Edam's Point

True to her word, Aunty didn't leave but remained in the room. Her silence was prominent enough, sitting in the corner with her sewing, that Raiel had thought I was alone. Upon entering, the darkness in his face was replaced with annoyance at the sight of the old woman eyeing him from the side.

"Leave," he commanded, his voice echoing off the corners of the now mostly-empty room.

"I'll stay right here, thank you very much," she responded in kind, still looking down at her sewing. Something told me that she didn't start working here at this age, she seemed a little too used to Raiel's arguments and threats.

"Please," he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "I need a minute with Edam."

That's a first, he hasn't used my name since our wedding. Raising her eyebrow, she stood up and looked at Raiel, squaring against him.

"No more than five minutes and I will be waiting outside. Keep the door open, even just a little bit. Those are my conditions, understand?"

"Yes, yes, whatever makes you happy, old hag."

"Goat," she responded as she left, looking at me softly before leaving the room. Raiel went to close the door but she stuck her foot in to prevent him from shutting it fully. His sighs only became heavier but he left the door only slightly ajar.

Moving quickly, he went to get the chair that Aunty was sitting in and sat down by the bed. He looked like he was trying to stay as far away from the door as possible, but also seemed as though he wanted to be close but not. His eyes were just voids of confusion and some mix of anger and a headache.

"What the fuck happened?"

The question came, and I didn't know how to answer. How could I tell him that I had heard what he said, about his lover, about what Aunty told me. How could I say any of this without looking weak.

His eyes wandered down to my hand, seeing the bandages there from my fight with the mirror. For a brief moment, a single dot of time, I saw something other than confusion in his eyes. Knowing he wasn't going to get an answer out of me, he stood up quickly and slammed the chair back into its place in the corner of the room before storming out. That could've gone better, but it could've also been worse.

I fell back onto the pillow, just staring at the chair he lift and the distinct smell he carried with him still wafting in my room.

Raiel's Point:

Idiot, he looked at me like an idiot. Slamming the door behind me, I saw Adda sitting on the chair outside of the room with her sewing in her hand. Annoyed, I walked up to her and waited for her to notice me. She looked up at me, shifting slightly so that the light fell back on her sewing. This woman, this old hag, didn't fear me one bit. I shouldn't be surprised, she was our caregiver when Luisa and I were kids but it didn't make it any less annoying.

"What happened, Adda?"

"You're seeing the other boy tonight?"

"I am, what business is that to-"

She raised her eyebrow at my realization and stood up. She patted me on the shoulder before moving back to the bedroom to look after Eda- after him. Why did this hurt? I had been dating Dylan for longer than I've been married to that ... to Edam. Why did it hurt? Why does my sin hurt? My sin?

I didn't try to think, I escaped to my study. Even there wasn't an escape, the box with our ribbons and Edam's memory stared at me like an accuser. I put the box back in the cupboard, sealing it shut but it was like a tell-tale heart, reminding me constantly. It didn't escape my thoughts. His face, his hands, he was mine  - he is mine. What the hell am I doing?

I slumped into my chair. The room had become colder and smaller. It almost felt like the walls were breathing, mocking me. Dylan would be here soon, please just let him take my mind off of this.

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