Chapter 48

You, Me and She

Stella entered the room but Edwin was so furious that he did not look into her direction.

Instead he pretended to be asleep giving her back to her.

"Edwin look here I know you are awake." Stella called but he ignored.

"Edwin it's better to look now before you regret." She said loud with a firm stance in her voice.

She was behaving so crazy these days that he couldn't help but turn around and see.

She'd collected all her tablets from all the packets and bottles in a crystal glass and poured a sip or two of wine in it.

Fearing that she'd drink it, Edwin sat straight lunging towards the glass but what she did was shocked him to the core.

She took the cigarette lighter, probably Iris's and lit the glass.

The flames of the fire matching her orange and yellow dress and she stood still watching her tablets burn with her wide blues making them glisten with the fames, not bothered about the burns of her palms.

Quickly he poured water into the glass just in time, not to activate the fire alarm of the house.

"What the hell!" Edwin shouted.

"You decide." She said calmly "How'd you like me to die or live 'Slow and steady which would be painful or 'Happy and content with a child?"

"Stella..." Edwin pulled his hair in frustration.

"Iris is waiting in the room. If ever you truly love me you'd go to her room. Or.." she spat her eyes red with mixture of fury and tears

"The tablets can be easily replaced by me." She said breaking his heart.

How can she go that far?

Edwin hugged her tight "Stella... please baby... please don't do this to me. I love you."

"Exactly Edwin. One day. One fine day you'll realize I love you too and I am doing this only because I love you and..." she ate the rest of the words in her mouth.

"I know that baby but please..." he begged, trying to convince her.

"Edwin this one last time" and she started pouring that bottle of wine on herself.

"Stop... stop.. I am going ... I am going.." Edwin moved out of the room, backwards, his eyes never leaving hers which though had that winning smirk but were broken inside.

Edwin went back to the room and saw her crying bitterly.

She was in equal pain.

She couldn't tolerate what was happening under the same roof between him and another woman.

She gave me a quizzical look wiping her tears and appearing cold.

"I am here to say this is the first and last time I am doing it. You got it." it was a warning by Edwin.

She nodded "only time when I force you into this, just once force sleep."

'Why ... why.. If it is hurting her so much.. Why is she insisting so much?' Edwin couldn't decipher the answer

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

He reached Iris's room who herself was a broken, wrecked turmoil.

Dressed in a very showy night dress, her attire did not match her mood.

All he could do was hug her and comfort her

Scared, hurt and trembled she was shivering.

One touch of his made her whole world kin!

Iris was mesmerized by the way his hands cupped her face, his touch that made her shiver moments ago was indifferent now.

He pulled her into his hug and took her on the bed rocking me gently.

'Ssssh.. sshhhh..." I heard him lull

"I am here... I understand ... trust me..." he kept on repeating trying to cuddle her like a little baby in her mother's arms when she is unwell.

Iris did not realize how and when she fell into deep slumber. But Edwin he kept on turning and shifting till stress consumed him completely

Iris woke up after a short while to see Edwin sleeping on the floor, his one hand under his head serving as a pillow had lines of pressed skin small multiple lines of his hair that were pressed on his wrists which were a bit pink too, his one feet over the another, lines of frown on his forehead showing how much stressed he himself was in such a situation.

His pain suddenly touched Iris's heart, being in grief himself all he did was offer words of comfort to her.

Iris offered him a pillow and asked him to sleep on the bed He woke up, his arms searching for something besides him, probably Stella once failing to get whatever he was looking for , he opened his eyes in a sudden jerk absorbing what, why and where of his current state.

It was like history repeating itself, this time in a completely different way.

Confusion was soon replaced by understanding as he sat besides her. "I am sorry. I hope you understand."

Iris simply sat staring at his wrinkled face that was full of stress making him look 10 years older than his actual age.

"Stella..... I couldn't deny her.. I am sorry." He said.

