Chapter 46

Words

Three words....

Iris stood still, her eyes fixated on the lady in front of her whose words pierced into her heart like a sharp knife.

Her legs were wobbling like there was no ground beneath and she was barely able to balance herself.

The thumping of her heart would have been louder than the bells of the church.

The drop of tear that slid down her eye had the power to burn the places where it touched till it disappeared penetrating into the skin.

Three words..

Three words that Iris was trying to sink into her brains, her conscience, her heart...

Three little words that brought a tornado in her system.....

Three words that Stella spoke, her only wish....

Three words that made Iris feel that she was always going to be Rosie

Three words that crushed her world....

Three words...

"Sleep with Edwin."

"Do you have any idea what you are saying?" Iris barely managed to speak.

"Why? Is this much a difficult task to you?" Stella spat angrily.

"Have you forgotten what you are here for?" her words were harsh and effected at the right place.

"Stella" Iris whispered to stop her evil words for hurting her so much.

"Why Ben has distracted you from the very task of being here?" she said more venomously.

"Or you think he is more hot in bed than Edwin?....." she shouted.

"Or" she paused taking a deep breath finding it difficult to speak but the coldness in her eyes, the fury that was depicted in her closed fist, Iris knew some thing even heart wrecking was yet to follow

"Or...?' Iris propagated her to speak knowing the words to follow would break her soul.

"Or you are back to your same profession of a prostitute. You can have as many men at a time?" she spat falling into the floor bursting into tears.

The words she spoke broke every inch and ell of her. Stella was not the kind to speak such rude or heartbreaking or insulting things to people.

She'd always been very humble with her words. But today she'd crossed her own limits.

It was clear that she was not able to gather herself. She was losing her patience with the disease.

Iris saw her slouching on the floor, crying bitterly.

And then she saw her innerself.

Iris was hurting more than her.

Each and every word of hers was piercing needles in her body.

Iris tried to close her ears with both my hands but the words still spun around in my vertebrae.

Rosie... slut ... prostitute... bed... wish.

It felt like her head would burst like a grenade and shatter into million pieces.

Iris stormed into the guest room allotted to her leaving sick Stella sobbing on the floor.

She was too numb to think what to do, help Stella or her own self.....

Iris stripped her clothes and entered the bathroom standing under the chilled shower letting it wash all the effects of Stella's words away.

Iris sat on the floor hugging herself thinking about what Stella wanted, her spending a night/ sleeping with Edwin.

The thought itself trembled her, passed jolts of shiver throughout her body.

'I love him, I love him more than anything else' she mumbled to herself still wet of the shower lying on the bathroom floor 'and that love was the only reason I kicked that life of a prostitute and hunted for a job before all the weird things like kidnapping, then Hollywood followed by stardom, not to forget the infamous Aaron happened to me.'

She sobbed bitterly but shared her own feelings.

How she missed a mother or a best friend

'I still loved Edwin and that was the reason I was still here and hurting myself to see love of my life madly in love with his wife.'

Iris had noticed hurt in Edwin's eyes each day as his wife was nearing to the apex of the killer disease but Iris could do nothing to help him and now how could she tell him "Edwin can I sleep with you?"

Would it ever make sense?

Wouldn't I be any less than a slut?

Sleeping with a person who does not love you back for he is deeply in love with his wife.

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

Iris heard the commotion at the dining room but was in no state to walk down for a casual talk.

She stayed there thinking about what Stella had asked for till she force closed her eyes to a newer and a bitter tomorrow..

"May I come in?" Iris heard a voice form the door of the room.

She wanted to shout 'No I wanted to be left alone' but the chilling showers had numbed her.

She was freezing enough to answer back.

"Oh! Shit" Stella gasped as she bent towards her wrapping the white furry towel she picked from the towel stand above in the bathroom.

"You are freezing to death!" she exclaimed wrapping another towel around and lifted her to the room.

Iris was still frozen stunned as she watched her opening the wardrobe picking up a house coat and wrapped it around her.

"I am so sorry... I am sorry" she pleaded crying those words out of her mouth.

For the first time Iris looked at her face.

The stern, furious Stella had now disappeared bringing back the caring and soft Stella back. Her blues were dilated and had back circles around them.

