40- Red’s Return

Mrs Bennet was working on some files, Bertha came to ask help in her work as she was doing her internship. Mrs Bennet was explaining to Bertha about the financial statement then the door knocked and Bertha went to open the door. Her face lit up in extreme exhilaration when she saw Red and effusively engulfed her in a hug. "Red! Mama! Look who's back!" Bertha called, holding her sister tightly. Red passed her a faint smile, hoping her puffy eyes would be hidden and hugged her back. "Hey." Red said in a low tone when her Mother came. Mrs Bennet's eyes teared up to see her daughter after a year as she hugged Red. "Oh my, Red. How are you, my child? I prayed for your well being every moment, for you to come home soon. I was so worried about you. I missed you so much." She said, Kissing her forehead and looking at her daughter with a wide smile, not believing she is truly here. She lowered her head, hugging her mother. "I am back." Her low and depressed tone made her family concerned. "Red, are you alright?" "Let's go inside first." Red said, going inside and taking a seat. She pushed her hairs on her back and leaned back. "Red, you okay? You seemed kind of low." Bertha said, sitting beside. "Oh how can she not, she lived with Lucifer. He is such a caring guy, she must be sad after leaving her friend." Mrs Bennet said. "Oh, I will cook your favorite food." Mrs Bennet grinned and kissed her forehead again. "Ah, I am so happy." Red smiled and she left. "What happened, Red?" Bertha asked. "Nothing. I am just tired from the flight." Red replied. "I still can't believe it when Lucifer Grave called us only to talk to you on your birthday, he is such a gallant guy." Bertha admired. "He is the charming prince charming of every girl, Bertha." "And you lived with him as his wife! Did he enter your heart as well?" Bertha asked curiously. "Maybe next time." Red sighed, turning to look at Bertha. "Are you gonna tell what exactly happened?" Bertha asked. "Yeah. I will take some rest first, then I will tell you at lunch." Red said. "Great thing it's Sunday or else no one would be at home." "I know where the spare key is." Red smiled. "Or else I would go to April." Red added. "By April, did she come by and what about Peter and Parker?" "Brother Peter and Brother Parker went to Paris. They are opening their restaurant there, saying they will miss you and if you ever had the chance, come to meet them and Sister April used to come by, we told her that you will return a year later." Bertha explained. Red hummed and relaxed her shoulder, putting her head on the armrest. "I see. By the way, I need a phone. I have eradicated every identity related to Iris. Here, burn this passport as well." Red said, handing her over. "Why?" "Because I am Red Bennet and there shouldn't be any risk which could lead one to think I am Iris." Red said. "So, how was your one year marriage?" Bertha asked, teasingly. An empty smile came to Red's lips and she closed her eyes remembering the words Lucifer told her at their honeymoon. "It was a beautiful dream of one year from what I was terrified to wake up from." Red sighed. "Did you fall for him?" Bertha asked in disbelief but Red spared a glance at her as a tear pricked in her eyes, "I have died for him, Bertha." Red replied in a croaked voice. From outside, she tried her best to sound elated and her usual self but she knows it better than herself that after what happened at the airport, she can never be her old self. She might have come back but she left herself back to where she came from, changed into a person who is emptied. "What happened?" Bertha asked. "Nothing." Red chuckled and passed her a forced grin. "What can affect me? I was teasing you. Lucifer can be the most rude and charismatic guy you have ever known and me being me, I have made his life hell." Red giggled, assuring her sister she is fine. Bertha laughed a little and shook her head. "Typical you." "Of course. It doesn't matter who it is, I am myself." Red chirped, getting up and stretching her arms. She was like the person who is broken inside but for the one she loves, she has to put up a delighted facade so no one could know what heartbreak is surging in her mind. "Bertha. I am going to rest, could you give me your phone? I need to call April." Red said expectantly and Bertha nodded, giving Red her phone. With a faint smile, Red went to her room. She closed the door and leaned on it, emitting a deep sigh. Red turned on her laptop and opened her instagram