Their connection
She stopped and stared at the man but he never moved as if he was waiting for her. She hadn't even gone close to him yet, but she could feel the heavy aura around him, his serene and calm outlook sent chills down her spine.
Martha nearly turned around but after looking at the door just beside him, she could not leave. This man was not present at the wedding and was not among the guests hosted at home so how did he get in and what was it that was so familiar with about him? This made her more cautious and alarmed toward him.
"Who are you?" Martha asked as she drew closer. She stopped in front of him at a three-foot distance. He looked down at her and she felt goosebumps crawl up her body. Instead of replying to her, he stooped down to her level, stared into her eyes and raised a hand to touch her forehead. She attempted dodging his hand but she couldn't move an inch.
"You have suffered enough, Martha, it is time I released you from your suffering," he took her hand which was almost as cold as his own. "Thank you for taking care of her, you have my gratitude," he said and she frowned.
"Who are you, really?" Martha asked again.
"You already know who I am," he let go of her hand and stood up held the door and opened it for her. "I will let you see her one last time," he said and all she could do was stare at him. "Go on."
"I…" it was as she thought, her time was up long ago yet she was still living. She knew the medications she was under weren't of any help. "You are here for me," she said under her breath. The corners of her lips pulled up into the saddest smile and her gaze was on the floor. "Thank you for letting me see her again." Martha didn't need it spelt out to her, she already knew who he was, and it was no wonder he felt familiar. Death was here, finally after so long. She was happy that even with her health, she was able to raise her daughter even though many said she was not.
"....." he said nothing but nodded.
She wheeled herself in and the door shut on its own.
Inside, Nyx lay awake with her eyes staring up at the ceiling, her hands on her stomach with finger joint together. Martha stopped when she saw her daughter and remembered the man outside thanking her for taking care of Nyx. 'Could he be…?' It finally dawned on her the reason her daughter hated the marriage arrangement so much.
"Nyx…" she called and Nyx sat up after taking a moment to assess the voice.
She was too deep in her thoughts that she failed to notice someone else in the room with her. "Mother, I…"
Martha shook her head and drew closer to the bed. "Don't say a word, just listen," she said and took hold of her hands. "I came to give you and your husband my blessings before I take my last breath but I think that is not necessary anymore. I owe you an apology," Nyx frowned, not understanding what she was talking about. "You have been waiting for someone, haven't you?" She paused and smiled sadly. "I realized that too late, so I am sorry."
Nyx sat frozen at her mother's words. She had never told anyone about it except Beth, her friend but now her mother seems to have known that as well. "Who told you that?"
She didn't tell anyone because just like Beth found it ridiculous and unreal, everyone else will too. He comes and goes whenever he wants. If people knew about him they would also know that he was not human and that was something that she didn't want people to know.
"No one told me, I just met him," she revealed and Nyx was even more stunned.
"What!!" She exclaimed and Martha chuckled.
"I want you to decide what you do. You are already married to Mr Morgan if he does not treat you badly, please stay with him. It is safer with him and he is…" he is human, Martha finished her wordings in her mind.
Skye had all that it took to take care of her and give her a good life. Martha wouldn't want anything bad to happen to her child even after she was no more.
"I do not know how long I will last after leaving this room, but please, avoid that man if you can, stay true to your husband if he stays true to you. He is your husband after all."
"How can you tell me that you know him and I can decide from now if you will still insist that I stay here? Here with someone I don't even know?" Nyx tried hard to keep her voice down, she didn't want to raise her voice on her mother or attract attention.
"The man that I saw, he will bring nothing but pain to you, Nyx. I am happy that he has kept me this long, but I do not want you to…"
"Mother, Please stop it," Nyx said. No one understood her connection to that man, not even herself fully understood it but somehow, she felt she was more connected to him than she was with anyone else. She would decide for herself if he was good for her or not when she met him again. The years they spent apart did not sever that connection, if anything, it only grew stronger as time went by even without him. This is something wanted answers to and today, her father's words only made her want to meet him more than ever to inquire. He must know something about everything that was happening.
"I will say no more, I leave the rest of it for you to decide. Your future is yours to decide after all," Martha said and wheeled herself out.