In one corner of the busy dining area, a tired-looking man had finally managed to find an empty seat.
He lowered himself into the chair slowly, his back feeling bliss when it got touch the chair, as if his body had forgotten what it felt like to rest properly. The long days.... and the many days before it.... weighed heavily on his shoulders like invisible stones pressing down. With a small sigh, he placed his plate of food on the table and sat quietly in front of it.
The food in front of him released a rich, warm aroma that seemed almost alive. Steam rose gently from the freshly cooked meal, carrying the comforting scent of spices and cooking that reminded him of home. The warm air drifted up and brushed against his face, and for a moment his tense features softened. The tight lines around his eyes finally easing, the constant furrow between his brows smoothing out.
When was the last time I ate something like this...?
The thought came slowly, struggling through the fog of exhaustion.
I miss my wife...
His gaze drifted toward the empty chair across from him.
I wish I could eat this with her.
"Siiigh..."
Tired Man shook his head lightly, trying to push away the heaviness gathering in his chest.
"Well," he muttered under his breath, attempting a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, "first real meal.... here I come."
He picked up his fork and spoon, his fingers wrapping around the utensils.
Just as he was about to take the first bite....
THUP!!!
A thick bundle of papers and folders slammed onto the table in front of him with enough force to scatter everything. The plate skidded sideways, nearly sliding off the edge entirely.
Tired Man froze.
Slowly, he looked up, a faint frown forming on his exhausted face.
Two senior staff members stood over him, arms crossed tightly. Both wore the same smug expressions.... clearly enjoying the act of interrupting him.
"Hey," Senior Woman said casually, pushing the plate even farther aside without any care. She dropped the heavy stack of documents squarely in front of his face. "We've got urgent work. Finish all of this. You can eat afterwards."
Senior Man leaned slightly forward, his voice dripping with mock patience.
"We were generous enough to give you a break this afternoon," he said with a slow shake of his head. "And you actually showed up here to attend this useless meeting."
He gave a short laugh that sounded more like a bark.
"What kind of stupid man wastes his own free time like that?"
He tapped the stack of papers with his fingers, making a sharp sound that irritated him to the core.
"Well.... your break's over now. Finish that stack, then come straight back to me."
His tone turned colder, frost creeping into his voice.
"And don't bother going home tonight either. Stay over and finish what's waiting back at our office too."
Tired Man looked at them quietly for a moment, his throat starting to ache as if something is stuck in it.
After calming himself down he spoke, his low voice sounded respectful despite everything happening to him
"Sir.... I didn't go home for few days now."
He hesitated, choosing his words carefully trying his best to make sure his annoying superiors are pleased with him.
"My wife.... she can't be left alone for long stretches of time right now." His fingers tightened slightly against the edge of the table. "Could you at least give me until evening? Just a few hours..."
The two seniors looked at each other.
HAHAHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHH!!!
They burst into a cruel laughter which reached the farthest corner of the dining area.
"This guy," Senior Woman said, shaking her head with a wide grin. "Just work. You brought this on yourself by showing up."
Senior Man shrugged dismissively, already turning away.
"Should've stayed home when you had the chance."
They were already turning away, their laughter blending easily into the noise of the crowded dining room.
"Don't even think about slacking," Senior Woman spoke loudly while grinning back at him.
Then they were gone, disappearing into the crowd.
Tired Man remained seated.
In front of him was the towering pile of papers, stacked so high it blocked his view.
At the far edge of the table, just barely within reach, sat the warm plate of food.... slowly losing its heat with each passing second.
He stared at the stack without moving, his eyes unfocused.
His hands rested flat on the table, motionless as stone.
Around him, the dining hall continued to buzz with life.... laughter, conversation, the clinking of dishes, chairs scraping against the floor. But somehow the sounds felt distant now, as if they were coming from very far away, from another world entirely.
He felt like he was slowly sinking beneath the surface of it all, drowning in silence while surrounded by noise.
A heavy pressure settled on the back of his neck. His breathing slowly getting more erratic, coming in shorter and shorter bursts.
His chest felt tight, constricted by invisible bands.
His eyes felt strangely very heavy, burning from lack of sleep.
Finally, he reached toward the stack of papers.
