ERIC MAXWELL

"Hmm, can you accompany me to art exhibition this weekend?" I neat his crooked necktie.

"I do not understand any of them. Anyway, I will still accompany you, my love." Russel said.

"Oh, thank you my dear husband." I said with a huge smile.

"Only thank you?" He smirks.

"Time to go to the work, dear husband." I patted his shoulder. "Or else, I can give you the best blowjob."

"Naughty!" He pinches my nose before leading me to breakfast. The old coupled already excuse themselves to give us privacy.

I follow him until garage. In here, we share another passionate kissing. His eye shows unwilling to parting. The first sight I ever saw from a workaholic man.

"See you later." I kissed his cheek when he starts the engine.

"Yes, see you too later. Remember to get enough rest." He steals another kiss on my lips.

"Yea, I promise." I wait until the car drift away.

Getting into the house, I went to the studio room. Because of his paranoid, he did not let me use an old studio house. He wanted me always in his line of sight. I never think my little antic could cause him behaved like this.

The love I yearned for years had been falling on my laps. The feeling was indescribable by word. It's almost the similar love I witnessed from my parents bond. The God heard my pray, pairing me with the most suitable partner. I did not regret with this love. Because I know, he is only the one for me.

A lot happens in this span of two years. Mostly, involving the man I called husband. He is the source of happiness, sadness and filling the emptiness in me. He paints me with color of life. From the dark to a bright color.

The only flaw was his greedy family. It is unacceptable to have that kind of family. The family that is waiting to stab you from the behind. How he can endure it? From the word he spoke, that night the insults he received was milder than the rest. If the country has no law, I might kill them on the spot.

I was also disappointed with his parent's attitude. They treated him as if he did not exist. They even can interact with the rest of family members a lot better than their own son. How has Russell felt at that time? In child perspective, parent's words are the best word they wanted to hear.

Unfortunately, my husband has no luxury for that kind of family. All his family could think was increasing their wealth and expanding the business. Thus, leaving a boy whom about to see the world at tender age alone.

Shit! Think about it enough to boil my blood. I am taking a deep breath and calming myself. I promise myself to give him a best family he could afford. He does not need them anymore. He had me.

Facing the half-painting canvas, I am thinking what else I wanted to convey in it. When the idea appears, I put the earphones, playing the track of song and begin stroking the canvas. After meticulous stroking, the image appears while my mind already cut off from the reality.

I lost the sense of time, continuing the painting. Putting the palate of color and brush on the stand, I check the painting again and again. This painting is enough to convey my feeling lately. As I said, painting is like my diary. A channel in expressing myself from the day I started it until now.

My body jolted a little when a hand circles my waist. Damn! He caught me lose track of time again. Fortunately, I had taken a food and pills before him getting back. The leftover on the table enough to represent as a solid proof.

"Hi Love, how long you have been here?" Russell's breathe fanning my cheek.

"Just a few hours, I think." I sheepishly smile.

"Don't strain yourself too much."

"I am not. Painting is like a cleansing ritual for me." Turning around, I cupped his cheeks, present him a kiss on lips.

He leads me out from the room, insisting me to take a bath because the scent of paint. We take a bath together. A pure bath without erotic element in it. I think he must in a peak of exhausted. After dinner, I accompany him doing some work. When he shows a sign of stiffened, I take an initiative to massage his neck and shoulder. Another night passed as we cuddled in the intimate until morning. The same routine repeatedly during a weekday.

"Hey Love, I need to tell you something." I put my phone aside, giving a full attention to my dear husband.

"What it is?"

"I might come late for tomorrow exhibition due the secretary mistake. Resulting an unavoidable meeting with a big client tomorrow." A guilt flashes in his ashen eyes.

"Don't worry. You can come after the meeting ended. I'll wait you there." This is not his fault.

"Thank you, Eric. I will get you soon after the meeting ended. I promise." He kisses my fingers.

"It's a small matter." I throw myself on top of him. The bed creaked with my sudden action.

On the next morning, my legs turned jelly because excessive making love session last night. Why I never learn my lesson everything we chose to make love. He would not stop until both of us spent.

"Need a help?" A chuckled come from behind me. "It's not my fault. It was you would tempt me to do it."

"Laugh as much as you want. I won't have an intercourse with you for a month starting today." I stick my tongue out.

