CHAPTER 3

ARIA'S POV

Grandmother’s funeral is being held on a gloomy day, much to my displeasure.

I listened to the weather forecast so I could choose the perfect day for the funeral, and according to the forecast, the day is supposed to be sunny and bright just like Grandmother. I feel duped standing by grandmother’s grave with the sky covered in clouds that only worsen the dark and depressing feeling that has settled in my guts since her death.

I have cried so much that I have no tears left to shed at grandmother’s grave and now  have to wear dark sunglasses to hide how red and puffy my eyes are rather than to complement my black dress.

There are a few people hanging around the other graves in the cemetery to pay their last respects to their loved ones and at each grave, there are at least two people; couples holding each other, families comforting each other and even church processions.

I am alone, with no one to comfort me since no one else bothered to attend my grandmother's funeral. With her gone, I realize how lonely I actually am and the thought deals another blow to my already damaged heart. I try hard to get the heartbreaking events of the past few days off my mind and when I finally succeed, I turn my focus back to my grandmother.

She’s smiling in the framed picture placed by her tombstone and I force a smile as well as a  fond memory of her slips into my mind.

“Aria, my child, you can’t frown like that everytime or you’ll get wrinkles like me before you are even my age!” She would say and then go ahead to spread my lips into a smile with her fingers.

Grandmother was a cheerful soul who would tell me stories, mostly the ones about my birth and how she knew from the very first day that she set her eyes on me that I was going to be a really beautiful and amazing child. I shared everything with her and talking to her about my marriage was one of the things that made it bearable. I don’t know what I’d do without Grandmother.

Tears start to gather in my eyes again and I take off the sunglasses to wipe them off before they start to fall. I already promised myself not to cry anymore; Grandmother wouldn’t want that.

Sniffling, I begin to place the things I brought with me by her grave; Tulips, which were her favorite flowers; Peaches, her favorite fruit and finally some sweets because grandmother had a really sweet tooth and never listened to me whenever I told her they were bad for her age.

“There are no sweets in heaven, Aria. It’s only right that I take as much as I can down here before the big guy calls me up there.” She would say at the same she unwraps another candy and tosses it into her mouth. She would talk on and on about ‘The big guy’ and ‘Up there’ like she was always prepared for the day she would die.

I can’t help it anymore, I burst into tears, falling on my knees by her grave as it dawns on me fully that she is really gone.

“I should have let you have all the candies in the world. I should have been there with you at your dying moment. I should have held your hands and told you it’s gonna be okay. I–”  My voice breaks, the deep regret and tears choking me and making me lose my train of thoughts. I can’t think of a thing to say anymore and so I just cry, sobbing so hard my body shakes.

I hear confident footsteps approaching me and feel a presence behind me that causes  my sobs to come to a pause. My heart races and hope swells inside of me when the person puts a hand on my shoulder. I whip my head around, expecting to see Adam but my hope quickly shatters when I see that it is Adam uncle, Regis.

“Regis.” I say, sniffing and wiping my tears in a rush.

“Here,” He hands me his handkerchief, stuffing it in my hand and closing my palm around it before I can even refuse. I say a barely audible thank you before I dab at the tears with the hanky that smelt like him.

“I came as soon as I heard, I’m sorry about your Grandmother, Aria.” He says in a sincere and kind voice. Regis has always been kind to me even when I was just a secretary.

Whenever he came to visit his nephew at the office, he would stop to say hi and hand me a canned coffee with a smile on his face. However, he left the country  to study a few days before our wedding and only returned not too long ago. This is the first time seeing him since his return and the kind look in his eyes assures me that if he had been around, I would have had another person rooting for me just like Adam’s grandfather.

“You didn’t have to.” I say quietly, trying to downplay how much it actually means to me that at least, one person cares enough to be here with me. Regis looks around as if searching for something and then he frowns when our eyes meet again.

“You’re alone? Where the hell is Adam?” He asks, his voice a little hard.

My cheeks redden in embarrassment. Regis has only just returned and probably doesn’t know anything yet. I am not willing to talk either. I force a smile and begin to pack the excess things I bought for my grandmother's funeral.

Regis joins me wordlessly and I sigh in silent appreciation of how he doesn’t ask anymore questions. He takes everything from my hands even before I can protest.

“Did you drive here?” He asks and I shake my head. I came here in a Taxi.

“C’mon, we’ll take my car.” He says and walks in front of me. I have no choice but to follow him.

We have just gotten outside of the cemetery when a car drives into the parking space right beside Regis’ car. The car is familiar and I keep doubting who it belongs to until Adam steps out of the car, eyes trained on me as he walks over. The first thing I notice is his Royal Blue suit and I feel the slow brewing of anger inside of me. How could he show up wearing that? It is like a blatant disrespect of my Grandmother and I can’t stand to watch her get disrespected even in her death.

It is clear that he came from the office; little surprise there and it would have been better if he didn’t come at all as I now realize how looking at him only infuriates me. He had managed to avoid me in the past three days since the hospital incident. Three days since Sophia announced that she was pregnant and shook my world. I didn’t need anyone to tell me who the baby belonged to as he walks towards me now, I feel nothing but resentment for him.

“Is it over? Crap, I must have lost track of time.”  He says before turning to his uncle and giving him a tight smile of appreciation that I find nauseating.

“Thank you for being here with her, uncle.”

Regis merely crosses his arms, staring back at his nephew, “Care to explain why you are only just coming?” Regis thows the question at him and I face Adam too, crossing my arms.

“Yes, Adam. Tell me what was more important than being at my grandmother’s funeral.” I already know the answer but I still wait to hear him say it so I can have a reason to hate him even more.

“I really wanted to be here, Aria but you know…” He trails off, running a hand through his hair, “I had to be with Sophia.”

The sound of her name is what does it for me; the same woman who is the reason I wasn’t around to witness grandmother’s dying moments.

“Did you really come all the way here to tell me you were with another woman you slept with and impregnated?”

“What?” Regis is the one who speaks, his voice echoing his shock as he looks from me to Adam. Adam’s usual blank look remains as if he is unaffected by my words and the pain he has caused me.

“Let’s not do this here, Aria. You know I can’t just leave her.”

I scoff.

“I never stopped you. You know what? You should have never come here. You should have stayed with her since that is where your loyalties lie now and I am no longer in the picture.”

Adam frowns, moving closer and intimidating me just a little with his height and muscular frame, “What does that mean? You are my wife.”

“Ex-wife,” I say the words without even thinking. I didn’t think any of this through but I don’t care because my entire being seems to agree that this is what’s best for me,

“I want a divorce, Adam.”

His eyes grow wide, unable to contain the shock at my words and I am proud of myself that I finally got a reaction that isn’t anger or coldness from him.

 “Both the divorce papers and my resignation will find their way to you soon.” I add before he can get over his shock and I don’t wait for him to reply as I turn to an equally stunned Regis.

“Take me home, Regis.”