Chapter 9 A gift

Lilian sat in the open field waiting and staring at the moon when Selene came to her with a glass of juice.

“Here you go Grandma” she said and gave it to her.

“That’s very thoughtful of you dear, I am grateful” Lilian appreciated taking a sip from it.

“Why do you like watching the night sky” Selene asked taking a seat beside her, she had noticed that Lilian was fond of being out in the night waiting for the moon and watching the stars.

“It is just a usual habit of mine my dear,

How are you coping, I saw how Emily and Cassandra treated you, are you okay?

If you want to cry then you can cry on me?” Lilian said and Selene was touched.

She wondered how she was the most sensible person among them, she was the only one who made her feel like she actually mattered to the family.

“You know sometimes I wish I was dreaming, I wish my life wasn’t such a mess and when I wake up I would be fine.

I don’t know what I did in life to deserve such pain and misery but I certainly know that I haven’t wronged anyone.

You know I do sometimes cry in my room because I have no one to comfort me, my family don’t want to hear from me no matter how much I try to reach out to them.

Even breathing and waking up in the morning becomes hard for me” Selene expressed her frustration as she suddenly broke down in tears and Lilian patted her back once again.

It broke her heart to see a nice girl like Selene going through such hardship, most especially by her family who she thought were responsible and respectable.

“Stop crying my dear, I will like to show you something beautiful, something that means the world to me” Lilian said and Selene raised up her head, wiped her tears immediately and paid good attention to her.

She pulled out a necklace she had kept in her pocket,

“Stretch your hand” she ordered and Selene did as she said, she placed the necklace in her hand and spoke.

“My mother gave it to me before she passed and I had promised to give it to my daughter in-law but I just couldn’t give it to Emily, you can already see why” she stated and they both laughed.

Selene could tell that Lilian was unfamiliar with Emily which was why she wasn’t able to give her the necklace.

“I had thought about giving it to my granddaughter but I ended up having only boys, I have watched you and Cassandra from the little time I have stayed here and I choose to give this to you.

You are a good person Selene, don’t let anyone taunt the goodness in you” she said to her and Selene was moved into crying again.

“Don’t cry” she warned her and she kept mute.

“I will be sure to wear the necklace everyday and take good care of it” Selene answered and Lilian believed she could do that.

Just standing by the door was Cassandra, staring at them with prying eyes.

“She gets to have a family heirloom and I don’t, we will see about that Selene” she frowned and returned to her room.

Selene could feel someone was watching them so she checked around but Cassandra was gone, instead she saw Matteo returning back him all covered up from head to toe.

“Grandma, could you please excuse me, Matteo just came back” she took to her heels following him.

“It’s alright, go and attend to your husband” Lilian stated but Selene was already gone before she could finish the sentence.

“Where have you been all these while?” Selene barked closing the door.

“Great, I was already feeling comfortable that you weren’t around” He said without sparing her a glance, he took of his hoodie and Selene was shocked to see cuts and bruises all over his face and body.

“What happened to you?” She asked in fear of the worst.

“It’s none of your business” he reverted throwing his hoodie to the floor.

Selene picked it up and put it in a basket, if it were really white then it would be covered with blood.

“It is my business because I am obligated to take care of you” she answered him and he laughed.

“Do I look like a child to you, are you trying to play wife duties on me, don’t you dare try that” he warned sitting on the couch.

Selene frowned then picked up the first aid kit, he might be stubborn and verbally abused her all the time but it was her responsibility to take care of him just like his father had commanded.

She touched his face with a cotton wool and flinched, he quickly grabbed her hand staring at her.

“What are you doing?” He asked furious.

“What does it look like I am doing” she answered back, sometimes she wondered where she got the courage to talk back to him knowing how frightful he could be when he got angry.

She dressed all his cut and bruises while he sat quietly without moving,

“Does it hurt?”

“Can you get it done and stop talking” he muttered.

“I know that we both didn’t ask to be married to each other and I understand how mad you are that you got married to me but I promise to stay out of your way like you had warned me to.

That’s the least I can do for causing you headache and making you lose your place in finding love in this life by being tied to me.

If you ever want a divorce then I won’t hesitate to sign the papers and set you free” she said.

The room was awfully quiet than usual, she raised her head to him and noticed that he had already slept off which meant he didn’t hear anything she said.

Matteo had been out for two days and she initially thought he was tired and needed some rest, then it dawned on her that he was sleeping on the couch which she was supposed to sleep.

“Matteo wake up, you are sleeping in my place” she shaked him but he wouldn’t wake up rather he pushed her off the couch to the ground and slept comfortably.

Selene had no choice than to climb the bed even though she was reluctant to do so and thought he might be mad about it.

An hour later, she dozed off on the bed.