Chocolate Umbrella

Chapter 3 - Chocolate Umbrella

CHAPTER 3

Emile causally put down his computer bag on the kitchen floor with a dull thud, as if he was leaving behind the problems he faced in the office, before walking back to his warm nest. He slowly walked up to Alena, who was happily munching the chocolate bar and waiting for the dish to heat up. He gently stroked his fingers up and down her arm. She smiled and stroked his cheek lightly in response. This small gesture of hers sent him a jolt. It had been a while since she took the initiative to show her affections. Her skin felt warm and soft. He pulled her closer. Her smile told him that she enjoyed this little intimacy as much as he did. He missed this woman in the last year or two, while she was so caught up with her new role as a housewife. He loved his child dearly, but he sometimes just could not help but felt like the abandoned child in the house.

"So, you are interested to know what happened today in the office?" His eyes were tendered.

"Sure. You know I like gossips. Would you like dinner first, or you'd rather take a shower now?" Alena finished off the chocolate bar and circled her arms around his waist. His tendered eyes had furthered encouraged her to carry through what she had planned for tonight.

"I'll take a shower first." Emile brushed his lips lightly on hers before walking away from the kitchen. Home sweet home was what he felt now.

Alena watched him quietly walked up the stairs to the second floor of the house, where the bedroom suites were.

Beeb, beeb, beeb, beeb, beeb! The microwave stopped spinning and Alena took the hot dish out and put it on the table. It was Emile's favourite dish, pork chops with onion in ketchup. Looking at the dish she made specifically for that evening, she smiled. Yes, she was making amends. Last night, she had been rude and insensitive. She could have given many excuses for her behaviour, but she could not deny the fact that Emile was hurt. She was neither a loving wife, nor did she show any appreciations. She not only needed to amend the hurts she had inflicted on Emile last night, she needed to fix her marriage.

Alena opened the fridge and grabbed a couple of pears. She thoroughly rinsed them under the tap water. Candy was already in bed. The quietness in the kitchen calmed her moods. It allowed her to ponder on her thoughts. Alena replayed in her head what had happened during the day.

***Flashback

Alena really did not look forward to the field trip with Candy's pre-kindergarten class. It was out of routine and would definitely throw off her schedule. But as a loving and dedicated mother, she would not want her precious daughter to miss out her first ever trip to the pumpkin patch with her little friends.

When she walked out of the house in the morning, she was in a bad mood. She did not sleep well the night before, and scavenger hunt for Candy's milk cup stressed her out. She grumpily strapped Candy into the car seat, took her to the pumpkin patch and saw the other mothers were all excited with their kids. She forged a smile on her face and she was pretty sure that the other moms noticed how fake it was too.

However, Candy was so excited about the trip. The moment she got onto the wagon in the field, her giddy laughs melted Alena. The ride was rough and bumpy. She grabbed onto Alena so tightly but her excitement was beaming from her eyes. The sun was shining and the air was dry. The mugginess from the day before was gone.

"Mama, look! A big b-bumpkin" Candy was half running in the field. She had never been to a pumpkin patch. "A big b-bumpkin here", she smiled, showing her baby teeth.

"Mama, listen to my boots. They are noisy!" Candy giggled as she walked on the wet mud in her rain boots, making the sloshing sound. She even stomped a few steps like an elephant just to get the mud splashing onto her boots, "Mama, mud splashing!" Candy continued with her fun in the mud, grinning from ear to ear.