-28 days later-

"Well, look who's back "

I turned to find a cocky looking Henry still standing by the door, just looking at me while I got in the house still with my wedding dress and heels

"yeah .. I'm back " I said lifting my hands up in the air " can you believe it? " I acted surprised, he chuckled at that then turned serious "no, I can't ..can you? "

"I'm trying to " I smiled at him

"well " he marched slowly towards me looking around the house "since Louis is having a sleepover at your parents' house " his hands went up to my face, cupping it "and we are alone, I was thinking-"

"don't think "

"just do it? "

"nope " I popped the P " just go to sleep, I have a lot of cleaning to do tomorrow, there is so much to do in this house "

"I cleaned it already "

"I'm just not comfortable with the decoration "

"Are we seriously talking about this now? "

"Yeah, why? "

"We just got married " he stated with wide eyes like I didn't know that we just did

"I know and we did before but guess what? "

"what? "

"We just went to sleep that night also, should I tell you more? ..that and in separate rooms"

"you're not actually thinking of using separate rooms ..are you? "

"I might be " I tilted my head, knowing that my eyes were shining with how much fun I was having; teasing him

"not happening " his hands left my face and were used to hold me up "we will just sleep .. but not in separate rooms" he said before he walked to his room but stopped in front of the door I looked at him, not knowing what's wrong

He looked at the closed door then at me

"can't use my hands, so... will you have the honor? "

I laughed but still opened it, he just smiled at me and got in pushing the door close with his foot before he moved forward into the room and put me down slowly on his bed then crouched down right in front of me

"you can use the bathroom, I'll wait for you "

"you can go first, you won't take that long anyway, I have so much to do " I pointed at my face and dress and he just chuckled as a reply

"that's why I said you go first, and take off your heels already, they must be killing you "

"oh ", I bend down a little to take the straps off so I can push it off my feet but I noticed that he didn't move from his crouching position "what? "

"I still think that I should have learned the massage "

"Henry!"

"fine, just joking" he held his hands in the air as if I put a gun to his head "I need to go fetch my phone so you can take your time" with that he got up, and got out of the room closing the door behind

I looked at the cream walls around me, I noticed them missing a couple of pieces that used to hang on them...their wedding portrait was gone, the photo collage..all gone.

"you still on the bed?" his voice jerked me from my daze

"huh?"

He took cautious and heavy steps towards me crouching down in front of me, whilst his eyes were trained on me "you okay?" he inquired holding my hands in his, studying my face "Amanda?" he called my name.

"yeah" I nodded my head before I shook it "no...i don't know"

"what's wrong?"

"I think... I will spend a couple of nights in my room"

"This is your room"

"no, my old room"

"Amanda, tha-"

"Please!"

He looked down to our hands before he stared back at me, with concern was written all over his face "calm down, it's okay, I'm here with you"

"I am calm I just want to stay in my room"

"the guest's room" he corrected me quite firmly before his hands moved to my wrists pulling them up to show me my clenched hands "you call this calm?"

"Henr-"

"I'm not blaming you but you should give me a chance okay? we're here to make things work out"

I breathed in and out then unclenched my fists, and before I know it my eyelids folded and everything turned obscure.

I felt his lips on my forehead before they allowed him to tell me "we'll stay in the other room TOGETHER"

My lips and lids remained unmoving as I nodded in understanding yet my mind was not understanding how did I even manage to come this way? what did I do?

Ivy, them together...her death, their wedding, her smile, their-

"hey! look at me... Amanda?"

I wanted to, nevertheless, another part of me was adamant on making me feel pain, adamant on making me feel shame, adamant on retaining Ivy, and all that's connected to her..including... him.

two hot palms laid softly on my cheeks "Amanda, please, look at me"

His face was the next thing I saw, worry tainted with anger... I don't know if it was meant for me or himself but I didn't like the fact that I made him feel this way...

This was our wedding night, and here I am ...what was I doing? what was I thinking about

"I'm sorry" the apology was more of a whisper than a statement, leading up to me sliding down the edge of the bed and falling on my knees before his crouching figure and throwing my hands around his neck pulling him to me "I'm sorry" I whispered yet again before his hands clasped around my waist

A feeling that I wasn't used to but still I appreciated it...his embrace turned into my favorite place in the world now, it wasn't the warmth that I felt... but shivers... it wasn't the sound of his breath.. but our heartbeats; their rhythms...

"I'm the one at fault I shouldn't have brought you to this room... I don't know what I was thinking...but I hope that you keep in mind that I love you"

"I know"

"I love you Amanda" he tightened his hold on me, digging his face into my neck "I love you" he repeated before he breathed out so loud and so heavily as if he was able to release a heavy burden with it

"do you want a new house instead of a new ring ? " he asked while the two of us were in bed, with him playing with my ring; turning it with his fingers while he held my hand in his

"no "

"sure?"

"yeah...but how come you always want to get something new? "

"don't worry, it's not a big deal so don't get that psychology into this conversation"

"wasn't intending to "

"good "

"so can you answer me now? "

we were looking at each other now, after all we did was look at our intertwined hands but since this conversation was brought up, our eyes met trying to find answers for different questions in each other

"I'm a cameraman, I change cameras all the time, but I still cherish every single one, it's just that each has their use and capacity when the time comes it's just better to change "

"are you saying that you will change me when you are done with me? "

"How did that wicked thought come to your head?! "

"I'm a woman, what did you expect? "

"it has nothing to do with being a woman "

"trust me it has so much to do with it "

"oh really? "

"Yeah, one more thing about being a woman is that I am always right, so when the time comes you better not argue with me "

"fine " he pocked my nose with his

"This house held so much already, I just thought that we could move into another and have better memories made in a new environment"

"but that is why I want to make them here, these walls witnessed so much pain that I want to repaint them as much as I can, and hide it all behind a new layer, so that if we had to move someday, and passed by this house, we won't remember our fights ..but we will remember the good times and that will be better for Louis "

He moved closer, giving me a small peck on my forehead " you can drop it if it's too hard to handle Amanda, don't be hard on yourself. "

"I'm O.K"

"you sure?"

