آپ can't believe your eyes, can you? ;)

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Previously...

Lisa sighed and went to lift up the cordless.
On the other side, Hugh slid the شرٹ, قمیض over his head, quickly.
If she didn’t answer this time, he didn’t know what was left…making an ambush at her house?
Michael leaned backwards on his elbows “You know, آپ might as well just tell him that it’s over and آپ don’t feel like going anymore….plain and simple” he کہا casually.
Lisa whirled round, holding the phone a little away from her face as she covered the speaker with one hand. She looked at him wide-eyed.
Hugh stopped rubbing his hair, abruptly as he heard something on the other side “Lisa?”
Lisa motioned Michael to shut up.
He zipped his lips.
“Yes, I’m here...” she said, putting the phone back to her ear once again.
Hugh threw the towel away, instantly “Hi, I…I…I wasn’t expecting آپ to pick up…”
She froze, turning pale. She wasn’t either.

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Chapteer 23 - Part 2


Hugh had just showered. He had quickly worn an old, torn pair of and squeezed into the first شرٹ, قمیض he had found available, his hair was still dripping behind his shoulders.
But he was now stepping out of the bathroom, bare feet, the شرٹ, قمیض still all messed up against his chest.
He didn’t care.
“I mean, I…I was afraid آپ might be mad at me یا something….” he explained as he started to pace back and forth the hallway “Didn’t know whether آپ were ہوم and avoiding me یا out and just weren’t…”
But he stopped, remembering himself to slow it down, as he was dangerously started to sound like a river in flood already.
He smiled, getting some breath “Sorry…I guess, I’m just happy to see آپ weren’t…” he said.
Lisa didn’t know what she wasn’t., exactly. She had lost the thread after “hi”, she guessed. But she was fairly sure blood had left her whole body in the meantime.
“…avoiding me, I mean” Hugh added, noticing her silence
And now....it was slowly mounting just to her head.
Hugh swallowed “…since you…picked up…I mean now, not then…” he trailed off.
Silence.
He clenched his teeth and rolled his eyes. Why couldn’t he just act like a normal human being for once and have a real conversation with this woman, at least just PRETENDING he wasn’t so bad at it? Just like all the other four billions and nine hundred ninety-nine millions of his species… act like a real man.
یا even a fake one for heaven's sake!!!!
He thrust his bottom lip out, biting it “We’d better start over, shall we?” he proposed.
Lisa hadn’t کہا a line yet. Nor she was finding herself capable of conceiving one.
“Hi…good morning” he sighed out, smiling
Her limbs felt suddenly numb.
“H…hi” she said.
Michael stepped up, his hands gesturing in front of her, confusedly. She just couldn’t put her mind in figuring out what he wanted now.
“You alone, right now?” Hugh asked her.
Lisa looked up at Michael, hesitating for a moment “Yes”
He stepped in the باورچی خانے, باورچی خانہ and moved round the table, as passing an hand over the woden fabric of the counter “Good…”
Lisa kept quiet.
Why had she just done that?! She could have gotten this over with already; all it would have taken was for her to mention she wasn’t alone.
What was she doing for God’s sake?!
Hugh waited, picking up an مالٹا, نارنگی out the fruit bowl. He was trying very hard to not get edgy, stay focus, not to lose his confidence; but she kept keeping quiet and he wasn’t sure how to interpret it.
“You hadn’t کہا a word to me yet…” he pointed out as inoffensively as he could after some time “apart from “hi”, I mean”
No reaction whatsoever.
He licked his lips, feeling anxiousness growing inside him “…either I caught آپ before coffee, yawning and groggy as usual” he کہا smiling to himself at the thought “…or آپ are kind of pissed at me for…well آپ know" he کہا gesturing "...calling آپ just now….”
“I wasn’t expecting آپ to” she said, dryly, all of a sudden, unexpectedly even for her. Whatever it was, there was something that just kept mounting inside her. The مزید he talked, the clearer she could feel it.
So why was she keeping up with this façade?
Hugh tossed the مالٹا, نارنگی away and stopped under the threshold, stretching one arm up above his head to seize the doorjamb, thinking. He was having the feeling she had gotten a little offended. He would have taken a chance on saying she might sound even hurt, somehow. However, as much as he felt sorry for it, this was good right? Meant she cared….
...right?
“You sound surprised I did…” he said, eventually, as chewing his bottom lip.
Lisa felt that something roiling and whirling in her stomach, but کہا nothing once more.
Hugh sighed, staring down at his feet, arm always stretched out up “…didn’t occurred it to you....I wouldn’t keep trying?” he asked, gently hoping she would get سے طرف کی his tone he was far from ready to let it go.
