Chapter Forty-One: Love in Our Bed of Flowers:

It took a while but I won her over. Madonna stopped crying weeks later. She still wasn’t responsive. She wasn’t eating or sleeping. I didn’t know what to do. But I still had to try. There was only one thing that I could think of.

I invited Madonna out to her garden. I stood waiting at the silver gates. I took the liberty and dressed up really nice. I wore a black suit and tie that day. My hair was even slicked back. I had my subjects help me get dressed up. At first, I worried that she wasn’t going to come and look. I looked at my pocket watch. I took her to meet at noon.

“Lucifer?” I heard. I lifted my head. There she was. She wore a long white dress. A wreath of little pink flowers rested on her long blonde hair. Madonna had her eyes lowered to the ground. I couldn’t help but to chuckle to myself. We looked like a bride and groom.

“You made it,” I said. I walked up and took her by the hands.

“H-H-Hi…” she mumbled.

“You look so beautiful,” I said.

“Thank you,” she said. I cleared my throat.

“Can you take a walk with me?” I asked. “There’s something I want to show you.”

“What?” she asked.

“Let me show you,” I said. I led Madonna through the silver gates. I only hoped that my gift would appease her. She kept her eyes lowered the whole time.

Already, I could smell the roses. I closed my eyes and took in the scent. I thought about Bayu for a brief moment. She too loved her garden. Those were easier times. I wonder how she, Irani, and Lust were doing. I shook my head when reality came back into my head.

“Is something wrong?” I heard behind me. I looked over my shoulder. Madonna stared back at me. I made something smile.

“Close your eyes and take a sniff,” I said. She gave me a blank stare.

“What for?” she asked.

“It’s part of what I want to show you,” I said.

“Alright,” Madonna said. She drew her eyes closed.

“What do you smell?” I asked.

“Roses,” Madonna said, breathlessly.

“Yes,” I said. “I planted them just for you.” She opened one eye halfway.

“No, no,” I said. “We’re not there yet. Just hold on.” I led her further down the grassy path. This took me back when walking through Bayu’s garden. The scent of roses already stirred something in my chest. I could sense Madonna getting excited. She was really going to enjoy this.

 I stopped when I came to our destination. I turned to her, smiling. Madonna herself was smiling.

“Okay,” I said. “You can look now.” My lover opened her eyes. She covered her mouth as her jaw dropped. I had a sea of many colored roses in her garden. These flowers had to be perfect. My subjects worked day and night for each rose. I walked through looking at Madonna’s garden. I had to say, I really out did myself with my plans. I turned to that beautiful angel.

“What do you think?” I asked. Madonna moved her hands to her chest.

“It’s beautiful,” she said. She let go of my hand and walked over to the colorful roses. Madonna leaned down and took a sniff at one of them. I watched as she ran her fingers along the soft petals of a yellow and red one. She turned around to me. I frowned when I saw tears in her eyes.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“I love them!” Madonna said. “Thank you.” I walked over and pulled her into my arms. She buried her face against my chest. I kissed her atop her head.

“I love you,” I said.

“Mmm,” she murmured. I lifted her chin and kissed her on the lips. She kissed me back. Before I knew it, I pulled her over into the roses. She fell back among the bright colors. I climbed on top of her. Madonna didn’t even try to stop me. I leaned down and kissed her on the lips. She kissed me back. My tongue slowly slipped into her mouth. Madonna softly whimpered in my mouth. It took that moment for close to twenty years for our relationship to grow. Once again, I would give her pleasure her but poison her all the same.

In that moment, I was wrapped up in the joy of making her happy for a change.