37
'Do you think this is a good movie???" Henry asked Louisa with his right palm raised in the air while holding a film cassette called 'Fallen' on there.
Louisa, who was arranging the sofa with blankets and pillows, immediately lifted her head to look at Henry who was in front of her right now. 'Henry, it's an old movie . . . and I've seen it before. But it's also good, I really like it." Louisa replied while widening the smile on her face right now.
Henry shrugged his shoulders and looked at the tape in his hands right now. 'Good then… after this movie is over, how about we go on a Twilight movie marathon??" Henry asked back with a cheerful face and looked very adorable to Louisa.
"Of course. What's more, I haven't enjoyed a day with a movie marathon like this in a long time too." Louisa chuckled after that. Then re-arrange the position of the pillows on the long sofa. And took a deep breath as soon as she finished setting everything up. "Okay, it's already done." She muttered.
Henry came closer to Louisa after taking the two fairly large ice cream boxes in the refrigerator there. The ice cream has choco chip and chocolate flavors. To their liking, of course. These things are the same as reminding the two of them back in the days before they were officially in a relationship together. 'Look, I even found ice cream with a big box. Wouldn't this be fun, Babe?" Henry asked as he placed the ice cream box and film tapes on the table directly in front of the sofa.
Louisa turned her head, and smiled. She felt very stiff and tense at this very moment. She couldn't stop herself from immediately telling Henry everything. She could even clearly hear her fast heartbeat every time she looked at Henry who still had that smile on his face. Louisa wasn't even sure about the reaction Henry might give after all these things she told to him. She couldn't and didn't want to imagine how Henry would react to her afterwards. She really just can't.
Henry, who saw Louisa pensively staring at him, immediately began to frown quite deeply. He had already sensed that something was strange and was trying to say something to Louisa, but Louisa didn't say anything at all to him though. Even so, Henry was just trying to think well of things. Then immediately, Henry drew closer to Louisa, and grabbed both of Louisa's arms, making Louisa suddenly wake up from her daydream.
'Are you really okay, Louisa? You seem daydreaming a few times...are you feels tired? If you want to rest, you can rest right now. We can postpone this movie marathon if you want…" Henry asked worriedly. He had probably seen enough of Louisa's temper several times. But not by looking pensive almost a few times a day like now.
Louisa immediately shook her head slowly. 'No… I'm fine, Henry. You don't have to worry about me at all. I might think about work a bit, but that's not a problem anymore. We have to keep film marathons, okay? We've been waiting for this day almost all day…" answered Louisa with her cheerful voice. She faked it. But that sounds pretty good sounding and done, right? Though of course, Louisa was a terrible liar.
Henry took a deep breath after that. "Okay. Then, you sit here first, and I will prepare some snacks and also a movie that we will watch together." Henry slightly pushed Louisa's body there so she could quickly sit on the sofa. Then they turned to walk towards the kitchen to get a plastic bag containing the snacks they had bought at the nearest supermarket.
Henry carried the fairly large plastic bag over to the sofa, and placed it right on the floor. Moved quickly to get the film ready, and after making sure everything was installed properly, Henry turned to turn off the main light and only turn on the dim light. After that, Henry followed to sit with Louisa, then took the blanket that Louisa had prepared beforehand, and covered the two of them there using it.
Louisa looked at Henry who couldn't stop putting on a cheerful face there. She's really happy. Even though it's just doing simple things with Henry, it all feels very happy. Isn't that also a very nice thing to do? Louisa confirmed that in her mind and heart. And when at last she and Henry were curled up together in the thick blanket, Louisa slowly laid her head on Henry's broad chest there. Giving a faint hug to Henry's sturdy body and staring at the film that had started before the two of them. Henry immediately joined Louisa's hug, and a wide smile appeared on his face. Now is the time for them to enjoy a night together with a movie marathon together.
***
"Gosh... I'm so sleepy right now..." Henry mumbled for the umpteenth time. He couldn't even count how many times he had yawned after the films were over. Especially considering back, it was almost morning. It's half past two in the morning.
Louisa removed her back from Henry's chest, and looked at Henry with an amused look and a small smile on her face. "But it's so worth it. I really enjoyed all the films. It doesn't matter if we've seen those films before. But the feeling is still the same…" She mumbled.
Henry turned his head and smiled. Then brought his face closer to Louisa's and gave a short kiss on Louisa's lips. "It's really worth it, Babe." Henry muttered in confirmation.
Henry and Louisa were both silent with their foreheads pressed against each other. Louisa looked sadly at Henry, she didn't know how to start saying all these things. She felt really depressed, and embarrassed at the same time. She didn't even know what word or sentence he should say to Henry for the first time. 'Alright, I'll take care of everything and we can rest. After all, it's Sunday, so we can sleep all day and rest at home. Okay?" Henry spoke as he started to clean the plastics of the snacks they had eaten since watching the movie.
