Chapter 11 Road To Love

• After lunch, I started reading a book and didn’t realise when I drifted away into sleep.
• It was already 6 pm when I woke up from my nap. Lara was already gone; I had read her text. I washed my face, picked some bubblegum, popped it in my mouth and started to practise my martial moves. There was a knock at the door. Who would it be?
• I opened the door. It was Edward's parents. I greeted them.
• "How is my dear? Did you sleep well?" Mr Jones said, hugging me.
• "Oh... See that blush David, it only comes when you have lots of sleepless nights..."Mrs Jones trailed off, a mischievous glint in her eyes…
• Light blush tainted my cheeks, my ears red as a tomato.
• How many times I had to tell them he doesn't love me. I am his fake wife for god's sake! Oh, wait. I hadn’t told them even once. If only I could share it all...
• I prepared some snacks for them. We chatted for a while and I excused myself to prepare dinner for them. I hurried to buy some groceries and other stuff. In spite of my speed, it took me almost one hour to prepare dinner. I placed it on the table, inverting the plates and forks, wine on the table and some juice for Miranda as she couldn't drink wine.
• I heard the doorbell ring. As soon as I opened it, my eyes widened. Edward was stuck like glue with Lara, who was kissing him open-mouthed. I quickly looked behind to check if anyone had seen them, looking back, I grabbed Edward by the collar and pulled him inside. Lara faltered due to sudden imbalance and I put finger on my lips, signalling her to remain silent.
• "What-" Edward started, his mouth covered with my hands. I felt the moisture on my hands. He spits when he talks!
• "Shut up! Your parents are here! Make one noise and I will pluck out your lungs," I whispered in his ears. He glared at me and I turned around, mouthing "goodbye" to Lara before I shut the door at her face.
• That felt good!
• "Edward, why are you late? You shouldn't leave your wife unattended when you are newly wedded. You are lucky you got your best friend as your wife. She is much understanding. Your mother here would have killed me a long time ago if I were you," his father said, winking at me.
• Were they always this dirty-minded? Why didn't I notice it before?
• My thoughts were cut short when I felt an arm snake around my waist. I looked up to see Edward smiling face. Oh, I knew that face. I had to play along.
• I sighed.
• Things were never going to get better. I should stop being optimistic.
• Pretending to love him was never tough for me. With a genuine smile on my face, a slight flush of cheeks, the rigorous beating of heart, sweatiness of palm, butterflies in the stomach or the stuttering of my tongue, I was familiar with all types of symptoms of love.
• Because I had experienced all of them. In mere twenty years.
• Edward's parents came to visit us, giving us the wedding gift for our honeymoon. Bam!
• What had they given us? Tickets to a seven days trip to Mauritius. Sounds dreamy right? Well, it ain't any dream, I am telling ya!
• I was happy; a little trip could warm up my insides. Some fresh air was necessary to ease up my very disturbed mind. Edward was refusing at first, sliding his work hours reason on the table but his parents came prepared for all of it. His father assured him of his work, giving him instructions about how he should have some time off to make some family of his own.
• He agreed, to my surprise, because as far as I know, Edward was the most diligent person I ever came across, even more than those subway trains.
• His studies were more calculative, he actually scheduled time table for his routine, which even I failed to follow for more than a couple months. If he put up his mind on something, he would do it for sure. I had also learned quite a lot from his diligence, a piece of evidence being my call letter from the hospital.
• During our school days, he was the one who would knock on my windows early morning just to take me out on jogging. We would run for hours under the strong summer sun and eventually I had to kill him twice to let me go of such exercises. Oh Just kidding!
• I did all the packing which was quite harder as I had this girl trait in my blood, of spreading rumours faster than the speed of light and of packing things more than required. No matter how much I subtracted from my stuff, it was still more enough to fit in the car.
• Hello, Emily! This is not your real honeymoon, a voice in my head said.
• Right. This is not but still, his parents don't know that...my other, more romantic side defended.
• I decided to go with four suitcases, dumping them quickly into the car before Edward would even dare to comment over them.
• Minutes later Edward came, dressed up in his summer shirts and pants. I offered him my shawl, scolding him of the cold he was bound to get. When I opened the car door, Lara waved at me.
• Lara! how the hell did she know-
• My thoughts were cut down by Edward who came and sat beside Lara, urging me to sit faster. Seeing my confused eyes, he said, "Oh. I invited her. When I told her about those tickets she got so excited. She always wanted to tour Mauritius but due to my busy schedule, I wasn't able to take her," he explained. "Hop on, Lily! We don't wanna miss the plane." I nodded and sat on the passenger seat, beside the driver. Awkward!
• Everyone was staring at me, even the driver. I coughed and he started the car. From the front mirror, I could see them whispering something and giggling, my mouth turned into a frown when they started to make out, with those weird slurping sounds. I turned on some music and fell into a deep sleep to escape this hell.
• My head keeps colliding with the window every time I got a comfortable position to sleep on. I literally cursed in my sleep but then I got some good position to sleep on, I cuddled on the object. It was soft and calloused.
• I woke up hours later to find myself on a plain, comfortable seat. A blanket had been draped over my body. My eyebrows squinted. Who carried me?
• I looked around to see Edward next to me sleeping peacefully, earphones plugged in his ear, his head on my shoulder. I adjusted his head more into my shoulders, patting his head. Lara was sitting miles away from us, her seat number being different, I guess.
• Edward shuffled In his sleep.
• "Emi, you awake?" his voice croaked.