But his fingers only brushed the top sheet, barely closing around it.
Then he stopped.
His hand loosened, falling away.
For a brief moment, he let his eyes fall shut.
Just for a second.
Just long enough to search for a tiny pocket of quiet within all the noise and pressure pressing down on him from every direction.
Just one breath.
Just one small moment where he didn't have to think about work.... or exhaustion.... or the worry waiting for him at home.
Just one moment of silence.
His body slowly getting more and more slumped, his fingers at the edge of the table were just about to fall when....
Dear????
His eyes snapped open. His fingers grabbed the edge tightly as he suddenly heard a voice which he thought he would never hear in a place like this. He jerked his head up and saw her!!!!
At the edge of the tables, standing very still among the movement of the crowd, was his wife!!! She was beautiful.... even now, even with tears streaming freely down her face, one hand pressed over her mouth, the other cradling the large, round curve of her pregnant belly. Her eyes were fixed on him, and the look in them hit him in the most venerable part of his deepest corner of his mind.
"Darling." Tired Husband was on his feet before he'd consciously decided to move. "Why are you here? Are you alright? Is it the baby...."
"Dear." Pregnant Wife's voice was barely a whisper. "What is all this?"
She couldn't believe what state her husband had been reduced to and how everyone was treating him. He was her man, the one she loved the most in the world. Seeing him in such a state broke her heart into pieces.
Tired Husband crossed to her quickly, his hands moving to check her over.... her face, her belly, her breathing. "You shouldn't be out here in your condition. Talk to me.... does something hurt? Do we need a doctor...."
Seeing her husband up close, she broke down instantly.
The tears suddenly came harder, and the sound she made when she finally stopped holding them back pulled the attention of everyone nearby. He reached for her hand, trying to guide her toward the exit. "You're okay, I've got you, let's get you seen by...."
She pulled her hand away in anger and frustration.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
Pregnant Wife's loud voice startled some people, rough around the edges and slightly cracked at the end, carrying the strain of too much worry.
"You told me you'd come home today."
Her words tumbled out quickly now, the concern she had been holding in finally spilling free. "I waited for you for such a long time. When you didn't come, I started to get really worried."
"So I went to your office.... but they told me everyone had gone to a meeting. That's why I came here."
Her hand slowly lifted, gesturing toward the table behind him.
At the tall stack of papers.
At the plate of food that had been pushed aside and left untouched.
"And this..." she said softly, disbelief creeping into her voice, "this is what I find."
Around them the dining hall was alive with noise.... people eating, laughing, sharing stories. Plates clinked with each other, chairs scraped against the floor, conversations flowed easily between groups gathered at the tables.
But her husband sat alone, drowning in a pile of papers.
Her gaze returned to him, filled with a mixture of confusion and worry.
"Everyone else is eating and laughing," she said, her voice getting sadder and sadder with each word.
"And you're sitting here.... alone.... still working."
She took a small step closer, her eyes searching his face as if trying to understand something that made no sense to her.
"What are you doing, dear?"
Tired Husband let out a careful breath and gently touched her shoulder. "You didn't need to come all this way. I'm fine.... it's just extra work, it happens. I'll try to make it home this evening. Eat something here first, then go back and rest, okay?" He turned to find her something from the food nearby. "I'll get you a...."
THUP.
Pregnant Wife's hand caught his and pulled him hard back to her.
He turned back and saw her eyes getting red with mixture of sadness and anger.
"I don't want food." She turned around and started walking outside the dinning area, her grip iron-firm on his wrist. "Come outside with me. I can't look at you in here like this."
He let her lead him without any protest.
________________________________________
They found a quieter corner away from the crowd outside the gathering room at the meeting courtyard, and only then did she let go of his hand. He turned to face her, keeping his voice low. "Honey calm down. Breathe. It's okay.... I'll come home this evening, I promise. This isn't good for the baby, all this...."
"This evening." Pregnant Wife repeated the words back to him like she was turning them over, checking their weight. "For how long? One hour? Two? Three?" Her jaw tightened. "Three hours is the maximum I see you lately. I barely recognize your face anymore." Her voice broke on the last word. "Look at you. Look at yourself. You've lost so much weight this year. You're not sleeping properly. I can see it every time you come home.... you're getting smaller and more worn down yet you keep telling me you're fine, DON'T TELL ME YOU ARE FINE WHEN YOU ARE SUFFERING SO MUCHH!!!...."
