Ghosted

Chapter 5 POV Amelia

POV Amelia

The next day I was glad to have a day off work. I had a pampering session and when I got home my house keeper Maria was there and she was dusting the fire place. Maria had worked for us since we first got married. She was a nice older woman but she could be a bit of a gossip and she loved to sit with me at the kitchen table and tell me everyone’s secrets over a cup of tea. Sometimes I couldn’t help but think of all the times she probably sat around talking about me but I would always put that to the back of my mind. When I got home that day she said “Millie you look wonderful sweetheart” with a huge over the top smile “give me a spin and let me see your gorgeous new hair and outfit” Although I wasn’t wearing a new outfit and I’d only had a trim I couldn’t help but get carried away with her enthusiasm and I gave her a spin and she clapped her hands like a seal. “You are just gorgeous” she said and I was incredibly flattered. “Thanks Maria” I said with a grin. “I popped round to see you the other night and you weren’t home, I was worried about you. You work too hard” she said and I was relieved that she presumed that I was at work. “Yeah, I didn’t get home till late” was all I said because I really didn’t want to lie to her. She put her hands on her hips. “Janet next door said you didn’t get home until 12 o’clock and that you were all dolled up. She thinks you were out with a new man but I told her to mind her own business” I could feel my hands begin to shake with anxiety. Was Janet next door on to me? I decided to make a little joke “chance would be a fine thing” I said and we both laughed and out of no where one of the photo frames from the fireplace fell onto the floor and it smashed. “Millie I’m so sorry, I don’t know how I managed to do that, I was no where near it. I’ll clear this up” she rushed past me into the kitchen and I looked down at the broken photo frame and it was a photo of me and Richard on our honeymoon. I felt overcome with guilt and I burst out crying as I looked at his handsome face and his piercing blue eyes. “I’m sorry” I whispered through my tears. Maria came through from the kitchen with a brush to clear up the glass and she rushed over to me and wrapped her arms around me. “Come on Millie it’s ok” she said as she gently swayed me until I calmed down. I was embarrassed that I was crying and I knew I couldn’t confide in her about why I was crying because she would tell any one that would listen, so I excused myself and ran into the kitchen. I was standing at the back door blowing my nose when I felt two strong arms surround me. He was so much taller than me that he always made me feel tiny in his arms. I hadn’t even heard him come in but I was glad he was there. He brushed his lips against my cheek and asked “are you ok?” I shook my head and I turned around to face him and his beautiful big blue eyes were full of concern. “No, Maria broke one of the photos on the fireplace and I’m kind of nervous about seeing your dad tonight.” “Why?” He asked as he held me tightly like he always did when he knew I wasn’t myself. He smelled like expensive aftershave and I loved it. “Why are you nervous?” He asked again and I couldn’t tell him the truth that I was scared he would somehow know that I had been meeting Mark in hotel rooms so I snuggled into his rock hard chest and said “I’m not sure why I’m nervous to see him. You know what he’s like when he comes home from a holiday. He’s always in a bad mood” he took a deep breath “he’s awful when he has the holiday blues, but he would never be bad to you.” He was right I had seen my father in law scream and shout at Richard and Robert because they both worked for him but he had always been lovely to me. Then out of no where he asked “are you still seeing your therapist?” and my eyes flew open. The mention of him in my house filled me with dread. I actually thought for a moment that he was asking me if I was still sleeping with my therapist but I managed to calm my racing emotions. “No I don’t see him any more” he put his hand under my chin and made me look him in the eye. “I think you should speak to someone. You’re working too much, you’re wearing yourself out” I felt guilty because the nights that I had told him I was working really late I was actually in bed with Mark. “I speak to you, isn’t that enough?” I said with a smile. I spent every night curled up on the sofa with him and every morning he would make me breakfast and I knew I could tell him anything because the love between us was unconditional but I couldn’t talk to him about the real reason I was upset. “Sometimes talking to a stranger helps” he said and he was right because I couldn’t be totally open with him or I would have lost him forever. “You’re right, thanks for this, you are the best hugger ever. You always make things better” I said as I reached up on my tip toes and kissed his strong jaw. “I’ve missed you this week, I feel like I’ve hardly seen you” and his words made me feel so guilty that I could have cried again. He lifted my hand and kissed it and then he pulled a face. “Where are your engagement and wedding ring?” He asked and I started to panic. That’s when I remembered that I hadn’t put them back on after my second night with Mark and they were still in my glove compartment. “I had to take them off to have my nails done today” I was impressed by how quickly I had lied to him. His face softened and I was glad he believed me. “I love you Millie” he said and I was so glad that he still loved me because if he knew that I had been sleeping with Mark his love for me would definitely change and that was the last thing I wanted “I love you too Robert” We stood there hugging for a few minutes and I could feel myself totally relax. Although he was my brother in law he felt like a real brother to me and I thanked my lucky stars every day that I had him in my life because I wouldn’t know what to do without him.