"Are you sure? Could your body last that long from my touch?" He wriggles his eyebrow.

"See who will surrender first." I rush to the bathroom. I had been late for today exhibition. The gallery owner must have in anger right now.

I saw Russell already in the changing room. He laughs at my frantic attitude. I stomp my feet when passing him. Dressing in casual attires, I dash to the door. Russell stops me at the front door, forcing me to eat a slice of French toast and a glass of milk. He threat not to open the door if I did not take the breakfast.

Quickly, I eat it and drink the milk. His hand the empty glass and plate to Claudia. After that, he led me to garage. Apparently, he would drive me over there. Since the day I have told him about getting the blackmail from Frank's wife, he was acting like this.

He afraid the threat not empty at all. After all woman grudges is the most gruesome fear. I barely manage to escape from his strict order to assign a personal driver. I would rather stay at home than going anywhere with a personal driver. After countless sulking and pouting, he let go the idea. Thanks God!

"Hey, come here a second." Russell called after I get off the car. "There is something on your hair."

"What?"

"Let me see." I turned around to his driver side. I bow my head for him to check.

"Here is wrong." He kisses me when I was the same level as him. My mind goes blank even though he just deceived me.

"Here, you are good to go." He laughs and raises the window. Jerk. He known I am already late yet he still had a gut to delay me.

Stomping my feet, I am partially running toward the gallery main hall. The people are already lining up in long queue. The guard let me step inside when I show my pass. The truth is the owner did not know who I am really was. He just had interested after watching me guide many old men into this gallery. In a simple word, he likes how proficient I was in this field.

"Sorry Mr Hank. I am a bit late." I apologized straight away.

"Hahaha... don't worry. Someone had called me and informed your situation. Gladly, you can make it. Now, enjoy yourself with the arts and guide our guest with your wide knowledge. I am counting on you, Eric." The owner patted my shoulder before going to greet some VIP guests.

Phew, I am safe from his raged. The question is who have been calling him? Ah never mind as long as I do not get any scold. Less than a minute the empty space filled with sea of human once the door open. The gallery hosted arts from the Renaissance era until the newest painter.

I answered all the inquiries accordance the profound knowledge I had. As a painter, seeing many people still admiring the arts giving me a feeling of satisfied beyond word. Their praising word and joyful comment delight me in and out. It has given me encouragement to continue being the painter.

The busiest event makes me lose the track of time. I put out the phone when guide the last group. There are ten missed calls and two messages. All the missed calls and messages from Russell.

I had called you many times but unreachable. I wanted to say sorry because cannot make it there. Some unforeseen incident happened. Thus, the meeting slightly dragged. – Russel tells me via a message.

A disappointed sighed coming out from my mouth. Damn the omnipotent secretary. This is all your faults. The phone vibrates when I am still sulking. Russel's name and picture appeared on my screen.

"Hello..." I reluctantly answered.

"Sorry, I can't make it there. The client had postponed the meeting two hours late. What time your shift over?"

"Almost end." I check the wristwatch.

"To compensate for breaking the promise, I will bring you to candle light dinner. Can you accept it as apologize?"

"Hmm, okay. Wait! Why you always bribe me with food?" I asked him.

"Because you look so damn adorable in front of variable foods." I bet my face already red tinted.

"Whatever. Give me a location and I shall wait you there."

"I already sent the location. Check it and wait me at intersection. See you later my love."

"Yeah, see you later, Russel." We ended the call.

Once my shift over, I quickly left the gallery and wait near the intersection. Like the usual human and transportation packed the road. The people are walking either in the group or alone. Some are smiling while tapping the smartphone.

A tap on the shoulder make me turn around. Russel smiles while handover a bouquet red house. Of course, the bouquet is attracting peoples' eyes. I bring the roses close to my nose, smelling the scent of it.

"Have you waited too long?" He asked when putting a hand around my waist.

"I think around five minutes. So, where are we going? I am so damn hungry." We laughed when my stomach shows the protest.

"Okay, sorry my Love for letting you hungry. Let's go now." He links our hand together, ignoring all looks from public.

We cross the road when the light turns green for pedestrian. The crowded on the road is heavily. This is a reason why I hate to hang out on weekends. Russel has changed our position in the middle of the road since my side to crowd.