Louisa fell silent again, and watched Henry there. When Henry put the empty plastic snacks into the plastic bag for the trash, Louisa looked fixedly at Henry. She should be able to. Nothing can be hidden anymore between them. 'Henry," Louisa called.
"Yes?" Henry lifted his head and looked curiously at Louisa.
Louisa sighed, trying really hard to get rid of the tension in her heart right now. 'I want to talk to you about something…" Louisa muttered.
Henry knew for sure if there was something Louisa wanted to say earlier. He had been waiting for this. Waiting for Louisa's courage to say something to him. Although Henry himself was not at all sure what it was. "Okay? Alright, what do you want to talk about, Louisa?" Henry goes into his serious mode. He quickly sat back down on the sofa, and placed the plastic bag containing the trash on the floor. Now all Henry's attention is on Louisa.
Louisa looked worried for a moment. 'I… I wanted to talk to you about this a long time ago. It's just... it's just, I'm feel so afraid of how to tell all these things to you. I'm afraid of the reaction you might give after listening to everything I'm about to say later. I will not be able to see what reaction you will give. So, I can't say everything directly since earlier… I'm, gathering the courage to do this, Henry." Louisa paused her speech. Followed by a heartbeat that feels very fast and makes his breath feel very tight for a moment there.
Henry suddenly began to feel worried. 'Louisa, you make me feel so anxious, scared, and confused at the same time right now… Babe, you just have to say what's in your heart as well as your mind. Don't be afraid to think about how I'll react. It doesn't even matter at all. The important thing is that you can say all the things you want to say and tell me. Then just tell me, Louisa."
Louisa closed her eyelids for a moment there, and sighed. 'Do you remember when I said that I wouldn't publish a novel that was written by someone I met this morning at Lux's restaurant?" Hearing this, Henry immediately nodded his head.
"It's not because of that the novel doesn't qualify for Tomkins House. But it's all because of the person who wrote it, Julian Cole." Louisa continued.
Henry decided to remain silent, letting Louisa continue her story to the end. He wouldn't interrupt in the slightest. He wanted to understand all the stories that Louisa was going to tell him right now. Henry just looked at Louisa with his deep two eyes. Louisa re-regulated her heartbeat which continued to race rapidly there. "I really, really don't want to tell you about all of this things, Henry. It's just, I don't want to have something that I kept secret from you during this our relationship. Because everything I'm about going to say right now is part of my dark past. And Julian Cole's being is one of those."
'Julian Cole is a man that I have to stay away from and forget forever. Although it will never be easy to do. The things he had done in the past, had hurt me deeply. And today, I met him, who I never even thought of. He got a new identity, with the last name Cole. Of course, I wouldn't have realized it was him."
Louisa paused, waiting for Henry's response, but Henry seemed to want her to finish her story before saying anything. 'Seven years ago, I was only twenty years old, very young and about to graduate from college. I am very happy with my performance that day. I even remember how Mom and Dad reacted. How they hugged and kissed me back then. That day, I didn't even think that Julian would come and know my achievements, he was happy too. That's what he told me. He said he wanted to take me out to celebrate, he even asked Mom and Dad for permission. Which of course they agreed."
Louisa paused again. She felt the tightness and heaviness that filled the recesses of her chest at this very moment right now. Her body even started breaking out in cold sweat and shaking a few times. "He took me to a club. It was my first time getting into a club. He says this is one way to do celebration. I know that what Julian said is true, especially when all my friends said the same thing. That partying at the club can create a deeper euphoria. I wasn't really into alcohol at the time, but I knew my alcohol weakness was. Champagne. Julian knows that too…"
Louisa's two palms are now starting to grip each other very tightly. Even to the point of making both palms look red. 'Unbeknownst to me, Julian... gave me alcohol as medicine. He mixes it up. And forced me to drink it. I stupidly drank the drink without a second thought. I know, I'm starting to get influenced by the drugs he mixes, especially the drink he gives is champagne. Which was by no means an ability I could handle at the time. Even today…"
Henry's body shook. Now in his heart he began to believe where Louisa's story would lead. But his lips felt stiff to be able to say anything. Seeing Louisa who was trying to face herself, to be able to dare herself to tell all that to Henry now.
'I was getting drunk and couldn't control myself. And that's when Julian started taking me to a nearby hotel around the club. He took me to a room, and... there... Henry, that's where he hurt me. He forced himself on me. Even though I wasn't aware of it, I remember how I said no to him, and asked for help from people, even though it seemed like a pointless thing to do. And nobodys coming to help me. Because, he's already done all that… Julian did it all to me."