If her words stung Iris's heart, she was equally miserable too.

"Stella" Iris muttered, her lips still quivering of the cold.

"SSssshhh..." she hugged her living her cold on the bed, she walked out of the room to return back soon with a cup of hot slurring coffee.

She handed it to her.

But when she found her hands shivering, she pulled the cup back feeding her personally.

Sip by sip she made her drink the hot liquid which tasted salty as her tears mixed with every sip.

Iris still loved it for the person feeding her had love all over her face. She too was crying.

After Iris downed half the coffee, she felt better.

She took the cup from her hands keeping it aside and wiped the tears off her face.

"Too much stress is not good for your health." Iris said wiping her tears that wouldn't stop.

"I know I was rude" she sobbed "But I really did not know how to sum it all up."

Iris looked at her still confused as she wiped her tears, sobering up all of a sudden and looked at her with determination.

You could say she herself was finding it difficult to speak.

"Don't take me wrong. Being a woman myself, I know what I told and accused you of was wrong. But I couldn't help It." she said still holding back her tears as she helped Iris's back on the back rest to help her sit.

"I understand" Iris rubbed her hands with. "I do understand, this disease, treatments with the worst chemo therapy was yet to come because so far Edwin was looking for a different alternative that was less painful."

"No. You don't. I wish I could explain it to you." Stella wiped fresh round of tears from her face "Edwin is with me all the time or in the office or at doctors but Never with you. If this is the case how will you two bond?" She said.

"We are bonded. We still love each other." Iris tried to comfort her.

"No he only loves you as a friend." She said looking into her darks.

Those words hurt Iris but they were a painful reality.

"And I thought" Stella continued choking on her words "If you guys spent a night together, may be you'll get a step closer to each other."

She paused looking at her expectantly.

"It is not true, you are assuming." Iris sighed at what she was thinking.

"Trust me Iris" Stella said trying to convince her "The day we consummated I really felt, no we' felt extremely close to each other. You'll feel the same."

Tears sprang from Iris's eyes as she answered half heartedly "Things were different with you. You were" Iris choked but made the word clear "virgin..."

I was a certified prostitute, a non virgin. You made love and we'd still be having $e... no Edwin wouldn't ever agree to it."

"Edwin loves you" Stella argued

"Edwin would never agree. I am a pros..." Iris said aloud trying to make it clear to Stella.

"Iris" Stella pulled her face that was frowning looking at her toes which she was wriggling nervously.

"No I had sorted this out with Edwin. He agreed." Stella brightened up a little and then biting her lip failing to hide the truth she admitted "I told him that I wanted a family and if you two united even if once, may be..." she let a tear pass down her cheek.

Iris was trying to soak in what she was trying to speak. Maybe it was better when she was numb. Things were getting confusing, complicated....

"I know I am asking too much." Stella held her hands bending on her knees "Will you umm... help me save my family?"....

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

'Final favour". Is she nuts? Does she really feel I'll let her die? Doesn't she know me that I love her so much that I'll fight the destinies to save her?

Edwin thought Stella was happy so she was getting so hot and horny.

Not that he didn't like that bit of her but the proceedings were eventful.

He was shattered, hurt and confused

How could she ask such a thing?

Stella had pleaded, begged. She said she would never get babies.

Though that part was a crude truth.

They wouldn't ever get babies.

I will never have mini Edwin's or pretty Stella's running around the house.

The disease had contaminated her uterus badly and is to be removed so there were negligible chances of her getting pregnant ever.

But that doesn't mean we could ask Iris for help.

Damn it!!!! She is been through so much in life. I cannot do his to her.And why? We can always adopt children.

"Sleeping with her God! Heck! No!" Ediwn had denied instantaneously"I pulled her out of that crap that she called was her profession and what would this sleeping with mean to her? Nothing less than that. I cannot do thi...."

But Stella, her tears, her pleading, her begging.

She cried bitterly "you are my Angel, only god that I have seen in real life." She looked into his eyes "I have read bible and heard about Christ but never ever saw him. Only god I could ever see is in you."

"You are silly Stella" Edwin choked "I so wished I was God, I'd never let you die"

he turned around to wipe his tears

"Edwin" Stella pulled him "I beg you please" she wa son her knees "fulfill at least one desire of mine; my final wish" she stated, "sleep with Ir....".

