Sister In-law

I stood at the balcony of my room, watching Aggela as she lounged on a seat by the pool side, her gorgeous body revealed in an exotic bikini, every single one of her curves so vivid. She was full in all the right places, and had less flesh in all the right places. And her height! God, her height! She was so tall. If she wore heels, she could stand shoulder to shoulder with Jordan. She was well about his height, and all she lacked, she could measure up by a pair of heels.

As I watched Aggela's full length spread out on the lounger, her flawless skin glowing as she basked in the rays of the evening sun, I couldn't help but compare myself to her.

I had spent the entire evening stalking Aggela from the shadows, and drawing comparisons. I didn't even know why I was doing it, but I just couldn't help myself.

I had often had people complement me for my looks and figure and petite nature, and all that. But put beside this goddess of a woman, I felt like nothing. I mean, how could I ever compare my body to hers? I was flat where she was round, and straight where she was curved. I never realized that I needed more curves on my body, until I met Aggela. And neither did I have any problem with my height, until I saw her full length spread out in front of me.

This was probably Jordan's taste. Clearly, he liked curvy women, and maybe with a little more height. I couldn't any draw conclusions just yet though. Maybe until I saw the rest of his 'women'. But then again, being that he had been with Aggela the longest, it was probably because she was just his type.

Maybe that was why he did not have any form of interest in me, I wondered. Maybe if I had a little more curve, and a little more height, and looked a little more like Aggela or at least had her aura, maybe Jordan would have seen me beyond being just a captive. Maybe as a woman.

What was I thinking?

I gasped as I caught myself thinking strange. I shook my head vehemently and leaned away from the window.

Just then, Kaiti came up beside me and pulled at the hem of my gown. I looked down at her, and she held master Nikolas up in front of her.

"Master Nikolas want to go to beach." She said in her small voice.

I smiled down at her, as I stooped to look into her face.

"We can take master Nikolas to the beach tomorrow, okay? It's already late." I said, tucking stray strands of hair behind her ears.

"But we did not stay at beach long today. We come back very early." Kaiti sulked.

"Well..." I drawled.

"Is it because we have to welcome master wife? Aunty Aggela?" Kaiti asked.

"Uhm... Well... It's not..." I stuttered, looking over at the balcony.

Kaiti followed my gaze and moved closer to the balcony, still holding her cat.

"Kaiti, careful with the railings." I cried as the little girl leaned into the railings, peering down.

"Aunty Aggela." Kaiti said, an innocent smile spreading across her small face. She looked back at me, and her smile broadened as she said. "She's pretty!"

I couldn't help but smile back at her innocence.

"Yes, she is pretty." I said, nodding. Even a little child could see that.

"And high! Very high!" The little girl cried, stretching her hands and standing on the tips of her toes in an attempt to imitate Aggela's height. "I want to be her when I grow." She added as she went back to looking at Aggela with so much admiration in her eyes.

'Me too, Kaiti! Me too! I want to grow up again and look exactly like her.' I said in my head.

I moved closer to the little girl and stroked her head gently.

"You are just six, how can you be so smart?" I said adoringly. Kaiti turned on me with a disarming smile. Then she lifted the cat again.

"Let's go down to the pool. Master Nikolas wants to see aunty Aggela now" She said, maintaining her toothy smile.

I was taken aback by her sudden request.

"Uhmm... Kaiti, I don't know... Uhm, don't you think your aunty Aggela would prefer to be alone for now?" I struggled.

Deep down, I wanted to grab the opportunity and go down to the pool. I had been watching Aggela from afar all evening. Of course, I needed an excuse to get close to her. I didn't even know why I had to get anywhere near her, I just wanted to. I had already seen everything she looked like, maybe I wanted to know what she smelt like. Maybe it was something about her smell that gave her an edge over the other Jordan's women.

"Master Nikolas will not disturb pretty lady. We will just play by the pool. We can't go to the beach, we can please stay near the water pool." Kaiti pouted.

That was it! I was taking the chance.

It wasn't like I was desperate or anything. Kaiti passionately begged me, and I couldn't say no to her puppy cute eyes. I couldn't refuse her request, and I was going to explain that if anyone cared to listen! We were going down to the pool because Kaiti begged, and not because I was curious about Jordan's mistress.

