LOVE ME AGAIN, EILANI
Keeping Secrets

Slowly Elvaro opened the door of their apartment. His heart immediately felt guilty as he stepped in and found Eilani asleep on the living room sofa, still wearing a red dress. She was dressed up because her lips were on lipstick.

Elvaro's eyes were fixed on the dining table. The installed candles are almost exhausted and the food looks still neatly arranged on the table.

Elvaro sat on the edge of the sofa. Trying not to wake Eilani but his wife who was always watching was immediately opened his eyes.

"El, are you home?" his eyes looked at Elvaro at a glance then glanced at the wall clock that was right in front of him. He also got up and sat down. She tried to take her life back and hold her husband's face. "Why just got home? It's 11 p.m. I was tired of waiting for you. I didn't pick up the phone either. Is there any extra work? Or something going on down the street? You didn't have an accident, did you? You.....!"

The cup!

Elvaro knew that Eilani would ask many questions. So he immediately kissed his wife's lips to stop her questioning. "I'm hungry."

Eilani. "I'm hungry too. But the food is cold. I'll heat it up for a second, will I?"

"Yes. I'm gonna wash my face and change my clothes first." Elvaro headed to their room on the second floor while Eilani headed to the kitchen to heat up the food.

20 Minutes later, they were sitting at the table enjoying a late dinner. Elvaro seems to enjoy it enough because he is hungry and Eilani's cooking is always good.

"El, is there something? Why eat without talking? Is my cooking bad?"

Elvaro looked at Eilani who was sitting beside him. He rubbed his wife's head. "You always feel good, baby. I just feel guilty making you wait so long to fall asleep."

"No problem, El. But next time you tell me, will you? So that I don't worry about waiting. This time you're home late with no word."

Elvaro. He immediately finished his meal and helped Eilani clean the table and wash the dirty tableware.

"Let me, El."

"You rest, baby. I'll be the one to clean up. Don't you have a morning schedule tomorrow?"

Eilani. He immediately climbed the stairs to his room.

While Elvaro, staring at the departure of Eilani with a troubled heart. Because actually, there's Stella in this apartment. Stella placed Eilani in a second-floor unit that is usually occupied by corporate guests.

Only this apartment has a very safe security system according to Elvaro. Stella's whereabouts will be untraceable here because indeed the two-story unit is registered on behalf of their family-owned company.

Elvaro wouldn't say where Stella was because Stella would only be there for a few days. Elvaro will help Stella out of England and go to Australia. In that country Stella will be safe because her brother's husband is a member of the police.

**********

Early in the morning, Eilani had already left for the hospital, having finished preparing breakfast for Elvaro.

While Elvaro because sleep is near dawn, wake up when the time has shown 8 o'clock. He quickly took a bath because he remembered that Stella was in the unit where there was no food there.

Elvaro immediately ordered the food through the app then immediately went down to take it to meet Stella.

"El, please buy me a shirt? I ran without a shirt. And I don't bring any money either." Stella seems embarrassed to reveal her whereabouts but she is forced to talk. For almost 4 days she wore the same clothes.

"I'll have Ardy prepare all your needs.'"

Stella crying. "Thank you, El."

"That's it. No cry. Just pray for everything to be good."

Stella leaned on Elvaro's shoulder. "Gee, El. If only I had the courage to tell you everything, my fate would not be like this. I'm such a fool!"

"Don't regret everything that happened. Just look at the future. I'm sure you can get through it." Elvaro tries not to touch Stella. But the woman wrapped her hands in El's arms making him pat Stella's shoulder to calm the girl.

************

In the hospital......

"Eye.....!"

Eilani who just finished breakfast looked at his best friend. "Laura...., why did you come in the morning anyway?"

"Today I exchanged schedules with Susie. Ardy asked me to accompany him shopping for some women's clothes. There are even her underwear, towels, perfume, bath soap and some women's cream. Not for you, right?"

"Cock for me anyway?"

"So of course, I peeked and read wa the sender. It was from Elvaro."

"Huh? You didn't ask Ardy?"

"There is. Ardy said, there's a corporate guest staying at the company's apartment."

"Apartment on the 2nd floor? Then why should Elvaro buy all that?" Eilani was astonished.

"Yes, yes, too...." Eilani tries to think positively. "Do you know what the guest's name is?"

"If it's not wrong, it's Stella."

"Style? How do I feel I've heard that name?" Eilani tries to remember where he once heard Stella's name. Suddenly his forehead creased. He remembers the first time Elvaro and he met. Elvaro once said that name. Is that Stella his ex-girlfriend?

Today Eilani came home early because her heart became unsettled after hearing Laura's story. But she is not the type of woman who likes to be in the business of people. Even if Elvaro is her husband but Eilani is convinced, Elvaro will be honest with her so she is reluctant to answer him.

As soon as he got off the taxi, Eilani also climbed the lobby stairs. There he met a food deliveryman. The doorkeeper opened the door.

"Good afternoon Miss Evans!" greet the doorkeeper.

Eilani stopped a little and watched the food carrier.

"Order food for whom?"

"Miss Stella Jonsons in unit number 2023."

Eilani's heart stopped beating.

"Have paid?"

"It has been transferred by Mr. Elvaro Evans" said the food deliveryman, reading the receipt in his hand.

The doorman immediately received the food and closed the door again.

"Mrs, Mr. Elvaro has been here since. But I think I just got the driver because I saw the car go back."

Elvaro does have a special parking lot in this apartment as one of the children of the owner of this apartment.

"Oh yes. We'll make lunch." Eilani had to lie. He immediately headed to the elevator and went straight to the top floor where his unit was located.

But as soon as he opened the door, Elvaro was not there. Eilani tried to call her. Just once a sound, the call was instantly received.

"Hallo baby, what's wrong?" ask Elvaro. His voice sounds ordinary.

"Where are you?"

"I'm in the apartment. There's something I forgot here. Wh why? Have you had lunch? If I go home, will I pick you up?"

"No need, El. Because I was in the apartment. Good afternoon!" Eilani angrily threw his phone on the table. He hates being lied to the most.

In the unit Stella was in, Elvaro was on the balcony when he received Eilani's call while Stella opened the door when she heard from the intercom that her order had arrived.

Elvaro was shocked when Eilani said he was in the apartment. He was caught lying.

"Stella, I'll go first, okay?"

Stella's face was disappointed. "Food just came, El."

"My wife is on top. I have to see him first." Elvaro immediately left even though Stella's face looked so disappointed. His hands shook when he pressed the elevator button. I hope he is on the top floor of this apartment.

When the door opened, Eilani was not there. Elvaro immediately went to his room and found his wife fresh out of the walk in closet. Looks like Eilani just finished changing clothes.

"Darling.....!" Elvaro approaches but Eilani moves away. "Why not just eat there? Didn't the food order just come? Great you are, dare to lie to me. Old love blossoming back with Stella? You know that I hate being lied to the most, El!" eilani shouted with unbearable emotions again.

"Ei, listen to me." Elvaro knew he had made a big mistake.

"How long have you been hiding your affair there?"

"Ei, Stella's not my affair. Something happened to him that made me have to help him. He's been there two days." Elvaro tries to grab Eilani's hand but the Woman firmly brushes him off.

Elvaro told her what Stella told him. "His body is covered in bruises, Ei. I helped her out of humanity not because she was my ex-boyfriend. I just feel sorry for him."

"You should be honest with me, El."

"I'm sorry, baby, I.....!" Elvaro will talk but his phone rings. I don't know who called him but Elvaro quickly ran outside the room. Eilani's heart became nelangsa.

***********

Wicked you El....

Will Eilani be patient?

Or finally give up?