My Wife, My Man?

Chapter Twenty-nine

"The best thing to hold onto in life is each other." Audrey Hepburn

Sunflowers?

Perli wondered if her eyes saw it right, the effulgent flowers sitting beautifully and perfectly in a vase. And a teddy bear? She doubted. A partially dazed and frustrated mind like hers could only be hallucinating. After all, she had just woken up.

Groaning, she shut her eyes and dropped her head back on the pillow. Her body ached from the uncomfortable position she had slept in. She thought of everything for a bit: how sad she had been feeling before she was captured into a deep sleep, but now that she was awake, she felt slightly happier.

With a sigh, she flung her eyes open and stared confusedly at the vase again. She rubbed her eyes, trying to make them focus on what she was seeing. They were actually there; the flowers and the teddy bear were real. A smile crept its way into her exhausted face, bringing some sort of life to it.

"Elizabeth," she whispered to herself, sitting up from her bed. It could only be her because she was the only person who knew she preferred sunflowers over red roses.

Quickly, she jumped off the bed and ran for the radiant flowers on top of the mini wardrobe. She felt the gentle texture of the petals before drawing them close to her nose to smell them. Her smile widened; it had a purifying smell. She turned her attention to the teddy bear and carefully ran her fingers through its soft white fur. It was almost as big as a young child, and it looked comfortable to hug. Suddenly, she frowned, wondering why in the world would Liz get her these.

"Liz!" she yelled her name, dashing out of her room as quickly as her feet could carry her.

There wasn't a voice that responded to her calling, only the sound of running water from the sink downstairs.

"Liz!" The smile on her face grew bigger, and — with quick steps, a baggy t-shirt and sweatpants — she made her way to the direction of the sound.

An aroma entered her nose and made her mouth melt in hunger. Her tummy groaned, serving as a reminder that she hadn't had anything to eat since the day before. So right now, she was totally loving Liz.

"Elizabeth, you shouldn't..." The words ceased, leaving her mouth open with no sound. The only sound she could hear was the sudden rapid beat of her heart, and with that shock, she stared at her husband.

Jack had a glass in hand, in a manner that said he was about to drink the water in it. However, when he had seen her, he placed the glass down without drinking from it. He looked out of place standing in Liz's tiny kitchen. Somehow, it was an almost amusing sight! Such a rich and powerful man, standing in such a simple and dead ordinary kitchen.

"Hello Perli," he greeted, sounding unsure of the words that left his mouth.

Perli was speechless, her brain failing to function. All she did was look at him, then direct her eyes to the white bandage on his hand. She shifted her gaze back to his face and noticed a faint smile on his lips. This had her instinctively, dropping her gaze to his shoes.

"Perli."

She lifted her eyes to meet his gaze again. "How — how did you find me?" she murmured the question.

A nervous laugh flew out of Jack's mouth, and he ran his fingers through his hair. "I have my ways," he replied as if to amuse her.

But she didn't even crack a smile.

"Elizabeth," Perli grunted to herself. How else could Jack have known where to find her? Liz must have answered her phone, and knowing Liz, she probably thought it was a wise thing to do.