Iris opened her mouth to speak but I simply couldn't

"Iris listen to me." His voice barely a whisper "I'll leave in the morning. We pretend that we slept. You understand... I know its wrong but I simply cannot do that. You two are very important girls in my life. I cannot hurt either of you at the cost of other." He hugged her tight.

He looked both vulnerable and helpless.

Iris hugged him back.

Anything; if there was anything that she could do to help him, even die instead of Stella she'd do in a blink.

But Iris was equally helpless.

I had come here to help him and now only because of me, he is so hurt.

Had I rejected Stella earlier when she came to Los Angeles, would things have been better?

Iris left the answer to the question on the destiny....

Edwin waited tried to read her thoughts "we can pretend that we slept in front of Stella" he repeated "and lets see how it goes.."

Iris simply stared at him, her eyes blotchy

"Then after you fail to conceive, Stella would finally end up that it was only a waste."

Iris hesitated, "Edwin, I don't know" her voice broken just like her heart

"I know you are very honest and lying is not in your books" he pressed her sweaty palms "but believe me it is good for all of us."

It took a lot of convincing though.

'''''''''

''''''

Easier said than done !!

Was exactly what Iris was facing when she had to face Stella the other day.

She was not doing well either.

The fact that her husband slept in another room with a girl and doing things that only she is entitled to do and that girl being her best friend was difficult for her to accept too.

She too was distracted for a day or two, keeping the conversations to the minimum.

Iris on the other hand would choke whenever she'd have to talk to her.

Iris preferred staying with Ben otherwise who'd handle me very nicely. He'd crack up random jokes; arrange to take her to places where her identity was safe.

If it wasn't for Ben I don't know how I would have survived.

They sat for hours together on the porch and she'd try to put up topic about his girlfriend all the while for that was the only good thing happening around.

Even Ben would enjoy talking about her. I would notice a shine in his eyes whenever he'd speak about her and would draw patterns on her knees when they sat together, he being completely oblivion about his actions that his fingers were doing.

They were actually calming her in a way that nothing else would.

He denied proposing to his girlfriend till he was on assigned duty of her guard because he wanted to give her full time of her, once she agrees.

Iris would feel guilty about it but he'd always say that she might deny it too so till then he wanted to have a friend with him.

Iris would always smile at his thoughtfulness and feel pride and blessed with his friendship.

He even shared how he'd like to propose his girlfriend which was beyond ecstasy.

"she is not very social" he talked about his girlfriend "so I would take her to a fun n fair and would ride her on a cartwheel and once they reach the top of the wheel," he was blushing as he share "I'd bend on knees and offer the velvet box to her. That way she'd be with loads of people and still alone in my company."

Iris found the idea die hard romantic "I long to see the ring that you have bought for her"

"No" he denied saying "that is exclusively for my girlfriend to be seen first."

Iris would pout first and then hug him back.

She loved his little bit efforts to make his girl happy. He surely is going to be one of the best boyfriends to the girl.

Edwin was good and casual with her, greeted her every morning and evening, asked her whereabouts and checked if she always escorted Ben wherever she went.

Stella would always watch them carefully. Something did nudge her in the pit of her stomach. Her expression said it all but Iris never pushed it.

They would sit together for a chit –chat but words seemed to be locked in their mouths.

Iris was not able to face her, couldn't even get an eye contact with her.

Her trancy blue; she felt would enter into my soul and dig out the truth

Iris felt like a scumbag lying to her.

Only thing that kept her sane was Edwin was around.

Also she had made a small commitment that once Stella becomes aware that she did not carry her baby, she'll leave the city and go back to my work place.

Iris strongly believed that it was the best option for three of them.

Stella's plan couldn't work.

More than that Iris expected and prayed that keladi tikus thing to work.

It had been more than a week that the doctor from Indonesia came over and they started with the drugs.

There was noticeable improvement in Stella.

She was a bit more active though the dark circles in her eyes still prevailed and her weight still lesser than she actually was after the disease was diagnosed but she didn't lose any after the start of the medicine.

