"We've got to talk."
'Huh?' That caught me by surprise. "What for?" I yanked my wrist free.
My feet scurried through the cold street, avoiding bumping into groggy pedestrians who were catching the morning buses.
"Maise!" He called out. His hand once again gripped tightly around my wrist, stopping me from walking.
"Let me go!" I hissed. My eyes peeked through behind his shoulder, searching for the familiar figure that I wanted to avoid the most.
"Babe…" His soft pleading voice permeated through the chilled morning. The name I used to hear being called so lovingly. The very same tender tone he used to beg for my attention. Surprisingly, it did not work on me. It only fueled my anger.
"Do you mind?" I glared at him and then to my wrist.
"Not until you agree we talk."
Sheesh!!! I sure did not miss this persistence side of his! Whether I like it or not, agreeing was the only fastest way to shake him off.
"Yeah yeah. Sure! Lead the way."
"Really? Thank you, Maise." Alistair's goofy smile that I remembered, reached his ear and he started to make a move. His hand was still grabbing mine.
"I can walk fine by myself." I quickly pulled my hand and folded them across my chest.
He gave me a disappointed look but I was not the slightest bit affected. "Go on! Lead the way," I said hastily.
"I don't want to walk in front of you." He pinched a part of the sleeve of my coat, pouting.
But I was not buying it. I did not have the luxury for all this nonsense. Every now and then, my head kept on turning back. My ears pricked for the faintest sounds of feet that seemed to run with urgency.
"Fine!" I agreed. I had to make him believe that I intended to follow him. Of course I have zero intention. I just need the right moment.
Happy with the arrangement, he initiated small talk. I had to admit, none of his words processed well in my brain. I could hear them fine but that was it.
"How have you been?"
"OK." My eyes studied the layout of the street, looking through each alleyway for an escape.
"That's good to hear. So how come you're here? Where's… Uh, where's… Edmund?"
"Uh-huh yeah." I looked behind my shoulder at the mention of Edmund, as though his name was a summoning spell.
I walked at an even faster pace when I felt the breeze of someone running past me.
"Is something wrong?"
I failed to realise that he was walking awkwardly, trying to keep up with my pace to walk next to me.
"Why?" Why did there seem to be no good places to make an exit? I huffed at the obstacles I had to go through right after escaping the hospital ward.
"You seem distracted. Are you okay?"
"Yeah yeah." I stopped at the cross junction, only to have Alistair blocked my path of vision. "Where do you want to go? I'll drive you."
I rolled my eyes in response and decided to walk in the opposite direction. 'Left it is!'
"Wait! Maise!!"
A split second was all it took but even then, I did not know how it happened. Because the next thing I knew, I was already in Alistair's embrace.
"Please, Maise. I need you to listen to me," he whispered in my ear and I felt extremely disgusted. My feet stomped on his several times but he did not budge. I kicked backwards, hoping I could cause some damage. My arms were locked between my chest, preventing me from elbowing him at all.
I glanced at the people that were bustling by and cars that zoomed by. But nobody give a fuck! Most gave a pity look but those who were looking shocked simply walked away. Shit!
"Let me send you home. We'll talk there." He pushed me with his body, waddling with me between his embrace.
'Home? I don't want to go home!' I pulled my weight down, getting lower to the ground as I could. "NO! Let me go!!"
But he easily pulled me back up and swept me off my feet.
"Must you be difficult? I swear, you were much more modest when you married -"
His voice trailed and his fast paced steps stopped immediately. My fists no longer attack Alistair's back. As soon as he took steps backwards, chills began to run down my spine.
'Please please don't tell me he has caught up!'
I was not sure if I was feeling relieved or upset at the sudden change. All I knew was I was too frightened to look back. The very man I wanted to avoid had to be nearby. And I was right.
"Why are you carrying my wife, Alistair?" Edmund's voice was calm but it was icy cold.
"I have something to talk to her about."
"And you have to carry MY wife like that?"
"It's not what you think."
"You don't know what I am thinking. Let her go."
I remained motionless. Shocked beyond comprehension that in this big wide world, the very two people I wanted to avoid were in the same space as I was. Where we stood also became a problem as people now started to flock around us. Ironically, now people had the time to stop and help but where were there earlier on?
"Why should I? I was the one who found her first."
My, you're getting bold, Alistair.
"SHE is not an object -"
"That's not what I meant! If you truly cared for her, you would have not let her walk around in this weather wearing clothes like that!"
He noticed? How? Was I not fully covered?