Edwin realized Stella had spoken to Iris to about this. Probably that was the reason that Iris was missing on the dinner table.

Since her arrival it was only today that she'd missed that time when three of them would sit together and chat.

Edwin was sure she was equally disturbed.

It was shocking that Stella came up with something like this.

"I know you well." He did not surrender "You think you won't survive from this f##king disease, so you thought of gifting me with a child so that child can bring me out of grief" he was yelling by now "of Your loss; if heaven's forbid and would help me move on... Would you move on if roles were switched?"

"Edwin yes I would" she said immediately and then turned around scared that her eyes might speak the truth "this is inevitable"

"Bless you Stella" Edwin was controlled by now "You love me so much that you can share me with some other girl!" he raised his hand in the air "do you remember the day you saw us together two years back at the mall, you were ruined with jealousy and" he shook his head "now you are thrusting both of us together...."

He tried to explain her, convince her, argue with her but she was not the one to listen. She stood firm crying all the while giving him all her petty excuses that he had to finally agree.

Edwin had decided what he wanted to do....

'''''''''''

Iris purposely stayed back in her room till Edwin left for office too scared or ashamed to face him.

Gosh! How would I face him when he was convinced enough and had accepted to sleep umm... with ...

Though Iris loved him to the core of her heart, it was natural, it was fate, that her heart couldn't call for but the fact that he agreed to what Stella had desired was simply getting into her nerves.

She wandered if her ears sure heard it right but her brain, her heart were still not ready to acknowledge that Edwin was ready to spend a night with someone when his love would be lying sick in another room under the same roof.

Once Iris heard the car leave the driveway she gathered the courage to move out of her room, to breathe some fresh air, or the events of last night would choke her to death.

After realizing that Stella had left for some of her social events, not even having the courtesy to inform her, Iris knew of only one person who'd or who had the power to keep her sane at the delicate moments of life.

Iris went back to her room, worked with some concealer and blusher to hide the dark circles around her eyes.

The pink gloss came to another rescue as she felt her lips pout, so a smile would not feel that artificial.

Iris knew this was Ben and she need not pretend but she did not want to share the whole Stella's wish with him.

I just can't....

'Hey!" Iris greeted Ben with one of her best Hollywood smiles, part of act.

"Hiya" he pulled her chin to face her, "Where is my Iris?"

"What?" Iris asked confused.

Can he really see through my façade?

"You look more like a Hollywood star." He said wiping the little gloss that might have spread a little above her lip with his finger.

Butterflies in her stomach and Stella's words last night stinging in her heart, she darted away from him.

The hurt look on his face made her feel guilty all of a sudden.

"You okay?" Ben asked. This time he maintained a distance.

"Perfect. With you" Iris said trying to be cheerful "Any thing you'd like to do today? Entertain your guest."

"Guest?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah! I live in Los Angeles now, I am a guest." Iris folded her hands.

"Well so won't be anymore." He smirked.

"Sorry. I did not get you." Iris asked. "May be I am getting dumb with all the Hollywood quotient of mine, my intellect has exhausted by now."

"Lets make you feel home" he said as he pulled her into his car.

He drove her to her old house that she shared with her dad and brother.

"Strange this house has all the bad memories but it still felt good." Iris commented "This house is an epitome of my journey from a little girl to a prostitute who entered into the profession for her family then the college followed by huge success to stardom.

Surprisingly this house instead of depressing me gave me strength and I felt alive again."

"You still have a long way to go." Ben was glad he brought her there

Iris remembered first time she entered the house, her brother coughed because he was not used to dusty environment, the first sip of coffee, Iris could still smell the aroma.

Soon it felt as if it was real and she was living the life again as the faint aroma of coffee became alive; soon it became stronger as if it really existed.

It actually did. Ben stood in front of her with a cup of coffee.

Iris wonder how he managed to get it from the ruins of the house.

The house was maintained.

Iris had bought it.

She couldn't depart with it and made it a point that it was maintained by the staff once in every few months.

May be they took care of the grocery too.

"Feeling better?" Ben asked concerned.

"Much better." Iris affirmed "how did you know I was upset?"

"Friends." He finished with a one-word answer that really felt nice.

