Avenging Angel of Love

A HINT OF TURBULENCE

Wiping her hands quickly with a napkin, Laura signaled one of the maids to take over. She wanted to welcome Roland back home herself. She paused by one of the mirrors in the living room to check her reflection. Running her hands through her hair, in an attempt to smooth it, she silently cursed when the doorbell went off again. She pushed the stray strands behind her ears, then checking her mouth and making sure there was nothing stuck between her teeth.

Somewhat satisfied with her appearance, Laura rushed to the front door and pulled it open. Her smile faltered for a moment as she caught sight of who it was. She’d expected to find Roland at the door but instead a delivery person stood on her porch, holding a package. She managed to keep her smile in place as she accepted the package. She remembered that Roland had given the head maid permission to order new kitchen equipment.

“Sign here, please,” The man said, handing her a clipboard. She set the heavy box down on the floor and signed the paper. She handed the clipboard back to him, waving her fingers in the air as he gave her a small salute and got back on his motorcycle. Laura took the package inside, handing it over to the head maid to unbox. Her excitement dimmed a bit as she stared at the time on her phone.

Roland’s supposed to be home by now…

Despite a very heavy daily workload, he was always back home in time for an early dinner. Except today, apparently. Choosing to give him a few more minutes, Laura continued her cooking. She carefully placed the perfectly browned roast chicken to heat in the oven, the aroma of thyme and rosemary wafting through the house.

She sautéed the fresh vegetables in olive oil and garlic, the fragrant sizzling and warm steam filling the air as she added a pinch of salt pepper and a dash of oyster sauce then a sprinkling of sugar. The potatoes were already mashed, infused with butter and cream. She had even managed to put together a simple salad with fresh greens and a light vinaigrette. As she continued waiting for Roland to arrive, she set the table with their finest china with aromatic candles, the soft glow casting a warm ambiance.

Some of the maids were now glancing at her strangely, obviously wondering what special occasion she was about to celebrate, but she paid them no mind. After all, the young wife had spent all afternoon preparing Roland’s favorite dishes, and she couldn’t wait to see the look on his face when he walked through the door. A few minutes of waiting turned to an hour and as the minutes ticked by, Laura’s excitement turned to concern.

Roland was and has never been late before…

She tried calling him, but it went straight to his voicemail. Laura tried again, and again, but there was no answer. The dark-haired woman began to feel a knot in her stomach, her mind racing with thoughts of worst-case scenarios. She stared at the small feast she’d prepared, debating if she should have her own meal without him. She didn’t exactly like it when it was cold and she could easily get the maids to microwave his when he got back.

Finally, Laura sat down to enjoy a part of the lukewarm meal herself. She took a bite, savoring the flavors as much as she could, even though her heart wasn’t in it. Just as she took another bite, the doorbell rang. She hurried to the door to see who it was, all the excitement rushing back. She’d barely touched her meal so Roland was just in time anyway. Her heart fell when she realized it still wasn’t him.

It was her father-in-law, Henry.

Taking a steadying breath and fixing a smile on her face, she twisted the doorknob and pulled the door open.

“I was hoping to catch Roland at home,” he said.

Laura warmly welcomed him inside the house, letting him know as she closed the door that Roland hadn’t gotten back from work yet. She could tell from the way his eyebrows raised that he was as surprised as she had been.

The elderly engineer managed a small smile for her sake.

“Since he’s not here, I’ll keep you company instead.” Henry offered while following her as she led him to the dining room. Laura invited him to join her.

As they ate together, the 52-year-old businessman, upon taking a bite, immediately praised her cooking skills, “This chicken is cooked to perfection, Laura. And the vegetables are crisp but tender, just like my wife used to make.”

Henry then took another bite, closing his eyes in pleasure and appreciation. Laura smiled genuinely at the oldest Fabian male’s compliments, both his verbal and non-verbal ones.

At least all my effort hadn’t completely gone to waste…

At the end of their meal, Henry’s expression suddenly turned serious, “Laura, I know Roland is…not always at his best and he’s not the easiest man to live with. But please be patient with him, alright?””

The smile Laura had been faking for her in-law’s sake faltered at bit at what she heard She realized that Henry had already seen right through her. He then placed one hand on hers, his eyes filled with concern. Laura nodded, trying to hide her growing anxiety.

She wasn’t exactly in the mood to discuss the details of her marriage with Roland’s dad. Or anyone else for that matter. Not when she wasn’t sure what was going on herself. The day before, she’d felt like she was slowly getting through to her husband. For the first time ever, he’d addressed her as his wife.

Now, she wasn’t so sure anymore. Maybe she’d just read too much into it when it actually meant nothing to him.

Henry left a few minutes later, but she couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was off. She cleaned up the dining table, her mind wandering to all the possible reasons for Roland’s tardiness. Henry himself had tried calling his phone but the call hadn’t gone through.

Hours later, the comely but weary man finally walked through the door, exhaustion clearly etched on his bearded face. He barely acknowledged the meal she had prepared, as he headed straight for their bedroom.

Laura was just a few steps behind him, relieved that he was OK but very curious as to why he was so late in coming home.

“I’m sorry I only got home now,” Roland wearily apologized as he entered the suite’s private bath, already removing his suite jacket and tie. His voice was distant and he stood with his back to her. “Something came up at work but luckily, I was able to fix it. It just took some time for me to complete it.”

His tone was clearly indicating that he didn't want to go into detail. Laura silently willed him to turn and meet her gaze but he didn't. If anything, he continued to wash up in preparation for sleep.

Laura felt a pang of disappointment and frustration, the evening’s excitement and love now replaced with hurt and uncertainty. She wondered what had kept him so late and why he didn’t even bother to call or even text her. The heart-faced female forced herself to speak, summoning the courage to ask him what happened to him that night. After all, she is-still his wife even if its only in paper.

However, Laura only managed to say his name when he stepped into the room, lay down on the bed, pulled a blanket over his head and turned his back on her. It took her a second to realize the sound that kept ringing in her ears wasn’t his deep breathing…

It was actually the sound of her own heart breaking.