Cat in the Pupa - Chapter 6-1

Kit paused, trying to figure out a way to respond to Edwin’s question without sounding crazy. Could she really explain the truth to him? This all felt like a dream to her, so how could she expect someone else to believe her?

In the end, she swallowed her pride and opened her mouth.

“A couple of days ago, I went to sleep and woke up in the past. To the time before you got into that carriage and died.” She said, her voice wavering. She ignored the strange look Edwin was giving her and pressed on. “Your death affected me more than I realised. Which is why, since I have been given this chance, I thought I could save your life. Of course, you may not believe me. You might even think this is nonsense. But it’s real. On your way back to the palace, you will die.”

Her words poured out her mouth faster than she could keep up. It was no secret that public speaking was not her strongest skill, and it showed.

There was a tense and uncomfortable silence that seemed to drag on for hours, one only broken by Edwin sighing heavily. Without looking at her, he placed the book down on the desk beside his armchair and started to walk away. Desperate to get him to stop and talk to her, Kit lunged out and grabbed him by the wrist.

“Please! I’m not expecting you to believe me. I just want you to acknowledge this as fact and not get on the carriage. And then I will leave you alone!” She said, her voice blubbering like she was on the verge of bursting into tears. Edwin yanked his arm away, and scowled at her.

“You’re right, I don’t believe you. So, let’s just leave it here for now.” He spun on his heels to walk away, but then stopped and turned back around. “Actually, you know what? Answer me this, Kit. If, as you said, you’ve returned to the past and you’re trying to prevent my death, why should I listen to you?” Edwin folded his arms, his eyebrows knitted together. “Why are you trying so desperately to prevent my death? Frankly, you and I don’t know each other, and I think it is stupid that you want to stop me from dying just because you feel sorry for me.”

Kit, stunned by Edwin’s brutal honesty, thought long and hard about why she was going out of her way to do such a thing. As Edwin right said, they didn’t know each other. But she wanted to get to know him. From the moment she first laid eyes on him, she wanted to talk to him and develop some form of friendship. One that, with any luck, would grow and become something more serious. Because she loved him.

Her eyes grew wide as saucers when she saw Edwin’s expression turn sour. She gasped as she realised, to her horror, that she had unintentionally spilled her thoughts out. She had never told anyone that she loved them, not even Ronnie. Though the marriage had been happy to start off with, and Kit could easily say that she loved him, she never came out and said it. And as soon as she caught Ronnie cheating on her with her sister, all love she had for him burnt out like a candle that had been extinguished. Did she really love this man standing before her? Was there something deeper that she didn’t feel for her own husband.

Her heart was pounding against her chest as she looked up at Edwin. He was silent as he closed his eyes and inhaled sharply through his nostril. Kit didn’t want to look him in the eyes as he glared down at her.

“Is that your reason? Because you love me?” He said, his voice unnervingly calm. Kit had expected him to shout at her, but not this eerily stoic tone of voice.

“No, it’s not that! I…” She stumbled over words, flinching when Edwin loomed over.

“So, you don’t love me, is that it?” He glared at her. “Do you hate me then?”

As Kit frantically shook her head, she quickly realised her mistake. All the calmness from Edwin’s face disappeared. His features became twisted and contorted as his anger levels visibly rose.

“Then what?! You love me, you hate me. There’s no reason for you to save me, and then there’s the fact you feel sorry for me. You felt like you had an obligation to save me because you, someone I have never spoken to before, decided that you love me.” Edwin’s fists were scrunched up so tightly, Kit could easily see the whites of his knuckles through his skin. For a brief moment, she wondered if he was going to punch her. “You are so full of it.  You, someone I have never met before, confesses her love to me. And now, you expect me to say ‘For you, I will live’ with no hesitation? You are delusional. You’re making me want to ride the carriage even more now.”