One hundred and six- I know who to hate
NATHANIEL STORM
As our delicate yet igniting kiss deepened, Sarah’s tears moistened my face, and that sensation made my heart tug despite the joy within it.
Seconds later, I found myself in the same state, tears dropping from my closed eyes while my hands never ceased pulling her closer and closer to feel the beauty of her presence.
There are many reasons for these tears. But the reason that triumphs all reasons is that Sarah Pierce is the woman I love; the woman I never stopped loving. And the woman I will never stop loving.
And I know I’ll never stop loving her because she’s forever engraved in my heart. I did not just realise this recently.
Now that I recall our past, I can categorically tell you that I liked Sarah the first time we met. That evening, while she scolded me for not quickly acknowledging that I had spilled my coffee on her, I was already lost in thoughts, picturing a future, and placing her presence in my heart.
Maybe that’s why my heart didn’t forget her when my memories were tampered with.
Maybe…
“Sarah,” I whispered her sweet name after I reluctantly broke our kiss. Our faces were still so close, and I appreciated that she had yet to look away in fear. “We should get married again.”
She blinked the drops of tears on her lashes. “Again?”
After a quick nod, I gently traced her freckles. And as I did that, I recalled the details of our not-so-real marriage ceremony.
Though I briefly admired her beauty that afternoon, I wasn’t very pleased back then because she was being a tad stubborn, and the air was too tense because of the many ill-wishers in the crowd.
“Let’s start a new chapter properly. There are things I want to say- vows that belong on the altar this time. before the people who care about us.”
“Oh.” Her eyes weren’t dimming with hesitation. “That’s…”
“There’s no rush,” I added in case she was wondering if we'd be strolling down the hospital aisle in a wedding suit and gown tomorrow. “Whenever we are ready.”
“Okay.” Her response was sharper and more excited this time, and she hooked her hands over mine. “I want that too. Let’s get married again.”
With a wide smile that I have been unable to crash ever since our eyes made contact, I appreciated her acceptance. Then, as I watched her beautiful face, the awfulness of the few past days crept into my head again.
To hide the nervousness and fear that remembrance brought, I pressed a kiss to her forehead and whispered, “Thank you, Sarah.”
“Why are you thanking me?”
My arms went around her waist, and I pulled her to my chest. “Because you don’t hate me.”
She snuggled into my embrace. “Are you saying that because of your father and brother?”
“If I had not-”
“You also suffered because of them.”
“Nothing compared to what they did to you, Sarah.”
“I know who to hate, Nathaniel.” She wasn’t looking at me anymore. “And it will never be you.”
The unspoken fact that I looked like the one she’ll hate was lingering in the air. But, I simply replied with, “I’m glad.”
“Are your injuries getting better?”
“They will.” I rested my chin on her head. “Soon.”
“I’m so happy you survived that accident. And I’m also happy we’ve finally kissed.”
A light chuckle left me. “You’ve missed it, haven’t you?”
“I did. And I’ve missed other things too.”
“Yeah? Like what?”
She surprisingly looked up at me, her chin pressed to my chest, her lips puckered with the cutest smile gleaming in her eyes.
“What do you think, Nathaniel?”
I laughed loudly this time. “Don’t tell me you’ve been thinking about that?”
“Why now? I had to distract myself with something. And I’d rather think of your beast than think of that… man.”
“Good thinking. However…”
She groaned. “No, however, Nathaniel. Just give me a time and date, and I’ll get ready.”
“However...” Her desire was tempting. Very tempting. And it didn’t help that we’ve had moments when our sexual thirsts have begged to be quenched. “You are still healing. I am very grateful for the excitement you have right now, but what if tomorrow is different? What if the trauma hits hard?”
She huffed. “I hate that you are right.”
“We have plenty of years ahead of us. Ten years. Twenty…”
“Fifty. And maybe a hundred,” she completed. Then her eyes shadowed with a strange emotion. Seconds later, she said, “I was too harsh on you for leaving. It turned out I was drawing that conclusion based on a fake memory.”
“Ah,” a sigh left me. “You remember that accident?”
“We’ve really been through a lot, Nathaniel.”
“We’ve had our share of terrible luck. But we’ve survived.”
“Let’s have happier days from now on,” she pleaded, not only to me, but also to the universe.
“And we will.” I punctuated my response with a quick kiss to her lips.
“Tasty,” she beamed after licking her lower lip. “Give me more.”
I laughed again, my soul recalling that she was always this playful when we were dating.
But before I could respond and ask her to rest, a knock interrupted us.
“I was going to stay back longer, but I have to check on my patient. She’s been awake for a while now,” the doctor said, her gaze appreciating the simple view of our affection.
“Right.” Gently, I pulled away from Sarah. “I’ll come back soon.”
“Okay. See you.”
“See you.”
I dropped into my wheelchair and easily drove myself out, even though I was bummed that I couldn’t look back at Sarah as often as I wished.