Two: Remedy.

"O—oh," I stammered, feeling embarrassed and really surprised to see him. How in the world did he get there? Was I so intense in my mimicry that I didn't even hear the sound of the door?

"What's going on here?" He jerked me out of my thoughts, a weird impulse prickling through me. 

I swallowed, lowered my head, felt so scared of his sight. "I didn't know you've arrived. Welcome back home."

"Were you mimicking me?" His voice grew thicker and harsher. 

"Mimicking?" I shook my head in castigation, lifting my neck to stare back at him. "No no. I was—I was only…" I lied. 

He sniggered, removed his hands from his pocket, linking his arms on his chest. "It seems like the punishment you've suffered, isn't enough. You need more."

"I'm…" I sighed, feeling more nervous. "Sorry for it. I wouldn't have done that if I knew you were here."

"Sorry for yourself." He walked past me, his guards following behind. 

I tightened my fingers into a fist, exhaled hard, and turned to follow him to wherever he was heading to. 

"Babe!" Lauretta hurried to me, worry plastering all through her face. "What are you gonna do now? He didn't yell at you. That automatically means that he'll do something later. Oh gosh!"

"Let's keep calm." I took a glance at Sebastian who was walking up the stairs, trying so much to conceal my fear. "He'll do nothing. He doesn't seem like he's in the mood for any shit. Maybe I should just leave him for now."

"Ok." She nodded, and moved backwards, "I'll go to my room now," she shrugged too, "I don't want him to vent his frustration on me."

"Ok. See you later."

After watching her leave, I ate a deep breath, and took a turn to the living room. "You can do this Adrienne. He's not gonna hurt you," I mumbled to myself, making my way to our room. Goodness knew what he was going to do, or say. 

***

Evening had come already, but I hardly saw Sebastian all day. After he had gone to our room, I decided to go with him, but he disappeared to somewhere I had no idea of. He probably didn't even go to our room. 

"Lambaroo!" A gasp escaped my throat as Lauretta barked that out from nowhere. 

Angered, I poked her arm, shooting her a glare. "What's with you, dried-skull? You startled me."

"Guess who's not sorry." She pulled her lips into a pout, almost smiling. "This babe."

I shook my head, walked past her, heading to the balcony in one of the wide hallways. As expected, she followed behind me, her tiny feet hitting against the hard marble floor like they were the size of a giant's. I could hear her hum an unknown song, obviously trying to test my nerves, but I decided to ignore her tease. She fully knew I was too tense to joke around. 

"So what's up with Seb?" She hopped in front of me, walking backwards. 

I sighed. "Still numb. He's not anywhere."

"And you didn't see him leave?" She made squeaky sounds as she sucked her teeth with her tongue. "It's possible, you know?"

I rounded my eyes. Couldn't she stop asking something she already knew? "Obviously not, woman."

"Hey. What's with this attitude?" She wiggled an eyebrow at me, squeezing her nose as if she was irritated. Of course she was irritated. 

More tensed, I halted, blinked with wide eyes, and took another quick sigh. "Sorry, B. I'm damn stressed."

"You're ever stressed," she prompted, let out a scoff, a smile beaming by the corner of her lips, more like a smirk. She took a step closer, and propped her face close to my ear. "The only escape route is for you to leave that moron." Her voice was husky, even in its whisper form. 

"Real moron." I slapped her stomach, propelling her away from me. My glare was deeper this time around. "You know that guy's my husband, right? Why can't you stop these insults?"

"Fine fine," she swayed her fingers in the air, rolling her eyes. "Mrs. Wife. Keep moving. I got ya."

After grimming a huff, I stepped into the balcony, immediately settling my butt on one of the furnished wooden seats in there. The place was stuck with a thick breeze, but not too cold. Settling my feet on the furry rug that held a small stool, I linked my fingers to each other, staring at my lap like the disappointed person I was. 

"Lambito." Lauretta scooted to the space beside me. I almost chuckled at the name she just called me, but I was kind of too depressed for that. It was a habit she possessed. She just called different names whenever she felt like. "Don't be down sweetie." I felt her hands patting my back, softly. "You can't continue like this. At least, cheer up for me, if you're not considering yourself in all this."

Heaving a deep sigh, I raised my neck to turn to her. "I was happy that he'd be around. Things could probably have been better if he didn't have to see me insult him."

"You call that insult?" She wrinkled her eyebrows, almost seeming surprised. "Babe, this is punishment. How can he be too serious? That was a mere joke, hun. Can't you see your predicament?"

"Whatever," I murmured, relaxed my elbow on my knee, cupping my jaw with my palm as I pouted. "He doesn't see it that way. So what's the point? I might just have to apologize soon. But hell, I'm not even seeing him anywhere."

