A MAZE OF GREED

"Will you be my friend too?"

Rees's question caught Ruth off guard as she was not expecting it from him in a first meet.

Thea looked surprised but happy at the same time. She looked at Ruth expectantly. What could be better than having a loving fiancee and a caring friend who are friends with each other?!

Ruth looked hesitantly at Rees's hand that was extended in front of her to accept. She bit the inner side of her cheek as she was not sure about the answer.

Ruth was an introvert and didn't trust people easily. It took her weeks to befriend Thea when they already knew each other well. But Rees... he was a different case as this was the first time she was meeting him.

She didn't know much about Rees and his strange behaviour in the last few minutes was suspicious. But she couldn't turn him down because it might affect Thea and her friendship.

'I have given a chance to Florence and she is a better person than what people think about her. So, why not giving Rees a chance and see for myself if he is a good man or not?' Ruth thought.

Ruth's lips slowly stretched into a smile and she accepted Rees's hand.

"I would like to be your friend, Rees! I hope our friendship will turn out as good as mine with Thea."

"Oh no. Our friendship is the best!" Thea exclaimed joyously and hugged Ruth.

Ruth laughed but agreed. "Yes!"

Rees smiled at both women. "Okay, now I have to go. But let's plan another meeting next week, yes?"

"Sure!" Ruth said.

After bidding his goodbye to Ruth and Thea, Rees left to attend his emergency work. Ruth and Thea had a day off and were in no mood to do anything other than having some time for themselves. Hence, they decided to stay back and roam through the town.

"So what do you think?" After some time Thea asked when they passed by a flower shop.

"About what?" Ruth asked. She was distracted by a beautiful bouquet of pink roses with some yellow ones in it.

"About Rees."

Ruth looked at Thea with a serious face. "What about Rees?"

Thea groaned as her friend didn't pick up on the intention of her question. "Sometimes you act so naive!"

Ruth narrowed her eyes. "Don't call me naive. I just take time to pick on things."

"Yeah, right!" Thea rolled her eyes.

They stopped near a tree that stood at the roadside. It was already noon and though there was a coldness in the air, the Sunrays were bright that made them take shelter under the tree's shade.

Thea rested her back on the tree. "I want to know what you think of Rees?"

Ruth was still clueless about Thea's thoughts but she decided to trade safely. "I think he is a good man." She told truthfully.

"I know right! I just... I ... forget it." Something was troubling Thea's mind but she didn't know how to voice it out loud.

Sensing her dilemma, Ruth touched her shoulder gently. "Thea, what's troubling you? You can tell me, you know."

"Are you sure that you can advise me well?" Thea gave an uncertain look.

Ruth pinched her playfully while glaring. "Hey! I know I have zero experience in the love department but at least give me a chance to help."

"Okay! Okay!" Thea rubbed her shoulder where Ruth pinched her.

"Do you think he is the perfect one for me?" She asked in a small voice.

"Are you doubtful?" Ruth studied Thea.

Thea sighed. "I don't know! I mean, he is a charming man, has a well paid job, caring and loving person. Even his parents also treat me well. But sometimes I just think that he is hiding something from me." She concerned about her unrevealed thoughts.

"What made you think that he is hiding something from you?" Now Ruth was curious to know.

"He didn't tell me that he is now a bodyguard for the Young Master. One time he is all sweet and funny and then the next he is all serious and strange. He gets lost looking into nothing in particular in between the conversation. And when I question him about it he just shrugs it off saying it was nothing." Thea kicked a stone with her foot that went flying at a distance then rolled down to come at rest.

Ruth recalled that she also had experienced the same thing an hour ago. She found it peculiar but didn't mention it.

She also recalled how his brown eyes turned a shade darker into brownish-black when he spaced out then returned to their original colour when he snapped out of his trance.

"Did you notice anything else?" Ruth asked slowly, testing the waters.

Thea glanced through the corner of her eyes at Ruth's face. "Did you?"

A minute passed in silence as neither of them talked. They both were lost in their thoughts.

"Do you want to know what I feel?" Ruth asked.

"hmm"

"I think when you love someone you accept them for not only their best part but you also accept the bad one. We all are humans and there is nothing perfect about us. Even nature itself is not perfect. But imperfections should not be always mistaken for something wrong. If you love him with your heart then you have to accept him the way he is just like he has done for you."

Thea listened carefully, registering every word that Ruth said. She mulled over the words again and again and with every passing second, the depth of the words started sinking into her mind.

"What if one day I find out that Rees is not the same person that I think he is?" Thea's eyes moistened at the rim, her voice came nervous.

"Will his love for you change?"

"I... but..."

Ruth took Thea's hand in hers then placed it on Thea's chest beneath which her heart was beating rhythmically.

"Just tell me the truth. Yes or no?" She asked staring straight into Thea's eyes.

"No! I don't think his love for me will ever change." Every moment that Thea had spent with Rees, every sweet word that he had said, every promise he had made to her passed through her mind in that short moment.

"If you find out him as a different person, will your love for him change?" Came Ruth's next question.

It didn't take Thea time to answer it. "No! I love him with the whole of my heart, Ruth. I know I said to you on the night of celebrations that I would prefer Edwin O'Dell over Rees because of his money.

But as I spent more time with Rees, I realised that money can't buy every happiness. Rees and my love for each other is much more than a mountain of gold. It is precious! I know he loves me, I can see it in his eyes, feel it in his touch. I am just... nervous that's it."

Ruth smiled warmly then embraced emotional Thea. "I can understand your nervousness, Thea. But my mother used to say one thing to me and that was if you want to spend your life with someone and think that you love that person then first learn to trust them. Trust is a foundation of a successful relationship.

There will be tough times in your life, maybe more than the happy ones. But what will trade you safely through those storms is your trust for each other. If you can't trust your partner then you can't love them wholeheartedly. Just don't misunderstand this trust with blind faith." Ruth gave a subtle warning as she believed in it and also didn't want her friend to face any problem in her life.

Thea smiled through the tears hearing those supportive words from her friend.. "I will keep it in mind. Thank you, Ruth! You are the best friend that I could have ever asked for!"