A drop of tear immediately fell down Louisa's face. That, immediately made Henry hug Louisa's body tightly, which felt even more trembling there. Louisa was crying loudly there. 'At that time I wished that I didn't go with him and just sat at home with Mom and Dad. But I didn't realize it would happen to me. He has planned everything out so well that I can't even see the slightest gap."
Henry let go of his embrace, and switched to holding Louisa's palms tightly. Louisa lowered her head quite deeply. 'The next day, I found myself alone in the hotel, Julian had run away. I immediately called Mom and Dad, said everything and they immediately came to me. I'm broken. And it broke my parents even more. But they didn't give up one bit. Mom and Dad suggested I report Julian to the police. And of course, the police listened to that. They processed the report well."
Louisa slightly raised her head there, and looked at Henry who was still looking at her worriedly. 'It took ten days to catch Julian in hiding. And when that day came, I proved everything with the evidence that was gathered. I... managed to get Julian into prison for a ten years sentence. I managed to do it all. When I saw Julian with his wrists cuffed, I looked him straight into his eyes. I remember how that feeling came about... a feeling of vengeance and anger. I remember trying to hurt him by trying to stab him with the ballpoint pen in my hand, but everyone stopped me to do that."
Henry tightened his grip on his hand. Louisa had a faint smile on her face. Then exhale slowly. 'After the trial was over, and Julian was found and served a sentence for what he did to me, Mom and Dad took me to see the doctor. They checked me again, and said I might still have the effects of the drug in my blood, which made me behave quite recklessly. At that moment, I realized that I had to see a psychiatrist... I felt that I needed something that I didn't even know about myself. I remember that the doctor said the drugs I was taking because of Julian, could make me addicted. And I almost gave up at that point."
Louisa looked into Henry's eyes which once again was able to give peace in her feelings right now and there. "But my psychiatrist told me I shouldn't give up. She helped me to get treatment. Although, it couldn't get rid of that feeling of desire at all. During the two years I struggled, I was able to recover enough and control myself. But that's when Mom and Dad died of a serious illness at the same time. It broke me even more, because I had no one else but just the two of them. That's when I stopped seeing my psychiatrist and started drinking alcohol. That's what got me addicted to alcohol. At that time I thought that drinking alcohol would make me forget all the pain I was going through and I was feeling right then and there."
'But, this morning, I met Julian again. The man who ruined my life seven years ago. He said a lot of things to me, Henry. He left two years ago, which means he only served five years of his sentence. A friend helped him out of prison on bail. He changed his last name to Cole, which was the last name of his long-dead mother. He has an all new identity. He also said that for the past two years, he had been trying to find and meet me. Another thing he said that he had come was to give me a warning, that there were still many people I needed to prevent from intruding on my life. That is Uncle George, of course we both know that, don't we, Henry?"
Henry silently nodded his head slowly. 'I didn't pay any heed to what he said…. I immediately went and gave him a warning not to interfere with my life. From then on, I wanted to tell you everything, Henry. It's just that I'm afraid of the reaction you'll give me later. I'm just afraid you won't look at me the same way again…"
'Louisa… Babe, I really love you. And I've said that anything related to you, can never change the point of view and how I see you. Because one thing is for sure I love you very much. It doesn't matter what happened in your past, Louisa. It's just the past, as a form of life learning. If there is one side of your past life that hurts, then try to control that. There's nothing wrong with your past, Louisa. I understand your fear. But, I am here, and always will be. Together with you. Accompany you, whatever the situation and also at any time." Henry promised.
Louisa smiled faintly, with tears in her eyes. 'Thank you Henry… I love you too…"
Henry carried Louisa into his arms. And also several times gave a kiss on the top of Louisa's head. They were both silent for a moment. "Louisa, may I ask you a question?" Henry asked and made their embrace slowly slip away.
Louisa raised her head, looking at Henry. "Of course, Henry."
"Do you intend to put Julian back in prison, to serve the remaining five years of his sentence?" Henry was curious about that.
"That would be very difficult for Henry to do. His sentence seemed to disappear after being released on bail. What I now need to do is make sure that Julian won't be around me anymore to bother me, to disturb Tomkins House, or to annoy you too, Henry." Louisa explained. Although in his heart of course he wanted Julian back in prison. But that would be very difficult to do.
Henry was silent for a moment, before speaking again. "You said Julian had a new identity." Louisa nodded her head faintly. "If the current Julian Cole uses the surname of his late mother, then what was his surname seven years ago?"
Louisa widened her eyes. 'Julian Cole… actually he is…" Louisa mumbled uncomfortably. Then she sighed again, and looked at Henry. 'Seven years ago Julian Cole's name was Julian Tomkins. He is the only son of Uncle George, along with his second wife, Lilith Cole."