WIFE INSTINCT

Wounds above Wounds

Emma looked at her face in the small mirror she always carried. He smiles. Devan looked at him with a meaningful look.

"You are beautiful" said Devan. Emma turned.

"Really?" asked Emma while frowning.

"Yes, you are beautiful" Devan replied. He did not stop looking at Emma.

"Thank you, Devan. So, what am I supposed to do now?" Emma looks confused. Devan laughed at Emma's question.

"Of course you should go home first. Your children must be waiting for you" Devan replied. Emma nodded slowly.

"All right, I'm going home. Devan, thank you, yes" said Emma.

"Thank you for what?" ask Devan.

"For everything. I feel calmer now" replied Emma.

"I'm glad to hear that, Emma. Take care. You have to stay strong, stay healthy and you have to be happy too" Devan said.

"Ready, boss Devan." Emma said with a laugh and opened the car door. Devan drives Emma to where Emma parked her motorcycle.

"See you at the office tomorrow. Be careful.don't speed," Devan told Emma. Emma nodded with a smile.

"Don't forget to wear the helmet" Devan continued. Emma turned her head and looked at Devan for a while. Devan suddenly became misbehaved.

"I'll do everything you say, my best friend," Emma said, leaving Devan on her motorcycle. Devan took a deep breath and exhaled slowly and then turned to his car.

"Your bastard, Richard! If only I hadn't thought about Emma and your children as well as my position and status I'd have made a calculation with you. You don't deserve to be called a husband, you don't deserve to be called a father. What's on your mind that you always and always hurt your wife who loves and respects you so much. You're very lucky to have Emma. You should be grateful. This time you survived but next time I won't let you hurt Emma again, won't." Devan said alone with an angry tone. He expressed his emotions which he had been holding back since. The shadow of Emma's face filled her mind. Half-dead she endures her feelings for Emma because she has great respect for Emma and Richard's marriage but seeing everything happen Devan seems to care no more. He was already upset and disappointed with Richard's actions. For a moment he was silent. He ruffled his hair rough.

"If only, ahhh," Devan murmured and drove his car out of the city park.

It's already night time. Richard paced back and forth unsettled in front of the house while holding his cell phone. His face looks worried. Several times his children called him and asked for their mother. Once again he tried to call Emma but Emma's phone is no longer active.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry," murmured Richard continuously. His feelings are not calm. Mind fucked. Suddenly I heard the sound of a motorcycle. Richard turned his face to look at the street. Emma's home. Richard exhaled a sigh of relief. Emma parked her motorcycle. Richard stood at the door.

"Good night too, ma'am," Richard replied and gave way to Emma who went straight in without seeing her. Richard decided to shut up and sit on the porch. The sound of children crying happily when they saw the arrival of their mother. Richard rubbed his face with both palms. His heart is pounding. That night was no different. Emma did her job as usual. Even after preparing dinner, she went out and called her husband on the porch for dinner together. Richard was wrong. It gets clumsy. Emma's calm attitude made Richard even more anxious.

*****

The night is getting late. The kids are asleep. Richard was still on the terrace. He did not dare to go into the room.

'What should I tell him? I've been so guilty. He will definitely not forgive me. He must be very disappointed in me.' Richard said in his heart. The atmosphere of the house is empty. Richard stood up and stepped slowly inside. He locked the door carefully. His heart pounded even faster as his feet stepped towards the room.

'I must be prepared to take risks for my actions. I was wrong, ' he opened the door slowly. Emma is seen sitting at her desk. In front of him was a cup of tea and a laptop. His fingers were busy playing the keyboard in front of him. Sometimes he seemed to think and then re-typed again. She seemed unaware of her husband's presence. Richard took a deep breath and exhaled slowly and walked over to Emma.

"Well," he said, extending his hand. He dared to touch Emma's shoulder. Immediately, Emma stopped her work.

"I'm sorry, I admit I was wrong, mah. I'm so guilty" Richard continued. Both of her hands are holding Emma's shoulders from behind. Emma took her glasses off and put them on the table. He took a deep breath and exhaled it violently.

"I don't need your apology. Don't apologize to me but apologize to your promises you made to never do that insulting thing again" Emma replied in a stern tone.

"I'm ready to take the risk of my actions. I am guilty" Richard said.

"You're ready to take the risk because that's what you want, that's what you've been waiting for all along. You wanted to leave me but you didn't want to tell me. You deliberately repeat your actions in the hope that I leave you as if I was wrong because I made the decision. Isn't that right? I know what you're planning." Emma said in a soft tone. Richard shakes.

"No, mah. Not at all. I have no such intention. I didn't plan any of this. I swear it, Mah. I'm sorry." Richard said and then looked down.

"Then why did you do this to me? What's all this for? Why would you hurt me again and again? Lookatme. Don't you have any pity for me? Why can't you stop hurting my feelings? Why?" Emma said as she stood up and turned to face Richard. His face was red, his hands were trembling. He endured anger and heartache.

"I was wrong, ma'am. I'm mistaken. Ii'm sorry. I'm not a good husband. I really admit I was wrong" Richard said, trying to hold Emma's hand but Emma refused. Emma tries to control her emotions. Eyes glazed. He tried to hold back his tears. She would not cry in front of her husband.

"You're really killing me subtly. I want you to tell me right now, what's my fault? What's my cage so you hurt me again? Tell me why do I always have to get this disappointed and hurt? Does this make you happy? If yes, just tell me let me know." Emma said as she looked closely at Richard's eyes. Richard was silent.

"Well, I'm khilaf. I am truly guilty of you. You are free to do anything to me, I resigned because I was wrong" Richard replied. Emma covered her face with both palms. Tears flow. A moment later, he moved quickly to pick up the key on his desk and ran out of the room. Richard who saw it immediately chased after Emma. He tries to take the keys back and hold Emma back from leaving.

"Take me off. Do you know who you are and who I am now? All these years I've been trying to be patient with your attitude and see what I get? I am a stupid woman. I'm a fool for trusting you too much, for all your sweet promises. It's my fault to love you too much and hope you're the same, but I'm stupid. I take great pains to keep my loyalty to a man who has no respect for me at all and only regards me as a display. I'm not considered. Who me? I'm a nobody. My status as a wife is just a symbol. I've lost my backrest." Emma said in a voice that was getting quieter. He fell limp on the floor. The tears are flowing. Richard lowered his head and extended his hand."

"Don't offer me anything more including hope. You don't have to try to calm me down. I don't need your mercy" Emma said. His tears are flowing more and more.