"Doctor Sanguine, thank you for helping me out today." Sophie Anderson tells him with a smile, "I didn't want to call you on your special day, but it was…"
Lost in his own world, Eli keeps scrubbing his hand. This is the first time he's compared to the city lights. Who was her starry sky?
In the restaurant, she was looking for that dead person in his face. Knowing full well that the warmth in her eyes wasn't meant for him, he was still overwhelmed by those hazel eyes.
He knows that he's being greedy. Whenever he sees her beside him, his greediness becomes worse. He wants more of her. He wants to occupy the place that's held by that dead person. Maybe it's because he's a ghoul. He's greedy for her love when he is aware that she still loves someone else.
"Doctor Sanguine!" Sophie yells at him and grabs his hand. "You are hurting yourself."
Eli blinks his eyes. His hands are bleeding. He takes his hand back and inserts his inside his pocket. Composing himself, he smiles at Sophie. "Sorry, Doctor Anderson, I didn't have much sleep."
"Why are you apologizing?" Sophie frowns at him. "Your hand is bleeding. Let me see it."
"It is just a scratch." More or less, Eli is aware of this woman's feelings toward him. But his heart has never been moved by her. He walks away without saying another word. Today, he is too disturbed to keep smiling. The person he wants to see is probably not thinking about him at this moment. But people can endure long years of winter with the hope that spring would arrive someday.
"Her name is Nell Solomon."
Eli stops walking instinctively when he hears faint voices coming out of the restroom. He furrows his brows and looks toward the restroom. It doesn't matter which world it is. Gossipers are always present. Hopefully, these women won't trouble his wife. He will deal with them later. First, he wants to see her.
"Did she confirmed that she's his wife?" His foot becomes still in the air. He's curious to hear Nell's answer. Did she even bother to answer Nurse Olson?
"She admitted it arrogantly." Nurse Olson's voice is bitter. "She even asked me to deliver a message to Doctor Anderson."
"What was the message?"
"Every fibre of his being has her name on it."
As if someone cast a magical spell on him, the pain vanishes from Eli's heart. With a foolish grin on his face, he runs to his office to find the woman who claimed him with those words. He finds her sleeping on the couch. He sits beside her and brushes away the hair from her face.
"I don't know why you said those words." He interlocks his fingers with hers. "I am glad that you did it."
The city lights don't have to replace the starry sky. It's fine if the city lights can find a new place in her heart. Eli lies down beside her and wraps his arms around her. She opens her eyes and looks into his eyes. He smiles and pokes her nose. She's not completely awake.
"It was cold without you," Nell mumbles in sleep.
Chuckling, he pulls her closer. "Better now?"
She raises her head and stares at him with half-opened eyes. Eli's heart skips a beat. The way she's looking at him is dangerous. Is she still asleep? It's soft and warm as the touch of the moon. Eli is unable to move as she continues to brush her lips against his. She sighs and runs her fingers through his hair. She closes her eyes and meets his lips again, demanding him to open his mouth with the tip of her tongue. But does she want him or someone else?
What a cruel woman!
He grabs her arm and pulls her body over his. She lets out a groan when his lips don't obey the probing of her tongue. His every fibre of being does have her name, but he won't kiss her back as someone else unless she commands him to do it.
Suddenly, she tenses her body. She creases her forehead as she senses that something isn't right. She looks at him with a frown with her lips still on his. Slowly, she widens her eyes as the realization hits. She moves away from him and slaps his cheek. "What the fuck! What are you doing?"
Eli doesn't answer her. So, she wasn't kissing him. She was dreaming about someone else. It's truly torture to love someone who is in love with someone else. She slaps him again, awakening him from the sorrow.
***
Why isn't he saying anything? I raise my hand to slap him again. He sighs and lowers his head, waiting for me to hit him. Does he have nothing to say? Not even an apology? I fist my hand. I don't want to be around this person.
Suddenly, he gets up from the couch. I take a step back and raise my hand in front of me. We are still in the hospital. He won't do anything scary to me here.
"You told me boldly that you didn't care." Devil is halfway between me and him. "What were your words? It would be a moment of lust and madness? A kiss from him and you are freaking out? Aren't you quite a hypocrite?"
"That…" I might have overestimated myself. I am not a brave person. I look at the window. Which floor is it? Will I survive if I jump?
"You are unlikely to reach the window." Devil saunters toward the window. "Even if you do, you have high chances of survival. After all, this is a hospital."
When Eli takes a step toward me, I step back. I watch his every move, ready to beat him up if I must. He turns to his right and lets out another heavy sigh. He walks to the corner and squats down, sniffling.
