Guilty

The sound of the front door being clicked open startle Luna, who was watching the business news on television. Upon broken from her daze, she focus on the television just to see the business news had long ended and a documentary is broadcasted. Her hand which she use to pat her daughter to sleep stop for a moment before resume to former rhythms.

Next, the door open to reveal a tired but smiling face of her husband, Alex.

"I'm home," he announced. "Oh? Lily was already sleeping?"

Alex remove his shoes and place it inside the shoe racks.

"Welcome home, darling. Let me take that for you," she answered while slowly and gently moving her daughter's head from her laps and replace it with a small cushion.

After a successful attempt, she stand up properly and walk towards her husband and take his long coat and hanging it in the coat closet beside the door entry. Next, she proceeded to grab his briefcase and laptop bag and place them on the table in the study room.

She then go to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water and give it to her husband who was sitting on the arm chair, fiddling with his phone.

"Work?" she asked.

"Yeah, today was a busy day. I can't finish all the papers. There are other important matters that needed my attention." Alex says while sipping on the water to quench his thirst.

"Do you need my help?" she asked, again.

"No, it's okay. I can manage. How's your day?" Alex asked while typing on his phone.

"Same as usual, nothing too extraordinary. Umm..why don't you take a bath first while I warm up the dinner? You must be hungry, right?"

Luna stand up and walk pass her husband whom attention seem to glued on the screen.

Upon reaching the kitchen entry, she walk back in intention to tap on Alex's shoulder when she did not get any reaction from him. What she see next make her pupils constricted. She take several deep breaths to calm herself before tapping on his shoulder which make him jumpy and drop his phone. He look up and see his smiling wife pick up his phone and ask him to take a bath and eat dinner.

"Y..ye..yeahh..just a moment," he answered while rushing to pick the phone from Luna's hand before she could turn up the screen.

He quickly rush to the master bedroom to shower and change, as if there is a mad dog chasing after him.

Upon seeing her husband fled from the living room, Luna's expression changed. There are so many unreadable emotions fleeting on her face before it return back to her calm and composed self. She glance sideway towards her sleeping daughter and gently pick her up. She walk towards the adjoined room with the master bedroom and tucking her daughter properly on the bed. She then kiss Lily's forehead, dim the light and gently close the bedroom's door.

She go to the kitchen and proceed to warm up their dinner. She serve all the dishes on the dining table and sit down while mulling over the things that happened today and days and weeks before. Nobody know what is on her mind as she sat there unmoving.

Upon realizing another presence in the room, she smile.

"What are you waiting for? Come, have a dinner. I cooked your favourite dishes today."

Alex sit down on the opposite of Luna and take a bite of the braised meat that his wife put in his bowl. His action was so slow than the snail. He try to find an excuse for his obvious actions before. Not finding any, he just says in barely audible voice, "I'm sorry."

Luna, who is watching his every actions and reactions from the moment he sat down just kept mum.

Maybe due to the guilts that accumulate inside him, Alex felt it was hard to gulp the food albeit all the dishes are to his liking.

Luna eating like nothing happen and asked, "Is the food not to your liking anymore? Too salty? Or too bland?"

There seem to be a double meaning in the sentences but Alex just brush it off.

"No..it's tasty. Just that..I'm not feeling quite well, heartburn probably. I only had breakfast that you prepared this morning. Now it's already past 10pm."

Silence ensued.

"Oh, next time if you feel hungry, just eat first. No need to wait for me," he continued.

"It's okay. I used to wait for you everyday in the past three years, one more day doesn't matter. Besides, I already ate some sandwiches and ice cream during our picnic in the City Park this afternoon," Luna answered casually.

"Clang!" The utensils in Alex's hands drop on the tempered glass table.