Words... words have all the impact to make you or break you!

"This is for you." He removed something from his pocket.

"For me?" Iris was more stunned than anything.

Before Iris could say anything she felt two fingers tickling around her neck.

"This is a small thank you for yesterday." He said blushing slyly.

"Yesterday!" Iris whispered as she trailed her hands feeling the cold crystal pendant on the silver chain that he put on her neck.

"Yeah! I am really feeling confident." He said his entire face lighting up like a shining pole star.

"So you are proposing her?" Iris actually squealed as she asked/ stated the obvious.

He blushed "I am. I think I should give it a try."

Iris jumped to him hugging him tight. "I am so happy for you." she stated honestly "All my worries, all the stress seem to disappear with the fact that you would be happy."

"You think she'll say yes?" Ben scratched the back of his neck

"Which girl would say no to a guy like Ben?" she pinched his nose "You are just perfect, too good to be true.. "

Ben smiled internally about it.

"I am so happy for you Ben" Iris said honestly.

"Yeah I can see it in your eyes." He said. "You were so upset when I saw you."

Iris tired to hide the disappointment that she was surged into with the events coming alive in her thoughts.

'So when am I meeting YOUR Miss. Mysterious?" Iris asked trying to be cheerful.

"Soon" he said, his face getting serious again "I want to share this with you. I was always thought that I shouldn't date her, keep away from her and keep my love to myself."

"But why?" she asked surprised.

"My profession. I have to deal with all the evils, fight them, kill people, endanger myself. I can do it in a go. Sometimes I am not even sure if I'd be able to return back home alive." he paused.

Iris was listening attentively. Her respect for him increasing ten fold.

"I always feared that if in an encounter, I get hurt or shot or die, I am at too much risk" he shrugged "I couldn't leave her alone. It was better that I kept her away from me. She'd be much happier that way."

Iris was just soaking in what he said, her eyes glassy "Love... you love her so much." Iris smiled.

It was exactly the love she had for Edwin.

Iris too stayed away from him so that he was happy.

"But Ben isn't it unfair to keep a girl deprived of her true love?" Iris said only to bulge a bit more of confidence in him.

"I don't know. Really.. Even I have no idea how much I love her. I did realize how I started falling for her and now... all I think about is her.." Ben stated feeling proud of his love.

"Oh she is so damn lucky" Iris cooed.

"What made you change your mind?" Iris asked being curious and both delighted that finally he was taking that step.

"You." He said.

"Me?" Iris asked. She didn't know why it scared her but she still dared to ask.

"I will let you know" he said finishing the last sip of coffee.

Iris helped to wash the cups before getting to him.

"The threat to you. It just changed my perceptive." He said.

Iris was lost wondering.

What does my threat have anything to do with it?

When Iris was about to open my mouth to ask another word, her phone buzzed displaying Edwin's name on the screen.

Wandering into the dilemma of thoughts whether to pick it or not, her avoiding him since last night didn't seem to work well and before she could make a decision, her fingers moved in their own accord hitting the green button.

Her heart, her throat all were tongue tied to utter a word. All she could hear was "Iris I want you in my office right now. Can you?"

"Yes" was all that erupted from her mouth.

Ben read the grim on her face and asked "Time to leave?"

Iris nodded.

"I guess we were getting close." Iris smiled "You can read my face too well."

It was after 5 that they reached Edwin's office, only after having a takeaway lunch from a driveway restaurant.

They didn't have the liberty to sit at a diner. She couldn't be late.

Though Iris was starving since morning but the urgency in Edwin's voice had taken over.

After a 10 minute wait outside the huge office of Edwin which felt like hours, Iris was ushered inside respectfully by his receptionist who was drooling over her like an alien from outside world, so was the case with other members of the crew.

Few of them did ask for an autograph which Iris gave humbly and gratefully which was now automated in her system, as guided by my PR manager- a must have for a celebrity.

Iris took in a huge breath which she was sure she'd have to hold for a long time as she looked at Edwin who gave an outstretched smile for the first time since the day he got to learn that Stella's been suffering from killer cancer.

It was after the door was shut with a click that Iris realized she was alone with him.

The grin plastered on his face made him look younger all of a sudden.

Does that mean that he has readily granted Stella's last wish?.......