A group of man bumps into Russel side causing our linking hand apart. The person also did not apologize. Once we reach the other side, Russel suddenly fall on his knee while cradling his left side of stomach.

"What's wrong?" I kneel down. I peel Russel's palm and spot a blot of red coloured liquid. A blood! "Are you kidding me?" The tears already blur my sight.

"Hey, calm... down... Love." Russel caresses my face.

"No...Someone please call the ambulance." I shake my head. Am I in a dream, right? Who have shot him? For what reason? Why? I felt a suffocated and hard to breath. My mind in messed by countless speculations. I hug Russell's weak body why crying so hard. Soon the ambulance arrives. The paramedics put Russell's body on the stretcher. They are giving him a first aid to stop the bleeding.

"I am sorry, sir but you're not allowed to get inside." One of the paramedic denied me.

"Why? He is my husband. Do I need to prove it? Just because we are the gay married coupled, you deny me from accompanying him? Fuck you." My rational had already flown out from my mind. The rage and grieve had taken my whole being. Why they are so cruel? They are so heartless to ruin my happiness.

"I am apologizing for my colleague uncalled conduct. You are allowed to accompany your husband. Please get in." A middle age paramedic gives me permission to get into the ambulance.

I pray along the way for Russel's safety. Please do not take him yet, God. I need him. You have given an illness for years, so please this time cut me some slack too.

The paramedics are rushing him straight to operation theater when we arrived at the hospital. They stop me from follow inside. I slide down against the wall, falling down on my butt. Folding both my knees to my chest, I rested my head on it.

This is all my faults. If I did not invite him to the exhibition, we would not face this situation. Stupid! I am the cause of his misery. I cannot forgive myself this time. Oh God, I forgot to call our relatives. With weak fingers, I dialed the list of people coming in my mind. Luckily, Maxim helps me contact the rest of Russell intermediate family members.

Nathan, please forgive me for breaking the promise. I had put him in harmed, our dear husband. Please give me another chance to spend a time with him. I really need him. I let the tears down without intention to wipe it.

The squeaks of shoe stop in front me, "Hey, are you okay?" A familiar voice asks me.

"No... I am not okay, Maxim. They shot him... we just cross the road... And... and..."Maxim shakes his head and helps me up. He led me to the vacant chair.

"Wait a second." Maxim went to the vending machine.

Later he gives me the bottle of plain water. "Take it first." He says. I failed to open the cap when my hand is too much shaking. Maxim takes back the bottle and opens it.

"What have you done to my son, faggot?" A high pitch female voice echoes in hallway. I shift my sight toward the voice, spotting Russel's mother in a total rage.

"I... hmm..." I lost the word to say.

"You what? Because of you, my son almost lost his life. What is the excuse you have to deny it? Remember, I will not forgive you if anything happens to him. Now, get lost." The woman grabs my collar.

"Stop it, Aunt. This is not a time for quarrel and he is Russel's husband." Maxim pacifies her.

"Danielle, we are in the hospital. Stop it!" Russel's father takes his wife into the hugs. His eyes show sympathizes.

"I won't forgive him if something bad happens to our son. He is our only son..." The woman wailed in his husband embrace.

"I... am sorry." I say.

"Your sorry meant nothing, killer." I flinched over the word. Yes, she is right. I was murdering my own husband due my own selfishness.

"Hey, stop your nonsense." An elderly voice scolds the woman. "What do you know about your son? I bet if he conscious now, he will scream this man names than you."

"But Father... he..."

"The child was not a little boy anymore. He had chosen the man you hate the most as his heart owner. You may parents to him, but do you ever do what parent do to their child? Where are you when he first spoken the word? Do you by his side when he has taken a first step? Have you ever at his side when he first entered the school or graduated? None! You were the main reason the child turned coldest and devoid from any emotion. You may a mother whom giving birth to him but you failed as a mother." Grandpa's make me remember what they had done to him at that night.

"You only care about him all about achievements. However, you are never given anything as a return. He might rebel by falling in love with the same gender. Why? Because he had lost a faith in a normal way of love. He wanted something different and breaking from your expectation. Nathan and Eric have broken down the cold wall around Russel. They show him how to behave like a real human. Laugh, joke and so on. I saw the child who always aloof becomes carefree around this man. Now, shut your mouth properly." The coupled become silent.

"Eric, you hear me, right?" Maxim cupped my cheeks. "Tell us what's happening."

