Lucy's heart sank. Where had she gone wrong? What made Aiven change his mind? She had to come up with a response or Ben would know she still had feelings for him. Ah! Why did it matter? It's not like this old idiot still wanted to be with her.
Adelaide might have gotten a whiff of her mother's worry, because immediately realized she needed to attract her father's attention.
"He wants to remarry her? What do you mean?" She asked, intensely confused. Both of them had hoped than Ben's cockiness would prevent him from seeing the panic in Lucy's eyes. "They never divorced, he just died."
"Yes, but technically speaking, it was 'til death part them. But death had happened, so she is no longer married to him," Benjamin spoke with a smirk, but she could detected regret inside. Did he regret their marriage? Or was there something else on his mind? Lucy couldn't comprehend his smugness. Even after she died, he remained the same. Unchanged through years.
"That's not right," she whispered, thinking that she's the only person who can hear it, but Ben immediately registered her concern. Not because he worried about her, but because he wanted to figure out a further way to torment. He would not leave her alone until she wanted to be out of this world again. That's how cruel he had become.
"What's not right, Lucy?" He sneered her way. She could feel the smug expression on his ways permeating her, even if she didn't meet his eyes. Adelaide held her breath, afraid of what's about to transpire.
Lucy jolted herself out of her thoughts. She had to keep her composure. In all her time in hell, she had forgotten how truly complicated and devious was the human world. Perhaps the real torture was not the fiery pits or spikes, but human emotions.
"He was in hell with me," she explained, rather quickly. "We spent a lot of time together there, and escaped from it."
"Yeah, right," he grinned. He didn't believe anything she was saying. In all fairness, how could he? Her explanations made no sense to someone who didn't believe in the afterlife or otherworldly forces, and Ben was as pedantic as they get. He would only believe what he could see right in front of him. And even then, sometimes it took a fair amount of convincing.
Suddenly, she remembered when they met and how their friendship started. She recalled how much she trusted Ben and how kind he was to her for the first few years. He was aware that she was attracted to Aiven, and that they had a rather complicated past, and he didn't interfere until Aiven made it clear that they would never be together.
He was good to her. He took care of her when the love of her life rejected her, and he ensured that she felt safe and welcomed in his embrace. To some extent, Lucy realized that maybe she didn't love him; what she loved was how he made her feel. And that was not the same as being truly in love with someone.
A sigh escaped her as the past unraveled in front of her. Back then, ages ago, she would have never thought that the same man would have instill so much fear in her heart.
"I know, Ben," she said softly. Ada looked at them both, trying to interpret their feelings but Lucy had nothing to say to her. She couldn't explain the complicated emotions they felt towards each other. "I know you don't believe me and you absolutely don't have to. I'm just saying that his actions make no sense. This is not a choice the Aiven I know would make."
"Then maybe you don't know him at all," he pondered, carefree. He didn't bother with how she felt. It was not his concern to make her happy anymore. "He would have never chosen you, so what makes you think he would now?"
He was right. Aiven always had away of making it into her heart and then abandoning her when things got serious. Maybe this happened again. She could feel her eyes getting just slightly wet and she pushed those thoughts away. No, she knew better. She knew the truth and she couldn't let herself get immersed in pain.
"I know I'm right," Lucy said firmly. She was bewildered by her own bravery and strength. "Something doesn't connect here. I have to see him."
"Well you can't," he once again tried to block her but it was too late. Lucy was not about to have the love of her life escape from her again, not after all they worked for. Hell was literally, the worst place for both of them, but it also showed her the truth about humanity and the truth about love. She couldn't let it go that easy when the world depended on them both.
Lucy grabbed Adelaide's car keys from the table and handed them to her daughter in a matter of seconds.
"Please," she said, looking at her. Ada didn't say anything but nodded before swiftly opening the door for her mother. They were both about to defy Ben, but neither seemed to care.
"You-you can't!" He tried to stop them again, but it was fruitless. They were determined. "Think about Shira. Think about all she has been through. You can't take away that happiness from her!"