"Yeah," she affirmed, chuckled for some reason. "This house's just too enormous. It's not like it's ya fault. The lion will be out of his den soon."

"Finally!" The cry of that masculine voice made me flinch. Turning to see who startled me, I almost prayed it was Sebastian. But how in the world was that even going to be possible? 

"Oh. Pablo." There was a bit of disappointment in my voice. "You need something?"

"Sorry for the interruption." He lowered his head to express his apology. 

I sat up straight, smiled at his calmness, and waited for him to speak. "If it's dinner you're calling me for, I won't appreciate that. I've told you to not cook for me again," I scolded. 

His small lips coated a smile, glinting his sharp jawline and those adorable blue eyes. "Not that," he declared. "It's Mr. Martinez. He asked me to call you. He's with a guest downstairs."

"Sebastian?" I leaped from my seat, nervousness moving within me as if it was God that summoned me. "Oh thanks. I'll be with him soon. I didn't know he was around. Oh goodness. Has he been waiting for long? He's got a guest too? Shit hell."

He almost corked a brow at me, but I guessed he just widened his smile to cover up for that. "No, ma'am. It's only been a while ago. Just for a few minutes."

"Thanks. I'll be there." I dismissed him, and turned to Lauretta who was already pursing her lips. 

"You know he's not God, right?" She said what I was thinking. Damn, how did she read my mind?

Hyperventilating, I replied, "Whatever," not waiting for her to say anything else, and just half running and half walking into the hallway. 

Shortly, I got to the stairs, staggering down the steps like a cheetah who was chasing its prey. And as soon as I reached the living room, my eyes first caught Sebastian. He was nursing from a coffee mug as he sat on the L-shaped couch that was opposite a three seaters divan. In between the couches, a small center glass table was there. The table always held a small flower vase, but this time around, there was something different on it. It was a bag. A lady's bag. 

Alarmed, I traced my eyes to the couch opposite his, my mind signaling to me that my mother-in-law was around. She was the guest Pablo was talking about. 

"Oh, mom!" I was exhilarated to see her. Anytime she was here, Sebastian always acted human. According to him, his mom could never find out that he treated me like shit. 

"Adi." She took me in her arms, choking me in a tight hug. "How have you been?"

I pulled away from her grip, stroked her cheek, smiling ear to ear like I won a lottery. "I'm good. You?"

"Same sweetie." Her smile grew wider. 

For a moment, we were quiet, and that made me so uncomfortable. She had to speak so Sebastian would appear at my back and snake his arms around my waist, pretending to act like a loving husband he wasn't. 

"Did you come for a reason?" I decided to break the silence first. Also, I regretted that I asked her that. It would seem like I didn't want her around.

She widened her eyes like a hammer hit her head, gleaming to her that the nail had to go into the wood. "Oh yes, sweetie!" She snapped her fingers in the air, bending to take something from her bag. 

I took a glance at Sebastian who was already sauntering to us, and cut my eyes from him immediately. For some reason, I was so scared to look into my husband's eyes. Foolishness, right?

"I just got back from China two days ago," she started, swiping her fingers through her phone screen, as she glued her eyes to it.

I swallowed, scared at the thought of what she could say. "Ch— China?" I didn't even know when I stuttered. "You didn't tell us you travelled."

"Sorry dear." She winked at me. "I had to be secretive. For some reason."

"Hmm." Sebastian finally wrapped an arm around my shoulder. Good. I loved his touch. His scent. His voice. His closeness. Everything. "And what is that secret? I guess it can't be a secret anymore."

"Yeah." She giggled, and stepped closer. 

"So… what's the secret?" I got impatient, nervous that she could say what I didn't want her to, happy that my husband was touching me. My emotions were so unstable. 

"Sweethearts." Her cognac colored eyes, perfectly outlined in black color, shone brighter. The happiness I saw in her face was rare. Rare in the sense that it was almost unreal. She reached for the strands of her grey hair which fell on her forehead, and tucked them behind her ear. She was smiling, but I was nervous. 

"Common mom. What's with this joy in your eyes?" Sebastian noticed her too. 

"Your eight months problem will be solved now." That vague information she mentioned, made my heart drop to my stomach. 

I hoped it wasn't what I was thinking. Sebastian would rip me alive if it was so. 

"Ma?" A whimper almost escaped my throat. I was fearful. 

"My babies!" I saw tears in her eyes. They seemed like joyful tears. "I got a remedy. I did it! Our Adi will get pregnant now! This stagnance will end!"

She said it. She did. This woman was going to make my husband hate me more. 

For the first time, I wished she didn't have to come.