Christmas' Misery

Chapter twenty one

[Christmas]

I woke up Duke wasn't beside me. He didn't come home that's why it is just three of us in the dinner last night. The phone is on the top of my pillow waiting for his reply. I still did not get any from him since yesterday. I'm worried. I'm starting to overthink and I'm starting to freak out because Duke isn't like this. This is the first time he didn't come home without telling me the reason. I heaved a sigh and check all the messages I sent to him. I already tried to call him but he isn't answering my calls.

"Where are you Duke?" I asked in the air, looking at the beige ceiling.

As much as I don't want to think any negative of his actions but I can't help it because this is not right. I trust him by he is the only one giving me reason to doubt him. I closed my eyes to calm my mind but I suddenly remembered what happened last night.

"Your husband might be busy that's why he didn't make it here. He is a businessman, right?" said of Aunt Lorie while we are grilling the meat together with the corn, zucchini, asparagus and aubergine.

"Today is Sunday, Auntie and he doesn't have any work," I replied, "Duke told me he is going at his friend." I added.

"Oh, friend?" she asked and I nodded, "Do you know which friend he will go? Or do you know any of his friend?"

I suddenly stopped on what aunt Lorie said. The answer at her question has no answer for me because I don't even know a single thing about Duke's friend. I didn't even meet them in our wedding because he doesn't invited them. Mostly who comes in our wedding is his relatives.

"It seems the answer is you don't know much about his friend, huh?" said of aunt Lorie as I didn't utter any.

I bit my lower lip. "Something like that but I trust him."

"How much do you know him?" Carlos asked, who is sitting in the long chair in front us.

I glared at him. "Why would I answer it? Did I tell you not to talk?" I asked grinding my teeth.

"I can talk whenever I want," he said coldly and I don't know why or if it's just me? It seems I'm facing a different Carlos or he is just wearing disguise because aunt Lorie is with me?

"Your in my house so you have no rights to talk or even ask a non sense question of yours."

He grinned. "Does my question really none sense or you just really don't have an answer? Which two are correct, Christmas, hmm?"

I fisted my hand on the tong that I am holding. He is trying to piss me off and I am already. "Why are you doing this, huh?!" I didn't stop myself to tell and I don't care if aunt is with us. "You shouldn't be here and I know you planned this all!"

"Christmas, calm dow-"

"No, Auntie! There is nothing to be calm down here. You don't know what this man cause me!" I pointed him using the tong I am holding. "In all of the men you are going to be with, why this man?!" I faced back to aunt Lorie.

"Stop yelling, okay? I just met Carlos and I didn't even know you know him," she replied.

I laughed sarcastically. "Yea, right." I only said and continued what I am doing.

For the hundredth of times I tried to call Duke again but as I expected he didn't pick up my call. It is just keeps on ringing and ringing then automatically going to off. I heaved a sigh and get off the bed, heading at the bathroom. I will just wait for him till he comes back and I'm already tired making calls and messages.

I am now having my coffee here in the couch, wearing the t-shirt dress that we bought in the other day. This has a name of Prada and the clothes are made of cotton that made me feel comfortable. My long brunette hair are braided from the back and I matched a pearl headband on the top of my hair that made me look classy. This ain't my thing but I'm starting to like what I am doing.

Ding dong! Ding dong!

"Coming!" I yelled and placed my cup on the coffee table and quickly ran to open the door. "Mo-mommy, you are here," I uttered in surprised seeing Duke's mom in front of me.

Her name is Diane and she looks like we are just in the same age because of her younger look. When the first time I saw her in the mansion, I thought she was his sister but I was wrong. Diane was wearing a floral kimono dress matching with a sling back heels that made her taller. Here comes the devil!

Diane rolled her eyes and passed me as she entered inside. "Where is my son?" She faced me. "He didn't answering my calls since yesterday."

My eyes got widened on what she just said. "You were calling him also?"

"Since when you became deaf?" She arched her brow. "You heard what I said and I will not going to repeat it."

"I'm sorry, Mommy," I apologized, "I'd been calling him also since yesterday but he didn't answering my calls or even reply at my messages."

"Where did he go and why he did not come home?"

"Duke said he is going at his friend."

"Which of his friend he go?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"I don't have any idea which of his friends," I answered in the lower of my voice.

"What?! You don't know where your husband is? What kind of wife are you? You didn't even ask which friend he will go," she said sounded disappointed.

"I'm sor-"

"Stop saying sorry!" she yelled, "Your sorry will never change the situation," she passed me, "Tell Duke that I stopped by."

"You aren't going to stay here long?" I asked before she could step outside.

Diane faced me. "What for? My son isn't here. Stop daydreaming that I came here for you." She said directly in my eyes. "I still can't believe my son married someone like you." She added and gave me a look from my head to toe seems I am the filthiest person she ever seen. "Even you changed your ways of clothing, I still hate you." She said once more and left me speechless here in the house.

I chuckled unbelievably and threw my headband somewhere else before I marched back where I am having my coffee. There is no chance that she will like me. She is the one who already said it! This doesn't make any sense and I'm just wasting time forcing myself on someone like her. Another thing that made me annoyed here is Duke! I don't know where he is and I am out of clue.

"I'm a woman who used to be with him and your a woman too who currently with him but married."

"If you don't want your life become miserable, better to knock on my door ASAP before I change my mind in helping you."

I stopped when I suddenly remembered what Lysias told me in the other line yesterday. That conversation also bothering my thoughts. I don't know if she is serious about it or she is jus playing my head. The day I met her in the grocery store I'm sure it wasn't a coincidence, she is really there for me.

