My Wife, My Man?

Chapter Five

"When you are in love, you can't fall asleep because
reality is finally better than your dreams." Dr. Seuss

_

Jack had to blink twice to ensure he hadn't imagined what had happened. Did she just kiss him?

He furrowed his brows, unable to understand her gesture. She felt like a maze that gave hope for an exit at the next turn but truly was just another dead end. He refused to think of anything regarding her kiss, or should he say peck, which had currently left him stunned. With his eyes, he followed her movement and watched her almost sprint up the stairs. He couldn't make out her expression but wondered whether she found amusement at his current state. A sigh escaped his lips. Falling back on the couch behind him, he tried to make sense of her with narrowed eyes and fingers gently brushing about his forehead.

He couldn't. He could never tell what went through her mind.

Getting up from the couch, he made his way back to the bar, where his glass of wine patiently awaited his loving kisses. He loved the rich flavour the drink had. Not only did it leave sweet teases on his taste buds, but it also calmed his racing thoughts. He brought the glass close to his nose and inhaled the sweet aroma. It was one of the finest things about Cape Town. Most of the country's wines were made in the city; hence, he could easily enjoy all the finest wine there was in the market. He sat back on the stool and engaged in the activity he had long been doing before she came. Brushing the glass against his lips, he thought of her. No one had ever swirled such foreign emotions within him the way she was doing. He couldn't comprehend what he felt; why did his heart do a dance when her lips touched his or why did what she thought of him bother him? That kiss must have meant something. Perhaps she finally reciprocated his feelings. If not, at least had grown a little comfortable with him.

He shook his head. He couldn't be deceiving himself like that. Love was something that could never come so easily in their relationship.

"Aren't you coming along with me?" Her voice broke through the barriers of his thoughts.

He directed his eyes to her and noted her outfit change. He smiled at how beautiful she looked in the simple sundress. She had always been a beautiful woman, anyway.

"Jack." She reminded him that he was yet to reply to her.

He shook his head. "No, you can go on your own."

"Okaay..." She dragged the word, trying to comprehend his response. "Why?"

He placed his glass on the table. "Because I have some work to do." He smiled a little, hoping she would understand what he was not saying.

She stared at him uneasily. "But aren't we supposed to be on a honeymoon?" she asked confusedly, bending her fingers to form inverted commas. Usually in all the romantic movies she had watched, neither the bride nor groom worked during a honeymoon, yet again, this wasn't a honeymoon, it was simply a trip to testify of their unwanted union.

"Yes, we are supposed to." The smile on his face dropped a little.

Perli nervously played with her fingers. She sensed a sudden tension perfuming the air and feared the result of it: another fight. She knew she was going to be burnt, for this reason, she had no wish to fuel the flames that had long been burning.

"S-so," she felt hesitant to speak. "H-how am I g-going to get where I want to go?"

"D-drive?" he teased her manner of speaking, tempted to laugh.

She narrowed her eyes at him, wondering whether he had grown drunk. After all, he had been drinking and pouring huge portions of that wine whenever he waited for her to speak. She decided not to put much thought into it.