I nod, "Supposedly today, Russel would accompany me to art exhibition. Because his secretary mistake, the plan cancelled at the last minute. Later, he set up a dinner as compensate for breaking the promise. I await him as he told to do me. And..."

"What?" Maxim caressed my back.

"He parked the car somewhere and we crossed the road. The intersection a little crowded today. In the middle of the road, someone bumped into us. I never suspect anything until we reached the other side. Suddenly, Russel... He... he fell down and cradled his left side. I checked and found his shirt already stained with blood. I do not know who have shot him. I really don't know." My body was shaking uncontrollably.

"No, if we never swapped the position on the road, he would not be shot. The killer might aimed at me instead. Maxim, I should be the one gets the shot. I... I..." All of sudden I felt like being cut from the air. I cannot breathe properly. It was the same pain, as I tasted for years. The word stuck in my throat.

I don't mind if the God taking my life is that can make Russel continue living. I do not care if he might have anyone else to replace my place. The important matter is he needs to continue living.

"Eric... Eric... Hey... do you hear me?" Maxim's voice sound farther and farther away. His face also blurry in my sight. "Eric, you can't take the blame. The culprit was maybe someone from his enemy list. Or, been hired by them. You see, Russel is a talented man in making an enemy. So stop blaming yourself. We would hand over this case to the police and waiting the result."

I heard Maxim word. I heard it but I cannot stop this guilt. My instinct belief the bullet was for me. I am a little lucky when Russel swapped our position. Is this call lucky? It is certainly not. They were trying to kill my husband. My soul mate. They were not failed in their mission. Killing Russel is same as killing me.

"Eric, you need to stay strong, baby boy." That is mum voice. Has she arrived here?

"Call the doctor." Weird, why dad screams in panic?

"His heart might unable to take this pressure." Michael is also here.

All the voices become one. It is difficult to understand what they are saying. All sentences blend into incoherent meaning. I covered my ears when the pain in the heart gets the same wavelength as their screaming. I wanted to coil my body because the unbearable pain.

Because the unbearable pain, I fainted not long after hearing a lot of footstep coming toward my direction. Russel please stays alive. I need you so fucking hard.

Next, I wake up in with a sound of beeping machine. White ceilings greet my sight. Where am I? My mind is trying to decipher. This is a familiar place, a hospital room. Why I am here again? Wait, where is Russel? He was shot and operation theater.

Immediately, I stand up and peel off the oxygen mask. My breathing becomes heavy once the mask off. I am looking right and left. With the heavy step, I walk to neighboring bed. My dear husband is laying there. His eyes are tightly close. His breathing is in an even rhythm. Thanks God, he is safe.

I sit on the vacant chair beside him. His lip a little paler but no bad as this evening. I put my face against his hand in my mine. My tears fall on it.

"Are you... waking now?" A weak voice asks me.

My eyes immediately fall on the Russel face. "Yes, how do you know I had fainted?"

"Last I awoke maybe around two hours ago. I drove our family out afraid they might disturb your rest." A smile appears on him.

"So embarrassing. I am supposed to accompany you, but instead faint here. Anyhow, I am glad you are safe now. You don't how afraid I was at that time thinking you may slip from me." I don't know how much tears I had shed today.

"I won't go the underworld without you, Love." He tightens our linking hand. "Come sleep with me." He urges me.

"Hmm, I better stay here. You see the bed was narrow to accommodate two grown up adults. Poor it." I do not want to disturb his rest.

"The bed is sturdy enough to accommodate us. Although we have a spacing bed at home, you still latch at my side. So, stop your excuse and get here now." With that order, I put my weight on the bed, minding his wound and wires.

"See, it is easy right." Russel teases me. He faced and hugged me as we always cuddled at night.

"Sorry, it is my fault you had been shot. If I never asked you to accompany me out, none of this will happen."

"Don't talk about it anymore. You are too tired and almost get heart attack again. Now, please close your eyes and cuddle with me until tomorrow." He kissed my forehead with a little grunt. I nod and hug him back.

A/N,

Sorry for postponing the update too long. As informed, my laptop crash last week because HDD defected. Thus, all the files lost. This chapter a newer version than I had written previously. It takes me a little time to get into the character and link the event again. Anyway, I hope you would like this chapter as well. Thanks for comment and vote. See you next chapter.