Lisa hesitated this time. She didn’t know herself – not even now - whether she kept hoping he did یا she just wished he wouldn’t.
What for once again?
Michael’s eyes suddenly lit up and he smiled, gesticulating to get her attention “Is Hugh, isn’t it?” he whispered, articulating the words distinctively as pointing to the cordless.
Lisa lifted her eyes up at him, incapable of saying anything. It was obvious what he meant.
But he wasn't getting it...
Hugh licked his lips, growing anxious. He wasn’t sure calling her had really been a good idea at this point. Maybe he’d done better دکھانا up at her place with flowers once more.
He insisted though, against his better judgment as dropping down his arm “Did it, then?” he asked, going back walking round the counter.
Lisa found herself standing suddenly up, frowning in the attempt to get back to her senses “Yes” she کہا “I mean, no it didn't…”
Hugh stayed silent for a second, then he coughed a little laugh “Ehm…ok, آپ lost me…” he confessed, scratching at his shoulder.
Michael choked a little laugh too.
She paused catching her breath “I meant yes…I mean no…”
Cautiously, a tiny little smile started to dance on Hugh’s lips. After all, the مزید nervous she sounded too, the better...right? She must have been waiting for him to call her…
Right?
He smirked, as slowly a delirious kind of hope was back possessing him “You’re not striking me as very much sure about it yourself…” he teased, a little humorous smile curling his lips up “Yes, آپ are there; yes آپ didn’t thought I would keep calling آپ یا no to both of them?”
Lisa closed her eyes. It xouldn't be real: it was just like her dream. She couldn’t seem able to retain any thought, speaking her mind....nothing.
She forced herself to answer, preventing her voice from cracking “I wasn’t expecting آپ to. No.”
She opened her eyes then and saw Michael now standing right in front of her; he had his eyebrows arched in a knowing manner. She ignored him, turning away.
He couldn't get it...
Hugh got closer to the window “You weren’t?” he asked, softly knowing سے طرف کی now she couldn't possibly having been telling him the whole truth “’cause آپ must have heard some of my messages….you got them?”
Lisa sucked her upper lip, biting it “Yes”
Michael poked round once again.
“But آپ didn’t call me back” Hugh said, stating the obvious.
She hesitated, getting away from Michael, as the feeling to feel trapped سے طرف کی both of them grew stronger “No”
Hugh کہا nothing for a moment.
What if he was pressing a hopeless cause? He bent one arm against the window, leaning against it “So, you’re angry at me…” he sighed.
“No, I’m not”
“There wouldn’t be anything wrong if آپ were” he told her, sweetly shaking his head a bit.
Michael drummed on her shoulder. She insisted “But I’m not”
“But آپ didn’t call me back either?” he pointed out, reasonably.
She shook Michael's hand off and moved away from him.
He wasn't getting it....
“I….I was busy” she told him.
Hugh felt himself flood with a feeling he wasn 't expecting to feel. And he wasn't sure how to name.
“With what?” he found himself asking, a little too demandingly maybe, even before he could restrain himself from it یا just adjust his aim with a different tone.
He wasn’t sure he had a right to ask.
He wasn’t sure he would even like the answer, either.
He swallowed, دل bumping a little harder in his chest now “…if I may ask of course” he added.
Michael کہا something at her back, but she couldn’t make the words out. She only wished she would find the courage to put an end to this. Now. And she still had no idea why she couldn't.
“Packing” she said, curtly, without even thinking.
She didn’t even know how she was supposed to feel about this call; but the thought that his wife might be around, یا just doing some errands as he called her simply made blood rush to her head.
Hugh kept quiet for a little longer this time.
He was right. He wouldn’t have liked it. And her tone as a whole was starting to make him utterly unease to say the least, he couldn’t deny it. The feeling everything might still be up with her boyfriend felt unbearable to him as few things in the world.
Just made blood rush to his head.
He took a silent deep breath, though, forcing him to not get carried away.
“Ok. I get it. It’s ok…” he کہا finally.
There was no use in pressing this on. He knew it, after all. If she was still mad at him, he couldn’t certainly make her feel any better سے طرف کی talking her out of it. She had any right to be pissed and he hadn’t any to feel nagged سے طرف کی the thought she was still packing.
He shouldn’t have been expecting anything less. Not yet at least.
Perhaps, putting his cards on the میز, جدول might help.
A little further, as Stephen had suggested.
Jump the shark.
“Anyway..." he carried on "I was supposed to call آپ …” he کہا softening his tone a bit “And I wanted to, I swear. I just couldn’t make it on time…”
Lisa kept listening but it was like the sound of his words wasn’t reaching her ears. All she could feel was this oppressing sense of sickness suffocating her as found herself completely for incapable of turning away from him.
