First time in more than two years, Alec was looking forward to be home again. After Melissa's death, he never liked going back to the place that held their memories. He still remembered how he loved coming home back when Melissa was around. No matter how busy she would be, every time he would come back to the city, she would make him dinner, their favourite, spaghetti Bolognese served with a red wine from their collection. The table used to be set with fragrant candles and the moment he would enter the house, she would run and jump into his arms.

He knew this time he won't get spaghetti or the wine. Beth wouldn't jump into his arms, nor there would be any welcome surprise, to be honest he wasn't even sure if Beth would be at home. He hadn't spoken to her much during his trip. For past two days, she hadn't even attended the phone.
He wanted to meet her, wait for her if she wasn't home but he wanted to spend time with his wife.

So when Roger parked the car outside the apartment building, he rushed towards the lift and pressed the button a little too many times. When the lift arrived, Alec entered along with Roger who was carrying the bags. It was first time in years when Roger saw Alec fidgeting.

When they finally reached the floor, Alec quickly pulled out the keys and unlocked the door. Just before opening the door though, he straightened his jacket and then stepped into the apartment.

"Beth?" He called out from the empty foyer. "Mrs. Norris? Anyone home?" He called out again as he crossed the foyer to enter the living room. "Beth-" He called out again but stopped at his tracks. So did Roger.

A figure was fast asleep on the couch wearing only an oversized grey t shirt. A plate with bread crumbs was lying on the coffee table and the laptop was lying on the floor. It was two in the afternoon and Alec had not expected to find Beth like this. Half of her body was hanging down from the sofa, almost touching the ground and her mouth open as she slept oblivious of his presence.
Alec kneeled beside her and spoke softly. "Beth, honey?"

When he looked around, he found Roger had quietly kept the bags in the hall and left.

Alec gently touched his wife's face. "Beth?" She blinked a little as she tried to focus on his face. "Hey."

"Hey." She replied, still trying to open her exhausted eyelids.

"Good morning or shall I say good afternoon?" He gave her an amused look. She looked at him sleepily again before realising he was kneeling in front of her. With a shriek, she sat up, tugging her t shirt down.

•

Beth woke up shrieking and crawling away from the face that was now rolling on the floor, laughing his guts out. "What are you doing here?" She screamed again. Her hands were constantly tugging her t shirt down which was barely hiding her cotton panties.

"Beth this is my home too." He spoke as he continued laughing.

"Yeah but you could have rung the bell at least." She continued speaking in a shrill tone.

"I called for you and Mrs. Norris. Where is she anyway?" He said wiping a few tears from his eyes.

" I gave her a day off. But-"

"But my dear Beth, you were fast asleep, until now." He sat up by the couch on the floor. "My god your face, it looks like as if you saw a ghost."

"Of course I did! You were supposed to come on Sunday!"

"Honey it is Sunday. Honestly, which world are you living in?"

It was true, Beth wasn't living in this world. She had been sucked into her past and was still trying to find her way back.

Though Beth had been busy that weekend, when she finished her work, she found herself getting engrossed by nostalgia. It was like a wave that hit her and it hit her pretty bad. She couldn't understand why it was triggered, maybe the fact that in a long time, she was alone without presence of Alec in her life. She had gotten used seeing Alec around. And with him being out of city, she found herself being dragged into her old life and with that old life, came a familiar wave of nostalgia.

So instead of driving back to the apartment which was now becoming her home, she drove down to the apartment she had left behind. When she entered that place, she could feel her knees going weak. Every time she visited her apartment, which was usually twice or thrice a month, she could feel her legs giving away. Air was thick with nostalgia in that place, every inch of it had memories she wanted to let go of. She quietly managed to cross her living room and reach the balcony which once had a set of potted roses. Now it was barren, because those pots resided in her room in Alec's house.

She bent down towards the floor and touched the place where she had kept the plants. Only a brown muddy ring was present there now. It looked like a scar on that granite floor, the kind of scar that was also on her heart. And that was all it took for her to break down.

That was all she remembered of that weekend. She had no idea how she had reached Alec's apartment, or how the plate of bread crumbs was lying on the table with the laptop on the floor.

"Beth?" Alec waved his hand in front of her eyes. "Where did you go?"

"Nowhere. I should probably go and change." She said feeling herself go red.

"You need some help? You look tired."

"No." And she quietly got up from the sofa, still tugging on her shirt. It was then the doorbell rang. "You go, I will see who it is." Alec offered.

Beth went to her room and cleaned up. When she came down, she found a familiar person sitting in the room, Jacqueline.

