Chapter 21

Matt/Adrien's POV

"You don't know how your day went?" I was surprised and it was clear in my voice. She just got home, how could she have forgotten already?

"I…. I remember leaving the house this morning." She grasped her head with both hands. "And I only remember driving back just now." She shook her head from side to side and paced back and forth on the porch.

"How's that possible?" I asked.

"I don't know!" Tears were welling up in her eyes already. "How can I spend a whole day, and just forget it?" She gestured wildly with her arms. She was shouting at this point.

The tiny niggling of worry that stayed at the back of mind, came roaring to the forefront. What could be wrong? Definitely she's just tired, but how does a person forget her whole day?

I pulled her back to me, stopping her pacing, and made her sit. She needed to calm down. "Be calm, my love. I'm sure it's nothing serious, you're just tired."

She flew out of my arms enraged at my words. "STOP TELLING ME THAT I'M JUST TIRED, I'm sick of hearing that!! something is awfully wrong and you know it." She screamed loudly. "How tired can I get, to forget a whole day I just spent?"

For the first time ever, I felt anger kindling in the pit of my stomach, anger at my wife. It left an acidic taste on my tongue and I hated it. "Aly." My voice had a hint of hardness, so I forced it back. "Honey, there's no other explanation, just rest up and it'll all come back to you I promise." I tried to hold her again.

She sidestepped my hands. "We both know there's something wrong." Silent tears ran down her cheeks. I hated seeing this. "I'm going inside."

I watched her pick up her heels and bag, and go into the house. I didn't try to stop her.

The sun was setting already, so I stayed and watched it, letting it bring me peace. The same peace that had eluded me. Whatever it was that was going on, I won't let it destroy my family or our peace. I vowed to protect what we shared.

I sat for hours on the porch chair, till it was well after dark and only went in when I felt a little bit of peace on the inside comforting me.

The house was dark, I didn't turn on the lights, I just silently manoeuvred my way to the bedroom where Aly lay. Aided by the little fairy lights we sometimes kept on, I could see Aly's form on the bed, her breathing even. She seemed to be deeply asleep.

I won't let today merge with tomorrow, we were going to have a good time, and I was going to make her forget all of this. This was the thought on my mind as I climbed into bed beside her.

She was lying on her side facing towards me, and I pushed tendrils of hair from her face before kissing her forehead. "You're ok, we're ok." I uttered into the quiet room as I settled down to sleep.

I wondered who it was I was trying to convince, Aly, or myself. The same uncertainty lingered in the dimly lit room, casting shadows across our faces and our relationship.

And I drifted off to sleep.

*****

The day of our anniversary dawned bright and clear, it was a beautiful day that washed away the feelings from the night before, and we couldn't both help but be happy.

There was a lot we had planned for the day, so after eating breakfast, we headed out. I was leaving the house for the first time in a while.

We started off with the park, visiting foodstops and trying everything, riding rented bicycles, asking passers-by to take several photos of us and eating ice cream that melted too fast despite the weather that wasn't so hot.

After the park, we visited the museum, and an art gallery. By then it was past noon, so soon after, we attended a food festival and we were allowed to eat all we could.

We then visited the beach, building sand castles, running around and being all-round silly. I watched Aly as she laughed and ran, yesterday's issues seemingly far from her. I hadn't forgotten, and an eerie feeling still stayed at the back of my mind but I wasn't about to let it spoil my day so I got up from the sand where I was seated, and rejoined her in playing.

At 5 p.m., we decided to go back home, to freshen up for our evening out. I had made a reservation at Aly's favourite restaurant a week ago. It was an Italian restaurant, it was crazy expensive and had the best Italian dishes so getting a reservation on the day we needed it was a pipe dream.

We got home, washed all the sand from the beach off our body and prepared for our evening. I was dressed in a tuxedo in the next hour and ready to go, but Aly wasn't halfway done yet so I watched a football match while waiting for her.

Our reservation was for 8 p.m. and it was a 30-minute drive from our house to the restaurant. At 7:10, I was ready to force Aly into the car even if she wasn't done with whatever was taking her so long. Then I heard the soft clinking of her heels on the stairs.

The sight I witnessed when I turned to the stairs took my breath away and made me fall all over again for my wife. She was breathtaking in a floor-length midnight blue dress that shimmered as she moved. Her hair was up in some type of complicated and beautiful style, with some curled tendrils artfully left to fall across her face. Her makeup was minimal but highlighted her best qualities. Doe brown eyes, high cheekbones, a pointed nose, and lusciously full lips.

