Chapter 16:The Diamond On Her Neck

Chapter 16: Chapter 16:The Diamond On Her Neck

The room was quiet. The big curtains were closed and only small light was coming from the window. Flora was still laying on the bed, her eyes red and teary. Simon was sitting on the chair beside her, just watching her. He did not want to disturb her.

After some time, Flora’s hands were shaking a little on the bed. Simon looked at her hands and his heart beat fast. He wanted to comfort her, but he was afraid she would be angry.

Then he gathered courage and spoke in a soft voice.

"Madam," he said gently, "can I... can I hold your hands? Just to keep them calm."

Flora turned her head slowly and looked at him. Her eyes were wet. She saw sincerity in his eyes, not pity. For a long time nobody had asked her so gently. She nodded her head a little.

Simon could not believe his world. Did she really agree? Or was it because she was weak and needed someone beside her? He did not know, but his heart jumped with joy. He gladly held her hands.

He moved closer and took her hands softly in his own big hands. Her hands were so soft, so soft like the finest cotton. So warm and smooth. He held them carefully, like someone holding something very precious that can break. That was the best feeling in the world for him. In all his years of driving and hustling, he had never felt something so soft and peaceful. He felt his own worries disappearing.

"Your hands are so cold," he said softly.

"I am really scared right now," Flora replied, her voice still shaking. "Why will my husband suggest I marry Andrew, does he want my whole world to collapse. I feel so alone, Simon."

"You are not alone," Simon said, holding her hands a bit tighter but still gently. "I am here. I will stay here as long as you want me to stay. Nobody will hurt you while I am here."

Flora looked at him and a small tear rolled down her cheek. "Thank you, Simon. You have a kind heart."

They stayed like that for some minutes, hands locked, no other sound in the room. Then Flora moved her legs a little. Her heels are hurting. She had worn them since morning and she had not removed them.

"Simon," she said quietly, "please, can you help me remove my heels? My toes are hurting me and I have no strength to bend."

Simon nodded quickly. "Of course, I will help you."

He stood up and went to the foot of the bed. He opened the big duvet that was covering her legs. Under the duvet, he saw her feet in her shoes. Her shoes were small and beautiful. When he lifted the heels, he saw her feet.

Her feet were so pretty, so clean and well cared for. Her nails were well pedicured, pink and smooth. Her skin was soft and clean. You could tell that she takes good care of herself, even in her pain. Simon looked at her feet with respect and admiration.

He held her ankle gently and removed the first heel slowly, so he would not hurt her. Then he removed the second heel. He kept both heels neatly by the side of the bed, well arranged.

"Thank you," Flora said, feeling more comfortable now. "I feel better now."

Simon covered her legs back with the duvet a little, to keep her warm. Then he went back to his chair and held her hands again. Flora closed her eyes slowly, still holding his hands. For the first time that day, she felt a little peace inside her heart.

Simon was still sitting beside the bed, holding Flora’s hands. He looked at her face and saw she was not comfortable. She was breathing fast and her hand kept going to her neck.

He looked closer and saw the diamond necklace on her neck. It was big and tight. It was shining, but it was pressing her skin. Her neck was red where the diamond was sitting.

Simon spoke softly.

"Please," he said, "I can see that diamond on your neck is making you uncomfortable. It looks too tight. Can I help you remove it from your neck? You will breathe better."

Flora was too tired . She looked at him and nodded slowly.

"Yes," she whispered.

Simon stood up gently. He did not want her to change her mind.

"I will be very careful," he said. "Tell me if I hurt you."

He came closer to the bed and leaned gently, not climbing fully on the bed, just reaching forward with respect. He bent and sighted the most amazing view in the world.

She is heavily gifted and the sight is magnifying, so massive, blurring his vision.

He looked down and noticed,his body was reacting to her presence,salivating, dying and wishing for a dinner with Queen of Sheba. His mind was about to explode.

He thought,"I don’t mind dying. I don’t mind being a slave working under tension every day. I don’t mind driving in the rain, in the sun, with no rest, with humiliation from anyone. So far I can be close to a beauty like this. So far I can worship and adore her beauty like this, my life has meaning."

He told himself," if the world sees me as weak, I don’t mind. Let them call me weak. Let them laugh at me. I don’t mind being crowned as the weak servant. Because I know the truth. I am only strong for my queen. My only strength is to protect her, to serve her, to stand for her when nobody else stands for her."

And even if I die today, right here on this bed, my soul will remain triumphant. Because I loved purely. I served truly. I saw a beauty that many men will never see in their whole life.

His eyes were full of tears of emotion.

He woke up to reality. He realized himself. He shook his head a little and remembered where he was.

He was not a king. He was a driver. She was not his queen in that way. She was his Madam,a widow who needed help with her necklace.

He gently removed his hands from near her neck, stood up straight, cleaned his face with his hands.

He used both hands,his hands were shaking a little because he did not want to make a mistake. The diamond was very expensive and very close to her skin.

Flora closed her eyes and raised her chin a little to help him.

"Is this okay?" Simon asked.

"Yes," Flora said.

Simon looked for the small hook behind the necklace. It was hidden under her hair. She turned her back so he could find it .

Her mountainous back rose like a great whale breaking through the dark surface of the sea. For a moment, Simon wanted to disappear into it. He wanted to move in and out of this mountain, or better still, get lost and never be found again.

How could one woman control so many space in his heart, leaving him feeling completely useless and worthless?

He could not understand what was happening to him. His thoughts no longer belonged to him. Every part of him seemed to answer to her presence.

He wanted to remain in this position for a lifetime, expanding his feelings and harvesting every beautiful moment until the day he dies.

Yes, he wanted to die for her too, just as her husband had loved her until his final breath. But Simon suddenly understood something about loving her.

Flora was not a mountain that could be climbed only in this world. It was a mountain that reached beyond this life, into a world he could not see or understand.

He took a slow breath, realized what was happening to him, and gently moved her hair to one side and found the hook. His heart was beating fast, not from anything pain, but because he loves her deeply and wanted to help her feel better.

"I have found it," he said. "I will open it now."

He was just about to open the hook with his fingers. His hands were very close to the shining diamonds.

At that moment, they heard a loud knock on the door.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

He stopped. Flora quickly opened her eyes. Simon moved his hands back a little and looked at the door...