The rest was just a waste of breath.
“So…here I am” Hugh kept on, seriously “for you…”
It stirred inside her like a spring, going off without her permission “You weren’t yesterday…” she snapped at him, coldly.
She spotted Michael clenching his teeth at this, as he pretended to be back playing with her jewelry.
He was starting to get it....
Hugh’s eyes clouded, his conscience prickling him. It hurt him like very few things he had experienced.
Once again, though, if she was pointing this out, it must be a good sign...mustn’t it?
“I’m sorry. Liz...” he کہا simply after a while “I had a….” he peered out of the window up at the sky, grimacing “…slight hitch, let’s call it that way”
Lisa’s face fell once more, but how she felt had no comparison. A hitch?! Was it the way he called it? His wife flying over to visit him got labeled as a slight hitch?
Hugh thought it through for another moment. It really would have been better talking to her in person. It was time to put his cards on the میز, جدول and let her decide, no doubt about it. He couldn’t keep going like this. It still scared the hell out of him, but he really owed it to her.
No مزید half-truths between them.
Ever again. Just not سے طرف کی phone
“I ask آپ to trust me on this one….ok?” he added, tentatively at last.
Trust him.
Was it fair to ask her to? He kept making himself this very سوال since the very beginning.
He sighed “I did want to be there with you. I really wanted to....believe me”
Lisa let herself drop down onto the edge of the bed. She was lost at this point, مزید than ever. It was like she didn’t even know who he was anymore: either he was lying to her altogether, unashamedly or….what?
Was there any other option?
Hugh drummed onto the shutter, waiting. She wasn’t making this any easier on him for sure.
Just a little further, he told himself.
“I’d like to see آپ today…” he said, biting his upper lip.
Lisa averted her eyes, she didn’t know from whom یا what; but her mind raced anyway “You’ll see me later, remember?” she کہا flatly “We have work to do…”
Hugh pursed his lips, fighting back the pang of chronic lack of self-confidence that was back in his chest.
After all, a non-answer was always better than a no, was it?
“We also have a meeting سے طرف کی noon actually…” he pointed out, warily.
Lisa rubbed her lips, feeling her دل leaping in her chest “I’m not sure I’ll go…” she کہا her eyes still stubbornly fixed on the ground.
Hugh make a new huge effort to drive out the aching pangs her offish tone was now repetdely causing him.
She was just mad.
That was all.
There must be still something up between them.
He had felt it.. T
he مزید off-putting she sounded, probably the better.
He just needed to draw a yes out of mouth...a laugh...a smile….everything.
He banged his head against the glass.
“Listen Liz” he started, sounding drained himself “I know you’re probably mad at me and before آپ say you’re not, just let me tell you, that I REALLY am AWFULLY sorry, once again. I didn’t want to let آپ down, I swear….didn’t want to make آپ feel like I expect آپ to come around whenever I call your name…”
Lisa lifted her eyes up, slowly, looking ahead of herself, wide-eyed.
She really didn’t know why she didn’t just hang the phone up in his face.
“Now, this being said…” he kept on, pressing his eyes tightly closed, “…I do need to talk to you. To see you….before tonight. Possibly alone, just the two of us, would be great...”
Lisa breathed in deeply as the thought of tonight went back paralizing her.
She wished she could have just skipped itvand be back for اگلے season. Refuse herself یا something.
Hugh lifted his forehead, mustering up for the last time “So, آپ think آپ can…do me the favor to دکھائیں up at the Studios, so we can have lunch together, perhaps?” he asked her gently, as he leaned backwards against the counter at his back.
Lisa found herself without an answer. His tone was just the same as usual. The sweetness of it...the persuasiveness. How did he do that? How could he? How could he do this to her?
And why wasn’t she just saying NO to him, straight out!?
Michael poked round once again asking her what was going on.
“Would you?” Hugh prompted her
“I don’t know Hugh…” she mumbled, looking up at Micheal with tired eyes.
“That’s good” he کہا softly, ingoring the way his دل was now pumping in his chest. He wasn’t sure he was making a good job at not sounding like he was desperately hanging on to a yes, but again, this was not a “no”.
Not yet,
And he would go for it, whole hog at this point. Whatever it took.
“…means you’re not sure آپ doesn’t want to…right?” he added, feeling dangerously breakable, the thought she could turn him down once again already menacing to shatter his self-esteem and possibly his reason into one thousand different pieces.
Lisa stared down at her feet. She didn’t know it anymore. She didn’t know which emotion was prevailing inside her at the moment, but the fact that she couldn’t hate him as much as she wanted to, made her feel worst than ever.
“So?” he prompted her once again.