I felt big on the inside, this woman was really mine. Was I even worthy of this?

I watched her descend the stairs with awe. A secret smile stayed on her lips the entire time, she knew the effect she was having on me.

"I forgive you for wasting my time." I said when she reached me. "This," I gestured up and down her. "Was worth it." Her smile grew bigger.

"Let's go." she said and linked her hands with mine. In her high heels, she stood an inch or two taller than my shoulder. I kissed the top of her head before we proceeded to the car. We used my black Tesla model S vehicle that sat in the garage, it hardly saw any action and was perfect for the evening.

The drive to the restaurant was quiet but comfortable, with me totally concentrating on the road, and Aly casually resting her hand on my thigh.

It was 7:50 already, when we got to the restaurant. We located our table, and had our seats. I could stop staring at Aly who sat opposite me as we sipped wine and waited for our food. So, I picked up her hand that rested atop the table, and kissed her dainty fingers.

"I love you Aly." I said and picked up my wine glass, she followed suit and picked hers up too. "Cheers to 2 years and forever together." I softly clinked my glass with hers and we both sipped from our glasses. The wine was delicious.

"I love you too Matt." Her expression then turned sombre. "And I'm sorry about last night, it's not your fault and I shouldn't have shouted at you." A tiny smile stretched her lips. "Forgive me one more time? Please?"

"On one condition," I said seriously "Promise me you'll dress this way for the company's 20th anniversary that's coming up." She laughed heartily but I continued speaking. "I'm going to show off my beautiful wife."

"Of course love," She was still laughing "I'd be happy to."

"I'm the one who is sorry Aly." seriousness in my words. "I vowed to protect you and I'm doing a bad job at it." She shook her head and tried to speak but I cut her off. "I'll do better, I'll keep you happy and safe, you'll have nothing to worry about, I promise."

She nodded, gratitude showing in the pool of her eyes. Our food arrived soon after that moment. Dinner was calming, filled with a sense of companionship and love, the food was delicious and worth the extra expense, and the conversation flowed freely and easily.

With satisfied smiles, we left the restaurant and headed for the car. The drive back home was serene and filled with a sense of camaraderie, like our whole day had been. I had one hand on the steering wheel and the other linked with Aly's hand.

We drove past the busy areas and gradually, only trees dotted both sides of the road, we were close to home and suddenly, I felt it, a subtle shift in the air. In an instance, Aly's posture and the aura surrounding her changed, she fully turned towards me, her entire presence feeling familiar and strange at the same time.

"Adrien.." Her voice took on an unfamiliar smokiness sending shivers down my spine as she spoke, like a voice used to commanding people and generally getting what she wants. It was full of relief. "Adrien." She called again and the hand gripping mine tightened. "After searching for so long, I finally found you." Her voice became weepy.

I tried to look at her and still concentrate on the road, it was dark and I needed to be careful. "Aly? Aly what's wrong? Who is Adrien?" I said looking to the road and back to her, her once warm brown eyes glowed an eerie shade of blue.

"What do you mean? You are Adrien! I need you to come home love, you need to come back!" Her voice was rising and both her hands gripped the arm close to her fiercely.

"Aly, stop! You're scaring me, what is going on?" Fear gripped me as I struggled to comprehend her sudden transformation, this was different from everything else that had happened. This wasn't the Aly I knew and I couldn't understand what caused this. "What are you talking about?"

"Adrien, you are coming home with me!" The authority in her voice made me want to cower before her. I resisted the urge. The house was so close, I would understand this better when we got home.

I felt the impact of something big hitting my side of the car with so much force. The window broke, bathing me in glass and the car door bent inwards. Then our car went screeching loudly across the road. Aly! It was only Aly on my mind, she couldn't die.

The object made several more impacts with the car till we were bashed against a tree, upside down. My seatbelt was the only thing holding me in place as I hung upside down in the car, blood dripping down my head and arms. I knew I was badly injured. Aly, how was Aly, the whole time, she hadn't made a sound.

From my position, I could see her blue dress which was already torn halfway and exposing her legs, shimmering in the moonlit night. She was fighting! as she fought, her back was to the car. She seemed to be protecting it, protecting me. When did she leave the car? What was happening, I couldn't see who or what she was fighting with, and I could barely follow her movements as she moved with superhuman speed.

I had to go to her, I had to help. I tried to move and excruciating pain moved round my body, making me cry out in agony. I tried to breathe through it, but failed and a certain darkness swallowed me whole.