Chapter 23

Meadows In The Pain

Iris was fresh like a like a daisy blooming up from a bud early in the morning.

Apart from a hectic night, she was excited and thrilled to join Edwin on a road trip for his Mission Love.

She was unnecessarily excited and he was unexpectedly dull for he did not like the idea of gifting Stella one of his paintings.

But Iris had been looking forward for today since the whole week.

She was thrilled about the idea of spending her whole day with Edwin.

Also since they were traveling on the outskirts of the city, away from local town, no one would recognize her and Edwin was therefore safe.

Edwin however had been a party pooper ignoring all her texts since morning.

'Either he is cuddled with Stella in the bed or he is avoiding going and getting the painting.' The thought of him and Stella in bed together had a strange impact on her.

She did like the fact that they were together because that is what will make Edwin happy and since the day they had met, her solo aim in life other than caring for her family has been making Edwin happy at the cost of any damn thing.

In reality though it was him who had done ample number of things that made her happy. From my dad's surgery to staying back when she was gone, hospital bills and the daily messages that he sends in the morning that brings a smile to her face even looking at the caller id that it is Edwin.

She like a kid high on sugar packed a small picnic bag.

It wasn't necessary but she was way too excited so she packed carried a hand towel, a bottle of water and few packets of chips to be carried on a day long journey to his place.

'Now if he doesn't reply to my last text I'll assume the plan to be cancelled.' She murmured disappointed.

But why on earth would Edwin cancel the thing?

He is not the person who'd chicken out for a silly fear.

May be he now realizes that I am a prostitute and unnecessary closeness is not viable.

Her mind was clouded with all the negative thoughts when he did not respond to her texts

She took a last look on her mobile screen and shut the screen.

She scrolled through her contacts an dher finger hovered over the name Ben.

She wondered to carry on with his plans of Rappelling to make up for her sour mood.

She brushed aside the thoughts.

I was debating on calling Ben when her mobile beeped

"will see you at 11" it read and her lips stretched to form a big smile.

She was doing a happy dance in her head glad that they were meeting today.

I quickly dressed myself in a decent long Zara tunic and faded light blue jeans, each and every part of my body covered like a normal girl of her age.

She longed for the normality that she felt when she was with Edwin.

She had to pretend seductive and $exy in front of her clients.

But she could be herself with Edwin neither did she have to hide anything from him like she hid from Ben

He'd always talk about Stella and her beauty, his love for Stella and how he was trying to make her fall for him again.

She'd listen to him intently enjoying every bit of it. He's always cheerful and has an indefinite shine in his eyes when he talks about Stella that she could sit hours listening to him looking at his flawless face

If ever she got a chance to become Stella only for a day, she didn't mind dying the other day for she would have lived a million years of contentment in that very day.

His white Audi stood right in front of her shabby apartment and he lowered the glass of the window seat signaling her to get in.

It took her some awful seconds to walk to the passenger seat and get seated as she was staring at his face. He had his sunshades on and looked like a model who had just jumped off from the magazine cover.

"Good morning" she greeted cheerfully

'Good morning" he replied and went silent.

She couldn't read his expressions could judge that he wasn't in a wee willie mood like her.

She decided to sit quietly. But he being so upset was bothering her

After being seated for 20 long minutes Iris started the conversation "the weather is perfect today" she tried to be cheerful "with clear sky and the sun shining bright."

Edwin replied with a "hmmm..."

Iris felt guilty too forcing him to do something that he did not want to.

"Sorry Edwin" Iris murmured.

"What for?' he asked surprised.

"For forcing you into this. It seems that you are not comfortable with the idea." she said fidgeting with her hands

"No not at all. I came not because you forced me; I came because I trusted you." He said sadly.

"Then... something's troubling you?" she looked at his hands, which were white for holding the steering wheel so tight.

"You are going to be good at your psycho thing." he smiled for the first time.

"Where did that come from?" she asked confused.

"Yeah.. I did not have a good night yesterday." He admitted but it did not feel weird. It appeared that he was glad that he could finally speak it.

"Did you fight again last night?" Iris asked concerned.

"No. It was nice initially she was smiling, giggling and even being romantic" he blushed as he remembered the memories of last night "but she cried to bed. She sobbed for the whole night in sleep missing the little baby in her womb who was no more".

"Where were you?" she asked feeling sorry for Stella.

"Right besides her cuddling her and cooing her." He stopped as his words were getting heavier.

