked in his mind the whole idea of making Michaela jealous, none of this would have happened.
“You still thinking about her?” Michaela asks from the other side of the bed.
“You woke up early.” He says. A lousy attempt to drop the conversation.
“ Your thoughts are too noisy.”
“ It wasn’t right on my part. I should have taken better care. “
“ It was her mistake.”
“ I could have handled it. You didn’t need to rescue me. I am a big man.”
“ Oh! So it’s my mistake now isn’t it?”
“ That’s not what I meant.”
Michaela leaves the bed in vexation. He didn't need to throw it in her face. He sits up straight, once again disappointed in himself for making it sound like whatever he didn't meant to.
Out on the ground, it looks as if Cherry has went bonkers.
“What are you doing? Stop it Cherry. I’ll have to bath you again you stupid girl. I said stop it.” Michaela roars at Cherry.
The dust covers the air like fog. It is impossible to even see through it.
“CHERRY. You better stop this nuisance right at this moment.”
She advances towards Cherry who keeps going round and round in a circle. The insanity of the people in the house is somehow reflected in her demeanour.
Michaela is blinded by the dust yet she keeps going.
“ Stop it. Stop it I said. Stop it you silly girl.”
And with a thud she crashes into Cherry, falling down with her face to the ground. Her ankle seems to have broken, and so she yells for help. This time Cherry stops. Steven comes running towards Cherry and Michaela.
“ What happened? What is wrong ?”
He keeps going round and round unable to locate Michaela.
“ Call the doctor Steven. I think I broke my ankle.”
“ Wait. I’m coming to you.”
He finally locates her near Cherry, lying face down, holding her left ankle in her hands.
“You mustn’t cry. You’ll be okay. You are strong.”
He lifts her off the dust and carries her into the house. Cassy assists him in holding her ankle still.
“ The doctor is on his way.”
He raises his eyebrows and let’s out a sigh.
“ Merry Christmas guys.”
Michaela had totally forgotten that today was Christmas. After all there were no preparations going on for it prior to this day. The only preparations that she saw happening was for new year.
Nana emerges from her room .
“Oh! no what happened ?”
“Nothing Nana Michaela slipped.” Steven says saving her from the embarrassment.
She mouths a thank you in his direction.
“Oh! Poor you. I was about to make breakfast for everybody today, and here you are bedridden.”
“Well the pain is numbing actually Nana. Please don’t let me hinder your plans.”
“ Don’t be crazy Mickey. I must go inform Nate immediately.”
But before she can go forward with the plan, Nate basks into the room. His face filled with worry the words run into each other when he speaks.
“ What happened? Are you alright. “
He places his hand on her ankle very lightly.
“ Does it hurt?” he asks her.
“ It feels better already. I just.....slipped.”
Nate squints his eyes with distrust.
“Right.” He says.
The doctor takes forever to arrive. And by the time he does, Michaela already feels healed. He puts her applies some ointment and makes her wear an adjustable compression ankle support brace.
“ It’s just a sprain. Don’t worry. You will get better in no time.”
Xavier sees him out, eyeing Steven.
Cassy sits by her side, a look of concern hovers over her face. Nate fetches her a glass of water.
“ In no time he said. You’ll be okay in no time.”
He says those words to console himself more than to console Michaela.
While Michaela is resting, Nana makes ravioli and soup. She works with such diligence that Nate is almost convinced that she looks more like Steven than she does of himself. Cooking was never his aptitude.
Outside, Cassy, Steven, Xavier, Gilberto, the caretakers, Lionel and Richard are busy assembling the tree trunks for the late night bonfire.
“ Nana you are too old for all of this. You should be resting?”
“ I want to make some food. Why don’t you people let me. Leave me alone. It’s not every day that I feel like being in the kitchen working my ass off. And you fools keep getting into arguments or tripping everywhere. I need to take care of you all once in a while. “
She speaks in between chopping the tomatoes.
“Did you speak to Audrey?”
“Not yet. But I will.”
