The Last Moon

Chapter Two: I Am in the Middle

I woke up, yawning. But as soon as I opened my eyes, I felt as if I had been hit by a truck. My head was aching. I was feeling a throbbing pain across your head, as if a tight band was wrapped around it.

”What time is it? ” I softly whispered to myself, holding my head up and turning to look at the clock kept on the nightstand to my right.

6:01 a.m. It read. Damn. I should have been up by four.

I got up from the bed and walked towards the window, pulling the curtains open.

The suns rays entered the room through the window, marking the beginning of a new day. A new start. Birds were chirping, filling the air with the melody of their songs, sitting on the branch of the maple tree that was in the garden of my new married home. The morning dew on the grass was shining as bright as pearls.

I turned around as I noticed James sleeping on the left side of the bed on a chair. Looking at him, the memories of last night came rushing in as I remembered about my bleeding hand.

Raising my hand to my eye level, I looked at it. And to my surprise, I saw it was perfectly bandaged with a cute bow tied on top. Seeing that bow, a smile made its way to my lips. I raised my head once again, as this time my attention was grabbed by the bowl of water that was on Jamess lap with a cloth in it.

Did you stay up all night taking care of me? Or am I thinking too much? Why are you doing this, James Agustine? What do you exactly gain from this?

I wanted to ask it aloud, but somehow those words remained in my thoughts, refusing to come to my lips as I looked at his peaceful, innocent, sleeping face.

Something just pulled me towards him as I started walking in the direction I was being pulled, only to be standing in front of him. And for the first time, I took time to admire his facial features.

His eyes were closed. He had a beautiful heart-shaped face with a button nose. He looked so cute while sleeping with his mouth a little open.

Pfft. Such a kid.

But before I could admire this sleeping kid anymore, I suddenly remembered that I had to cook breakfast. I started walking away from him as soon as I remembered my work, but to be honest, I wanted to admire that innocent sleeping face for a bit longer. But then again, I had to cook breakfast for this idiot who took care of me last night so that I could show him that I was thankful.

Im not an ungrateful person.

With that thought in mind, I just took two small steps away from him. As my hand was held and I was pulled back with some force making me come crashing down on his lap.

”Good morning, Mrs. Agustine. ” He said, hiding his face in the crook of my neck.

He seemed sleepy and muzzle-headed.

Good time! Let me ask who changed my clothes.

”Did you change my clothes, Mr. Agustine? ”

”I wanted to, but I didn . You would get mad. And thats the last thing I want on the first day of our marriage. ”

”Pfft. ” I snickered. Why would you care if I got mad?

”Don laugh! ”

”Let me go! I have to make breakfast! ” I said I was trying to break free from his embrace, but it was of no use. His embrace was too strong to break from, as if they were iron bars that caged me inside. What am I even thinking?

”Why do you not call me by my name? ”

”Do you want me to? ”

”Yap. ”

”I will. If you will open your eyes and stop pretending to be talking in sleep. You woke up just enough to keep the water bowl on the table beside you. Open your eyes now. ”

”Why are you so smart? ” He asked as he took his head out from the crook of my neck and looked me straight in the eye.

”Why are you so dumb? ” I replied to his question with another one.

”I am not dumb! ” He exclaimed, just like a child. So cute.

”I am not smart. ” I said, shrugging.

”So you are dumb? ” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

”No. ”

”Then what are you? ”

”I am in the middle. ”

”But people like praises.You are the first one to say you are not smart. ”

”Everything has a reason. ”

”Hmmm. ”Whats your reason? ”

”Well, frankly speaking, if a person is high up in the clouds like a bird, He becomes the target of many hunters on land. if hes too small to be seen as a bug. Hell get crushed under others feet. So… ”

”So you are a hunter? ”

”I don know, ” I said, shrugging again.

”What do you know? ”

”What I need to know. ”

”What do you need to know? ”

”Things that I need to know. ” Okay. This is going to get nowhere.