"And you too were crying?" Iris murmured knowing he didn't like to cry in front of anyone, admitting also would be a problem.

"Yes" he said as he parked the car on one side and switched off the ignition.

He hid his tears, Iris noticed and the shades were not to protect his eyes from the sun. They were to hide the red blotchiness in his eyes due to crying.

She handed the bottle of water that she was carrying to him. "Go wash your face and come. I'll wait in the car.

She watched him from the distance, still seated on her seat. He poured some water on his hands and liberally splashed on his face, trying to wash something that was in his head.

Iris had to sit tight to stop herself from running to him and hugging him to make him feel better.

A small part of her inside also felt like it was hurt.

She challenged herself to put a smile on his face before they reached their destination.

She handed him some tissues to wipe off his face once he was back on his driving seat.

"Feeling better?" Iris asked him.

"Yeah thanks" he said looking into her eyes for a little longer time thanking her silently.

Iris winked her eyes in acknowledgement.

Not knowing how to work on the plan she started the music system where oppa gangnam was playing.

"do you like this song?" she asked

"hmm"

"do you understand the lyrics?'

"no"

"have you seen the video"

"Hmmm"

Iris was confused about his state of mind as he kept his answers simple to one liner.

Iris was losing hope when she spotted something beautiful.

"Stop! Stop! Stop!" she yelled on top of her voice and before the brakes were completely hit, she unlocked the car and rushed out from the still moving car.

Of course the speed was quite slow as Edwin was parking it on the sideways.

"What are you doing Iris?' he was scolding like a guardian but Iris ignored and ran away.

She jumped from the side panels of the road and crossed the small grassway.

It looked as if it was quite close when I was in the car but while approaching it took her a short walk no stride.

Iris was standing over a lake, clean lush and beautiful.

The surroundings were covered with plants and trees, a rare sight to be seen in the cities so it was clear that had reached the outskirts.

Iris took a deep breath as she inhaled the beauty. The sun shone above and its rays touched the water of the lake turning it golden as if it was a golden lake.

"Iris what the hell are you doing?" Edwin shouted huffing breathing hard.

He might have sprinted here.

Iris turned around to look at him and smiled.

She quickly removed her Tunic and my jeans and waved him before shejumped into the lake.

She couldn't resist the beauty of goddess nature as if it was inviting her and also wanted to loosen up Edwin so she took a deep breath and jumped into the water

"Iris" he shouted.

The cold water touched every portion of her body giving an intense pleasure and joy of freedom.

She had stripped by choice.

"Help! Help!" Iris shouted. She was drowning in the water.

Her hands were flailing on the surface trying to save herself from drowning.

She heard a huge splash besides her "Iris seriously" Edwin stood in front of her furious. "If you didn't know swimming why the hell did you jump? Are you insane?'

"Edwin breathe" Iris laughed with everything she had and held his hands tightly

"Edwin look the water isn't deep. It's just four feet." And she continued laughing.

"Really I am standing in the lake. Vow!!!!" he said relieved followed by a genuine heart throbbing smile on his face.

"You like it" Iris asked splashing some water on his face as he stood there stunned enjoying the beautiful landscape in front of him.

"It's beautiful" he murmured

"One more surprise!" Iris giggled and went into the water swimming and return after a small swim deep into the lake. "It is a little deeper ahead but not very deep, enough to swim.

'You CAN swim ?"he asked shocked.

"You can't?" she asked teasingly.

"So catch me." Iris ran a little deeper and swam.

Seconds later two hands grabbed her from waist, "You forgot I have been a sports person. Too strong for you." He said smirking.

"Yeah I do now." Iris said giggling trying to get rid of his grip.

He was also laughing by now.

Plan accomplished.

They swam for a while till they were exhausted and moved out of the lake dripping.

Suddenly Iris got conscious, she was only wearing a bikini and to her dismay she didn't have another pair.

Iris was biting her lower lip feeling a little embarrassed too in front of Edwin. 'Though I am a slut but still this was Edwin- a one woman man'

Iris forgot all her insecurities when Edwin moved out of the lake with his perfect six pack body, toned muscles and wet hair,

She turned around all of a sudden "my god if he catches me gawking!"

She covered herself with her hands.

"One minute" he said as he wore his striped shirt without his jeans and ran to the car. Soon he was back with two sheets and my bag.

"Here take this." He said as he went behind one of the trees with his jeans and returned back.

By the time Iris was also quickly done wiping herself and wearing my tunic and jeans, but not the inners as they were wet and were of no good. It was weird but definitely worth as Edwin now emerged with a big broad smile on his face.

