Chapter 16: Butterflies

Mindara Manaying

“Yes, I’m at her place. She picked me up last night.” I told Fern who became silent for a moment before I heard a manly voice echoed from a distant. It must be her loving husband.

“Pie, Mario says hi to you. He hopes you’re doing fine there.” I found myself smiling upon hearing that.

“Tell him I’m good.”

“Now tell me everything about your new school, your fresh experience and everything you wish to tell me.” She said and there goes a long hour on the phone with my best friend.

****

Fern thought that the Headmaster or that P’Van might have some interest in me and it could be dangerous in the long run. Nobody really aware of my marital status; not a single soul should know about it either. According to Fern in order to play it safe, I should not let P’Van cross the boundary beyond the relationship as colleagues. Nothing personal, just work. Remember that no matter how hard to try to deny it, you are married to someone Pie. You can never change that.

I let out a deep sigh, realising that whatever Fern had been telling me was completely true. Married to someone I never anticipated. I stared at my bare finger, realising that the ring I supposed to wear was no longer there. Something struck inside my head, telling me to look for the wedding ring which I had removed some times ago. I might have lost it but I knew I put it somewhere I could not remember its whereabouts.

Maybe it’s in the jewellery box.

“Pie, come down and have your breakfast okay? I’m off to the farm.” I heard Kimhan’s voice echoed through the hall. Kimhan and I did not interact much ever since she drove me back to her place. Sometimes I thought she was weird and somehow I felt that she disliked me as much as I hated her. Someday she would get sick of dealing with me and eventually, nothing would go right for us. The divorce should come sooner. I must say that I could not wait for the day of my freedom to come.

I peeked through the curtain and saw Kimhan making her way to the old jeep. I wondered if she went out at the same hour every day to work. At what time she would return? Did she realise that she left me all alone in this empty house with barely anything to entertain me? Sigh.

***

The least thing that I could do to make the full use of time was enjoying the food cooked by my unwanted spouse. To be honest, Kimhan was a good cook. I have to admit that every meal prepared by Kimhan was scrumptious. She cooked me enough breakfast that could fill me till lunch or perhaps dinner time. Judging from the amount here, I could tell that she would be gone for quite long hours before her return. Bored enveloped me the moment I realised I had nothing to do to buy the time. I could use some time to check on my social media, emails and what not but how long I could bear with those? Call me an old lady but I thought that almost everybody on social media is sick. People throwing hatred towards each other, spreading false information, making everything they think it could be viral for cheap fame and you name the rest. What has gone wrong with everyone in this world?

The only thing that interested me right now is to have my own tour around this small house. I liked it to be here for the first time. Now that Kimhan was not around, I could take this chance to wonder around peacefully. Who knows I could discover something amazing or amusing? This is the home Kimhan grew up to become whoever she chose to be. There must be a lot of memories buried and hidden inside this house.

I walked myself to the living room; we always start from the front right. I guessed nothing would amaze me but I caught a figure of an unfamiliar object, leaned against the wall. It was wrapped in brown wrapping but somehow it looked like it has been opened by somebody. Curious, I scrutinized the object closely. It was something that has been framed; a huge one.

This might be Kimhan’s I thought but I could always unwrapped this carefully and wrap it all over again.

The next second I figured out the content was the very moment I regret the sense of my curiosity. It was our wedding picture; perfectly captured on that unfortunate day. It made me cringed; I felt sick of the sight I had in my view. Grandpa must have posted it here. He wanted it to be hung proudly on the wall but I thought otherwise. He made me thinking a lot of things ever since this marriage occurred. Why me and why he did this to me despite my carelessness?

“I know you will hate it,” A voice snapped my deep thought and startled me a bit. Colours drained from my face but returned soon after. I was alone back then. How could someone join me without my notice?

“I’ll keep this in the store,” My mind finally registered that the voice belongs to the one and only Kimhan.

“You freaked me out,” I hissed as she took a look at me. “How could you be here while you were gone like two hours ago,” The sounds of annoyance was audible enough for Kimhan to realise how irritated I was for her sudden presence. If I had a heart disease, I might have a while ago needed to be sent to the emergency department.

“I called you twice but you were just stoned here like a statue,” She shrugged. Kimhan gestured me to hand the portrait to her and I voluntary passed it to her. She took a look at it and smiled softly.

“You know you are a real Princess. I have never seen anyone as pretty as you.” she said.

“Don’t start Kimhan,” I told her but she seemed to ignore me.

“This portrait would be really perfect if you were married to some other guy rather than me. You would cherish this moment because it will save your life – your entire life.” She said. Kimhan did not wait that long when she quickly her heels and disappeared from my sight together with the portrait. She would hide it in the store, right? I would never