The Smith's Legacy

Unsure

Chapter 6

A few months after movinh in with the Griffins, Asher was already out on the street, tirelesly searching everywhere for a job. 

It didn't happen quickly but eventually, he landed a position as a delivery man. He was thrilled, finally able to provide for his wife's needs.

But most times. Asher was lost in thoughts, so many things going through his mind.

At home and sometimes on the bike which almost caused him his job. And the problem is, Asher could not still get over thinking about  the one particular incident.

One evening, while having dinner with Ava, his mind drifted again. But that wasn't the first day Ava had noticed something was off with him.

She quietly set her spoon aside  and focused on Asher, who seemed far away from his barely touched meal.

"I know you've been stressing your self  out lately, Asher" she said, after watching him in silence for a long time.

But Asher who didn't notice her gaze until she spoke,  jerked slightly at the sound of her voice.

"I want you to stop but you are too insistent, Asher" She said, her tone tinged with sadness.

"What more do you want me to do or say? For you to realise, you seriously need to slow down?"

Not wasting time. Asher reached his hand across the table and held Ava's hands.

"I'm very fine, Ava. Please can you stop talking about slowing down? I am your husband and should provide for you" 

He said, though his tone lacked conviction.

And that had always been the problem. Asher had never admitted anything was the problem. And he probably never would.

Which made it even harder for Ava, who doesn't know how to help him or where to begin.

At 7:30 am.., Asher was rushing out to work when he bumped into Geraldine on the stairs, coming down from her room. 

He paused for a second, greeted her and then dashed off.

"Asher...!" 

Geraldine called after him, when he was almost close to the exit door.

But he stopped and turned around, just find to out she was still standing  at the stairs and hadn't moved an inch

"Could you help me with a glass of water, please?"

What? What was going on? What exactly had come over Geraldine since these past weeks? Why had she suddenly changed?

Asher stood right there pondering. He just didn't know what to do and was clearly not ready to say no to her.

"Of course" 

He answered, then hurried to the kitchen. Moment later, he returned with a glass of water and handed it to Geraldine.

"Have a nice day at work, Asher"

She said, taking the glass of water from Asher and headed straight to the Dinning, while Asher hurried out, still looking more confused than ever.

 Gradually. Asher was becoming a shadow of himself and Ava could not figure out what the problem was. She often found herself  wondering if she was the cause.

She had begged, screamed, confronted but still. Asher was not ready to say a word to her.

One day. Asher returned home from work and eager to see his wife, Ava. It was indeed a long day and it felt like forever to him.

He rushed into the room and dropped a small gift box on the bed. He was halfway out of his shirt when Ava stepped out of the bathroom in her robe.

"Hey" 

He said, moving closer to kiss her on the nose.

"I  missed you...dearly" 

He said, then reached for the gift box to hand it over to her, but she pushed him away.

"What is tha...?"

"No Asher. I should be the one asking questions.What is going on?"

Their voices overlapped but Asher fell silent allowing Ava to continue.

"You've completely lost yourself, Asher. What is going on…?!" 

She snapped. And Asher waited for more, but when he saw Ava had nothing else to say to him. He extended the gift box to her, for the second time.

"It's for you Ava, please take it"

But no. Ava shook her head in disappointment and climbed into bed, then pulled the cover over her and slept off.

 Maybe it was time he confronted Geraldine. Whatever was going on, was affecting his marriage with Ava and he didn't know how much more he could take.

Asher thought as he stood there for a while staring at Ava's sleeping face, then shortly. He swung the door open and hurried straight to Geraldine.

"Oh, there she is"

He said as he sighted Geraldine sitting in the living room from the stairs. He straightened himself up and walked slowly towards her, as he moved. The anger he'd left the room with, gradually faded.

" Asher...? Why are you here? It's late and you should be sleeping right? Or you don't have work tomorrow?"

Geraldine asked and gently, as soon as Asher got to where she was. But the softness in her tone made Asher thought of changing his mind. And no, he shook it off.

"No Asher. You need to do this"

He whispered to himself and then moved to sit on the couch opposite Geraldine.

"I want to talk"

Asher said sternly, but suddenly realised his shirt was still unbuttoned. he quickly fixed it then looked up.

"Yes. I really want us to talk"

He continued and Geraldine shrugged her shoulders.

"Whatever you want Asher. Just go ahead"

 

Where should he even begin? He thought, as his eyes locked on Geraldine's face.

" Asher...." She prompted.

But Asher was there, still staring and trying to figure how well to put his words out. And suddenly, he was set and ready to speak.

"I wanna know what's going on. Why have i suddenly become your errand boy, mother in-law?"

Geraldine laughed softly, picked up the remote from the the small table beside her and turned off the television. Then slowly turning back to look at Asher.

"So what exactly are you, Asher? Wait. You think you worth more than that?"