For Me?

Family?

P.O.V Aila

After having a walk round the garden, which, from the looks of it, could have been a presentation for a show from home and garden. I asked to be excused to my room. I told Thomas's father that I'd like to get myself unpacked and would love to continue the tour of the rest of the house afterwards. He kindly walked me to my room and took his leave. I smile before I enter my room, he is a lot easier to be around than Thomas, who just seems to imitate concrete. Something about my father-in-law makes me feel very comfortable and I am extremely grateful.

I wonder why Thomas seems so much colder in comparison. Could it be to do with the untimely death of his mother? Whatever the cause, it made it like she was around her mother again, that cold aura always oozed off of her as well and it made it hard to give him the benefit of the doubt. But I suppose if we had separate rooms then at least I could avoid him more often than not.

The room is easily ten times bigger than my previous room. As far guest rooms go, it's definitely gorgeous, not that she had a real comparison. Yesterday had been the only other time she had spent away from her mother's house. But even at the hotel she couldn't even breathe without feeling like she needed to hold in all her emotions and thoughts.

She looked around briefly at the room, beautiful peach curtains hung in the window, the single bed was tightly made with peach and orange bedding. And on top of the duvet rested my beaten-up old suitcase. I decided that all I really needed to do was put the clothes away in drawers and hang up a few dresses. I wouldn't really need to make this room my own as it was only temporary. I opened the window to let in the smell of the beautiful honeysuckle enter the room and headed back to my suitcase.

Looking through the case, I narrowed my eyes... My grandmother's doll is missing. I can't have lost that. I'm certain I packed it. I don't own very much and that doll was all I had. Panic rises within me as I fear that I may have left it behind and I have no desire to go back to mothers to check. After emptying the contents of the suitcase onto the bed, I then see a note that is tucked in the corner of the case. It was small, so no wonder I missed it on the first sift through. My blood runs cold as the familiar writing reads:

You won't be needing such childish trinkets. Time to grow up!

That woman! I angrily screw the note up and tears begin to fall beyond my control. I try hard to make no noise as I cry. Of course, she'd have one last stab, a parting gift as it were! Well, that's the last thing she's gonna do to me. Most certainly, as she had nothing else to lose, the final nail in that coffin was very solidly hammered in. Come hell or high water, she'll get what's coming to her. I believe in Karma and that woman was indeed due a hefty sum of it.

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P.O.V Thomas

After leaving the kitchen I decided to take a walk round the grounds, I used to walk them when my mind would be to full to keep under control. I haven't quite made up my mind how this week will turn out or even if this was worth the hassle it seemed to be becoming.

With renewed purpose, he makes his way back in to see his father pottering about humming to himself. Thomas raised his eyebrows at the old man. Either he was actually losing his mind or his father was actually happy.

Shaking his head, he made his way to Aila's room, his hand stretched out to the door and stopped when he heard sobbing. Why on Earth would she be crying?

Curiousity niggled within and he entered her room without asking and stopped when he saw her bright red eyes and tear-stained face. She looked utterly miserable. She sniffed, rubbed her eyes and stood up with clenched fists. All he could see was how much of a mess she looked and then he saw the pleading and almost broken way she looked at him.

"I understand this is your home, but do I not have a right to even be asked if someone can come into my room?"

He'd never heard a more heartbroken voice than that. He wasn't accustomed to situations like this and felt so out of place he didn't really know what to say.

"So my wife would wish her husband not to be concerned?"

She pouted a little at that. She looked rather childish doing so, coupled with the way she sniffed made her seem even more small and vulnerable.

"I have no doubt that you aren't concerned and merely nosey. Please leave, you wouldn't understand."

Nosey, he scoffed at that. He was curious, yes, but was she crying because she was married or because she missed her home? He very much doubted that she missed home. If her mother's cold air was anything to go by, then it couldn't be that.

"I am a very busy man. If you do not wish to tell me, don't, but if it is because you are home sick, we could arrange something."

Saying it sounded silly even to his ears, but he had never dealt with anything like this, so he really was out of his element. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, she slowly released it and bent down to pick up the crumpled piece of paper on the floor and handed it to him for him to read. What on Earth...

"Someone has taken something of yours?"

He was a bit perplexed by this. She sniffed again and had calmed down a little. "My... Mother has decided to take away a china doll I was gifted by my grandmother before she died. You see I have very few possessions and it's her last parting gift to remove my last bit of ..." She didn't wanna finish, she looked away from him and hugged herself.

He narrowed his eyes at her. That woman had taken away a comfort for her. Why would her own mother do that? Well, surely this can be fixed.

"I'll buy you a new one, it wont be the same. But if you need a small comfort such as that, we will do that."

He tossed the note into the waste basket by the door. Better to start a new life, wasn't it?

"I see." she turned away from him and took several breaths. "Please do not trouble yourself over this. It's done now and I am quite alright. As you say, you are a busy man and must have better things to do. Now I am very tired and would like to have some of my own company."

He was actually shocked at her reaction. Had he said something wrong? Women...

"I see, so you would rather not have a replacement and would rather be on rocky terms with myself?"

She didn't turn around or even reply. Her rigid stance told him all he needed and he turned to leave.

"I will leave you for now, wife. Dinner will be at 7pm. If you feel hungry, you know where the kitchen is."

He left, then closed the door, sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose. Maybe separate rooms are definitely for the best right now. Too much too soon. He needed to just carry on with his normal routine, married or not, he didn't need a distraction. Some of the company deals were on thin ice due to a couple of the firm's top men retiring or dying. Old money died hard. He had only taken over a few years ago and now this added extra of a wife was all he needed.

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P.O.V Aila

I had managed to fall asleep. Bad idea now thinking about it as my eyes were puffy as hell and I now had a headache from all the crying. Looking over at the small bedside clock, I see that it is now 5:45 pm. I needed to wash my face and tidy up and put the clothes away. Thomas had left and all I could do was lie down and close my eyes. No more tears, not for her, not for anyone.

Leaving the room, I headed for the bathroom. After a couple of wrong doors, I found it, almost giggling at myself when I was about to walk into the linen closest. Imagine losing my bladder in there. Smiling a little at myself, I used the toilet, washed my hands and noticed a flannel on the side of the sink, that looked freshly placed. I use this to clean my face of the sleep and residue of the tears that had been staining my face. Maybe I should apologize to Thomas. It wasn't his fault. He had no idea what he had married into.