Zephyr 19:Deliquescent

Nadine looked at Earl with barely-concealed indignation over the breakfast table the next morning.

"What?!" he asked, irritatedly putting the newspaper he was reading down.

"How can you hurt her so terribly? She was so excited about last night! She slaved in the kitchen for hours just to whip up that special dinner! It was you anniversary, for pete's sake," she said.

"I do not need your jeremiad," he said curtly.

"And Tamara doesn't need a jerk for a husband." Nadine looked at him in the eye. "I once thought that a marriage can bring out your compassionate side, but I was wrong..I was so hell wrong,Master Eral."

"Seize your tounge or I shall fire you."

She ignored him. "You know what? You don't deserve her."

For some reason he couldn't understand, those words pierced straight through his heart.



That afternoon, Earl was busy going over his office papers when he felt a light tap on his shoulder.

He felt a pang of pain on his shoulder. His hands jerked to grasp his aching body part, accidentally knocking over the cup of coffee Tamara was holding over his head. The liquid spilled on his documents.

Tamara panickedly took the papers away and wiped the table with her apron. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.." she said over and over, as if she committed a mortal sin.

Earl looked at the stack of paper and back at Tamara who was in the brink of tears. His heart somehow softened. "It's ok. I can ask for new copies from the office."

Great relief flooded through his face. "Kami-sama, thank you!" she whispered.

"What are you doing here anyway?" he wanted to know.

"I-I thought you might want a cup of coffee as you work..but.." She bit her lip. "I did more harm than good."

"I..see." He was touched by his wife's thoughtfulness.

She smiled at him uncertainly. "You look so tired. Why don't you take a break first?"

"That I will do." He stretched then winced. His back, nape, and shoulder muscles were aching.

She noticed it. She hurried behind him and started to squeeze his muscles gently but firmly. "You overstressed your muscles. These are nodules, actually. You work too hard, which is not good. Once in a while, you stretch. Have mercy on your body."

After a few minutes, Earl was beginning to relax. He was pleasantly surprised by how his wife's small delicate hands could bring such heavenly relief to his fatigued body.

"Tamara?"

"Hmm?"

"Do me a favor and call my office. Tell my new secretary that I am taking the rest of the day off."

"What reason shall I say?" she asked dutifully.

"That I'm going to spend the rest of my day with my wife to celebrate our anniversary," he replied, a small smile forming in his face.

Her eyes widened in disbelief.

"It's not too late, is it?" he asked tentatively.

She smiled lovingly. "Of course it's not too late."



Eriol couldn't help but smile as he read how Earl and Tamara became closer to each other as days passed.

Unconciously, he was becoming slowly influenced by Tamara's kindness.

Unconciously, he gave up on his philandering ways.

Unconciously, he started to reciprocate his wife's devotion to him.

Unconciously, he began to feel something for his other half. Something deeper than ardor, stronger than fondness and much more profound than lust and desire.

Unconciously, he started to see her as someone more than a trophy of prized beauty to showcase to his colleagues , or a domestic creature, or a bed partner.

Unconciously, he started to realize that she was an amazing women overflowing with compassion and honest to goodness love. She was caring and patient, with a good heart and an innocent trusting soul. She stood out among all self-proclaimed dames he knew, simply because she was already a jewel all by herself without the artificial polishing of cosmetics, etiquette and sophompric aura of authority.

Unconciously, he had already carved a special place for Tamara in his heart.

But he was conciously aware that this was the only time in his life that he was genuinely happy.

Eriol ran out of words to read. The chapter was over, and he was left hanging. Has Earl realized that he has fallen for Tamara already?



Tomoyo looked at her drafts for chapters 8 and 9. She could already finish the novel in chapter 10, but she wasn't inspired enough to do it.

"Maybe rereading these drafts can give me an idea," she said as she looked at the papers she printed from the computer again.

continue