"Fine. Let's go then." I said as I rose to my feet with resolve.

I led Kaiti and her cat to the pool, my heart beat toppling with every step I took towards the pool.

Aggela was still lounging on the lounger when we got to the pool. When she felt our presence, she moved her sunshades up to her forehead and cast us a questioning look. Once again, that look of irritation and disdain was written all over her face.

Without being asked, I immediately began to explain myself.

"Oh, don't worry about us! We won't disturb you! The kids just wanted to play by the pool." I felt extremely foolish the moment the words left my lips.

"The kids?" Aggela asked, one of her perfect brows lifted questioningly.

"Uhm, yes. The kid and her cat." I answered sharply.

"The cat is a kid now?" Aggela asked, looking amused.

"Uhm, no! I meant the kid. Just the kid." I said, slapping my palm to my forehead. I was feeling nervous. Aggela was making me all anxious with the intimidating look in her eyes, and a wicked smirk on her face. Her countenance seemed to have changed since we met earlier that afternoon. Back then, she had seemed stressed by the news she had received from ma Nana. But now, she didn't seem to care anymore. It was as if she had received some kind of peace.

"The last time I checked, Jordan does not allow neither the kid nor that cat near this pool." Aggela said.

"Well, he allows them now. Since I came around." I said defiantly. I didn't like that she was questioning me so much, and making me even more nervous. I decided to latch on the big hoax for once.

The amusement in Aggela's eyes heightened, and she scoffed, her smirk deepening.

"Oh! Since you came around? Jordan does now?" She asked.

"Yes." I said, with less defiance than initially. I didn't feel sure anymore. I was lying, yes. But the confidence in Aggela's eyes made me even more disconcerted. She looked so sure and happy, I didn't know why. And that bothered me a lot.

Aggela smiled again, then she went back to relaxing on the lounger, putting her sunshades back on.

Kaiti and the cat had already gone on ahead of me, and the little girl was now running beside the pool, while her cat sat in a corner, grooming itself. I slowly walked past Aggela, and awkwardly settled unto one of the free loungers, fixing my eyes on Kaiti all the while, to avoid the temptation of looking at Aggela.

"Careful so you don't slip into the water." I called to Kaiti, for want of something to do or say. The little girl looked up at me with confusion in her eyes. She was nowhere near the pool at that moment.

"Just keep to that side of the pool. Don't get any closer, okay?" I said.

The girl nodded halfheartedly, and resumed playing. I heard Aggela snicker beside me, and I turned around to find a mocking grin on her face.

I didn't know the reason why she was grinning, but I could tell she was mocking me. I wanted to slap the grin off her face, but then, I had no reason to.

I took a deep breath and returned my gaze to Kaiti. My eyes stayed on the little girl for a moment, but then they strayed of their own will back to Aggela.

This close, Aggela looked even more flawless than when I had seen her from afar. Her scent was faint and feminine. I couldn't tell what it was, but I knew it was a flower.

As I watched her body snagged in her bikini, I realized that I didn't even have any bikini. I owned a few back at home, but I didn't find any when I unpacked my luggage. Even if I had brought any along, it was nowhere near the quality of Aggela's bikini.

"You don't need an excuse to spy on me, you know." Aggela suddenly said.

"What?" I sputtered, taken aback.

"Excuse. You didn't have to use the 'kids' as an excuse to come down here by the pool and spy on me." Aggela said, sitting up. "You didn't need them when you spied on me all evening from your balcony." She said as she began to gather her thing.

I gritted my teeth secretly. She had noticed!

"After all, it's your husband's pool." She drawled. "And there was no way I would have stopped you from staring. I'm a beautiful woman, I know. And I'm used to people gawking. I enjoy it actually." She shrugged, picking up her towel and throwing it over her shoulder. She began to leave, but stopped and turned around.

"And oh! Before I forget, I talked to your sister in-law earlier this evening. Helena Rockshire, she's a good friend of mine, you see." Aggela said, as she grinned. "We had a long and interesting conversation about her brother's 'golden bride'. You are quite a dreamer, I give you that." She grinned and shrugged. Then she turned around and walked away.