Pregnant Wife roared at last, her voice cracking with emotion.
"Honey...."
"Please stop." She pressed her hand against her belly, tears nonstop falling. "Please just stop…... I know we need the money. I know leaving your job is dangerous. But what if something happens to you?" Her voice dropped to extreme sadness. "What if our baby grows up without their father because you worked yourself into the ground? Do you think I could live with that?"
She reached up and touched his face with her free hand.... tracing the sharpness of his cheekbone, the hollowness under his eyes, the dryness of skin that hadn't been looked after properly in months.
"They're bullying you. You know that. Whatever they want from you.... just do it. Just give them what they want and come home. I'll forgive you for it. I won't think less of you. I just want to see your face for more than a few hours. I just want you to sleep with me, holding our baby in your embrace, I want to kiss you, I want to cook for you and see you eat the food with a happy face, I want to hold your hand and talk about our baby's future, I . I . I .. AGH SOBB SOOBBBWWAAAAAHHHH WHYYYYY AAGGHHHH ...."
Pregnant Wife broke down in front of him, seeking the answer she wanted.
"I can't do that." His voice tone was telling her that he is absolutely sure of what he said.
She closed her eyes, as if she could unhear the words entirely.... push them back into silence where they might cease to exist.
"You know I can't." He said it gently, his hand finding her face, the warmth of his palm resting against her cheek. "If I bend to them, I won't be the same person anymore. Maybe you could live with that version of me...."
He paused, his voice dropping lower.
"...But I couldn't."
He spoke with the same certainty she'd heard from him a hundred times before.... the very certainty that had made her fall in love with him, and the same certainty that sometimes made her want to take him by the shoulders and shake him until he truly listened.
She opened her eyes and looked at him. Her gaze was a little different now filled with resolve.
"Dear," she said softly. "I know."
That's why I'm terrified.
She reached down and took his hand in both of hers. Then, with a deliberateness that left no room for argument, she pressed his palm flat against her belly.
He went completely still, realizing what she was trying to do.
"Little one." Pregnant Wife's voice rang out, making him flinch as though she'd struck a bell inside a quiet room. "Your father is making you a promise right now. He will come home every evening. He will eat with us, sleep beside us through the whole night. Every night...… And he will talk to you, tell you stories, make you laugh, touch you with his warm hand and make you feel at home, at peace!"
She looked up at him. Her chin was set. Her eyes did not waver, did not soften, did not offer him the smallest retreat.
"You promised," she said simply. A small, defiant smile curved at the corner of her lips.
He stared at her. His hand twitched.... an instinct to pull away.... but her grip tightened, holding him there, anchored against the warmth and the weight of everything they had made together.
"What are you doing...." His voice cracked, disbelief fraying the edges of it. "If I don't show up, I lose the job. Then what? What happens when something goes wrong, what happens when...."
"I have beautiful tool jewellery." She said it without flinching, without hesitation. "I'll sell it. If that isn't enough, we'll sell the house." Her eyes making a declaration. "I would rather live somewhere small than....AGHH....I cannot live in a large home without my husband. That is not a home."
"Don't talk nonsense." His voice sharpened. "Do you know how hard it was to get a place in the 3rd rock? We can't go back to living the way we did in the 1st rock. I won't let you live like that again. I'll find a way...."
He gently shrugged her hand from his and turned away, starting to walk.
"Dear...."
"I'll come home this evening. I promise. Just go home and rest...."
"Please." Her voice was getting smaller and smaller. "Please don't go. You're going to die at this rate. I can feel it. Please, Dear, please...."
Her legs gave out.
She slowly sank to the ground, her strength fading from her legs completely. Her dress pooled around her on the cold stone floor. One hand pressed against the ground to steady herself, while the other remained over her belly. She didn't try to stand. She simply watched him.
Her eyes stayed fixed on his back.... on the rigid line of his shoulders and the tight fists hanging at his sides. Her breathing started to ache, as if something heavy was pressing against her chest from the inside. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake the weight sitting there.
