Phoebe shook her head, and a tear that had been trickling down her cheek reached her chin. “It’s not your fault, Christian. I just… I’m still trying to figure things out. My life is such a mess right now.”Christian nodded, and his face looked sad. “I understand that you have been through a lot and I do not want to make things worse for you.”Phoebe stared at him, relieved that he was the only one who seemed to comprehend. “Thank you,” she murmured, tears welling up in her eyes. “I just need some time.”Christian smiled gently and then he took her hand in his. “You take all the time you need, Phoebe, I am not going anywhere.”They remained motionless for a few minutes, and the hostility between them gradually gave way to a kind of camaraderie. Phoebe was glad that Christian was patient with her, glad that he had not lost his temper. He could have pushed her, could have attempted to make her kiss him, but he did not. But he had given her what she wanted, and that was more important to
Phoebe woke up to the sound of the city early morning silence, still drowned by traffic noise: the world outside went on as always and as still Phoebe found herself imprisoned in limbo. Her head felt just a little sore as the result of the wine Christian had offered her the previous night. She yawned, turned over on her side, her glance flickering at the dim light that came in round the cotton curtains. The facts that she was recreating in her mind from the previous evening were too sharp, and that only made her feel more confused. Christian had been polite, non-aggressive and tolerant all the time. But, as she came to the sitting position and pulled the bedding to cover her chest, she felt guilty. Regret as a result of not being able to reciprocate the warm, loving feelings Christian gave. Guilt for the part of her heart that had never forgotten Seth; that had never let him go. She got out of the bed and felt the floor with her bare feet, as it was wooden; she then proceeded to the
Phoebe was in a state of confusion, her heart feeling the impact of having to make this decision. She needed her to embrace, to cling to the warmth that Christian was willing to provide but she realized that would be selfish on her part and on his as well.“I need time,”she murmured. “When I’m alone and unleashed, that’s when I do things which seems needful to my soul, the soul that needs to be set clear in a direction I yearn for or spend time in contemplation, in thought of things I so dearest desire, I hope you will comprehend that?”Christian sighed, but there was nothing but sorrow in the eyes which were fixed on phoebe. “I do. And I hope that whatever happens between us, we’ll be able to remain friends because you are really important to me Phoebe, and I don’t want to have you out of my life altogether.”Phoebe closed her throat feeling the bitterness of sweet moment she had with him. “You a
Seth looked at Christian and for once, his face could not be understood. “I am not here to mess up things I need to speak to my wife.”It was as if saying the word “wife” was a kind of sin, and seeing the word on paper hurt Phoebe’s eyes as well as her heart. It was so ironical that she had been struggling to let go of that title, and to avoid being typecast as a woman who was only known professionally as being married to Seth. But here he was, dragging her back into the very thing she was trying to escape from, into degradation, sin and death.“Perhaps they should be left alone,” Phoebe Augustine said to Christian Hardy. It was the last thing she wanted; she did not want this to turn into something else than what it had become.Christian tried to look away but his eyes met Seth’s, he thought for a minute then finally bobbed his head up and down. ‘I think that it’s better that two of you get some space,’ he stated unwelcomingly, but his tone betrayed him. He got up and hugged her and
Christian put the spatula that he was holding in his hand down on the center table, and then calmly walked up to her looking very much sad, but understanding. “I know you didn't know Phoebe, but every time things are not well and I can see that they are not what they seem to be”She agreed by nodding and her eyes started to water again. “You have been so tolerant of me, so gracious; and I don’t want to cause you suffering, Christian.”Christian extended forth and touched her hand, holding it softly its temperature a comfortable one. “I do like you, Phoebe … a lot … but I think I need to know something very important first.Are you still in love with Seth?”Phoebe was standing before Christian and all she felt was a chill run down her spine. The question lingered between them yet again; full of the reality, which Sophie had been trying to avoid so much. She brought her hands to the table and linked them with his; she couldn’t even look at him any longer. Then she said in a low tone: “I
Seth sat in his office with his back resting on the comfortable black leather executive chair and his eyes glued on the big glass that framed. Skylines which are symbolic of the pride of human achievement felt claustrophobic today. The morning had been one long string of meetings and phone calls, and she had hardly been conscious of what had been going on. The meeting at the apartment alone with Phoebe occupied his mind constantly, as well as the fact of their separation.Deep in his mind, Seth recalled the last few moments of the family’s encounter with the bad people and his fists tightened. Just watching the ease with which the man accepted himself, felt at home in Phoebe’s apartment, had threatened to make him mad with jealousy and frustration. He had visited Phoebe there to enquire from her how she was feeling after all that they had been subjected to.unfortunately Christian showed up at her house which was making him think that she has really moved on with her life without him
The truth was that there was something more than friendship between her and Seth and she had felt this way for quite some time. But she also knew that he was in love with Phoebe and never will stop being in love with her.Sasha hesitated, and the minute Seth stepped off the porch, she let the tears for which she had been fighting fall. She was quite sure that she had done the right thing, still the pain did not seem to be far from the truth.Sasha clea her tears, breathed deeply and regained the composure that she had been accustomed to. She had always been busy, and there was still much to do, which was why she could not afford to be stupid now and simply give in. But the pain in her chest brought her back to the fact that some wars were waged internally and out of the sight of others.And for Sasha, this was one battle of hers she was fully aware that she could never hope to come out on the winning side.Lucy was awakened by morning sunlight and she found Phoebe sitting on the edge
It was as if every space in Phoebe’s apartment was filled with a sort of tension that was inherited from the day. Christian sat on the couch thinking in circles all the while looking at the cup of coffee Christy handed him. Rising from the breakfast table, Christian was still weighed down by the morning’s developments; the feeling was a twinge of hope and a dash of apprehension churning in his stomach. He tried to control himself, tried to remain calm and collected in front of Phoebe, as she needed a strong man in her life. However, that was a huge issue that had led to tension between the two since the man did not know where he stood in the lady’s life.His musings were interrupted by a loud knock on the door which snapped him right back to reality. He frowned not seeing anyone that he anticipated to meet. But the sensation in his stomach did not let him go and he felt apprehensive as he got near the door.He of course did not think that the woman standing behind the door when he op