**ROSEANA**
"Damon! Come on in!" I called Damon.
Because of the enormity of my smile, my cheeks can practically tear. We've arrived on the rooftop. It's my first time here, but I'm immediately in love. There are already floral plants in bloom. The wine-red roses were as fresh as the water that was dripping on them.
I regret I came here so late. This location is like a hidden haven in the midst of the city's enormous structures. I had no idea such a place existed in this building.
In the center of the planted plants, there is a bench. The city is overlooked even though the rooftop railings are high. With the view of the city lights, I'm sure it'll look magnificent here.
"Don't run! The floor is slippery!" Damon cautioned.
I sprinted as soon as we reached the rooftop. I don't care if my clothes are wet from the rain; it's supposed to be that way. The feeling of rain on my skin is therapeutic for me; it's as if the rain is massaging me.
I came to a halt in the middle of the bushes to collect my breath. I reached out my hand to catch the pouring water. Every raindrop that landed on my hand made me happy.
I closed my eyes after looking at the sky. I allowed the rain to fall on my face. I cracked a smile.
"I still feel the warmth brought by the rain, Mom," I said. "I am glad." I am glad that despite my many struggles, I have kept your memory alive in my heart. I may not remember every detail of your face, but your warm smile lingered with me.
Mom, I'm alive now. I fled from the cage that had imprisoned me. I was able to perceive the world in color rather than grayscale. I'm starting to appreciate the rainbow, flowers, and morning sun rays. I'm sleeping peacefully, free of nightmares.
Mom, I am happy.
A warm arm was placed around my waist. His massive chest enveloped me in warmth. He rested his head on my shoulder.
Damon whispered in my ear, "I'm glad you're happy."
I blinked my eyes open. I tried to look over my shoulder to see him, but he pinned me in place.
"You have said your thoughts louder than you expected," said Damon. Perhaps he noticed the awe in my eyes.
I hummed, "Hmm."
We lingered for a few moments. No words are said between us. We just stood there in the middle of the flowering roses, him hugging me from behind while the rain poured down.
I'm not bothered by the cold. The truth is that I am not cold. His warmth is enough for my body.
I placed my hands on top of his hands, which were lying on my stomach. I played with his fingers. Our position is so intimate, and I like it. Being this close to Damon makes my heart race.
Looking back, I felt our marriage would be a disaster. Two people meet in an unusual encounter, marry one another even though they are not in love for personal reasons, and appear to find comfort in each other.
Who would have thought it? When all I felt was coldness, the heartless man who saved me that night became the man who gave me warmth. Isn't it ironic?
"Shall we dance?" Damon suggested after a few minutes.
"Dance? Here?" I asked, not sure if I heard correctly.
"Yeah," he answered. "I just remembered that when we got married, we didn't dance as husband and wife. We never celebrated it," he remarked.
He is correct. Unlike traditional weddings, which require extensive planning by the bride and groom, ours does not. At our wedding, there was no joyous celebration, no white gowns walking down the aisle, and no first dance as husband and wife.
It was almost as if he had a spontaneous thought that he wanted to marry me, and I happened to agree, which is why we married. We then returned to Damon's house. We treated our wedding so casually that many standard wedding rituals were overlooked.
"All right," I said.
"Yeah. Imagine there's this romantic violin playing in the background," Damon remarked softly, followed by a mischievous laugh.
He spun me around to face him. I gave him a kind grin.
"Don't be so smitten with me, okay?" he taunted. "You might end up falling for me."
"You're arrogant about that part, Salvestre," I said, making a face.
"Really?"
I was taken aback as he placed his hands on my waist, closing the small to no gap between us. I can smell his natural perfume from here because we're so near. Because of our proximity, our height disparity was emphasized, and I had to raise my head merely to look him in the eyes. I was around the same height as his shoulder.
"By the way, just a quick warning: I am not good at dancing," I murmured. I muttered it quietly as if I was worried someone would hear what I said.
Damon took both of my hands and kissed them before wrapping my arms around his neck. I was no longer paying attention to the rain at this point. My attention was solely on him.
I love how the raindrops fall on his skin. When his shirt became wet, it adhered to his body like a second skin. His body is visible to my two eyes. His white shirt didn't help matters. I can see his entire physique.
"Don't worry, I've got you," my husband said.
I took off my slippers and set them aside. I'm not sure where it went. I'll go look for it later.
Damon stared at me, puzzled. "Why did you remove your slippers?" he inquired.
"So that when I step on your foot, it won't hurt as much." I laugh.
Damon gazed at me, astounded. He's probably wondering if I'm insane or if he married a crazy woman. Either of the two, he has nothing left to choose but to live with it.
Damon, true to his word, assisted me while dancing. Our movements are slow as if we are taking our time and savoring that exact moment. Our gazes are fixed on each other.
Damon looked at me, wondering. "Why did you remove your slippers?" he asked curiously.
"So that when I step on your foot, it won't hurt as much." I shrug.
Damon looked at me, amazed. He is probably wondering if I am losing my mind or if he just married a crazy woman. Either of the two, he has nothing left to choose from.
True to his words, Damon assisted me while dancing. Our movements are slow as if we are taking our time and savoring that exact moment. Our eyes are locked on each other.
"You did so much. Thank you," I whispered as I hugged him hard, feeling his grip on me tighten.
So this is how it felt to be home, huh? Warm and comfortable, with all the heart-fluttering emotions. This is home. His arms are where I belong. He is my home.