Free Shimmers & Shrouds (Abstruse) by Scarlett Brukett

anywhere."
"I've never really told this to anyone, I'm not sure about your response."
    “when you share something good, it doubles, when you share something bad it splits into half.”
That gave me the required courage. I started. "I was ten when my mom died. My dad got married with his girlfriend after her death.  It was something I couldn't really take. You wanna hear more?"
"Yes."
"So, I never really expected much from my dad after that. My family was destroyed in front of me and I couldn't do anything. At nights when I used to look at our pictures, this feeling of guilt used to come from nowhere."
"Guilt?” she interrupted “For what?”
"I could have saved my family. I could have stopped my mom. But I didn't."
"Stop blaming yourself. This is nonsense."
    I raised my eyebrows at her continuous intervention.
"Do you want to listen more?"
    She smiled remorsefully.
"Yes. I'm sorry."
    I carried on with my story. "Dad got settled with his new wife but didn't plan to have a child with her. He thought I would rebel. But there was nothing left to rebel for. After I graduated, I knew I would have to join his business but I was through with this sham."
"Sham?"
    This intervening thing might be usual for a chatter box like her. I smiled and told her the inner secret, something nobody knew. “We are a happy family Oceana, a happy family who isn't. So I enrolled myself in the army. I just wanted to stay away from them. I was already angry at myself for reasons you know now. Alcohol, parties, nightstands... they subsided the urge to die, otherwise there was no reason for me to live, or I think I wasn't really that interested."
    Was she even getting how complicated it was?
"But then the orphanage?" she popped up again.
    Yes she understood everything I told her.
"I am very relieved when I'm with the kids. I love them. My mom believed in social service, so do I. 'The savior' is just an effort to reach a bit close to her."
    While I comprehend with my feelings, her face almost made me laughed. She was… dumbstruck.
"You mean..."
    I understood what she was surprised about. "I am it’s founder, and my salary goes to the orphanage."
"You started an orphanage
    "Is that hard to believe?" I smirked at her. Sure, it was unbelievable.

"Do you know how nice you are?"
My cheeks reddened at her declaration."I am not."
“You're a good man Orpheus, and I'm lucky to know you personally."
"Thanks."
"What else are you planning to tell me?"
    I eyed her expressions. How did she know I wasn’t done telling about my problems?
"I've told you everything." I lied.
"I don't think so."
"You know everything that you need to know, Oceana."
    “ Feel free to confide anytime if not today.” She smiled.
"You know, your level of understanding is what attracts me the most." That doesn’t count as a flirtatious comment. I meant it.
"Well... that makes me old enough to be your grandma I guess." She laughed melodiously.
No. That makes you old enough to be in my arms forever.
"Yes." I smiled. Though both of us knew it was a lie.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    The dinner.
     
     
     
    I wonder ed how god almighty forgot to put a mute button in the system of this beautiful lovely lady. Unlike all my ex girlfriends, she kept blabbering about her studies, her future plans, the thriller novels and their equally thrilling climaxes, my Reventon, my wardrobe, her wardrobe, and endless questions of where I was taking her. Unexpectedly she was quiet all of sudden when we were half the way to our destination and I noticed she was staring out of the window. Of course I wanted to enjoy this absolute calmness, which I didn’t know was going to last how long. However I grew uneasy when she didn’t speak for a long time.
"Oceana, is everything alright?" I swallowed, glancing occasionally at her, because I knew she was very particular with the traffic rules, If I happen to swerve the car by an inch and she will prefer walking