She bit her lips, deflecting “So what?”
“Lunch…” Hugh کہا hopeful “Or, dinner...or brunch...or whatever آپ want. Just please, Lisa. Let's talk...”
She kept fighting it back. Whatever pushed to get out of her chest, she just kept holding it back, cause she realized some part of her, crazily, still wanted to.
“Will you, then?” he asked her, again and the inflection in his voice the very same blend of mixed feelings she could hardly name arouse in her chest.
Ok, that was it. One last time. He couldn't give up.
Not yet.
“Liz?” he called.
If she kept hesitating….
Lisa closed her eyes, breathing in.
She hated it.
“I will” she said.
There a moment of silence.
After that, slowly Hugh’s face stared to lit up. He pushed himself upright, smiling widely “Really? Oh Good. I mean, great! Lunch then. On me, of course..."
He was back feeling like a river in flood....
Lisa didn’t move, instead. She was just astonished at herself. Spechless. Incapable of any move.
What was she doing…
It felt she had still some strength left though and she used it to put an end to this “I should probably go now..." she said, feeling almost into a trance “I’ve many things to take care of…it’s late”
Hugh glanced down at his watch, clenching his teeth “You’re right, it’s ok….I really should go too anyway. Have some…errands to do myself. Gotta run if I want to make it before heading to the Studios”
He stopped, as an idea occurred to him.
He wondered why he couldn’t just be content with what he had already.
She was too much like a drug to him, for sure.
“Ehm…I could give a lift if آپ wish, سے طرف کی the way. I’ll be happy to” he said, tentatively as walking to his bedroom.
Something prickled her and she chewed her lips, unable to restrain herself once again “You going سے طرف کی yourself?”
Michael frowned, looking at her.
“Yes of course. Who else should I be going with?"
She dropped her gaze, wounding down before Micheal enquiring stare “Noone…no one of course”
Hugh held the phone with his cheek, as going through his clothes “So?”
Lisa stood up, feeling awfully tired “No, thanks. I’ll go سے طرف کی myself…”
He sighed, pressing his lips. He should have expected it, anyway. No need to feel so disappointed “Ok....as آپ wish”
Silence.
“Lunch then” he repeated, meaninglessly, even if he realized he already wished he could have told her something else. Something meaningful that mirrored the way he really felt.
What he felt....
“Yes….” she mumbled, staring blankly into space.
He grabbed a بیلٹ, پٹی “I’ll see آپ later then…”
He couldn’t talk himself into hanging up, he didn't want to let her go, but he did have to rush. He had important things to take care of this morning.
Stuff he'd better take care now. And soon.
Lisa licked her lips “Yeah right...see آپ later” she کہا and she hung up before he could say something else and made it all even مزید unbearable for her.
The room went quiet for a while then. No one talked. The dogs where sleeping. The phone had gone quiet too.
And Lisa kept staring out of the window, arms crossed over her chest, the phone still tightly clutched inside them; pensive, perfectly still, incapable of saying a word.
At some point, Michael punched her lightly on the shoulder, hinting at a tiny smile. Nevertheless, he کہا nothing; not a word about what had just happened and he had witnessed, but she was fairly sure he had already added two سے طرف کی two and had just gotten سے طرف کی now. Even to well. And he knew it wasn’t the right time to ask her anything.
He smiled again and she forced a little weak smile on her lips, looking sideways at him.
“You feeling ok?” he asked her simply.
Ok...no she wasn't.
She stared back at him for a long moment, blankly, wondering how was even possible feeling so utterly wrecked, worn-out, unbelievably angry at someone - literally stung سے طرف کی a pang of buried anger - and yet finding oneself completely unable to voice it all, feeling like, if آپ did – if she let herself feel how hurt she was, how much betrayed she felt - آپ would have end up breaking down.
Litteraly shattered, into pieces.
یا worse: settling down for this unhealthy kind of arrangement, ‘cause she just wasn’t able to say no to him anymore.
The phone rang up once again, in her hands but she who it was this time and he didn’t gave her any rush.
Michael went silently back rummaging through her jewelry. She waited as the phone kept ringing, relentlessly, and she was starting to figure out what she had to do. What she owed herself to do. Despite how impossible it felt to her right now.
Finally, Micheal lifted up something, holding it between finger and thumb: it was the ہار he was fiddling with just a few منٹ ago.
“Why not taking this one, سے طرف کی the way?” he asked, admiring it as he turned it around in his hand “It’s lovely…”
Lisa looked down at the necklace.
It was the final blow.
“Hugh bought me that one...” she said, fatly as staring down at it with her stormy lifeless eyes “...right before we broke up”.
The phone rang up for the umpteenth time.
She got it.