Mayl tossed at turned in her bed as she tried to tune out the raging thunderstorm outside their house. She turned over once more and looked at the empty space on the other side of her bed.
"Where are you Lan?" Mayl said without speaking to anyone in particular.
She peered over at the clock next to their bed.
11:53 PM.
Lan should've been home two hours ago! Where was he? He's been coming home later and later all week.
BOOM!
Mayl flinched as thunder roared through the night. She stood up in her bed and rested on the bedpost as lightning light up the bedroom. She could hear the rain pound against the roof and splash against their bedroom window.
11:55 PM.
Mayl sighed loudly as she got out of bed and started to walk towards the stairs. She made her way to the kitchen for a drink.
"If it wasn't for this stupid thunderstorm..." Mayl mumbled loudly.
BOOM!
Mayl flinched again at the sound as she walked into her living room. Lightning flashed through the windows, lighting up her path for a split of a second.
"Why can't you just come home on time!" Mayl said irritably.
She sighed as she sat down in her usual spot on the couch. She couldn't be mad at Lan. He was probably working his ass off trying to finish something as she spoke. Right? He couldn't possible be doing anything else... RIGHT?!
She turned her head to the clock on the wall.
12:03 AM.
Mayl let out a small whine. Where was Lan!? Why does he have to do this to her? No call, no email, no nothing! Nothing to tell her that he would be this late home!
BOOM!
Tears started to form in her eyes. She was scared, worried about Lan, annoyed and irritated at Mother Nature. She let out another whine, louder than the last. She looked out the window. Hoping, praying that she would see Lan pull into the driveway.
12:07 AM.
Why was Mayl feeling so sad? So... emotional? There was no need for her to cry! She wiped the tears from her eyes as she walked back up the stairs to her room. She crawled underneath the covers, and laid her head on the pillow. She slowly breathed in and out, trying to calm herself down.
Her mind slowly started to focus on the sound of raindrops hitting against the roof. The sound sorta... relaxed her. She started to realise why Lan loved when it would rain at night. It felt so peaceful.
BOOM!
The noise didn't affect her this time. She kept her breathing steady and focused on the raindrops. She let her mind wander, lost in the rain for an unknown amount of time. She started to imagine each individual raindrop falling from the sky.
tap
tap
tap
She could feel herself slowly drifting off to sleep. Feeling her body become loose and limp as she listened to the tapping sound of the raindrops. Oh how did she start to love that sound! Her eyelids started to become heavier, even tho they were closed. She started to notice the warmth of her blankets, and the comfort of her bed itself.
But as she was finally drifting off for the last time, she awoke.
She heard the front door open and close.
12:36 AM.
She waited silently as she heard Lan take off his shoes, open and close the closet door, and the quiet foot steps he made as he walked up the stairs into their bedroom.
Mayl smiled joyfully when she saw Lan, but sadness returned to her face.
She watched as Lan stripped out of his work attire and slipped into more appropriate clothing for bed. He had did he become a very handsome and gorgeous man in Mayl's eyes, and he was all hers, and only hers. And she was his, and only his.
Mayl felt Lan crawl under the blankets next to her and settle into his usual spot.
"Lan?" Mayl practically whispered as she cuddled up next to Lan. "Yes honey?" Lan replied brushing his fingers through her hair.
"Why haven't you been coming home on time?" Mayl asked with worry in her voice. Lan remained silent for a moment.
"Am I not doing it for you Lan?" Mayl asked with concern, "Because I can change! We can try new things! I could read up on some pos-"
"I love you Mayl." Lan interrupted, "And the last thing I would ever do to you is cheat. Do you understand?"
Mayl shaked her head.
"You are the most perfect woman I have ever met." Lan complimented, "I don't ever want you to change Mayl."
"I'm sorry Lan..." Mayl said as she pressed her face against Lan's chest, trying to hold back tears, "I should've had more faith in you."
"Mayl you have more than enough faith in me." Lan replied, "And I would take some of the blame also."
Mayl remained silent.
"I've been coming home late these past couple days because we had a huge accident at Scilab." Lan began to explain, "We were doing some testing on the effect Copybots have on viruses... and we put one into a CopyBot."
Lan paused for a second.
"We did a couple tests, and everything was going smoothly." Lan continued, "But... when we were about to start the third test, one of the scientists noticed the CopyBot's settings weren't set properly."
Mayl looked up at Lan to see him with his eyes clenched shut. Like someone trying to hold back tears.
"He walked into the chamber, but for some reason, the virus was activated, and the CopyBot turned on." Lan explained, "The scientist tried to run... but..." Mayl heard his breathing change.
"Lan..." She said as she wrapped her hands around his neck.
"We've tried to keep it quiet, and for the past week I've been trying to figure out what caused that virus to activate. That scientist was one of my men... He worked under me for the past five years."
"I'm sorry." Mayl whispered.
"No! I should be the one that's sorry." Lan said as he unwrapped her hands from his neck and turned his back to her, having his legs hang over the side of the bed, "I'm the one who doesn't have enough faith in you."
"Wha-?" Mayl asked, shocked.
"I should've told you from the very beginning what happened instead of having you sit in the dark like this." Lan said, "I... I guess I didn't trust you enough."
Mayl could hear the angst in his voice. She truly knew he felt sorry for what he did, and it was tugging at her heart strings. She crawled over to Lan and wrapped her arms around his chest, and leaned her head in his shoulder.
"Did I tell you how much I love you?" Mayl asked.
"But... I lied to you Mayl..." Lan said.
"I love you Lan." Mayl repeated, "Seeing one of your co-workers get... I don't really understand what that feels like, but if you didn't think it was time for me to know, then that's fine."
"But I want you to know something Lan," Mayl said as Lan turned his head towards hers,
You can always trust me no matter what.