“When?”
“Nana.....”
“Don't you dare Nana me. Go and talk to her. It's Christmas Jon. Today we celebrate with the family not fight with them. Even if they annoy the crap out of you.”
Nate nods his head. Nana was right.
“Jon.” She says and stops to look into his eyes.
“Your father passed away on this day. This day may not be the one we can celebrate upon but it is the one day when you should remind yourself that the people around you, the ones whom you see everyday, the ones you love, the ones who love you or don't love you back. They all are not here forever. And you must at all cost remember that. When you are angry, when you are happy or sad or disappointed or annoyed. You must remind yourself that until they have done something terribly unforgivable, you can always try and forgive them. Especially if you know that they would do the same for you.”
Both of them are quiet as their great grieve for the loss of his beloved father and her beloved son. He knows he has to make it right.
“Now go on young man. What are you waiting for?”
Nate smiles at Nana and gently places a kiss on her forehead.
“What a precious little thing you are.”
“I know you love me.”
“Can't help it can I?”
“Can anyone?”
She winks him.
Nate rushes off to the stable. Rousseau was her favourite stallion. And when grieving, she often spent time with him. Nate find her right next to him sitting on the grass. She it's holding a book in her hand.
Cherish her, it reads on the front.
“Hey.” Nate says.
She refuses to wish him back. No doubt it was going to be a struggle for him. He opens the Toney for and sits next to her.
“What are you reading?”
“ None of your business.”
“ I’m sorry Audrey. From Michaela’s side as well.”
“How’s her leg?”
“ The doctor said it’s just a sprain. She is resting for now. We’ll see about it when she wakes up.”
She gently shuts the book close.
“ Jon. I was the one who let Cherry out.”
Nate closes his eyes shut and throws his head back.
“ I’m sorry. I didn’t think it through. I just wanted to...”
“Make her job hell for her.”
Nate finishes her sentence.
“ Do you understand the gravity of the situation Audrey? This is not a child's play. Something dangerous could have happened. She could have got injured more severely. It is by the grace of God that she's okay.”
“I know Jon. I'm sorry. I deeply regret my actions.”
“I'm glad you realize your mistake. But do you understand that she is my responsibility?”
He eyes toughen.
“I do.” She says.
“And why is that?”
“because she is your wife.”
“Yes. Whatever that happens or dose not happens to her is my business. So I plead you too go easy on me and not put he life in danger. “
“It's just by law that she’s your wife.”
“what do you mean?”
“You don't love her.”
“That's a really bad thing to say Audrey. I do love her. That is why she's my wife.”
“You can't love someone just because you're married to them.”
“Maybe. But she’s the most precious thing I have in my life right now. Before her I could never accept it, but man have I suffered. And now that I have her. I think I deserve her. I think I deserve the love she has for me. And I want you to know that and be okay with it. I want you to be happy for me Audrey. “
“I can’t.” She whispers, tears rolling from her eyes.
Nate grabs her hand with his.
“Can you try?” He asks.
For a long time she sits still. It hurts her, Nate understands that. But it is the truth.
Audrey hugs Nate. But unlike before she does not hold him right. It’s a gentle hug and she maintains the distance between their bodies.
“Of course I can try.”
He smiles.
“ Let’s go back to home. I am sure we can lend a hand to Gilberto. “
She nods.
“So you don't hate me?”
“How can I ever Audrey? Nana is right. You are family. And we don’t hate our family. We love them and forgive them, even at times when they don’t deserve it. And so I ask you for the same. Forgive me. And forgive Michaela. “
Audrey wipes her tears and walks over to Nana.
“Come on lend a hand you lazy lot.”
Gilberto shouts at them. And without any delay they join the force, chopping the trunks, assembling them near the fireplace, happy to be in company of each other. Happy to have their loved ones near them. Ignorant of the fact that new year’s coming. And just like the beginnings, the endings too don’t come without surprises and struggles. They have dealt with a lot among themselves, but the ends still not here.