Chapter 5

There was no answer from Mia and Zoe knew there wasn’t going to be any anytime soon.  She turned her head back to the stage to witness Aaron pull his brother from the stage and have the security guards take him to a secret room.

Aaron cleared his throat, smiling at the audience with an attempt to manage the situation.

“Today is a very special day for Avery and the whole family, so he might just be a little bit on edge.” He began. “Let’s allow him to calm down and he’ll be back on stage in no time. Thank you.”

And that was it. That was all he had to say to have the crowd relaxed and murmuring among themselves.

Zoe shook her head. He might have been able to get through the guests but she wasn’t buying the rubbish. Especially because Mia and Felicity stood to go into the room where Avery had been taken to. Zoe followed them, wanting to find out just what the hell was wrong with the husband she just signed a document with few hours ago.

At the entrance of the door, the guards gave her room to go in without her saying a word to them. Inside the room, she found Felicity fussing over Avery who sat on a chair while his other siblings paced the room.

“This is bad, mother.” Aaron said to Felicity. “He has to snap out of it as soon as possible unless we are in deep shit.”

“Calm the hell down, Aaron.” Felicity replied. “Your murmuring is what will get him to remain this way.”

Zoe kept watching them argue over what to do with Avery, filled with confusion. The man being fussed over still sat on the chair, his face covered on his mother’s bosom, but he shrugged off her hold and stood while Aaron hurried over to the door to block his path, completely ignoring Zoe.

“Allow me to go finish my joke.” Avery said to his family. “The guests were enjoying it.”

“Of course, they were enjoying it.” This time, Mia spoke for the first time. “You could see the look of enthusiasm on their faces.”

Avery turned to her, laughing his heart out while he pointed. “You see.” He said, looking at his mother and brother. “The little girl gets it.”

Mia rolled her eyes at him.

“Fix him, Mia. You know how to.” Aaron said to her.

“What the hell is happening?” Zoe asked, after finding her voice again. This time around, Avery was becoming quite restless having being confined by his family and he turned his head to look at her, acknowledging her presence for the first time.

“And who are you?” he asked, a cocky look on his face.

“Apparently, she’s your wife.” Mia replied, trying to get a hold on him but he shrugged her off, walking to Zoe with a smirk on his face.

The man was indeed very handsome, Zoe thought. But she didn’t fail to notice the different look in his eyes. They were very friendly and flirty, not like the one she was used to.

“So, you are my wife.” He said, raising his hand to touch her cheek. “Avery sure has a good taste in women, doesn’t he?” He asked his brother. “I am jealous.”

Zoe turned to look at Aaron expecting a little bit of explanation from him, but none came forth.

“How did the both of you meet?” He asked, walking round her as he gauged her appearance. “He has a knack for meeting people abruptly. Was it in the plane? Or in a meeting? Because the guy sure is a workaholic.” Then he laughed out loud, making Zoe jerk with surprise.

“Simon.” Mia called to him and Zoe had never been more shocked.

“Simon?” Zoe asked, looking from one family member to another. “What the hell is going on?”

Mia shrugged her shoulders at her. “He is your husband.” She said. “Surely, this should have happened once in a while.”

Zoe shook her head in response. “No, it surely hasn’t.”

Avery on the other hand kept going around her, before stopping to grab her face in his hands like he meant to kiss her.

“You sure are very pretty. I wonder what those lips taste like.”

“Okay, that’s enough.” Mia said, walking closer to grab his arm. His brother was able to sedate him with a needle that Zoe wondered where it came from. Avery fell into Aaron’s arms.

“You will have to see to the end of the party, Aaron.” Felicity mumbled, looking distressed. “We need to take him home.”

                                                                   ******************

The ride back home was a very weird one for Zoe. She sat in the same car with Felicity and Mia who didn’t fail to make side glances at her.

“How long did you say you and Avery have been together for?” Felicity asked and Zoe closed her eyes. This was the drilling she wasn’t sure she was ready for. She just wanted to get home and take a nap. And possibly deal with whatever it was that had happened tonight.

None of them had talked about it with her. Avery had been taken home while they had to sit through the remaining party, Aaron trying his best to damage-control the situation.

The audience had taken it quite well and they weren’t that bothered with not having Avery at the party. That was how good Aaron had been.

“Are we supposed to be talking about that?” Zoe asked, turning her head from the window to give each of them a look. “Aren’t you supposed to explain to me why my husband had acted strange?”

“He was under a lot of stress.” Felicity replied without giving it much thoughts and Zoe didn’t fail to catch the look Mia threw her mother’s way.

“Stress?” Zoe asked.

“Yes, my dear, stress. He went on a trip and returned with a wife. The event must have been quite a lot on him.”

Zoe nodded, deciding  to let the conversation go. If they weren’t going to tell her what was wrong with him, she would have to find out herself.

The limousine stopped in front of a very large mansion and someone opened the door for her. She looked at her mother-in-law and sister in-law.

“This is your stop, child.” Felicity said. “Avery is inside.”

Zoe closed her eyes, feeling quite stupid. Of course, they didn’t live in a hotel. What the hell was she thinking?

She nodded her head and stepped out of the car.

“And Zoe.” Felicity called to her. When she bent her head to engage her, she smiled. “We are going to be having a conversation darling, look forward to it.”

She didn’t respond to that, but allowed the servants lead her into the house. Too tired to take notice of the beautiful interior of the house, they got to a door and the servants turned and walked out.

Sure. This was her stop, Zoe thought.

Inside the empty room, Zoe took off her shoes before getting interrupted by the door that slide open.

There he was, her husband dressed in cotton pajamas, his hair wet from having been in the shower. Expecting him to make those ridiculous advances he had made at her in the party, she stood and waited.

“What are you doing?” He asked in his usual sultry voice, the one she was used to. “Take off your clothes, party is over.”

Yes, he was back.

This was the Avery she married.