Chapter 207 - 10 Shadows Of The Past

Andrzej came back home, which did not smell like dinner. This surprised him. Dominik liked cooking a lot, especially since he had someone to do it for, so on days when he was not working outside the home, he always prepared something delicious for his man returning from work. Today, Dominik had no plans outside his home. Dinner should be ready.

The reigning silence and the lack of the appetizing smell coming from the kitchen made Andrzej anxious. Dominik knew how much Andrzej was worried about him, especially after that kidnapping by Werner, so he would have sent him a message if something sudden happened.

Unless the situation was extremely urgent.

Nowicki felt uneasy, but decided not to panic yet. Perhaps Dominik was working in the office and lost track of time, or he fell asleep bored with a boring script.

The office was empty, but the actor could work in the bedroom reading the script while lounging on the bed. It is true that two scenarios were lying on the coffee table in the living room, but Śliwiński could get another one...

Climbing the stairs, Andrzej kept telling himself that he would not panic. He definitely won't panic. He would check the bedroom he shared with Dominik, and only then could he panic. Not earlier.

Nowicki opened the door and... breathed a sigh of relief. But only for a moment. Śliwiński was lying on his side, his back turned to the door and curled up, as if curled in a fetal position. The position of the young actor reminded Andrzej too much of the one in which he found him exhausted almost a year ago. The photographer felt a growing unease again.

"Dominik, are you sleeping?" Nowicki asked softly, but received no answer.

A few months ago, Dominik had gone through way too much, but he survived and recently seemed really happy. He had no nightmares at night, he slept like a baby, during the day he was as joyful as a lark. It looked like he was really happy.

But maybe it wasn't true? Maybe something was still bothering Dominik, but he was hiding it from Andrzej so as not to worry him?

Or maybe something happened while Andrzej was at work in Rome? I guess this whole Baczyński didn't try something with Dominik...?

Andrzej gritted his teeth. If someone tried to hurt Dominik, or, God forbid, did it, Nowicki will not be forgiving this time.

No more forgiveness. Not for those who hurt Dominik.

There will be blood.

Andrzej quickly approached the bed and stood so that he could see the actor's face. Śliwiński was asleep, but it was not a good night's sleep. There were also unhealthy blushes on his face. Has Dominik caught a virus?

The past year was so difficult for Dominik mentally and emotionally that it had an impact on his health. The young actor was in danger of serious problems, but with requests and threats, Andrzej forced him to pull himself together and Dominik was now in excellent condition. However, he could have contracted something. Sometimes one sneeze was enough to spread viruses and bacteria to a dozen people nearby. Carefully, so as not to wake the sleeping man, Nowicki put his hand to his forehead. In fact, it looked like Dominik's temperature was elevated.

"I'm not asleep," said Śliwiński, but his voice was sleepy. "And I'm not sick."

"Let's check the temperature with a thermometer ..." asked Andrzej.

"As you like, but... I'm just a little sad."

The icy dagger pierced Nowicki's heart. Concerned, he immediately sat down next to him.

"Sad?" he asked, ready to murder whoever had brought Dominik this sorrow. "What happened?"

Śliwiński sat down heavily. In fact, the sadness lingered on him so much that it even slowed his movements.

"I was visited by CBA agents and asked about the events from years ago. Events that, in retrospect, were not very good."

So Marek Marczak again, although he was now only a history in Dominik's biography, still brought him worries and sadness.

"You said yourself that this is the past."

"Yes, but ... No, you're right," admitted Śliwiński and smiled faintly, but only with his mouth. His beautiful, wonderfully shining eyes remained gloomy as if covered with clouds. This is the past. I shouldn't have thought about it. After all, I can't change what happened once."

"Did these agents want you to give them something for Marczak?"

"I really don't know," Dominik admitted helplessly. "I don't know if they wanted Marek or the target was someone else, but it looks serious."

"Will they bother you again?" Nowicki was concerned.

"Probably" admitted Śliwiński. "Andrzej, is it very bad that I don't want to give them anything for Marek? You know that I have nothing to do with him now, but these seven years together I can't just cut off and throw away. I don't love him, I don't care for him, but I have this past sentiment in me..."

Nowicki felt another twinge. He was not jealous of the current Marczak. He knew that Dominika really had nothing to do with him, either privately or professionally. Nothing but seven years of emotional and professional enslavement. Will Śliwiński ever be able to treat those years with indifference?

Yes, there will probably be a day like this, but if a person takes two years to process the mourning in his heart and open his heart again, divorce, especially the turbulent one, also needs time for the wounds it inflicted to heal in the heart.

"Everyone has a past," answered Andrzej tenderly. "It shapes us who we are today. Painful or happy is part of us. It will fade over time, but for now your past, Marczak, is still clear in your heart. He hurt you a lot, but also later tried to atone for his sins."

In addition, he did it voluntarily. After Marek Marczak lost Dominik, he understood most of his mistakes and had the decency to take the initiative to make amends for them.

Isn't that the first step in seeking redemption?

"What if Marek didn't just hurt me? What if there were more people hurt by him? Much more?"

"You know this for sure?" Andrzej was concerned.

"No," Śliwiński shook his head. "But when the CBA suggested something like this, I started to wonder and… And I think it was. And it seems to me..."

"Yes?"

"I think those people were either too scared or too ashamed to tell the world about it. That's why Marek felt unpunished and did what he wanted to do with me by selling me to the second director..."

Andrzej gritted his teeth. Why did his dear Dominik have to worry about such problems? Why couldn't he concentrate on his own life and his own happiness, which he had gained so much only because he was worried about justice for some practically strangers? Did he feel guilty about having some luck?

Dominik, you fool!

But wasn't that just one of the things he loved that sweet idiot for?

However, this did not change the fact that the young actor found himself in a conflict of two loyalties. Will Andrzej's past experiences help him resolve this conflict?

Nowicki decided to try.

"Dominik, you probably know I have a fairly strong sense of the rule of law," the photographer began.

"Yes, I know," admitted Śliwiński smiling. "Like a real white knight."

"But you also know I have a gangster friend."

"Bambus, who lend us a hut on the Bug River, but which you don't want to introduce me to."

"That's right. Have you never wondered how someone like me, who is almost crazy about the rule of law, can hang out with a criminal?"

"Of course I was wondering!" admitted Śliwiński. "But why are you asking? Do you want to tell me about it? "

"Yes. I want to tell you about something I did years ago and so far I'm not sure if I did right or wrong. Perhaps I will never know for sure."

Andrzej saw how with interest Dominik's eyes widened more and the dark clouds slowly disappeared from them.

Maybe it will not help the young actor to make a decision, it may even make it more difficult, but the moment when Śliwiński's eyes shine again convinced Nowicki that it is worth starting this story.

A story about the day he broke the law.