When Stars Align

Who is Alex?

Luca stared at Amanda as she ate and smiled in content. He’d gotten used to seeing her face every morning when he woke up that now he wondered how he’d been able to endure all these years without her. Losing her again was definitely not an option.

His phone rang in his pocket and he took it out, it was Lucia. He was once again reminded that he could still lose Amanda in the blink of an eye if he wasn’t careful. He switched the phone to silent mode and put it back in his pocket. Amanda looked at him curiously.

“Aren’t you going to answer that?” she motioned with her head to his phone and he shook his head.

She gave him a suspicious look but went back to her food. He gazed at her and a name she had mentioned sometime back in her sleep floated in his mind, he chewed on his lip in deliberation. Today she looked better and was in a good mood, he probably should ask her now; she might answer him and put an end to his curiosity.

“Eku,” he called her and she turned her gaze away from her food, facing him. “There’s this name you always called in your sleep, Alex, is he your dance partner?” he took a forkful of omelettes.

She froze in her seat and her fork dropped in shock. He frowned. It couldn’t be her dance partner who would make her react like that, it has to be someone else, someone more important.

“He’s not your concern,” she said and continued eating.

Is he her boyfriend, or worse her husband perhaps? His stomach churned at the thought, the food in his mouth suddenly tasted like cardboard. He swallowed. He had to know who he was to her, not knowing would eat away at him till it drove him mad. He cleared his throat.

“The man, Alex, he’s your boyfriend no?” she didn’t answer.

“Your husband?” he held his breath and prayed she’d reply in the negative.

She pushed her chair back and stood, her eyes flashed with anger. She glowered at him.

“I told you he’s not your concern so mind your business.” She spat.

Her anger didn’t faze him, he found it amusing. That’s the most emotion she’d showed him since he brought her here. He smiled and her brows shot up. She was seething with anger at his mirth and would have stomped off if she wasn’t still convalescing from her injury, he was positive. At least her reaction answered his question. He wasn’t her boyfriend or husband, she’d have thrown it in his face if it was so.

He felt eyes watching him and he looked in the general direction of the kitchen to see his cook, Celesté staring at him with a disapproving look on her face. She shook her head at him, he understood her message. He needed to stop pushing Eku.

“I’m not hungry anymore, I want to go to my room.” She was asking for his help, it probably took a lot of effort on her part to do that.

He hid a smile and helped her up the stairs– she refused to let him carry her. His villa was a three story house with his room and Amanda’s room situated at the last floor. She wouldn’t be able to move around the house in her condition, he would have to go into town later to get a walking stick for her.