"I think he's fucking someone else!" her words fell through and a quick flash of undisputed sadness was on her face. "Your husband?" Lucas said, and a keen chuckle on him. "Honestly Chloe, I don't think you should worry too much about that," At that moment her reaction seemed unfathomable and she had weary eyes. "If it's true then who do you think she would be?"
"I don't know…. Maybe he met a girl at a bar he always goes,"
"Well if you wanna know what I think then I would say that he loves you the same as he did before your marriage," but she hated every word of Lucas. She detested the innocence and the blind disbelief Lucas got. "Do I seem crazy?" she asked. "No sis, it's just you doubt your partner, we all do at some point," she felt the layers of emotions loathing onto her heart, heavier than before. "For changing your mood, I have something to tell you, some exciting news for you," she nibbled the cookie and then plunged her hands into her jacket. "You remember your favorite author? Anna?"
"Yeah, what about her? Last time I checked she stopped writing novels because of her health,"
"Well, she's my neighbor here,"
"What! Really?"
"Yes, you can see her house from that window," he rose and opened the window. The cold breeze rushed in but he knew it was worth it for Chloe. "Look, that house is hers" she peeked and could see a house wounded with waves of disputed sadness. There were so many glasses and elegant trees were arranged, "Really this one's hers?" she asked again and suddenly her reaction was reconciled, "Can I go and meet her?"
"No, I haven't seen her gate open in a while now, only her son comes out once in a week or so,"
"Oh," her brow wrinkled. "And you know what, her son is a writer too and he's pretty good at it, he has written a bunch of books, I have some over there, you can read it if you want,"
"Obviously, I would love to read my favorite author's son books," Lucas smiled and ushered her to his small library, there he picked a book called 'Whisper of her world by Harper Sorley' and gave it to Chloe. "Read it," he said, "It's an awesome book," Chloe surveyed the book sedately and her eyes shone with the words as she flicked the book's cover. "For Winnie."
"Who's Winnie?" she asked as she lifted her brow stiffened, "It's his dead wife," she sat down and veered the book on her lap. "Dead?" she asked, "Yes, though I moved here a few months before but I heard from some neighbors here, it happened a few years ago when he was writing that one," he pointed to the book. "It was some horrible accident, she died being pregnant."
"Oh, that's so bad, I hope he's alright," Smile marred his face and his eyes were sharp. "And here's my real sis, sweet and caring about others." And Chloe rolled her eyes, equivalently annoyed, "Alright, I'm gonna read this book," she rose with the book plunged between her manicured fingers. "Alright sis, enjoy," Lucas said as she walked to the hallway and settled herself on a sofa. The pert cover seemed impenetrable to surpass and she kept her eyes there, reading every word. Implacable words glimmered as she flipped the cover. She knew it would be a sad story, the obnoxious vibe already had been radiating from the book but she kept reading even though she knew she'd hated every sad story but the fact 'Son of my favorite author's book,' had made the book implacable for her. She kept reading and soon she came to love a wicked dark character who kills for fun. She'd loved his way of making everyone debilitate and she didn't realize the time, it was already 11 and she had been reading for almost four hours. She heard the fading footsteps, slowly becoming clearer. It was Lucas, "When are you planning to sleep?" he asked, "It's almost 12, go to bed and read tomorrow," But she didn't want to leave the book. "Just 15 more minutes," she said with such a great guileless face that Lucas couldn't help but smile. "You remember our old days? Sis?" he asked. "Hmm, was there something special about our childhood?" she asked without her eyes hitching from the pages, "No, it's the same as today, Mom always used to wake up in the middle of the night and catch you reading a book and she always told you to sleep," she rose and in a flicker closed the book. "Well just as in our childhood, I'm going to the bed as you asked." Her face was battered with a quick smile. She waddled to her room with the dim light glimmering behind her, she opened the door with still the book in her hand, clinging between her fingers. "He's as good as his mother," she hurled it to a sofa beside her quilt and jumped into the bed, she'd wanted to close her eyes and rest but whenever she did she could only see Ethan, his long and sharp neck and his blond hair glinting into the sunlight. She loved to see him playing outside, his knuckles marred with bruises most of the time but his face was infused with a smile and she felt nothing but her love towards Ethan. The next morning she woke with the shadow pouring on her face, it was Lucas, "Wake up sis, it's already 9," he noticed her eyes. "Come on, wake up quickly," he said, "We're going out for the breakfast." He opened the window and let the fresh air rush in. "Today's weather is so nice, we should go out, come quickly I'll be waiting for you." He said as he left the room alone with her again. For once again the silence permeated the room and she sat there with her mouth shut and the vibe of derision was there with an institution and she knew where it was coming from. She turned her gaze towards it, the book. 'Whisper of her world.' She could hear the whispers, "Read me….. Read me you damn bitch!" she always thought she could hear what the books are saying in her childhood but she hadn't felt this for almost ten years and she was more than happy when she heard Harper's book. She rose and lifted the book and she felt addicted. "I swear," she said, "I'll read you when I come back." She strode outside with her hands free from the books, with the thought of Anna, "There's something in their blood," she slouched in the front hall and found Lucas, ready and waiting for her. "You ready?" he asked, she nodded and they walked out. "There's a very good café, I'm sure you'll love it."
"How far is it?"
"It's just around the block, we'll be there in a second." Soon they reached their destination and Chloe slouched in front of the glossy door of the café. It was already filled with the commuters and she'd hated these much crowds though she liked to see this much in Lucas's diner. She took a seat in near the chair and Lucas's feet pressed against the glossy floor. He'd gone to pick up their breakfast, she waited there with rubbing her fingers softly and staring at her brother. She'd thought about taking the book out and giving it some reads but she hung over this idea, and there she could see a man with a reverent face, his fingers clinging onto the laptop and running into his forehead consistently. Her breath hitched as she noticed him, he was more incongruous than others, and yet there was a bosom vibe radiating from him. She knew she had seen his face somewhere and was trying to retrieve her mind and then she realized, it was from the book. She'd seen his face on the book, she plunged her hand into her bag and felt the book between her fingers, she took it out and turned it over and found his face. "Harper?" she'd wanted to go and talk to him but he seemed rather confused and tensed so she stayed in her seat. Her gaze was locked on him as he rose and walked between the aisles, the book located in her hand and when he came closer, he noticed his book and a flicker of smile jutted on his face. She hurled a smile back and locked her eyes on him as he left. Lucas returned with some cookies on the plate, "It was Harper," she said, "You know Lucas, he gave me a smile to me."
"That's impossible sis," he said
"And why's that?"
"Because no one has seen him smiling ever since his wife passed away and why would he smile at you, you're a complete stranger here," but she knew he smiled and she felt warm, warmer, his smile, disengaged yet delicate smile. It was like she compelled him to smile but she knew the sadness behind it. "A complacent smile." And she'd loved it. "And why's his book on your hand, were you planning to get his autograph?" she picked up a cookie, neglecting his bland laugh. "Eat your meal, Lucas."