The blue patches on her body were also slowly fading.

Iris hoped that the miracle drug was working.

Edwin like usual was very caring. He came home early, spent time with her and took her for a walk.

Dinner time or the breakfast times when they were seated together on the dining seemed to be a bit uncomfortable.

It was not the same as it was when Iris arrived.

There was hesitation on part of each and everybody in the house.

It wasn't that they argued, discussed or frowned at each other.

It was eerily silent yet disturbing and different.

All one could here was clacking of spoon on the glass utensils or sometimes it would be so silent that they could even hear each other's chewing.

The problem was each one of them were trying to pretend- pretend that everything was fine and normal....

Each one seemed to be in a hurry to finish that part and get out of that awkward situation.

Iris was looking at her ring finger, brushing the thin strands of hair that were grown over the period of her stay and needed to waxed soon.

Out lost in her world of thoughts Iris worked on them moving them side and fro wondering how it felt having a ring before consummating with anybody.

My life before forced me to sleep with number of guys that I don't even want to count or remember and now I almost slept with Edwin.

Iris's heart clenched at the thought

'What if he'd agreed to Stella's desires and slept with me.

How'd our relation been? Would I have still loved him like I do now?

Can love fade away with one defiant act of the former?'

"Iris.." Stella called starting a conversation making her jump a little.

Iris quickly put her hands under the lap trying to hide the thoughts that seemed to be so loud that Iris felt that she'd heard them.

"Yes" Iris tried to be cheerful.

She was glad that atleast she started the conversation. Maybe we'll come over it and be same friends again.

"You never told me how was Edwin?" she asked with a mischievous smirk in her eyes.

Iris shifted on her place not knowing how to answer but thought of playing the fool "he looked good in the morning. Why?"

"No.. I am talking about" she now went nervous as she was phrasing the words.

Iris's heart was now thrumming in the chest as she continued "umm.. that night when you two.. umm. You guys slept."

'What do I say? Hard core lies. Tell her it was good or .... Iris was debating in her head

She did not give her a chance and said "You know I love it when he finishes, even though he is on high he still manages to give a peck on my lips then pinching me on the arousals of my breasts. It makes me horny all over again. He says it's his habit since long... and he cannot defy of... how did you like it? Did he do it to you too?" she asked.

"Yes he did that." Iris replied flat trying to avoid eye contact with her.

"Really he did pinch you too there?" she asked excited looking at her B*s now.

"He did" Iris nodded in affirmation.

"Wow that must me amazing!" she exclaimed.

Iris was shocked to see a completely different Stella in front of her.

Had she overcome the part when she was upset that her husband slept with other woman?

Iris could understand that she was upset and she couldn't react to it adding to her prodigy that she herself forced them to do the same.

"Yes" Iris answered in minimum to finish with it.

"And who took the first move? Edwin can never. I know it. It must be you." She said clapping in excitement.

Confused at her behavior Iris replied with all the courage that she had to lie flat on her face "I did' her voice a hoarse whisper.

"And then he was all over you, kissing you, licking , fucking you.... Taking your body to heaven?" she burst out loudly and angrily.

"Stella...' Iris called scared of her sudden reaction, her lies pouring out from her eyes blurring my vision.

"Accept what I said. Agree that it happened" she growled looking directly into her eyes.

"Tell me you did It." Stella shouted even fiercely.

Iris couldn't stop the tears flowing; her hands couldn't block the hysteric sobs emitted by her throat.

'You didn't do it?" she asked now softly and calmly, her blues attacking the darks.

Iris tried.

She honestly tried to lie but couldn't.

All she did was hung her head low in guilt and let the tears flow.

"How could you? How could he?" she now cried hysterically "Both of you cheated with me.

"Stella.. we..." Iris tried to intercept.

"No. Don't lie Iris.. not again.. the way you two behave, so normal and Edwin... I know him well. He looks at you with swelling pride, no guilt. You haven't done it. Have you?" she asked again.

