“You mean you and Mia, already? I thought she was just washing your clothes and cleaning your house?"
William asked him in disbelief the next afternoon and he went to see him in his office.
"No, not literally," he answered. “I offered her marriage, but she did not accept it. I asked her several times, but she still really doesn't want it, I don't even know what I can do to change her mind and convince her to marry me," he said in a long and low tone and then it was as if unknowingly stared into nothingness.
"What did you say? Please say that again, marriage? Why do you want to marry her?” William asked her one after the other in a shocked tone.
"Can you please, lower your voice," he scolded William.
"Sorry," he said as he straightened up in the chair in front of his desk. "What is really going on? You got me confused."
That's when Erik sighed and stared at his best friend before he opened his mouth to speak.
"Do I need to tell you more about what happened for you to understand the true reason why I want to marry him?" he asked William then gave him a meaningful look.
When he said that, the clarity about what he said quickly appeared on his friend's face.
"What you get yourself into is not easy, Erik," William said in a serious tone.
"I know," he agreed to tell the truth.
From the very beginning, he knew that everything would not be easy.
"When did everything become easy for Mia and me? Since high school there have always been these obstacles between us,” he said without looking at William, the reason why he didn't see the surprise on his face.
"So I was right then," said William.
That's when he looked surprised and turned to his friend. "What?" his eyebrows meet as he voices out that question.
"Look, what I am trying to say is that, everything you've been doing for Mia means something, you're just in denial," said William, shaking his head.
"In denial?"
"That's the truth, I don't understand if you were too shy to admit it then or if you don't really have feelings for her and what you say is true that you are just friends? You had a lot of alibis before. But now that you are more mature and smarter, why you were unable to resist your feelings? Because you felt sorry for her?"
"That's what she believes too, that I just feel sorry for her. But no, at first that's exactly what I felt for her. Especially when she knocked on the gate of my house and I saw how she was? Bruised face and body? You know, if only I could face Bernie, I might kill him, he's shameless," after saying those Erik felt intense anger that hugged his chest.
"You've had past relationships, you should know where your feelings for her are going," William said meaningfully.
"What do you mean?"
"You know Erik, now I believe that all of us are equal when it comes to love. Because everyone becomes stupid, and now that's what's happening to you," William told him frankly.
"I'm really confused, I don't understand what I'm feeling. I want to protect her. And marrying her is the only reason I can see for me to make her get rid of Bernie. I know if I didn’t do anything he can chase her after any time," he replied then sighed.
"Aren't you in love with her?"
Hearing his friend say that, Erik immediately stared at William. "That fast?"
He heard William clicks his tongue. "Erik, you've been in love with Mia for a long time, that's the truth."
How long the young man had been studying his friend’s face just to make sure about the words he heard came from here, Erik didn't know.
"You still don't want to believe it? You know we're still in high school and I've noticed that in you. You want to protect her. You always say that she's nice and you don't want her to fall in love with any man who you know can hurt and fool her. Didn't you even forbid me from approaching her? But the truth is, you don't see the truth, the real reason why you want to do that. The only problem is you don't have the right. Because you're in love with her, maybe it's not easy to understand, but you know for yourself that what I'm saying is true, don't you?"
Erik thought about what his friend said for a long time.
Yes, that's possible, it's possible that he was already in love with Mia since high school. He just didn't pay attention to that because he looked more at things that could be a problem and could hinder the two of them.
"And now that you've met again, what's your plan? Will you just, you know let everything pass? Something is happening between you. You offered her marriage, but she refuses to accept it. You need to find out why. But before you do that you have to make sure first what you really feel for her. Because if you ask me, I'm sure, that love has been in your heart for a long time. You just didn't see it, you didn't look for it because you didn't pay attention," William continued when he remained silent.
*****
AFTER glancing at the antique wall clock hanging on the living room wall, Mia stood up. She had to go to Erik's house because she was sure he was on his way home now. She wants his dinner to be ready when the young man arrives.
She was leaving her room with her purse when she heard a series of knocks on the big door. Her eyebrows knit and she rushed to open the door but was quickly overcome with fear when she found out who it was.
"I was so damn right when I thought that I'll only see you here!"
It was Bernie who angrily and immediately grabbed her arm tightly.
"Get dressed, I'll take you home right now!"
Bernie’s authorized order to her then dragged her into the room but when they were both in the living room, she tried to pull her arm back from his tight grip.
"No! Leave!" she screamed furiously.
"Mia!" Bernie, who was clearly surprised by her reaction.
“I will not go with you no matter what you do! Do you understand? We're done and you ruined everything we both have so you can leave now!” she said, still very angry and shouting pointing at the door.
"I am your husband! Have you forgotten already!?" insisted the man emphatically but now in a lower tone of speech.
Mia also saw the aura on his face soften but for her, such a man's dramas will no longer work on her. Everything is clear to her now. And the most important thing is that she is happy with her life now. She no longer loves Bernie because Erik never left her heart, because the truth is, Erik was the only man she loved and still loves.
"We are not married! You just got me pregnant but you never offered me a hand in marriage! Then when I had a miscarriage, what did you do? I have put up with all your abusive doings for a long time. I don’t want to experience that kind of life anymore, so leave me alone!” at that point the tone of her speech was lower, but the firmness is still there.