Chapter 11: Gifts to make things right
He felt an overwhelming urge to kiss his wife, but he fought to resist it. But the urge was so strong that he eventually couldn't help himself and leaned forward, trying to place a kiss on her lips. But before he could reach them, he felt a loud slap against his cheeks.
"Ouch!" he yelped, holding his cheek. "Why were you trying to kiss me?" Kira demanded, anger visible in her eyes.
Enzo looked at her, at a loss for words. "Umm… I thought you needed it," he said lamely, trying to change the subject. "And why did you leave your room? The doctors and nurses were so worried."
"Are you sure it was just the doctors and nurses who were worried about me?" Kira asked, clearly not buying his story. He looked so guilty, it was written all over his face.
"Of course! They were the only ones," Enzo replied, his cheeks turning pink with embarrassment. But it was obvious he was lying, and Kira wasn't going to let him off the hook.
"I don't think you're telling the truth, Enzo. I know you were worried about me," Kira scolded. "And don't think I've forgotten that you were trying to kiss me. What was that all about?" she demanded, and Enzo was caught off guard.
He scratched his head, searching for a response that would satisfy her, but came up empty.
"You don't have anything to say, because you know there's no excuse for trying to kiss me," Kira continued, watching as Enzo's face grew redder. "Why on earth would I let you put your lips on mine?" she added, daring him to come up with an answer.
Enzo's anger was rising, and it was clear he was at a loss for words. Kira was loving every minute of it, enjoying watching him squirm.
She had been picking up on the signs, and she knew that Enzo wanted to make it up to her for hurting her. She had been shocked at first, because she knew Enzo was a dangerous man, but then she started to think that maybe it was a blessing in disguise. Maybe this was her chance to finally get back at him for all the pain he'd caused her over the years.
"You wanted to kiss me, Enzo," she said, deliberately trying to get under his skin. "But I'm not going to let you."
"I wasn't trying to kiss you, Kira," Enzo protested. "I was just trying to get something off your face."
"You wanted to use your lips to remove something from my face?" she challenged, her tone taunting. "That's not how you were taught to do it, is it? Who uses their lips to remove something from someone's face?"
Kira watched as Enzo's face reddened, and she knew she was getting to him. She wanted him to get so angry that he would leave, so she kept pushing.
"I'll be back in a jiffy," he said, standing up from the bed.
"In the meantime, I'll have a nurse keep you company. I don't want to come back and find out you're missing again," Enzo said, calling over one of the nurses. After explaining the situation, he headed out the door.
But then, he stopped in his tracks. "How could I forget the gifts?" he muttered to himself, turning back around and heading to his car.
He enlisted the help of a young boy he met on his way back to the car, and together they carried the gifts into the hospital.
As he walked down the hall towards his wife's room, he noticed that everyone was looking at him, their faces filled with glee. He could hear them whispering, "Who is the lucky woman he's taking those gifts to?"
Enzo just smiled to himself, enjoying the attention. He knew his wife would be surprised and delighted when she saw the gifts.
When he arrived at Kira's room, he pushed the door open with a flourish, hoping to surprise her with the gifts. He walked over to her bedside, trying to think of the best way to present the gifts.
"You can leave us now," he said to the nurse, who nodded and quickly left the room. It seemed like she was getting in the way of his big moment.
After the nurse left, Enzo turned back to his wife, their eyes meeting. He could see the surprise in her eyes, and it made his heart skip a beat. He was thrilled to have been able to surprise her, even if it was in a small way.
"I… I brought them for you," he stammered, sounding like a teenager asking out his crush for the first time. He felt a little silly, but it was worth it to see the look on her face.
Kira couldn't believe what she was seeing. She had known that Enzo was trying to make things right, but she never expected him to go to such lengths. She wanted to smile, to thank him and to hug him, but then she remembered her plan.
"You have to stick to your guns, Kira," she reminded herself, swallowing the smile that was threatening to break out on her face.
"I don't want your gifts, Mr. Enzo," she said, trying to sound convincing.
The color drained from Enzo's face as her words hit him like a slap in the face. He had been hoping for a hug, for a kiss, but instead he got rejection. His heart sank, and he felt a lump in his throat.
"What do you mean you don't like my gifts?" he demanded, frustration evident on his face. "What's wrong with them?"
"I don't want any gifts from you," she replied, her tone firm. "I don't like anything that comes from you."
He leaned closer, his eyes searching her face for any sign of weakness. "So you don't like the gifts, or you don't like me?" he asked, his voice trembling.
"So you're saying you don't like teddy bears, you don't like jewelry, you don't like snacks, and you don't like clothes and shoes?" Enzo asked, his voice rising in pitch. He watched as Kira's eyes lingered on the snacks, and he knew she was tempted to reach for them.
"Excuse me, Mr. Enzo?" a voice interrupted them, and Kira turned to see the doctor standing in the doorway. Her eyes darted between Enzo and the doctor, wondering what was going on.
She watched as Enzo walked away with the doctor, and she prayed that he would close the door behind him. "Please let him close the door," she whispered under her breath. "I need to have some of those snacks."
To her relief, Enzo closed the door behind him as he left the room. As soon as he was gone, Kira reached for the snacks, stuffing as many as she could into her hands and hiding them under her duvet.
A satisfied smile spread across her face, and she felt like she had pulled off the perfect heist. But she knew she couldn't get caught, so she had to eat the snacks quickly and be careful not to make a mess.
Just as she was about to throw away the empty chocolate wrapper, the door flew open, revealing Enzo standing in the doorway. "I caught you, Mrs. Kira," he said, a triumphant smile on his face.