My bruises, Your Pain

Chapter 12: Diamonds in the sky

Dear diary,

The trip into town did me so good that I hardly realised how time has passed by not to mention the big smile I had on my face the last couple of days. It did my soul so good to do something for someone else, it did us good! I must admit I hardly had time to think of other people’s problems because I am so caught up in my own and it just goes to show that if you would look up from your own problems once a while you would realise your problems might not be so big after all. A quality I would have loved to teach you but it seems as if it is generic…

It was a beautiful sunny day, the flowers of the peach trees blossomed, giving a new look to the green vineyards. It was a sight for sore eyes. I closed my eyes as I tried to take a mental picture while taking a deep breath of the fresh air. It was my off day but not Alec’s, well it was supposed to be ours but he couldn’t finish up work the day before and since it was urgent work he decided to get it done today. I really wanted to spend the day with him but I also enjoyed the me time, it gives me time to dream a bit and built my happy place. I was still deep in thought when I heard a sound, I looked around but saw nothing and I thought I imagined it but when the sound of a stick breaking echoed a second time I knew someone was there. “Hello, anyone there?” I asked my voice rather shaky. There was no answer, I stayed still and quiet not even realising I was holding my breath until I coughed from shortness of breath. I started looking around and I convinced myself that it might be Alec trying to surprise me so I let down my guard.

I peeked around the corner of the house and no one was there and I sighed. I am not sure what I was expecting and as I turned around I bumped into Mr Lategan. Before I can say anything he placed his hand over my mouth and showed me to keep quiet and go inside. I was scared out of my mind, was there intruders on the farm? What was happening?! At first I hesitated as the shock overtook my body but after his second sign I started walking inside not wasting anymore time. I didn’t stop until we were, I didn’t even look around and as we walk through the door he removed his hand from my mouth “What’s going on Mr Lategan?” I asked, my voice breaking indicating to him just how scared I was. He was quiet and the silenced freaked me out, my head started to build its own scenarios and none of them ended up good. He looked nervous, his forehead sweaty and his top lip jittery. Was he trying to say something?

The words that came out of his mouth were unexpected and devastating, “I need you to undress yourself.” I looked at him confused, like was this some sort of a sick joke or what is happening? I tried to walk outside but as I passed him he grabbed me on my arm and I let out a little scream. “You don’t want to do that he said,” his voice cold and serious. I was paralysed by his words, crushed and I couldn’t do it, I just couldn’t. “Your cushy lifestyle, do you want that to disappear? Because I can take it all away. You and your little cheapskate you call a boyfriend will be nothing without me…” he said but was abruptly interrupted by Alec’s entrance. Alec looked at us "What is going on here?” he asked looking at Mr Lategan’s hand on my arm. “I must admit Alec, I came to give her a scolding. She promised my wife to help her out with something important and she just didn’t pitch but I might have been too hard on her, I am sorry,” he says looking me in my eyes as he let’s go of my arm and patted me on my shoulder. He walked out and gave me a death stare when Alec wasn’t looking and I wasn’t sure what to make of it. Alec believed every word he said, even gave me a talk about being on another planet these last couple of days, or at least I think that’s what he said I couldn’t really focus after what had just happened. Should I tell Alec the truth? No, no I can’t, I would be risking a very good life for the both of us. Whatever he has planned I will just have to endure it, I thought.

“Hey, hey?” Alec snapped his fingers in front of my eyes. “See, this is exactly what I was talking about. Did you even hear a word I said?” he asked looking at me as if he was disappointed that I zoned out again. I smiled “I am sorry, I was just trying to remember when they asked me and how it slipped my mind. I feel bad for not helping her.” I said as I am trying to nudge him in the direction that they never asked but he seemed totally clueless. “I was saying that I wanted to take a walk, you should get a coat and something to protect you from the sun,” Alec said paying no attention to my riddled story. I was disappointed at his reaction, he just allowed someone to treat me so rudely and it made me a bit cold towards him as I just nodded and walked away.

We were walking in silence, my mind was back at our place, playing the event of Mr Lategan over and over in my head, and it just didn’t make sense! “Alec, there is something I want to tell you,” I started but chairs up ahead of us distracted me from continuing. I focused my attention towards the chairs and the people surrounding it and I spotted Mr Lategan. I tried steering Alec in another direction but he wouldn’t budge. The closer we came the more the people came into focus. What were they all doing there? The Lategan’s and a few of the other workers were sitting and laughing at a table. They looked so relaxed and ready to have a nice party. It seemed Alec wanted us to join them and before I realised it they were right in front of us. The moment Mr Lategan was in my reached and his scent was hanging underneath my nose a cold shiver went down my spine and I had an empty feeling inside me.

My head felt disoriented and I went to sit down on the closest chair but everyone seemed preoccupied. I tried to signal Alec to get his attention but he was so focussed and just as I wanted to give up signalling him, he walked right up to me. I sighed a sigh of relief, I was so glad he saw I was in distress. He bent down before me and looked me deep in my eyes…

“I am not someone that says a lot so….” He said just before he started singing. His angel voice made me forget my troubles and I felt warm and fuzzy. As my mind drifted to a place of calm and tranquillity the words of his song snapped me straight into reality.

“Will you marry me?” he sang and opened a box with the most beautiful ring in it.