"yeah" the look on his face made me want to get closer...and so I did... I shifted and turned so I could lay my head close to his collar bone.

" *sigh*Just when I thought I can't fall for you anymore, you make me dig the ground and bury myself in your love "

"Just when I thought you can't get any cheesier"

He held the side of my head and slid it to lay on his arm before he turned to face me "you still have so much to witness" he poked my nose lightly with his before he smiled at me, making me mirror his actions

"you too "

we didn't talk much about what happened earlier, and we weren't going to rush it, we knew what we were both stepping into and we knew that the two of us needed time, but Together so we don't grow apart and we don't lose each other...

"thank you for giving me the chance to tell you how much I love you"

"go to sleep"

"fine!"

.

.

.

"do you love me?"

"Henry!" I whined but that didn't stop him from being persisting on getting the answer he wanted

"do you?" he pulled my head to his, crushing our noses together

"aw"

"do you?"

"I do!! I do! now go to sleep!"

"ok, night"

"night"

.

.

.

"so-"

"Henryyy!"

"I was going to say that I like your room, the decor is nice, we should spend the nights here for a while"

"it's dark, you can't see a thing in here"

"well, you light up my wor-"

"Stop right there!" I chuckled "just go to sleep, please"

"fine!. night"

"night"

.

.

.

.

"love you"

"you're the one who spoke now, it's not me"

"I know" I laughed before he pulled me closer, pecking the top of my head

"love you too"

"God! I missed this taste!" he took a bite out of his omelet and looked at me giving me a thumbs up

"I cooked it when you came to our house "

"it didn't taste the same, maybe it's because of the place"

"or maybe 'cause you're trying to act cheesy again"

"Bingo !"

I sat back down after bringing the hot water for my tea

"so, what are you doing today? "

"resigning then coming back and cleaning the house "

"uh, right..about resigning...can't you think about it more? it would be better to just stay on the show and resign from your job .. I mean, we are thinking of having kids right? "

I looked at him with the cup touching my lips

"What?!... you said you wanted a kid!"

I blinked then put the cup down looking away for a second before I looked back at him "I didn't say I was resigning from the show" I said holding my laughter ..

"you're resigning from your job ?! " he asked with wide eyes still not believing what I said

"yeah "

"why? "

"just like you said .. I'm thinking of having kids, I don't think my state of mind will be able to handle people's issues, so I already sent Peter the list of my patients and made sure that he finds a position for the security and my secretary "

"if I hadn't met that man at the wedding, I would have been jealous now "

"you already know that he is married "

"I know, but I get worked up when you talk about another man "

"guess we have to work on that "

"don't you dare go all psycho on me again ..you heard what Peter and your father said ..no more work at home "

"I know, I'm your wife and not your doctor .. who said I'm doing it as a doctor anyway? "

"then? are you acting like a wife? "

"no wife would want her man to be jealous all the time, once in a while is bearable, but you do this to every guy in my life and the problem is, I was raised with two guys, most of my friends were guys ..so what am I to do? huh?"

"well..you can stop being friends with them "

"oh really? then you should stop talking to every girl you know "

"it's work-related"

"not what Louis told me"

"what?! what did he say?"

"you had a couple of 'coworkers'...female 'coworkers' ask you for rides, call you at night..."

"it's not what you think"

"I could say the same for me"

"fine! .. just don't get too close with them!! "

"I'm already close, I've known them way before I knew you, just like Edwin "

"don't make me hate the man "

"you are being childish "

"well gee, thanks! Being protective of my wife is childish !"

"being protective is not a problem but being overprotective is and this is not protection, this is an obsession "

"well I am obsessed with you ! what are you going to do about it ? " he rose from his chair and looked down at me as if challenging me not in a joking fun manner but in an angry, pissed off one.

"I won't leave you for another man ..heck I won't leave you again so don't be afraid" I used a soft tone to talk to him before I approached him with wide arms to take him in "I am here now .. I know that what happened is stuck in your head taunting you ..playing you and making you feel like it's only a matter of time before it happens again but it won't, okay? "

His hands that were still and unmoving, finally wrapped around me "I'm sorry I don't know what came over me, we were fine a while ago..and I.. I just.."

"Listen, there is no need to be jealous of the men in my life, and don't stop yourself from liking them and getting close to them just because of this...you don't need to think much about it, I promise you, that I will not ever leave for another man "

"But you're still saying that there is a possibility of you leaving " he muttered under his breath

"don't ...that's my role! I'm the woman here... "

His snicker was all I needed to know that he was fine ...at least for now ...

yesterday was me and today it's him... I believe that we made a good choice when we got married as it could have been a disaster if we left it at dating...we've been talking for almost two months but the real process is being made now, two days into marriage.

I looked around me, to the same kitchen of five years,I was back, and there is just so much to do now...

-Resign

-Clean the house

-deal with someone's jealousy

-deal with my insecurities

And, of course, more to add on the list when Louis comes back home

and he even dared think about a honeymoon .. there is no time for it ..for now at least.

As there is just ..so much to do..

He pulled away from me, still with his hands wrapped around my waist, and poked my nose with his "what are you thinking about?"

"what's with you and the nose poking? "

"It has so much to do with you having a cute nose " he said looking at my nose and poking it yet again