Dangerous Games

UNHINGED

"What do you mean."

"About why you got married." Flora raised her hand again, but he leaned away before she could touch him. "I know you didn't cheat on me with Kali. I have known it since the beginning, but I was hurt and angry, and I turned my heart off and listened to my brain. I doubted you, and you don't know how much I regret it."

Samuel pulled on his hair, frustration clawing through him as they stared at each other.

Why did this have to happen now? When he had already decided to accept his feelings for Kali and work on their marriage. He had held out hope for months that his mother would give him his freedom, and with enough faith, Flora would still love him enough to understand the decision he made. Months passed, and nothing changed except his feelings towards Kali.

Now, they were closer than ever, building their life outside his mother's rules. He had resigned himself and his story with Flora as a finished one despite his feelings. He reasoned she would have moved on, too.

Maybe it was all a way of dealing with his guilt.

"Samuel..."

"Don't come closer." He pleaded when she took a step towards him. "How did you find out?"

"Does it matter? What happens is that I know, and I forgive you, sweetheart. I forgive you for all of it."

"You can't be here."

"I know you are afraid of your mother. I know you want to protect me, but I can protect myself. You didn't have to make this big sacrifice for me. You didn't need to split us apart. Now, we can stand in this together. We can stand as one and face everything together."

He looked at her, pained to see the hope in her eyes. "I am married, Flora."

"To a woman you don't love. You only got married to save me. This marriage is not real."

"It is. In the eyes of God and the law, Kali is my wife."

"You know what I mean." Flora insisted. With tears in her eyes, she finally caught his hand and pulled closer. "She is not your wife."

"She is." He repeated. He could barely hear himself. "She is."

"So it's true? You have an actual relationship?"

"I do. We do."

Flora faltered, sharply exhaling as she took in the implications. He felt her hold tighten, her hand closing hard and punishing over his. More tears fell, and she lowered her head, but Samuel watched quietly.

Flora shook her head and stood taller, smiling through her tears. "I understand. For all this time, you probably couldn't talk to anyone else but her. She shared your pain and fears. Once, she told me herself that you loved me. I couldn't see then, but she was trying to drop hints about your feelings for me."

The information shocked Samuel. Kali never mentioned that to him.

"She must have supported you, and it's only logical that you confuse gratitude with love. It happens, but it is not love. You are only grateful for her caring and sticking with you."

"I am grateful," he agreed, dropping her hand from his. "But that's not why."

"So...in the end...after all the sacrifice, you just...threw it away." Flora sobbed, wrapping her arms around herself in despair. "You forgot me and moved on to this woman."

"It's not like that?"

"What is it like? I couldn't look at another man after we broke up. It's taking me forever to forget you but you just fall for someone else."