”Hmmm. I feel hungry. ” He pouted. Now hes coming to the point.

”Thats why I asked you to let me go, ” I said, as I shrugged for the third time.

”But you smell nice and feel warm, and… ”

”But you are hungry, ” I said, placing my finger on his lips.

”Ill eat you. ” He said it through my fingers, smirking.

Speechless. I was speechless at this mans shamelessness. I was looking at him with seriousness written all over my face.

”Sorry. ” He said, looking down, now kind of embarrassed. All the smugness from his face vanished, as did the shamelessness from his voice. His cheeks were now maroon from embarrassment.

”Pfft. Take a bath and come downstairs. ” I said finally being able to get up from his lap.

”Inez. ”

”Yes? ” I asked as I turned around to look at him.

He got up as he said, ”I hope you can trust me enough one day to share all the pain; you are hiding behind this smiling face of yours. ”

”Hmmm. I am used to carrying the burden alone. Itll probably take some time. But you better be down in ten minutes. ” I said, pointing my index finger at him.

”Yes maam. ” He said, saluting me, making both of us burst out in laughter.

I left him to shower as I walked downstairs to the kitchen.

The kitchen was beautiful and quite spacious. It had many reflecting objects to reflect the light, thus maximising the vision of the room. Quite simple and elegant, Id say.

I walked towards the fridge as I opened it, taking out some vegetables to fix some vegetable soup for James. It took me almost 15 minutes to make it, but it tasted and smelt good.

I tried to reach the bowl kept on the shelf above me but was unable to reach it because of my height. I wasn short. I was 57 ”. But I still couldn get it so my head started searching for ideas so I could achieve my destination. Getting the bowl.

And there it was. The solution. The stool.

Turning around, I picked up the stool and kept it in front of the counter. Then, slowly balancing myself, I stood up on it as I got hold of that pesky little bowl. But before I could get down the stool, it shook a bit, making me lose my balance as I fell.

My eyes closed tight as I prepared myself for the fall, but surprisingly, I never hit the ground as two strong hands held me. ”Playing Superman? ” James asked as he put me down.

”No. The bowl. ”

”You could have waited for me to come down. ” He said as his eyes ran over me to check for any possible injuries.

”Just sit down. ” Embarrassed. I was very embarrassed. But surprisingly, James decided not to pass any commentary on my cheeks. As he hummed, walking towards the chair and sat down on it. I poured the soup in the bowl as I walked to him and kept it in front of him.

”Thank you, Mrs. Agustine. ”

”Your welcome, ” I said, sitting down on the chair beside his.

And, for the first time, noticing a scar on his neck.

”Take a picture. It lasts longer. ”

”Hmmm. I don need to take a picture. You are my husband. I can stare at you as much as I want. Moreover, you look nice in this dark blue suit. ”

”Ah. Thanks. ” He said, ”Im somewhat flustered. Aren you too bold, though? I mean I haven seen wives who would compliment their husbands like this. Usually thats done by the husbands. ”

”Well, I like being bold. And, Im not really going to prison for complimenting you while being the wife so doesn really matter. ”

”Nice. Oh! I remember you need to go to your parents house today. ”

”Hmmm, ” I said, thinking about what could happen when I arrived there. Mostly, it will be Astarte creating havoc to trouble me. She wasn really evil. Just childish. And immature.

”Hey? You there? ”

”Yeah. So, are you coming? ” I asked him.

”I have an important meeting. Ill come to pick you up and meet them at that time. ” He said, making an Im-sorry kind of face.

”Okay. ” Well, it wasn really that much of a bother to me anyway.

”I am done. Do you want me to drop you on my way to the office? ”

”Thanks. ”

”No worries. Its the least I could do for my wife. ” He said, taking my bandaged hand and placing a small kiss on it as he looked into my eyes with an encouraging smile on his face.

This married life experiment doesn seem all that bad. But still, it was too early to draw any conclusions.