Phill's POV
I don't know what I was doing with my life.
I don't know what Lea was doing to me.
I swear I never felt any emotion as strong as my emotions towards Lea. It wasn't merely physical.
I mean I am a man after all. I would be lying if I said that her touch, her smile, her head leaning on my shoulder, her lips accidentally brushing against my arms didn't turn me on.
Of course it did.
But what mattered most for me was her happiness. I wanted to be that relief when she smiled after a long and tiring day. I wanted her to smile with or without me.
Lea and I were very much alike in more than one way. We both loved silently. We both suffered hoping that the person we loved would be happy that way. We both lived a lie each day... day after day.
*** intense ringing of the phone along with the vibration in my pocket, brought me back from my trail of thoughts***
" Hello, Mother! What a pleasant surprise. ”
My mother rarely called. She called only under dire situations.
" Did you hear from that stupid girl? " She asked from the other end.
" Mercy? "
" Of course! Who else!!! Anyways! She has this debut thing the day after tomorrow. Did she invite you? "
My mother's voice was cranky and irritated.
" Debut? Day after tomorrow? Damn! I think she sent me a text. I completely forgot! ”
I tried putting my mother on my headset and browsing through Mercy's text and there was the invitation.
" Great! Good for you. Atleast she invited you. She didn't bother leaving me even a message. I got to know from my PR group.
Anyways. The reason that I called you... Get your ass here immediately. The girl has no regard for our family's reputation.
Just because she landed a job, she thinks she can do whatever she likes.
I took over the agency she is working with. At least that will save our face. We can say that we are launching our daughter because she wishes to open her own production company in the future... ”
" Mother! That's exactly what she had been trying to convince you all along.... You never listened. Does she know about the take over? ”
I had a bad feeling about it.
" Not yet! I will tell her when we meet. We will go to the debut as a family. Call Percy, wherever he is at. I can't reach his mobile.
I can't believe I birthed such a useless child... "
" MOM!!! "
I hardly ever called her that and when I did, she knew I was serious. She always looked down on all of us but her treatment towards Percy was sub-human.
" Alright! Alright! Just get your a*s here tonight. I booked the Central Cafe, we will have a family dinner..."
" But Mother, I don't know if there is any flight. I need to check... ”
" Oh!come on Phill! I know you love the middle class life but you were born a Rodger. Get yourself a chartered flight and don't be late. We need to plan everything before Mercy's debut. That stupid girl must be all over the place. ”
My mother hung up before I could utter anything else.
Lea had become a routine. A routine that I looked forward to each day. Leaving her felt criminal. I knew she was yet to recover both physically and mentally. She never admitted but she would never be able to make it on her own. Her condition was too fragile.
I couldn't fathom how I would be leaving her for a couple of days... all alone. Anything could go wrong.
To add to it all, we lived in a remote locality.
I rubbed my hands as I prepared my talk. I had to let her know and arrange for a maid or stay in nurse whether or not she agreed to the arrangement.
I could not be able to be at rest if I didn't know she was being well taken care of.
I looked at myself in the mirror.
I didn't look that different from Jake.
I ran my fingers through my hair, unbuttoning my shirt a little, just enough to show my chest and abs.
I did have a perfect figure.
Not inferior to any rockstar.
But would it be enough for Lea to ever love me?
I knew Lea was never skin deep. Her attachment towards Jake was not limited to his looks.
I scuffed my hair, shaming my head.
What the hell was I thinking again!
I was with Lea because I wanted to. With her , I felt peace. Just being around her made me smile. Staring at her gave me butteries.
I grabbed the car keys and headed straight to her home.
I rung the bell and waited for her.
No answer.
I rung the bell twice and waited. Still no answer.
I rung the bell several times before hitting the dial pad with her number.
Her phone kept ringing yet there was no response.
A terror gripped my chest.
Did something happen to Lea.
I slammed my body on her door, screaming her name as her neighbors opened their doors, disturbed from that commotion.
I didn't care.
I slammed my body again and again then suddenly the door was flung open.
I fell on the ground at Lea's wet feet.
I looked up and immediately turned red.
She was wrapped in a towel, water dripping from. her hair and body , looking at the neighbours apologetically before turning her face towards me.
" Goodness gracious, Phill, what were you trying to do. Didn't you hear me scream that I was in the bathroom?"
She hurriedly clothed the door behind her, bending forward to give me her hand.
I gulped.
It wasn't like I hadn't seen her naked body. I had seen almost everything when she was brought in all broken form that accident.
But this was different.
Her wet hair, and her cleavage, the water dripping down like a cascade, her full lips telling me something but it was all inaudible and playing in slow motion.
Something hardened in my body and it made me extremely uncomfortable . It was difficult to even gulp or blink.