One hundred and five- The Overcoming Love

One hundred and five- The Overcoming Love

SARAH PIERCE 

I felt sorry for Raya for not at least acknowledging her greeting. But my baby surprisingly didn't refuse to leave the room with her grandma. 

As I listened to the sound of the door gently closing and the wheelchair whirring a bit, I maintained my deep, slow breaths and then asked, “You still here?”

“I am,” he replied, and my soul experienced both relief and anguish. “I'm here for as long as you want.”

With a short nod, I carefully said, “I don't want to chase you away. Again.” I lifted my head, though my eyes remained closed. “You don't deserve that.”

“That horrible thing shouldn't have happened to you, Sarah,” he said. “What I deserve or not barely matters here. ”

“But it matters,” I softly confessed. “Thaniel…” My lips pressed to stop the bitter feeling in the back of my throat from turning into despair. “Th-That man-”

“Don’t, Sarah.” His chair rolled closer. “Don't force yourself to talk about it.”

“What if I remember it every time I look at you? What if this lasts for the rest of our lives?” I laid out my fear with a crack in my voice. The sorrow I tried to hold back didn't allow me to win. “I can't do that to you, Nathaniel. I don't even want that for myself.”

“Sarah.” Softly, he called, and the next second, his hand was wrapping mine, my breath breaking apart once I felt the contact. “I'm holding your hand right now.”

“No shit,” I managed to cackle despite my trembling voice.

As I sensed that he briefly smiled, he asked, “What do you feel right now?”

“Uh…” He gripped my hand tighter, and my answer came fast and simple. “Safe. I feel safe.”

“Is that because you can't see me?”

I frowned. “I don't… I don't know. I don't think I want to find out.”

“Do you think you'll be willing to find out in maybe one month?” His presence settled on the bed, and I didn't recoil. “When that time comes, I'll hold your hand as always, and maybe you'll open your eyes to check if anything changes.”

“Uh…” Not only was it hard to tell where he was going with his words, but I also couldn't imagine a world where I'd go one month without seeing or touching the man I love. 

“Sarah, I'm also scared.” That statement was not one I expected. It was also one that dropped with a hit that made my soul shudder. “I am scared of what the future might be because of what happened. But, my love, it's us.” For a second, he cupped the back of my head. “Sarah and Nathaniel. What have we not been through? What have we not overcome? What I'm trying to say is that…” 

He reached for my other hand, and within my closed eyes, I could picture his handsome face observing my hands like they were art. 

“We don't have to rush. It's okay that you aren't ready to look at me. One day, you'll try it. If it works, amazing. If not, we'll try again. No matter how long it takes.”

“Nathaniel…”

“I will always be next to you. Whenever you're ready, let's confidently speak with our eyes again. Also, because…” Tears were now laden in his voice, I could hear his struggle. “I am the reason you’ve suffered so much…” And the emotions in his struggle tugged at my sorrow. “I must… I must…”

I didn't know when a force sprouted within me and pushed me into his arms. 

My eyes were still closed, but it didn't matter. My soul recognised his, my nose knew the scent pulling me in was Nathaniel's, and my heart trusted his words and also his tears, which I've never witnessed before now. 

“Oh…” He groaned into my ear as his arms tightened our embrace. “Sarah. My beautiful, beautiful Sarah.”

“My gorgeous, gorgeous Nathaniel,” I whispered in return, my body easing into his arms more and more. 

“I'm so sorry.”

“Don't be.” My head was now against his chest, and I finally got the confidence to open my eyes. “Don't ever be.”

“What did my father say?” he asked after seconds of calming silence. 

“He offered money to leave you.”

Nathaniel burst out laughing. “Money?”

“It was very tempting. The money was enough to change a person's life, so he said.”

“After trying to destroy your life, he says that?” He scoffed, and I could hear the growing hatred he was having towards that man. 

“Are you going to speak to him?”

“No.”

“Oh.”

“If I do, I might commit a crime. He is not worth my time. He's also no longer someone I consider family.”

“Hmm.”

“You and Raya are my family,” he concluded, and that brought a smile to my soul. And that smile widened when our fingers interlocked. 

“How is Raya doing?” I asked while admiring the view of our hands. “That man told me Miss Sunshine took her.” My shoulders sighed with depression. “Raya must have been scared.”

“Raya…” His tone didn't sound so great. “The treatments she received after the… incident were mostly psychological. But her doctor is worried that Raya hasn't been willing to say anything about it. She's hoping Raya opens up to you when you're fully recovered.”

“Please tell me that woman called Miss Sunshine is in jail,” I seethed, my brain already slapping the woman a million times for daring to lay her hands on my daughter for whatever reason.

“She is. She won't escape her punishment.”

“Good. And that man?” I finally asked one of the things I was desperate to know. “Did he escape?”

“Sarah, deep breaths,” Nathaniel cooed, and I did as he instructed. When my exhales were lighter, he answered, “He is also in jail.”

The biggest sigh rolled out of me, and my body seemed to melt into our hug even more. 

“God…” I quietly groaned. “That's so good to hear.”

“Speaking of more good news…” Nathaniel's voice boomed. 

“Yeah?”

“Amir woke up yesterday.”

“Oh my!” I sat up. “Really?” 

Nathaniel's stormy eyes met mine. I didn't realise this until he blinked. 

“Oh…” I quietly said while hoping my soul wouldn't rampage or seek to hide again. 

“Yeah.” He also whispered. 

I really thought my head would have snapped to the side, but it didn't. And the more our eyes remained connected, the more tears blurred my sight. 

Soon, a cry filled with joy and sadness slipped out of me, the tears streaming down my face as I continued to witness the presence of his face, no matter how blurry the sight became. 

“Sarah,” Nathaniel broke our silence, his hands gently holding both sides of my face, his fingers caressing at every interval as though to remind me that it was really him that was before me. 

“Yeah?”

“Will it work this time?”

“What? Looking at you?”

His head danced left to right, and his body jumped closer. “That thing I told you. About…” His lips broke into a smile, and I became super curious even within my growing tears. “About your stubbornness.”

“Nathaniel…” A shaky gasp of realisation whistled out of me. “You… You remember?” He nodded. “You remember.”

“I'm back, my beautiful cappuccino.”

“Ah!” I yelled in excitement. “You remember!”

“Every single thing.”

Every nonsense fear of that evil twin was quickly pushed aside. With my uncontainable joy, I pressed my lips to his.

Truthfully, I don't know why it's so exciting that he regained his memories. In the past few weeks, especially within the last couple of days, though slowly, I have found myself loving him more despite that gap.

But perhaps, my excitement boils from the fact that our love truly overcomes, as Nathaniel pointed out. 

What else could be more beautiful than an overcoming love that survives every season of ups and downs?

Really, what else?

With this realisation, and within my cry-baby tears, as our kiss deepened, I let go of all tenacious burdens and silently bared my soul. Through our kiss, which wasn't losing its spicy momentum anytime soon, I silently showed Nathaniel why he is the man meant for me and why I am the woman meant for him. 

Ladies and gentlemen… we really aren't beating those soulmates' allegations. 

\~~~

AUTHOR'S NOTE

My beautiful readers 🥺🥺, this couple are trying hard to make me shed tears. 

It's just like yesterday when Sarah barged into her father's house and met Nathaniel planning his wedding to Rosaline. 

This story has come a long way, hasn't it?

I've had fun exploring the characters and even their emotions. I could feel myself in every sentence and every chapter.

Ahh… look at me speaking like the story's over already. 

We still have four to five chapters left. I hope to see you there!

Love, Lola.