account, the last uploaded picture was on Lucifer's birthday where Red was feeding him the cake while laughing. Looking at it, broke her heart. She bit her lower lip, pulling her hairs. An involuntary tear rolled down her cheek which she quickly wiped off, "I wish I could have told you about my heart as well." She whispered to herself and sniffed to not cry. They clicked different photos and saved them in draft so even after Red's return Lucifer will continue to upload. Red stared at his picture for a while and thinking thoroughly, she blocked his account. With a gulp, she called April. "Hello?" April's seductive voice came. "Hey..." Red spoke in a miserable tone. "Red? Red, Is that you? When did you come back? How are you?" April hastily asked. "Yeah, I am back. Just now. April. Please come here." Red whispered. "Okay, but tell me what happened?" She asked, not apprehending what happened to Red. "I need to talk to you, please come soon." Red said in a croaked voice, cutting the call. Soon April arrived. They hugged and Red passed April a faint smile. "Hey." Red said. "Hey, are you okay?" April asked. "She has been like this for a while." Bertha said from behind. "Who was- Oh, April. Great timing, the lunch will be ready soon, have it with us." Mrs Bennet said. "Sure," April smiled and looked at Red whose eyes were no longer shimmering. "Red." April called her. She hummed. "I am tired. Let's go and talk in my room." Red said, taking her hand and going to her room. The moment they entered and closed the door, April let out a flood of questions, "Red, what happened? Are you alright? What made you like this?" Red looked at April for a few seconds as her frontage broke and she began to sob. A tear rolled down her cheek followed by a stream of it, where Red began to tell April everything that happened. Explaining the state of her heart which is at the point to break and wallow in deep agony, pain and unwanted deception. After telling April everything, Red was sitting on the ground, her cries and tears had stopped but her voice was broken. She leaned her back on the wall while April was listening, sitting on the bed, looking at her friend in pity. "April, when he loved me as well, when he cried in the end too then why wasn't he there, at the point where I left him? If it'd be me, I wouldn't even move unless the exact news of leaving reached my ears. What were those tears?" At this point she cracked again and weeped, "I love him so much, April. I don't want to lose him, I tried to reach him but he wasn't there anymore or else I could be his." Red let out a few hiccups due to constant crying, wiping her tears. "Red, there might be a possibility he didn't have the courage to watch you leave and ran away?" April said, trying to make Red understand. "He can't run away like this! We didn't spend a year together for this!" Red shouted, putting her hand over her mouth and wiping her tears. "And what about his last words?" April asked. "I don't know but I won't go to him unless he comes to me." Red said firmly, stopping her sobs. "And what if he was too late?" April asked. "Then consider it a sweet dream." Red curved her lips upward, blowing her nose with the tissue. "Why did you even come back? You should have stayed with him." April said, getting up and sitting beside her. Red put her head on her shoulder and replied, "How can I stay? I was there illegally. We had a deal of a year-" "And how can loving become a part of your deal?" April asked. "I don't know but now it has started, I cannot stop it." "And what about the record of Iris coming here?" April asked. "It will be removed, every connection of mine with her would be obliterated." Red told her. "What are you gonna do now?" Red smiled and looked at her. "What else? Start my career, mark my existence and miss someone, if we meet then it's fine or else move on." Red shrugged. "Do you think you can move on?" "No." Red grinned and laughed a little. "I could never." She sighed, getting up. "Then?" "Lucifer took all my emotions away." "You will turn insane." "He made me." Red said. "In a year?" "One moment was enough." Red smiled, remembering the day when she kissed him at their honeymoon. "You are gone. Just like my client, but at least you accepted that you loved him." April sighed. "Why? He or she didn't?" Red asked. "No and even at our final session, he denied this." "Maybe because he doesn't love her." Red suggested. "He does, just not accept it." April told her. "Anyways, I hope your Lucifer will come soon."