"Please come back," she whispered softly. "We'll figure it out. We always figure it out." Her fingers tightened over her belly. "Just come back to me. Please, my love."
He stopped mid-step.
His fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned pale white. His eyes burned with emotion he was trying desperately to control. He wanted to turn around.... more than almost anything. But something inside him felt locked, frozen between the man he was trying to remain and the crushing weight of everything pressing down on him.
For a long moment he stood there without moving. His body rigid, his breath uneven.
Then slowly, he began to lift his foot again.
He was about to take another step away from his wife when....
"I think," a gentle voice said, "you both should stop."
Both of them suddenly looked toward the voice.
A woman stepped out from behind one of the large decorative trees planted along the walkway in its stone container. She moved carefully, not wanting to startle them, her expression open and apologetic. "I'm sorry. I was doing my rounds and I heard you. I didn't mean to listen." She bowed her head slightly. "My name is Kyra Mills. I serve Queen."
Tired Husband moved immediately.... crossing back to his wife and carefully helping her up from the ground, one arm steady around her. They straightened together and bowed. "Sorry, Miss Kyra. We didn't mean to cause a scene."
Pregnant Wife bowed.... and then, before the apology had even finished leaving her mouth, she looked up at Kyra with wet, determined eyes. "If it's alright.... I want to meet Master Zack. I want to tell him what his seniors are doing to my husband." She pressed her lips together. "I know it's a small thing compared to everything else happening here. I know it probably doesn't matter to someone like him. But I want to say it. And if he won't see me...."
She lifted her chin slightly.
"I'LL SIT RIGHT HERE AND I WON'T MOVE UNTIL SOMEONE LISTENS!!!!!"
"Honey...." Tired Husband looked at her with a disbelief in his eyes.
Kyra laughed with a gentle tone. "You really do love him."
Pregnant Wife didn't look embarrassed. "Yes."
Kyra smiled and moved toward them. "Let's go find Master Zack. I am sure he will listen to you."
Tired Husband couldn't believe his ears, but his wife was already so excited, her whole body got so energized that even the baby inside kicked her belly as if saying the mother to calm down.
Tired Husband rubbed his forehead and as she was about to go....
"Wait." Tired Husband touched his wife's arm gently and turned to Kyra with a small, apologetic bow. "One moment, please."
Kyra stepped back, giving them space, turning slightly away to give them privacy.
Tired Husband looked at his wife for a moment.... at the tear tracks still drying on her face, at her dishevelled dress from where she'd been on the ground, at the loose strands of hair fallen across her forehead. He sighed hard and shook his head, deciding to take the crazy ride his wife had gotten them into.
He knelt down after making his wife sit on a bench.
Carefully, without rushing, he touched her foot and retied her shoe properly, adjusting the laces until they were perfect. Then he straightened her dress, smoothing the fabric back into place, brushing the dust from where it had touched the ground. He stood and reached up, tucking her hair back gently, fixing what had come loose. Then his thumb moved across her cheek, wiping away the last traces of tears until her face was clean.
Pregnant Wife sat very still through all of it. Just watching him. Feeling the careful attention of his hands after so many months of passing each other in doorways without truly connecting.
This, she thought, her throat tight. This is what I miss. This is what I'm fighting for.
She didn't say it. She just looked at him, and her eyes said enough.
He finished, stood back, and studied her face for a moment. Then he offered his arm.
She took it without hesitation and gave him a kiss on his forehead.
Tired Husband kissed her back and spoke some necessary things she had to remember while meeting Master Zack.
She hugged his arm and happily nodded, not sure whether she understood anything.
Then the three of them walked together, going deeper into the palace.
Please I don't want to lose my husband, I hope Master Zack whoever you are....Please....Please....bring him back to ME!!
Pregnant Wife prayed and prayed as they slowly reached somewhere inside Queen's palace.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
END OF CHAPTER
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author Blabbering
I know I know...last chapter was quite long....but I didn't want to break it into 2, because I WAS LAZY TO DO THAT TASK!!!!
Just few more letters...I know you guys / girls are happy from inside... I know you gave me a thumps up!!!
YOU GAVE ME RIGHT!!! RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------