"How did you manage sheets?' she asked as he sat besides him. He handed the other one he had wiped himself with to her and she spread it on the ground for it to dry.

"To cover the picture we'd carry on the way back" he said casually ruffling his hair which were wet. His shirt was clung to his body as he wore it without drying himself, making him look even sexier.

"So I was pranked?" he was blushing.

Iris nodded biting her lower lip.

"Utterly kiddish" he commented as he sat besides on the grassy ground.

"Sometimes it's nice to be like a kid, out of the world out of all the worries." Iris said taking a deep breath and then looking at him taking a side glance.

He threw a stone in the water looking so childish that her heart melted, "You are right. This is what I needed, being a kid again." he said more to himself.

"Edwin lets play a game." she offered enthusiastically.

"Game?' he raised an eyebrow skeptically "trying to cheer my mood?" she asked not for an answer "I am okay."

"Come on are you scared to loose?" Iris asked teasingly.

"No I just won seconds ago. Remember I just caught you while you were swimming' a smile crept on his face as he said.

And Iris blushed remembering how he touched and held her tight with nothing vulgar in his mind.

'Forget it then let us share last time when we behaved like a kid, good one though." Iris said raising her brows.

"I'll have to go for it then. Seems a good idea but you start first." He immediately agreed

"Last time as a kid.. umm" she kept her finger on her chin in a thinking pose. "Got it" Iris shouted like she had won some bingo game. It was a bit funny so she hoped that Edwin enjoyed listening to it

"Shoot then" he said commandingly.

"Can't wait?' Iris laughed, "This was our class picnic to one of the beach resorts. The teacher accompanying us was a bit too strict. There was a guy who came late for the breakfast, he actually had forgotten his undies at home, so he had to hunt for his size among his friends and borrowed one to wear. So he was late." Iris made hand gestures as she shifted in her place enjoying narrating her story "He was trying to explain it to the ma'am but as stupid and stubborn as she was" Edwin made a coughing noise about the use of words for the teacher and she felt flushed and a bit guilty.

Iris continued, "Not stupid, only stubborn fine".

He smiled to it victoriously.

"She made him stand in the sun butt naked as punishment not listening a bit to his explanation as he was stuttering and stammering with his words embarrassed about the whole situation.

We were playing having fun in the beach and that poor guy was standing naked there."

"Naked" Edwin shouted smiling teasingly," How old were you then?" he asked.

"Don't worry he wore a long tee so we did not get any views." she clarified.

"I felt bad for the poor guy and now I wanted to act kiddish" she said with a smirk.

"Don't tell me you undid your teacher's bikini ?" he asked curiosity engulfed in his expression.

"Naay, we were behaving kiddish not pervs" Iris said "we picked all the crabs from the beach, live ones" she emphasized and put them on the folds of her Sarong that she had kept on the beach side with her bag.

Once she was done with swimming and bathing in the beach, we were about to leave so she casually picked her sarong and wrapped it around her waist pulling it to her neck circling it around it. Next were shrieks and shouts as she ran trying to push crabs away from her body. After around half a mile of running on the shores of the beach, she realized that throwing her sarong would help and she did it.

While all other kids and the naked boy too were laughing and enjoying at the teacher, we group of five girls stood there looking shocked and giving sympathy looks to the teacher. I offered her my sarong too as we took her to the infirmary to get some medical help. Till the last day of that year was she thankful to us for our humble and kind behavior" Iris said chuckling followed by a laugh added by a huge laughter by Edwin. He laughed and I was celebrating my small success in my mind.

"My turn now but I should say this wasn't kiddish, it was devilish." He said still laughing.

"I did it when I was at a pharmacy to buy cond..oms you understand?" he asked sheepishly shying but very next moment he was comfortable because Iris was laughing in advance waiting for the worst to come.

He continued, "A lady had come to buy some painkillers for herself as she had a severe headache. So she ordered it. I was already holding the packet of condoms" he paused for dramatic effect

"So when it was time to pay, this man at the counter was busy looking for some easy change and the lady was yelling at someone on her mobile.

In the mean time I slipped half of my condoms in her pack, taking away all her tablets and I waited at the corner. Around ten minutes later the lady came back with a remake of movie "Boomerang" and filled the aura with thousands of cursing words that were enough to last a lifetime. My favorite one being 'may god curse you with a disease and your d!ck falls off' and lots more cursing and yelling at the shopkeeper for giving her supplies of contraceptives instead of painkillers. The shopkeeper was so lost and scared that he gave her the whole box of tablets and ran away immediately closing the shop as the lean and lanky lady in her fifties had threatened to take him to the cops because of his ignorance."