"Look into my eyes and answer Did you Sleep together? Did you have $ex? Did you F##k?" she shouted barging for answers.

She pulled her from shoulders, her head bent.

"Look into my eyes and tell the truth IRIS" she growled. "YOU did not."

Iris nodded giving the truth, tears failingly pouring, hands cupping her mouth and eyes watching each and every move of Stella.

She coiled on the carpet on the floor crying loudly now murmuring curses that Iris couldn't hear or her brain couldn't register.

Iris was too numb out of shame and guilt.

She was cheating all these days to someone she respected, someone who trusted her, someone who was fighting a disease.

Iris felt like a shit.

She was in a dilemma wondering to go and help Stella in her state of distress or stay away, let her alone to fight with the pain of being hurt and cheated by her dear ones.

Edwin entered with a click of the gate and looked between the two.

Worried he looked at Iris asking silently with his eyes.

Iris nodded in agreement.

Both of them now knew that their minion was now versatile.

He bent to reach bitterly crying Stella.

But she pushed him off.

All Iris wanted to do was run to her room pack the bags and fly off to her dad.

She was missing his warm embrace.

Iris was tired.

She had given enough of herself, to life but this lying was eating her inside.

Iris wiped off the tears.

With counted steps to her room, her legs feeling like a jello as if floating as she loathed into the room.

Iris quickly packed the essentials that her shivering hands could manage, not thinking of the consequences as her head was packed with the voices of Stella and Edwin from downstairs, the cries, arguments, threats and shrieks that was making each and every thought of her misty.

After filling the contents of the wardrobe in the red bag that she'd brought along, Iris gripped the silver metallic handle of the wardrobe tightly trying to balance herself, more to balance her next decision and self confirm before she gave up. 'Just offer your apologies and leave'. Yes..."

I nodded at her thoughts.

Trying to rehearse what she was supposed to speak, Iris tried to walk to them 'Edwin I am sorry I couldn't keep your secret'

And then Stella 'I am sorry, I was not worth your effort'.

Comfortable with the short speech prepared mentally Iris gulp in the huge bile in her throat pushing herself with last sentence premed in her head 'I am leaving. It's better that way.'

Iris was about to open her mouth when she heard Edwin shouting out loud "How can I make babies with her. F##king she was a prostitute."

The bag dropped from Iris's hands making a loud thud followed by few more thuds as it tumbled few more steps that she was climbing down.

"Prostitute.... She is a f##king prostitute...PROSTITUTE... PROSTITUTE " kept on ringing in her ears.

Could anything hurt more than the words coming from Edwin?

It was like her body being pierced from the heart like how earthquake starts from an epicenter effecting worst of the areas as it spreads till it dies down but the enormous damage is done.

Loss is permanent.

In Iris's case it started from her ears and the most effected area being her heart and the damage was done to her soul and it travelled all over her body.

Her feet reacted the most out of it.

She sprinted to the exit door fumbling with the lock with shivering hands.

It took three tries before it finally threw open, hitting her face with the cold breeze outside.

"Oh shit!" Edwin shouting behind "Iris ... Iris..." followed by feminine voice "Iris.. stop... Iris he didn't mean ...Iris.."

Iris ignored to the calls and shouts. Ben's voice followed "Iris ... stop.. wait.. Iris.."

Iris heard those calls but her head was spinning with only one word "PROSTITUTE" which echoed in her ears ever and again that she ran.

She did not know where.

Iris escaped being hit by couple of cars as they halted with a sudden screech wondering it was better if their brakes didn't work.

Stuck in the four way cross lane Iris was now trying to take the way away from her grief, from her past, from the love who'd hurt her the most when a big white vehicle like that of an ambulance parked in front of her.

Four hands gripped Iris pulling her inside.

Before Iris could register what was happening she saw two evil looking kinds of mutts smirking at her.

"Yes she is with us" the other one said on the phone "Mission successful. Iris kidnapped."