What is this man doing?
"Wife is bad." He cries with a soft voice. "She hits me and blames me for things that I didn't do."
The devil looks at him and shakes his head. "Of all the humans in the world, why did you marry this thing?"
"I don't know either," I mutter under my breath. I should have gone to the mental asylum. I am sure that I wouldn't be suffering this way here.
"Wife was the one who pulled me under her." He cries louder with a high pitched voice. "She started rubbing her body and touching me everywhere. She even told me that she wanted to have babies as soon as possible. I told her that we must wait until her body is healed completely. But my wife didn't listen to me. She started kissing me. When I tried to stop her, she said that my beauty must not be wasted."
Did I do something like that? The devil looks at me with judgmental eyes. "Now that I remember, you were the one lying over his body and you were kissing his lips. He wasn't kissing you back. You must have been horny. All the pent up energy got the better of you. You attacked a poor man in sleep."
I glower at the cat. Stop saying stuff like that. What a poor man? That man is anything but innocent.
"Who is crying like a poor maiden?" The devil goes to Eli and pats his arm. "You should have taken advantage of the moment. You got beaten up anyway. Do you want to sue her for domestic abuse?"
Damn you, Devil! I didn't abuse him.
"You jumped to the conclusion and slapped him thrice." He points his paw at Eli's face. "You are still standing far away from him. I don't like him, but he's the man who saved your life. He even sat beside your bed and held your hand when you were unconscious. He got you a lawyer. Is this how you pay him back?"
"I was happy that my first kiss was taken by my wife." Eli's shoulders are trembling. "But she started slapping me hard. My cheeks still hurt. She looked at me like I was a bad man who took advantage of her when she was asleep. I don't want to live anymore."
"Apologize." Devil glares at me. "How long are you going to stand there? He might jump from the window if you don't apologize. He's still your legal husband."
What the hell is wrong with me? I should have analyzed the situation first. I walk toward Eli. I can't see his face. There are a few drops of tears on the floor. I feel horrible. He must have been hurt by words and actions. "Doctor Sanguine, I am sorry. I misunderstood the situation."
Eli doesn't talk to me. I can hear his sniffles. I bend down on my knees and place my hand on his shoulder. "I was the one who overreacted. It's just… I was having a dream and I did something that I shouldn't have done. When I woke up, I saw you next to me. I was shocked. I shouldn't have hit you. Can you forgive me this time? I will never do it again. I swear. If you hate me for this, we can get the divorce. You can stay at the house. I don't want it. I will move into a hotel or a friend."
"A friend?" I can't see his face, but his voice is still hoarse. It seems that he wants me to leave. I sit cross-legged on the floor. Maybe something good will come out of this situation.
"I have some friends from university. It's been a while since I talked to them." I scratch my ear. "I am sure that he would let me live with him for some time. He does owe me a favour. I helped him graduate from university. Otherwise, I will find another place to stay. You don't have to worry about me. It's difficult for me to stay at that house. I will get my things and leave. Goodbye, then."
Eli raises his head and looks at me.
I exhale when I see his red cheeks. I bow my head and apologize again. "I am sorry. I shouldn't have done that. If you want, you can slap me back."
When he raises his hand, I inhale and close my eyes. I am ready. But this guy is so strong. How much will it hurt? I can take it. He didn't stop me when I was hitting him. I wronged him.
I whimper when I feel his hands on my cheeks. He pinches my cheeks. "Idiot, when did I say that I want you gone? If it's difficult to stay at that house, you should have told me. Your husband isn't poor. He can afford another place."
What? I blink my eyes. What did he say? "You wanted to move into my house because the rent wasn't cheap."
"Yes." Eli looks away, smiling. Did I get tricked? "It's time that I buy my own house. I already have a wife. I can't let her stay at a house that she doesn't like anymore."
"But you like it." I frown at him. "It's big, airy, and you can get the morning sunlight."
"You don't like it. So, I also don't like it anymore." He takes my hand and grimaces at me. "Did you use your left hand to slap me?"
I might have used it. I realize that my left hand is throbbing with pain. I guess I did use it once.
"What should I do with my dumb wife?" Eli lets out a heavy sigh. "She doesn't even realize that her hand has been hurting."
"It doesn't hurt that much." I press my right palm on his cheek. "I am sorry. If I ever try to hurt you again, you should defend yourself. You already know that I don't have the right mind. People like me are supposed to be dangerous to other people. You should rethink this relationship. Even a month is too much with a person like me."