The Traps of Black Swan

After talking to Zelda, Aarvi walked out of the room. She should be celebrating, running upstairs, and calling Megan to tell her everything but Aarvi's thoughts were on something else.

Why was she feeling like Zelda was waiting for her and Aaron to get together? Even if they hadn't visited her, Zelda would have returned.

When she heard Aaron's voice, she blurted out what she was able to discern, "Ronron, we have misunderstood grandmother all these years."

Then she shook her head and apologized, "Sorry I was zoned out. You said something?"

Aaron sighed loudly seeing her thinking so much. Taking all the boxes from her hands, he took her to the guest room as he repeated, "The necklace you are wearing is grandma's wedding necklace. I am not sure, it's like it was given to her by her mother-in-law. Mom had this before you."

Aarvi: "..."

She didn't know she got a timeless antique piece.

"Ouch…" Aaron flicked on her forehead harder to bring her back to reality. "Why are you zoning out again?"

Aarvi pouted her lips in dissatisfaction rubbing her forehead, "I didn't know heirloom kind of things existed." Then she glanced at the boxes and exclaimed, "I became richer." She chuckled in amusement.

'Richer?' Aaron couldn't believe she even thought that. He was about to help her remove the necklace, she suddenly crossed her legs and her back stiffened. "Am I dreaming about everything or imagining all this stuff in a nap? Why are things so fast forward? Shouldn't I take a year or two to accept you, then two or three years to decide about marriage? This is too unrealistic."

Aaron: "..."

'What did grandma do to her?' Aaron thought. He heard her continue mumbling while he removed the necklace, kept all the boxes aside, pulled the dressing table small stool in front of her to sit, and held her face… No, more like grabbing her face.

Before Aarvi could flash him a sweet smile, "Ahhh… Aaron you idiot…" She cried out in pain when he pinched her cheeks harder enough to make her face go bright red and her eyes moist.

He was expecting her to beat him but she started her drama of bawling out. "Ronron… it hurts." She slowly shifted to his lap and wrapped herself around him repeating, "It hurts, Ronron..."

Does he have to pinch so hard to remind her it wasn't a dream?

Aaron: "..."

He thought for a moment and guessed, "Grandma is returning?"

Aarvi stopped her drama and nodded vigorously in acceptance. Then she told him how much she could understand Zelda, "Grandmother isn't angry at grandfather, it was a disappointment. Grandfather treasures the family too much so grandmother didn't want you to leave the house or be against him all his life. That would have broken grandfather…"

She sat on the edge of the bed and continued, "Okay, just imagine. You would have seen grandfather and grandmother living well while you were suffering because of his decision, how would you have felt? Pathetic, right?" She asked.

Aaron thought in the way Aarvi said. He felt she had a point and he never thought of it that way before. Not just him, they always assumed Zelda was angry at Jordan for his unforeseen behavior and stubbornness to leave Aaron abroad.

Without waiting for Aaron's response, she continued as though she might forget if taken a small break, "Hence grandmother chose to be away from grandfather so that when we get together, we could consider the fact Grandfather also suffered these years and forgive him.

Grandmother didn't want Grandfather alone to take your wrath so she was indirectly sharing his troubles so that the tough period could be shortened instead of prolonging to lifelong.

It's just that grandmother doesn't know how to express herself. Her way of dealing with things seems tough and heartless. Whereas she did all these for grandfather so that he doesn't leave the world with regrets and a heavy heart.

As soon as she heard about you and me getting married, she was preparing to return. And she must have felt wrong when she heard us, it's alright…"

In a breath, Aarvi continued, looking him in the eyes. When she realized she spoke a lot, she scratched her head, "Did I make sense? Did you get what I am trying to say?... Why are you sighing so much? Am I irritat...?"

"Shhhhhhh…." Aaron covered her lips and shushed her. She doesn't have to explain to him so much. He can understand her with fewer words.

Seeing her getting worried as she was annoying him with nonstop chatter, he pulled her on his lap and hugged her. He sighed because she was suffocating herself. He wanted to remind her to breathe.

He rewound her words and tried to understand Zelda. The latter was a complex puzzle. She hides her real emotions even from Jordan. She tries her hardest to keep her mind practical hence she often loses the little happiness while looking at the bigger picture.

He was seeing and talking with Zelda for so many years. He couldn't believe Aarvi was able to read between Zelda's cold unemotional words.

Cupping her face, he chuckled seeing her curiously looking at him. "Doozy."

She flashed a sweet smile. He carried her up in a bear hug as he went out of the guest room, "Let's pause your little brain from working so hard."

"As you say, my dear hubby." He had just taken a few steps out hearing her flirt, "Ahem" Aarvi jumped off from Aaron's arms, She wanted to put on nonchalance but ran away to the bathroom.

Sophia tried her hardest to bury her chuckle standing behind Zelda.

Meanwhile, Aarvi played to be hitting her forehead to the wall, "Why… Just why the hell isn't the bathroom in the guest room?"

----

After a steaming bath, Aarvi felt her all-day physical exhaustion was reduced. A good sleep was enough to return to the battle. Her first focus was the man following them to the village.

Wrapped in a night robe, she went to the guest room. She was welcomed to the entrancing smell of lavender.

'The room wasn't scented before.' She thought.

Her eyes recorded the changes. The bright light in the room was changed to dim, flowers were changed in the vase, the lavender-scented many candles were arranged around the room. It was very romantic and soothing. A perfect date night scene out of a movie with her husband in the frame.

"What's going on, Mr. Hubby?" She asked looking at Aaron who was checking his mails on her tab while lying on the bed on his stomach. They enjoyed themselves all day, she didn't want a date night but a good sleep.

Aaron pressed his forefinger between his brows. His grandmother is a stubborn brute. She threw him out of the room, arranged everything before she left. "What do you think?" He asked without looking at her. He could only hope she doesn't start seducing him now.

Aarvi sniffed the lavender and innocently responded, "For a good night's sleep." Lavender alleviates stress after all.

Aaron: "..." His wife truly paused her brain after listening to his advice.

He didn't respond. He was hoping she would sleep on the bed by saying tired, but when the bed sank near his leg, he felt a little frame press on his back and gently laid on him.

His focus was lost from the screen, and breath struck in his throat. With his thoughts already running wild, he could feel her softness pressing on his hardback, her curves aligning against his stiffened body. Her head softly laid below his nape, slowly snuggling to a comfortable position.

He swallowed hard, finding it too hard to stay still or even breathe. He knew he wouldn't be able to cuddle her anymore.