Ah. There it was. The truth. Lucy stopped for a moment and turned sharply towards Benjamin. It was never about their marriage or their relationship for him. He wanted to torture Lucy because he, himself suffered.
"I have been dead for nearly twenty six years, Ben," she was fuming. "You had a time and space to make a move on her and you still hadn't. Don't let your stupid anger on me. I'm over it."
With that she turned around, dragging surprised Adelaide to the exit of the faculty hall.
-------------------
Shira still couldn't believe her luck. She was just thinking about Aiven a few days ago, and here he was, ready to kiss the ground she walked on. She should have felt happy, but she just felt empty instead. He had been looking at her all evening as if he was going to lose her, and she couldn't shake the feeling that wherever he may have been was far worse than Earth.
He didn't remember much, except darkness, which was both comforting and scary. If there was nothing after death, it could be peaceful. At the same time, eventually, it would drive you crazy. Nothing but darkness. She wondered if you reincarnate and come back to life, but that question was probably better left unsaid.
"What are you thinking about?"Aiven asked her, sweetly. He was gently holding her hand and kissing it every once in awhile. She wanted to move it away, but didn't have the heart to do so. He was so excited to see her.
Truthfully, she was as well. She wasn't sure if she still had any feelings besides friendship for him, but she was sure she could get used to him treating her like that. It was unlike any other lovers she had experienced. They were nice, but Aiven was desperate to make things right with her. Whatever was going through his mind in the darkness must have affected him greatly.
"I was just thinking about where you said you were before," she quietly explained. "It's so strange. Universe is so weird."
"It really is. But I'm just glad to be alive and be here," he explained. The relief was present in his voice, which raised more questions for Shira: how long had he been in the darkness?
"The dark...that's all you remember?" She was very careful. She wasn't sure how terrible it must have been, but she didn't want to hurt him or push him too much with the details.
"I....I don't know, honestly," his lips trembled even talking about it. He was so upset remembering it. It must have been awful. "Sometimes there will be these flashes, and I would remember some light. Like a fire. Warmth too, but I'm not sure. And a voice, very calm and gentle. But nothing concrete."
"The voice...You think someone else was there with you?" She quizzed him. This was dark, and maybe even a little depressing, but interesting. Part of her wanted to ask if he remembered how he died, but part of her also hoped that he didn't. Shira wished she could hide his own struggles from him. Something in her set of to protect him.
Her phone dinged but she ignored it. Whatever it was, it could wait.
"It could be. I don't have images or memories of this person, I only remember the voice," he exhaled, exhausted. She could tell that even though he had just come back to life, he already wanted to sleep. Typical of Aiven, always tired. She almost wanted to smile, but held it back. "Maybe it was a guardian angel or something equivalent to that. I just know that it guided me back here."
That sufficed enough. Maybe whoever was the owner of that voice was responsible for reunited them. Part of her felt like she should be thankful to the voice, but part of her also felt like the voice had messed up. Why didn't he just come back twenty years before, when she could have fallen in love with him?
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Shira promptly stood up and rushed to open it, surprised to find Adelaide at the door. Behind her, peeking...was Lucy?! Before she could say anything at all about it, Lucy pushed past the both and into the room, ignoring anyone's private space.
"Aiven?" Her voice sounded frantic and she erupted into the living room. Aiven looked up at her, astonished at her presence. She wanted to rush and plant a kiss on him, but his expression was not one of happiness.
He stood up, much like her husband before and towered over her, nearly making her cower in fear. Why was he so scary? What changed?
"What are you doing here? Why did you not age?" His questions made no sense at all. They were in hell together! They went through pain and torment, rebellion and questioning, and they lived to be together. This was all wrong!
"What-what do you mean?" She stuttered, unsure of what she should say. Shira and Adelaide also made their way into the room, but stayed back, hesitant to do or say anything. Aiven breathed heavily on her. His eyes were filled with disdain and anger. He didn't want her. He hated her.
"I want you to get out." He spewed. "I don't want to see you. Ever. Again."