"Beth, what a pleasure to meet you again."

"Jacqueline, what brings you here?" Beth faked a smile.

"Why? I can't visit my old friend." She laughed in shrill voice. "But it is funny, because I am here to see you."

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Beth kept her tone formal and firm.

"I was just asking Alec if he knew about you being around 11th street last night. I was a little surprised to see you there."

"Jac," Alec intervened, "Beth's old apartment is there. I am sure that must be the reason."

"What else can be the reason?" Beth was already beginning to get annoyed. She didn't want sit there and discuss her old apartment, especially with Jacqueline.

"Oh! You lived there? That is nice."

"Yes, it was. Anything else you would like to confirm or check?" Beth asked, slowly ditching her composure.

"Yes actually, when I asked Alec where you were, he said you had gone to change, you came down from upstairs."

"Jac your point?" Alec too seemed to get annoyed.

"Your bedroom Alec is downstairs, why was she coming from upstairs?"

"And your business is outside, why are you interfering with ours?" Beth said, losing her temper.

"Excuse me?"

"Well you should really mind your own business." This time Alec agreed with Beth.

"There is something really off about you both."

"Well what can we do, it is your presence." Beth pointed at her.

"How dare you?!" Jacqueline shrieked.

"And it would be better if you kindly let us live our lives with some peace." She pushed Jacqueline towards the door.

"How can let your wife treat me like this Alec?" She screamed again.

"Beth, stop." He pulled Beth back. "Jac why do you put us and yourself through such situation. Just please, I respect you and everything but honestly, do be kind enough to mind your own business and leave us alone."

"I have never been so humiliated in my life. You both will pay for this! Remember that. I will figure out what is the matter between you two. You two can fool the entire world, but not me!" She slammed the door as she left.

Alec sighed. "I am sorry, I don't know what has got into her lately. But leave her, you seem a little different. Everything okay?"

"Yeah. I am just going to go back into my room." She quietly said, hoping he wouldn't ask her more questions, especially regarding her trip to the 11th street. "Beth, wait. I had to ask you something." She closed her eyes and said a small prayer before turning his way. "Yes?"

"Would you like to move into my room?" She heard her husband ask her.

"What? Move into your room?" She felt a little uncomfortable all of a sudden.

"Jac or anyone else can question us again. I had been meaning to ask you this for a long time, now that Jac has seen us like this, she will investigate. Besides with you around, I sleep better, I mean I hope you do too. And anyways you sleep there most days, so, I was just thinking that this would be a little easier if you move into my bedroom."

Truth was she was sleeping better round him and was now beginning to enjoy his company.

"You don't have to worry about anything, Mrs. Norris will shift everything. Just I need your consent."

"But where will I keep my things? Melissa's things are still there. The closet still has her clothes. Honestly, I wouldn't like to displace them."

Beth had been in the bedroom enough times to notice how Alec had still kept Melissa's things in the closet. The rack opposite to his clothes still had her dresses hanging, the drawers had her jewellery inside. And her shoes were neatly arranged on shoe rack.

"I told you, don't worry about that. Just consider the offer?" He looked at earnestly. She looked at him for minute and tried to figure out things. Alec was right, people would begin to question if they got to know and the counselor has been after thier loves, this would give him the perfect evidence of their marriage being nothing but a sham. Everything he had done till now would go waste and it wasn't like Alec was a bad company. She began to consider it as a 'not so wrong' decision.

She turned heels and walked back to her room leaving him without an answer.

"Beth please?" He followed her. "It would just-" She opened her room and she lifted a potted rose. She handed him that and lifted the next one. He didn't know she had potted plants and looked quizzically at her.

"I like them in the balcony, think you can accommodate them there?"

"Yeah-"

"Good, we will keep them there and I will tell Mrs. Norris how I like my closet."

All he did was smile gratefully.

****

Here it is guys, new chapter! Slightly longer than I expected but I hope you all will like it!

Yes, Beth has scars she isn't willing to show. What are they? Keep reading to know!

As always, if you enjoyed it, vote for the chapter and share it with your friends. Tell all you have to say about this update in the comments and I will see you all after a long time now. University finals are coming up which means I am going to get super busy. Can't believe first year is about finish. Please be patient for the next one, I am not promising you all anything, just asking you all to be kind enough to wait.

This chapter is dedicated to Ms. Simons (AnaSimons) I am big fan of her books and silent signs is a beautiful book. She had been kind enough to feature my story in one of her books. I am really thankful for it. Thank you again, Ms. Simons.

Thank you for your support.

Until next time,
Cheerio! :*

Love,
Alice.

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