Chapter 4

Iris unlocked the door and stepped inside. She held the door open for Hugh. Then she closed the door behind him and took the bags from his hands and walked into the kitchen.

Hugh hung his leather jacket on the stand on sat on the brown couch.

Iris came out with a bottle of water.

"This is a beautiful house." Hugh complimented.

Iris scoffed. "It's a small place. It belonged to my father. Now only I live here." She poured the water into two glasses and handed one to Hugh.

He took a sip. "It doesn't matter how big or small. You have kept it so neat and the colors are amazing. Especially the fireplace."

"Thank you." She said.

"So, do you have guests coming over tomorrow?" He asked and returned her the glass.

She walked towards the dining table and kept both the glasses. "No." She replied softly.

Hugh pulled his eyebrows together, "No?"

She turned towards him and shook her head. 

He nodded. "Hmm... Looking at big turkey I thought there is a celebration."

She sat on the couch keeping a little distance from him. "Okay! Don't judge, but that turkey is only for me. I don't cook anything else for Christmas." She then pursed her lips.

Hugh hung his head and scratched the left side of his nose with his index finger while trying to hold back his laugh.

Iris was the first one to break her huge grin and Hugh started chuckling.

"Not fair." She said.

Hugh waved his hands in the air and said, "Sorry! Sorry! But you look too thin to gulp down an entire turkey."

She shook her head while still laughing. "I don't finish it in one day. I save it and keep eating it for at least a week."

Hugh pouted his lower lip and flicked one eyebrow. "Nice. Real foodie."

Iris chuckled. "Something like that."

"So, what about your family? Why do you have no one coming over tomorrow?" Hugh asked.

"I never have anyone coming over. Ever." 

Hugh pulled his eyebrows together.

Iris sighed. "Well, my father passed away in an accident while returning from Scotland. I was eight years old at that time. And my mother passed away when I was 23, from a cardiac arrest. A year later my brother moved to London. He never returned after that. I work in a small cafe across the street. But I never made any friends there. Just some colleagues who I talk to while I am there. Christmas is my favorite holiday, so I decorate my house and celebrate alone."

Hugh placed his hand on Iris's knuckles which were resting on her thighs. "I understand what you must go through." He said.

The pulses started to race in her veins, as Hugh's cold palms touched her hand. Being touched by a man for the first time, raised the goosebumps on her skin. His gesture was sympathetic, but Iris could not stop thinking about how good his rough hand felt on hers. How she wanted to hold that hand, lay on the couch, and talk all night long.

"Since Olivia passed away, I haven't really celebrated anything. No festivals, no birthdays. I only decorate the house on Christmas because Mom says, the house should at least have some lights on Christmas." He said.

"Well, don't you have kids?"

He shook his head and took away his hand. "No. It had been four years of our marriage. Just one month before we found out about her tumor, we had decided to try for a baby. Our dreams shattered when the doctors said she only has a few months left."

The gloom ran through his expressions. Olivia had been the biggest part of his life. The memories of him trying to get over Olivia's death and getting into depression for at least a year, made him shudder.

Iris felt his pain. "I don't know what to say. But I am sorry she is no more." She had to use a simple word.

"Thank you! I've been trying to move on since then. But somehow not been able to take off this ring." He said and touched his golden ring.

"Maybe the day you decide to take it off, will be the day you will finally move on," Iris said.

"Maybe." Hugh shrugged.

"You said you were married for four years and your wife passed away two years ago. Then at what age did you get married? The early twenties?" She asked eagerly.

Hugh laughed. "No! No way. I was 31."

"What?" Iris exclaimed. "I thought you are younger than me."

He laughed again and shook his head. "No Miss. I am 38. Thank you for the compliment by the way. How old are you? Sorry, I don't mean to offend you by asking a personal question."

"Don't be silly." She said. Relief poured through her eyes. "I am going to turn 33."

"Oh, lovely. When is your birthday?"

She smiled. "Twenty-sixth."

"That's the day after. Well, Happy Birthday in advance." Hugh said with his beautiful grin.

"Thank you!" She blushed.

"Anyway! It's getting late. I shall take my leave." Hugh rose from the couch.

"Thank you so much for your help, Mr. Wilson."

Iris walked along with him towards the door.

"Call me Hugh please." He said. "Good Night." He smiled. But his smile didn't reach his eyes.

He was expecting Iris to stop him. Make him stay for a little longer. He didn't want to go back to his new house and be lonely again. He had enjoyed her company so much. It was somehow easy to not think much about Olivia.

Iris smiled. "Good night." She didn't have the heart to see him go. But they'd just met. She couldn't just ask him to stay back. That would sound too desperate.

“If it's written in destiny, we'll meet again.” She said to him in her head while looking at his brown eyes.

Hugh drove away. Iris sat on the couch and exhaled.

“Why didn't I ask him to come over again? I don't use a cell phone, but I could have at least asked for his number. He lives alone too, why didn't I invite him over for tomorrow's Christmas dinner? Is this why I'm still single? I don't know how to talk to men or approach men as other women do? Jesus! I'm going to die alone.”

She lied on the couch for a while reliving the moments spent with Hugh in her mind. 

She prepared Rabbit Stew for dinner. She ate her dinner while watching an old movie on her television.