LucienA desire to check on his wife had him head towards her room. He knew the door to her bedroom would be unlocked; she wanted her children to walk in if they wished at any time in the night.Now he pushed the door open softly and stared in stupefaction.The bed was empty. It did not look as though it had been slept in.A sense of panic engulfed him. Disregarding the fact that he was in his shirtsleeves with bloodstains on his once crisp white shirt, he strode across to the anteroom,And stopped.***ProserpinaSleep had proved elusive once the effects of the sedative had worn off. I had finally gotten up and headed for a bath. Anything to get over the thoughts that were running through my mind. I wanted to stop thinking of Lucien.After having stood under the warm shower for a long while, I towelled myself and stepped out, wrapped in my fluffy white towel. The twins wanted me to prepare Indian pancakes for breakfast tomorrow, I thought as I applied the fragrant body lotion to my l
When he woke up the next day, the sunlight was streaming into his bedroom. The light drapes at the French doors had been left open when he went to bed last night and now he sat up slowly, blearily. Too much drink and a very late night had made him restless and he had finally fallen asleep at dawn.The excited sounds of his children floated up and he curiously limped across to the windows facing the lawn. He was bare-chested, wearing his boxers and he became aware that the chill of winter was beginning to set in. Striding to the balcony, he looked down onto the lawns below his rooms on the second floor, scratching his hirsute chest absently.His wife and children were on the grass, at what Proserpina possibly imagined was a secluded part of the garden. She had no idea that when he came out onto his terrace, he had a good view of his family. She was doing her morning yoga exercises and the kids were fooling around. They were all in yoga outfits but it was his wife’s flexibility that mad
LucienHe sat at his desk, nursing a drink brooding. It was late evening now but he had begun to drink almost immediately after breakfast to deaden the unfamiliar feeling of guilt that seemed to be raising its head within him.Breakfast had been unusual but Lucien admitted, delicious. The warm Indian pancakes were something that he had been eating for the first time. Ria, who sat at his elbow, kept instructing him on how to eat them, much to his amusement. Soft and fluffy, they seemed to practically melt in his mouth and he relished the taste of the light, exotic curry that accompanied it. He also noticed that his wife seemed to be eating more than she had been doing until then.He had also given up his habit of having a drink along with his food. His little daughter had put her foot down firmly when he had tried to have a tipple one afternoon at lunch. With a straight face, she had turned importantly to his man, Gustav, who had brought it in.“Take away,plee.’ she commanded, lisping
James Schwartz walked into the darkened room and glanced in mild astonishment at his friend, the Boss, who looked dead on his feet.The drapes had been drawn, and the lamps around Lucien’s large oak table were lit, making his face seem even more haggard and grave.As debonair as ever in his grey suit, Schwartz pulled a face when he saw the half-empty decanter on the table and said, joking,"Celebrating, huh?'Shark who walked in behind him looked worried,‘ Bro, bad news.'Lucien directed a cold look at handsome Schwartz and ignored his remark.Swivelling in his seat, leaning his head back in the rich upholstery of the leather chair he jerked his chin, his eyes opened to half slits as he growled,"What?' he asked Shark who had moved to the well-stocked bar and was pouring himself a large shot. He moved back to the table and settled himself in a chair facing Lucien after handing Schwartz a drink as well. The Handsome man made a face; unlike the other two, he was not a heavy drinker.Ta
ProserpinaStrangely enough, I found that there was now a change in my attitude to the baby and to the world around me. Possibly because the little devil in me had begun to allow me to eat without forcing me to rush to the washroom to throw up, I thought, half amusedly. I had an idea that the child I was carrying would be more like Ria, a tyrant.To be fair to him, Lucien had fixed an appointment with the old doctor who had arrived at the house, as crusty as ever. But after examining me, he had seemed more satisfied and informed me that the child seemed to be growing well. He also seemed to be agreeable with my gain in weight and left after prescribing more vitamins. I dozed off, feeling a strange sense of peace.Dreaming of Bhutan and the cool hills, I woke up and stretched languidly and yelped in alarm as I saw a figure looming at the edge of my bed. I sat up in fright and winced as the movement resulted in a flutter in my belly. Lucien stood there, as dark and broodingly enigmatic
ProserpinaHaving got back to work, I felt better, more productive. The work was going on smoothly and we were actually making headway in garnering interest in our projects! Many students had enrolled in the courses and I felt quite pleased knowing that the work I had done had been so successful. As for dear old Professor, he was elated to see that I was back at work. But the old dear kept fussing over me, asking me to take it easy.***Lucien seemed to be operating from the house these days, I thought as I stopped clicking away on my laptop to think of my husband. Although I kept to my rooms and the kitchen, going out for a walk in the garden when I felt like it, it was clear that he was very much there in the house. The bodyguards, the cars that appeared at all times of the day and the night, Shark and Schwartz who were present for the meals as well... *** Yes, these days I kept thinking of him. I was now into my seventh month. And unfortunately, I was beginning to feel hugely horny
Schwartz’s words made me feel alarmed. 'I wanted to talk to you.'When he said it so seriously, I looked at him, my lips parted in uncertainty. "Hey, chill!' he said, but his expression was sober. Now I was intrigued.Shooing the kids over to Beatrice, I indicated the wide kitchen windows where I could sit on a chair and no one would be within earshot. After I was comfortably settled, he perched on the counter, gazing at his hands for a long time. I leaned my head back, folding my hands over my stomach. I was prepared to wait. Taking a deep breath, he went into his recital bluntly.'You do know that Delano is ... that he cares for you, right?' he began unceremoniously. I scowled at him, my plump mouth thinning. As I made to stand up and move away, he gripped my wrist. Staring at him, I looked down at the hard grip on my wrist. Schwartz had always been gentle, caring, and never the one to use brute force so I was startled.Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sita Kumar tense. She unobtr
Schwartz’s words made me feel alarmed. 'I wanted to talk to you.' When he said it so seriously, I looked at him, my lips parted in uncertainty. "Hey, chill!' he said, but his expression was sober. Now I was intrigued. Shooing the kids over to Beatrice, I indicated the wide kitchen windows where I could sit on a chair and no one would be within earshot.After I was comfortably settled, he perched on the counter, gazing at his hands for a long time. I leaned my head back, folding my hands over my stomach. I was prepared to wait. Taking a deep breath, he went into his recital bluntly. 'You do know that Delano is ... that he cares for you, right?' he began unceremoniously.I scowled at him, my plump mouth thinning. As I made to stand up and move away, he gripped my wrist. Staring at him, I looked down at the hard grip on my wrist. Schwartz had always been gentle, caring, and never the one to use brute force so I was startled.Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sita Kumar tense. She unobtr