"Wicked Edwin" Iris said smiling instead of laughing to see a happy Edwin back.

They sharing many such moments of how he plucked the hair from his aunt's armpit when he was young for he didn't have any and wanted to check what it was? And how he tried to attain milk from a cow when he once went to a farm accidentally with his cousins and ended up being kicked by the cow.

Iris also added hers how she mixed red chilies in the eye shadows of her aunt who wore 4mm thick coating of make up making her jump with burning sensation and how she walked upside down on the escalator for a change on the one that is supposed to take you upwards being caught by guards who left her after thorough pleading and apologies.

They laughed and talked like small kids forgetting past and future living for the moment, living like there is no tomorrow.

They ate at the local diner there. Though it was a small place but as said by Edwin "Trust me

it is a hub for barbeque lovers."

His verdict was justified with the authentic aroma and delicious taste.

They also met one of his friends there. Edwin went to meet him with a manly hug but his actions did not match his face as he was not very comfortable with him.

Iris did have the feeling that he felt awkward because he was accompanying her but later he clarified that he was Bob, Stella's ex the one he met at the tournament where he proposed her.

They weren't in good terms initially as he tried to get back to Stella but gave up later when they announced their wedding.

Iris was relieved to know that it wasn't because of her profession of a slut.

They parked at the huge iron gate of vast bungalow where in a huge room all his paintings were maintained. They were all covered with thin sheets and as he removed few of them, Iris's mouth was agape.

How can a thorough businessman who is as successful as him is so creative?

He had real good skills in his hands. And there were paintings everywhere all incomplete except one which was a whole face of Stella, beautiful and stunning.

"I painted after I returned home from the tournament. She stayed back there and I missed her like crazy." He shifted places as he said that nervously when he saw her staring at the painting.

"Beautiful! I think this is the one you should gift her with." Iris said still admiring the piece of art in front of her staring between Edwin's hands and the paintings wondering how can 10 little fingers create magic like those paintings around.

Edwin covered the painting with the sheet he had carried along after drying them after our lake bath.

"Oh shit!" Edwin suddenly shouted.

"What happened?" Iris asked panic rising me in her.

"I left my there." He said worried.

"What ?' she asked "Where?'

"My underwear behind the tree" he said with the face of a little child who peed in his pants and was now embarrassed.

"You left your underwear at the lake." Iris was laughing like crazy and then sobered up quickly.

Iris turned very serious as if she was touched by his agony and asked very sympathetically "Youuuu aren't wearing any?" and burst into laughter again.

The looks on his face were so precious, so wonderful. Iris had clicked a picture of it in her head, memorizing it as a sweet memory in her heart.

"Not fair." He stamped his foot.

Iris tried to control her laughs.

She held his elbow to take him to the car park so that they could go back home. It was already half past six. She was putting full efforts to control her laughter as her lips stretched and then came back to their same position again and again trying not to humiliate him any further.

'''''''''''''

Edwin's day was antonym of last night went smooth and thrilling with Iris as his companion who was a kid if she was herself.

Had she not had any problems, he was sure she might have had a very caring and wonderful boyfriend that she deserves.

Now to give her a reputed and respectable life is on the top list of his agenda.

He decided to start working on it as soon as he reached back office on Monday.

He was touched by her thoughtfulness when she made him call Stella to check if she was fine. Not that he wouldn't have done otherwise because he needed to hear from her more than anything else. Though he had fun of a lifetime with Iris, deep in his heart he was missing my Stella.

Iris also suggested him to occupy Stella into some profession, something that she likes to do and makes her move outside and communicate with the people or start some job, which he wouldn't appreciate.

He never wanted Stella to stress herself to work, only a little to occupy herself will do.

He nicely gift wrapped Stella's painting with nets and ribbons and add on fresh tulips to present it to her.

He got it done from one of the malls once they entered the city and suggested, "if Stella does not like the painting at least the presentation can be worked upon and add on tulips would make her day as they are one of her favorites.'

"Sure why not?" iris agreed immediately

Edwin was very excited as he entered home with a huge painting in his hand barely able to contain the excitement but he did not shout her name.

He planned on going to the bedroom silently with the painting and surprising her.

Instead Stella was ready with a surprise/shock for him....................