Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 442: Missing Her Mother(2)

Chapter 442: Missing Her Mother(2)

Sitting on the couch in the restroom, Talia found herself crying. She didn’t know where it came from, but like a wave, the heaviness hit her and she started crying.

---

"Has Talia returned?" Peggy asked Arthur who was staring at his phone.

"Not yet..." He knitted his brows.

There were several pictures of pieces of sample cloth sent to him by his excited fiancée asking him which one looks good and for him, everything looked the same.

"Is there something wrong with my phone? Or is it my eyes? Aren’t these all whites?" he showed his phone to Peggy and she laughed.

"I reckon it is just your Y- chromosome acting up and nothing else. This one is diamond white, this one is ivory and this one is blush... I’d say ivory will suit Talia better since she has pale skin."

"What?" Arthur was more confused and stared at the phone more intently. "How can you see the difference... And, what is the difference between satin, lace and tulle? What’s a boatneck? Train?"

"Don’t rack your brain too much, Sir," Peggy spoke in a sarcastic tone. "Your hair might fall off. A bald guy won’t look good with Princess Talia." she stepped back seeing Arthur’s glare.

"You know what? Jordan was much better since he understood me. I should pay you less for your snarky remarks that take a toll on my mental health!" he grumbled. "And Iris can rock any colour! I don’t care what she wears. All I care is for her to become mine."

"Oh, please!" she rolled her eyes."Tell her that she’d look lovely in anything, but ivory would look better in that old Church-"

"I know! That’s what I am doing!" Arthur said deleting the words he typed till then asking her to make her own choice since he doesn’t care about the colour of her wedding dress.

Only after Peggy’s reminder did he realise that Iris cared very much about the colours and that’s why she sent him those pictures. It would have been interpreted as dismissive if he said he didn’t care.

Peggy smiled in her heart seeing Arthur deleting and retyping the message. Her fiancée said he didn’t care and it caused a fight between them. Now she understood what his thought process was when he told her that.

I thought he didn’t care about our wedding at all! Maybe, I should apologise...

"Who is accompanying Talia? They’d-"

"Oh, she said she was going alone," Arthur said and Peggy was lost for words.

"Why would she go alone even if it is a private appointment?"

"Do you think my Iris is like you people who’d form a group to go to the restroom? She’s independent-"

"It’s not about being inde-" Peggy sighed. "Will you please check on her and see if she is doing okay? Wedding dress shopping is definitely not like other shopping. It’s very different and it is more...emotionally taxing."

"Oh?" Arthur immediately dialled Talia.

He didn’t think it is a big deal. But apparently, it is! Well, what does he know about the complicated life of women?

"I did the same mistake but thankfully my mum insisted on coming with me..." Peggy mumbled under her breath.

-----

Talia stood in front of the mirror and watched tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. It used to happen to her in the past, but lately, she had it under control.

Crying because she misses her mother...

She knew there is nothing that can be done about it. Crying would be useless and would solve nothing.

And everyone insisted she brings someone with her and she was the one who came alone nonetheless.

Ah... I am acting stupidly!

She washed her face and reapplied her makeup preparing to get out when she heard her phone ring. Seeing it was Arthur, her eyes started to sting.

"Fred..."

She called out his name and tears started rolling down her cheeks once more.

"Iris, what is it? Are you crying? Speak to me..."

Arthur got up from his seat and walked to the window.

"Fred..." Talia tried to compose herself since she didn’t want to make Arthur who is miles away from her to worry about her, but she couldn’t.

"Yes, what is it? Iris, tell me. Did someone say something?" Arthur’s voice trembled.

"No...It’s just..."

"Yes..?"

"Fred... I’m getting married and my mum’s not with me to get my wedding gown..."

Arthur could hear her sniffle and he stood frozen. There was an echo, and he figured she is in a restroom or a confined space. Imagining her in a small place crying, made his heart hurt.

He knew she’s been thinking about her mother a lot lately, but she didn’t talk to him about it. He knew her idiotic brain thinks she is being considerate of his feelings by not bringing up her mother.

In a way, it is his fault. He still feels guilty since it was his uncle who killed her mother, after all.

But her feelings still oozes out when she is half-conscious – when she is half-asleep or when she is drunk. He knew it. But he had no way to help her with this.

And now, if she is crying for her mother locking herself up in a restroom, how will he pacify her?

"Iris... Can you sit? Let us talk, alright?" he said. He wanted to rush to her side, but it will take an hour to reach there. He wanted to accompany her somehow.

"Ah, I’m sorry, Fred... I got emotional a bit. I’m fine... I’m fine. Ugh! I hate myself for this. Just when I composed myself, you called and I cried once more. Am I a baby or what? I’m an idiot. Well, I’ll talk to you later. I’ve been gone for at least half an hour and they’ll break the door if I’m not out in a minute. Bye, love. Talk to you later!"

"Iris?"

Although her voice had cleared a lot, Arthur still felt bad.

How long was she crying for?

"Yes, what ?" Talia had composed herself by then for real and she now felt bad for ruining Arthur’s mood.

"Are you really okay?"

"Oh, yes. By the way, which design did you like? I asked the designer to incorporate irises in the embroidery. I am going to publicise your pet name for me on our wedding day." She spoke in a chirpy voice.

"Oh, don’t you dare!" Arthur’s mood got better hearing her. she seemed to have composed herself.

"Everyone knows thanks to our old classmates. Why do you want to keep it a secret anyway?" Talia chuckled.

As she was talking, she kept on getting calls from Cordelia and Talia ended the call with Arthur and answered Cordelia.

Arthur after ending the call stared at his phone for a while.

"Peggy, prepare the jet for me to leave after work," he said reaching a decision.

"Your meeting with the CEO of Leotex tomorrow?"

"I’ll be back in the morning... Until I say otherwise, prepare the jet in the evening daily. And, ask Talia’s people to send me the details of the reception in Esteria. I’m going to take care of the arrangements. Find a wedding planner."

Arthur kept on giving instructions and Peggy took note of everything with a smile.

Arthur decided to put some efforts into their wedding too. Along with her work, Talia is handling the wedding arrangements and he could understand why she might be overwhelmed.

He cannot change the past or bring her mother back, but he can help her reduce her stress. He thought he is doing her a favour by letting her make all the decisions for their wedding by herself, but he was wrong. What he did was shirking his side of responsibilities.

It is not her wedding, it is OUR wedding.

Married life is that – sharing everything. He asked her to share her life with him and he wasn’t even willing to share some of his time to arrange for their wedding.

He also decided to be by her side each night from now on. Being in each others embrace and talking is not the same as talking through the phone.

It’s not like he cannot afford to visit her daily. He has four jets. He can take one! Screw the environment! My Iris is more important.