Chap # 1 "And who do you Love?"
Nathan Rivera's POV
I was happy, really happy. That type of happiness a kid feels when he gets gifts in Christmas. But that kid also knows that Santa is not real. That's the same situation with me. I know Janet is fine but I also know that she is faking that 'she is fine'. Weird? I know.
I am not okay with Janet having nightmares and plus she was acting a little suspicious. As if hiding something but I ignored it and kept telling myself that she will tell me.
And that was the reason I was taking her to therapy maybe a doctor can do something I am not able to do. I mean she was happier than she was but sometimes things feel off and it saddens me that she gets lost in her thoughts and a frown appears on her beautiful face. It makes my heart ache and I don't want to see that sad smile on her face when I ask if she is okay.
"How long?" She asked as we fastened our seat belts and I turned the engine on making the car roar.
"Not much just 10 minutes, my love." She smiled shyly at me and turned to gaze the window facing away from me. The ride was indeed short as I stopped in front a small clinic that I was familiar with. Dr. Renne was my father's old friend in university and he was good at what he did. He was psychologist here in the small clinic. He was kind of a weird man, with freaky odd personality but he was the best one I knew.
I walked out of the car with Janet beside me, her hand clamped with mine. We walked into the building and I went straight up to the receptionist.
"We have an appointment with Dr. Renne in 3 minutes." I said glancing at my watch.
"Yeah, sure walk right through the room at the end of the hall." She said with a monotone voice and pointed to the right hall. I got a hold of Janet's hand again and pulled her closer with me making her roll her eyes at me.
I knocked on the door and walked right in as Dr. Renne wide eyes turned to face me with his mouth curved in a smile. He sure looked cheerful all the time.
"Nathan, my boy! How are you? How is your wife? I see you got married. It's okay I am not sad to know that you didn't invite me. It's okay I am not mad to know I practiced a dance for your wedding and you never invited. It's okay, it's okay." He said wiping a fake tear as I rolled my eyes. See what was I talking about.
"Dr. Renne it was just quick so I didn't invite anyone." I told him as he sighed, dramatically.
"Well, come sit." He said gesturing towards the two chairs. I pulled the chair out for Janet and she sat thanking me before I sat beside her.
"Janet, is it?" He asked Janet with a small fatherly smile. Janet nodded her head glancing at me for a second as I sat there and watched the session start. Dr. Renne asked her simple questions like age and hobbies, likes and dislikes.
"What is your greatest fear, Janet? Something you don't want to think about." Janet thought for a second as she gazed at me and spoke.
"I am afraid of losing someone important, someone I love." She whispers as she faced the doctor with that same frown. She was afraid to lose me?
Why would she think that? She won't I can assure her that.
"And who do you love?" He asked again.
"I love Valeria, Bella and most of all I love Nathan because he has shown me the world." She speaks with desire and an excited spirit as I faced her with a small smile playing on my lips. Her words did make my heart thump and race faster. Her words were so pure and sweet that it made me think how lucky how I was that she belonged to me, only me.
"Do you fear that your loved ones are going to leave you?" He questioned as he wrote things in his notepad. Janet shook her head at his question as she lowered her head.
"Then why are you afraid of losing them? If they aren't going to leave you then why are you afraid?" He questioned as Janet stared at him and then spaced out. She went silent as I glanced at Dr. Renne while he assured me that it was okay with a small gesture with his hand. I sat straighter as that same sadness flowed through Janet's face, that turn of her lips, it was the worst. She was in grief and lost, she was thinking too much.
"I am afraid someone is going to take him away from me." She finally spoke as her stare was etched straight on her lap with that frown printed to her face.
"Well, do you play sports?" Dr. Renne changed the topic in one second as if nothing happened and that made me more confuse. I wanted to know why was she afraid that 'someone' was going to take me away from her? It was just so shocking and ridiculous.
"No, I don't play." She told him giving him a curious look.
"Want to have a match of badminton?" Dr. Renne said with a small smile as he stood up rubbing his hands over his white coat.
"But I don't know how to play." She said, unsure about it as I stood up as well. Janet watched me curious as I held my hand up for her to take.
"Me neither." Dr. Renne laughed almost like a crazy person, as I rolled my eyes at this guy. Weird.
"Let's go Janet. It's okay." I told her as she took my hand and we walked out towards a badminton court. He always told me to play badminton whenever I visited. It was weird at first but I kind of got used to it. He still hasn't learned how to play the game properly but he was not bad.
"Nathan help your wife." He told me as I took one racket and handed it over to Janet.
"Nathan, I don't know how to play. This is bizarre." She protested as I kept persuading her to play even for a minute. After many tries, she mumbled an 'okay' with an angry stare. I helped her in playing and kind of teasing her. She was glaring at me the whole time as I made funny faces.
