Xhemin didn't noticed that she was sleep for quiet sometime beside the beast, under the shade of the big tree and upkeep of the calming winds and singing afternoon birds that seemed to have sang a series of lullabies to make one's dream more like a reality.
The beast was just there enjoying the tranquility of nature and the company of his woman whom he never get tired of looking at— everything about her, her luscious ebony hair, her innocent face, and even the calmness of her sleep was mesmerizing him—making him forget who she was and all the cost he had to bargain to have her.
Darryl sighed, a deep breath as he was carefully caressing the girl's hair, his hands supporting his head to make his lying body tower upon the girls sleeping frame, full smile on his lips sponsored by the little missus pretty face.
He was having a great time. But that great time didn't last long as his forgotten phone tucked on his suit rang endlessly.
It took Darryl few strides to pick up his suit from where he threw it earlier and eventually pull his phone out from its pocket.
"Hello?" He welcomed the person on the other end, it was an unregistered number yet he chose to pick it up because he was kind of suspecting who the caller was already. "Hey baby…" he added with a smile when he realized who the caller was.
"No, I'm doing nothing now…" he continued as he turned his eyes to the sleeping Xhemin. Yet after a minute his once composed face hardened as the person at the other line continued to natter on the other line.
"Of course not…" he spoke again after a minute and dragged his body further away from the girl sleeping under the tree. Soon he was already few meters from the sleeping beauty and become absorb with the call without noticing that his movements and absence woke Xhemin up.
Xhemin opened her eyes slowly and noticed the beast far away taking the phone call. His face was stiff and serious but he could see that somehow it showed some gentleness and concern probably for the person he was conversing through the line. She couldn't hear their conversation clearly but in the middle of sleeping and waking up she heard him when he say the words "baby.."
"Baby" she mused to herself while she was watching the beast combed his dark locks and turned his head up ahead as if studying the skyline.
Xhemin's eyes were fixated on the beast, curious of who's the lucky person to whom have the pleasure of being the beast's baby. She studied his expression and her curious innate wanted to eavesdrop on their conversation yet their distance would prove futile. She didn't move a muscle though, not wanting the beast to take notice that she was already awake.
"Was that the lady boss?" She asked herself. Was she the one he was calling baby?
That idea that sunk into her form some fragments of pain in her little heart yet she thought it was premature to succumb into pain knowing that she knew nothing about it at all.
But who could have thought knowing nothing hurts.
And her pain intensified few minutes later when she saw the beast's mouth formed the words " I love you" before he ended the line.
I love you.
The beast clearly said I love you.
Not to her but to his baby.
Xhemin bit her lip and abruptly closed her eyes as she saw him turning back to where she was. She pretended to be still asleep while acceding to the pain she felt inside.
Just within seconds she felt the beast body back to her side and felt his hands again brushing her hair, ever slowly as if she was some kind of a fragile glass. The feeling of his hands could make one dreamy yet it cannot defeat the pain that was carefully digging into her heart. Her eyes started to warm up but she fought so hard to contain them up.
"Hey" He heard him after moments of nothingness. His voice was like the wind, gentle and tranquil but to Xhemin, ironically they brought some betrayal out from nowhere.
She opened her eyes and unintentionally the tears she forced to hold up crept out of her eyes.
Darryl's brows draw a notch and his eyes instantly painted lines of confusion. "What's wrong?" He asked as if he dreaded to see such sight.
"Nothing…" she gulped not knowing what to say "… just had a sad dream"
Darryl's hands find its way to the girl's delicate face and gently patted the girl's tears away. For some reasons Xhemin wanted to inquire about his baby and irked about it, yet something within her just wanted to forget it all. Truth be told, the beast told Xhemin he likes her a couple of times already, but he never once told her the words I love you and it pains to know the reason probably behind was that—those magical words were only meant for another, his baby for example.
Maybe it's just nothing.
Maybe he was calling his mother.
Maybe she saw it wrong.
Maybe..Maybe..there's so many maybe's she wanted to talk through her own heart in order to quit its senseless aching.
"Sad dreams…you dream sad dreams when you are with me" he says sounding strangely sulking "That's frustrating to know"
"Maybe you went away that's why sad dreams caught me" she answered hinting out her concern and pain. But then just before the words came out, she kind of regretted saying them. Somehow, she knew it was wrong to have faulted him for something she was unsure but the pain she felt inside was fighting against her sense of sagacity.
"I took some phone calls. Does that count?" He answered, now with an innocent smile not aware of what she was feeling.
She just smiled a doubtful pretentious smile and yet for him that was enough—enough to light up his universe.
"Come let's head back to the mansion, it's getting cold round here" he called up as he slipped his own suit to her shielding her from the wind that become unfriendly brought by the almost departing sun.
Xhemin just nodded and followed his every move obediently as he guided her back to his horse. They left all the picnic stuff for Darryl knew the servants will soon come to clean them.
They departed from Darryl's favourite haunt with Xhemin's heart imitating the chillness of the wind— cold.