“Christmas!” called of aunt Lorie as I stepped outside of the house. She is with Carlos and they seems they are going somewhere. He was in the car at the driver seat, staring again on me!

“Good morning, Auntie,” I greeted and grimaced as I looked at him.

“Going somewhere?” she asked and walks through me.

“Ahm, yea, I'm going to a friend,” I answered.

“Why don't you just join us? We'll give you a ride,” aunt Lorie insisted.

“Oh, no thank you, Auntie,” I refused.

“I don't accept a no so c'mon.” Before I could reply she hold my hand and bring me at their car. “Sit back and relax there. We're going to give you a ride.” Aunt Lorie push me inside the backseat and closed the door before she headed at the passenger seat.

     I heaved a deep sigh and just let the situation go on. I stay at the back of the seat where aunt Lorie is sitting so that I will not see him from rear view mirror. I was in the middle of checking my phone if Duke already texted me when Carlos talk.

“Where are you heading?” he asked.

“Baymeadows,” I only answered and give the card and thank God aunt Lorie is the one who took it.

Aunt Lorie suddenly chuckled. “Isn't that coincidence? This is where we heading and probably only nearby on this address.” She said and give back the card to me.

“Yo-you two are also going there?”

“Ahh, yea, we are going to see his friend there,” she answered.

“I am going to pick up my new car there,” Carlos added.

“Psh. No one is asking,” I whispered and never talk again.

     It took us almost one hour before they stopped me in front of a large gate. I can see over here how large the mansion inside seems like already a castle. I look at the address in the card that Lysias gave me and the number on the gate is the same.

“Thanks for the ride,” I said and goes out in the car.

“See you soon, Christmas!” aunt Lorie said before they gone away. The way she is treating me isn't like this before and it's kinda weird that she is so this nice to me. They are both weirdos.

     I walked near the gate and pressed the doorbell twice. I waited a minute here outside before a maid wearing it's uniform is coming on my way.

“What can I do to you, Miss?” she asked nicely.

“Ahm, is Lysias there inside?”

“Why are you looking for her? May I know who am I talking with?”

“I'm Christmas. She told me that I can come so that I am here,” I replied.

“Christmas? Yea, I know you. She told me to assist you if you came,” she said, “Please, come in and I will lead you to her.” She opened the gate and I stepped inside.

     The maid lead me in this huge place of Lysias and the thought that we are going inside the mansion we didn't. We walk straight at the green field and you can see nothing but a green of grass all over. Starting from here I can see a figurine of a woman still far away from where we are. It sort of I already know who it was.

“My lady, Christmas is here for you,” said of the maid as we reached to her.

The woman in front us slowly face is and I was right, it was Lysias who is holding a gold club. “Finally, Christmas Antebellum Grey knocked on my door." She said and signalled the made to leave. She is wearing a golf attire because she was playing at this moment here in the fairway.

"We are not actually in your house and I didn't knock on your door. I used the doorbell," I replied.

"Psh! It just the same biatch," she said and hit the ball through the hole but she missed.

"You are a bad player," I commented.

"I am still practicing, okay? So shut up before I hit this golf club to you," she said annoyingly, "By the way, I heard Diane visited you in the house. So, how was it?"

"How did-"

"Blah! Blah!" she cut me off, "How did I know? Because she came here and she just left."

"Oh, you two are really close, huh?"

"Yea, because I already known her since my childhood. That is why Duke and I became in a relationship," she answered casually, "I heard Duke didn't come home."

"Yea, he didn't," I only answered because I don't know what to say anymore. My heart is envying her too much to the point that I'm hoping I was her.

Lysias suddenly laugh out that made me stupid why she is laughing. "If I were you, I will leave him now."

"Why would I do that?" I asked in my forehead knotted.

She smirked. "Because he isn't the way you think he is."

"What are you talking about? Do you have an idea where he is right now?" I asked in confuse.

She shrugged her shoulder. "Why would I know? It's your husband in the first place not mine." She said in the duh tone.

"Then why are you like this? I can't even understand a single thing on what you are talking about. Your making me confuse. Why can't you just be in directly?”

She smiled at me and threw the golf somewhere. “Would you like some tea, Christmas?”

My jaw dropped on what she just asked. “I didn't came here for that. I want to know what do you have that I didn't know. It's bothering my thoughts and I want to be enlighten.”

“If you want to know what I knew, you better have some tea with me,” she said and passed me.

“Wait!” I said and hurriedly walk to follow her.

     Lysias brought me inside her mansion and ten of the maids welcome us as we get inside. The designed of the mansion inside is gothic and mostly the pain is white.

“Make us some tea and bring it on the back,” she ordered on one of her maids.

“Do you live here alone?” I asked while we are heading at the back of the mansion.

“Yea, my parents now are permanently living in London. They told me to sell this mansion but I refused because this house has a sentimental value,” she answered, “The day I met you in the grocery, I just came back here Jacksonville. Please have a seat.”

     We are now here outside the back of her mansion, sitting in the chair that made of stainless that painted in white. The table in front us also the same with the chairs we are using. In the middle of her huge backyard, there is a fibreglass pool. Nearby the pool there are sun lounger with an umbrella seems we are just in sort of a Resort.

“Here is the tea you asked, my lady,” said of the maid as it showed with a tray where she putted the tea.

“Thank you, Imelda. You may leave us now,” Lysias ordered and placed the empty tea cup in front of me.

“Thanks,” I only said and watch her filling her tea cup.

“So, what do you want to know first?” she asked and sipped a little on her tea cup.

“I don't know what are we going to talk about but I want to know everything that I should know.”

She smiled. “Okay, then I will tell you everything from the start.”