"Nathan, stop!" She seethed as I bit my lip and winked at her. She was trying to play and she was good at it not bad. A fast learner.
"What if I don't?" I smirked as she huffed and tried to swing her racket with the shuttlecock. She hit it as Dr. Renne hit it back. They went back and forward while I watched them. Janet was actually enjoying and that frown I saw moments ago disappeared into thin air.
Janet missed the shot as she signed and bend down to pick up the shuttlecock. Her hair fell over her beautiful face as I suddenly remembered that soft vanilla smell of them.
"That was a nice play. Nathan your wife is better than you. I remember you couldn't even serve the shuttle at first." I shook my head at him in annoyance as the guy laughed and told Janet the whole scenario.
"... and then he cried because he couldn't do it well. He ran away and I had to find him all over the place only to find in the woods. Poor thing was 16 years old, a confused teenager." I remembered it so clearly because I was having trouble with myself after the death of my parents and that day, I cried so much that Dr. Renne took me in his care for the night. He was the one who showed me the positivity of life. He prepared me for the worst and here I am now.
"Nathan? Can I have a moment with you." Dr. Renne whispered as he placed his palm over my shoulder. I nodded as we went towards his office with Janet beside us. I walked with him into his office while I made Janet sit in the waiting room.
"Nathan, is there any threat to you both? " He questioned me just as I walked into the room. I shook my head as I sat on the seat while he stood thinking to himself with his eyebrow narrowed.
"I didn't question her further because it would be too overwhelming for her and I need her to be comfortable with me. Take things slow with her Nathan. She is better, you did well." He told me as he took a seat on his seat and took off his glasses with a loud sigh.
"She was trembling. She was scared of someone, Nathan don't you see the signs? There is someone else in the story, it's upto you now." I sat straighter as he spoke making me question myself. Is that the main reason? I promised to protect her and be the smile she will wear; be the shoulder she would cry on and be the shield that would protect her. Anything, I would anything for her.
"I guess I need to assign a bodyguard for her protection." Dr. Renne nodded with a glad expression.
"Take care of her."
With all my strength.
**************
"One of my colleagues is having his engagement party and he invited me so we both are going, okay?" I told Janet as I killed the engine of my car and walked out of it going towards her side. As I pulled open her door, she got out of the car and stood there with her arms crossed over the car door while biting her lip.
"Is your colleague getting married?" I nodded as she hummed while in deep thoughts.
"Wear a nice dress and I'll be home quick cause I have an appointment with a patient." I informed her as she nodded slowly, still deep in thoughts.
"Janet? Is something wrong?" I asked her slowly as I closed the car door and pulled her closer to me. I held her waist as her eyes snapped to mine.
"Nothing. It's just- why didn't we had an engagement party?" That question took me by surprise. Now thinking about it, she would question me about why couldn't she have all these. What am I supposed to tell her?
"We will have them." I assured her as she nodded happily.
"Now go and get ready." I told her as I kissed the top of her forehead making her giggle and bit her lip. This seducer.
I will make sure to have a wedding for her, a grand one. With everyone we love and all the rituals. Because she deserves everything. And I will make sure to give her everything.
************
"Mrs. Rivera is in her room." Lydia told me as I walked into the house. I hummed as she turned around to go back in the kitchen.
"Wait Lydia, where is my suit?" I asked as I suddenly remembered my suit was supposed to be delivered here by now. She stopped and spoke.
"It is kept in the guestroom as you ordered me too." She informed me as I nodded and went in and took a look at the black tuxedo. I need a bath first. I know Janet must be getting ready so I didn't go to our bedroom and went to the guest room to get ready and then meet up with her.
I got ready pretty quick threw the tie as I don't use them, then cuffed my sleeves and wore the watch that had my father initials on them. I buttoned up my coat as I sprayed some cologne over me and went out of the room walking towards our bedroom.
"Lydia! Can you help me?" Janet yelled as Lydia came out of the kitchen to help but I stopped her with my hand gesture.
"I will help." With that I went straight in. Just when I walked in the scene in front of me instantly made me regret.
"Lydia help me zip this up, this zipper is really low and I can't reach it." She said as she tried to reach the small zipper with her back exposed to me. Those scars were fading away as I sighed in relief.
I made my way towards her as I held her waist and then heard her gasp as she turned to her side. Our eyes meet and it took me off guard, she was looking so beautiful. I could just devour her right now.
I slowly zipped her dress taking my time as I heard her taking deep breaths. I placed a few kisses along her neck and turned her to face me, when her eyes met mine, I took her lips in mine.
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