"I do not understand." Katrina finally decided to voice her thoughts out aloud after an entire afternoon of surprise after surprise. "I divorced you. Why are you being so nice to me." She could not help but sound blunt.
Ryan smiled at her over the dinner he had treated her to. In his car were also bags of shopping, maternity items and baby clothes for the baby girl he was sure they were going to have.
"What is a man in love to do, but to grant the every desire of his beautiful heart?" At first, Katrina thought that he must have been joking. He had to be. Such a cheesy line and then, it suddenly dawned on her that the man was actually serious. She did not know when a mouth dropped wide open. Neither was she aware when her lips parted to emit a shocked gasp. For how could a wonderful thing such as love be possible between her and Ryan. After all the pain and deception. The threats and the looming divorce that was now hanging over their marriage. Still he said nothing to contradict those words that he just spoken and that alone confirmed to her that he was actually serious.
"But you signed the documents?" Katrina whispered.
"Only because that was what you wanted. If it made you happy and less guilty about everything, then, I had no choice but do it. Though, I would rather have you not feel any guilt for what is done is done. What I ask though is that you give me a chance to show you my true intentions, my change of heart and how serious I am about making us work."
"Your intentions?" She croaked out her voice now but a hoarse whisper.
"I'd like to court you afresh, like you really deserve. I know fully well that I deserve all the thorns that you have put out and that is only because you are a rose. Soft and beautiful, precious but not fragile and in that regard, I will always disagree with your father."
"My father? You've spoken to him?"
"Indeed I have. To speak my mind and to apologise for how I have treated you as his daughter. Now that that is done, I can only beg for your forgiveness and in time I hope that I can earn your trust also." Katrina could not believe her ears. Trust he had said, the very same thing that Mrs Beufont had been speaking to her about in their phone calls. At that moment it had not made much sense. She had hoped however, to clarify the matter with her teacher now that she was coming to the capital after being promoted to the rank of regional youth director, but now, hearing Ryan speak those words brought a new light to it all.
"Trust?" She whispered. That was what she had lost those years ago on that fateful night. The night of her wedding. She did not hate Ryan perse but neither could she find the guts to allow herself to rely on him. Be it emotionally or physically and that was the reason she had instigated that divorce.
"Yes, I have deceived you in the past. Been so cruel that I should not even face you, but please, allow me this moment of selfishness. Tjat in this regard that despite my unworthiness, I may be worthy of a chance to prove my worth to you. By the end of it, if you are not satisfied I promise to remove myself from your life and your path and to no longer bother you." He told her earnestly, but that was not what she wanted. She did not want him to go neither did she want h to stop bothering. In essence, she wanted to very much be bothered and Katrina's heart cried at the notion of the looks of that. How hopeless she was in regards to this golden haired man who had stolen her heart with just one glance. He had messed her up and yet she was willing to give him another chance? Was she that weak or did her heart actually acknowledge that this man had changed? Did it know? Was it aware where her mind refused to see?
"Do you mean all this?"
"Yes." He said, hanging from his chair in a manner that suggested that he would soon be on his knees if that was what it took to convince her.
"Will you please get up and don't even think of using that to blackmail me." She said looking around the restaurant to.make sure that their had not yet drawn any unwarranted attention.
"I wouldn't dare." He smiled rather roguishly.
"And yet I doubt that." She paused for a moment to think of think of something. "I haven't filed the papers yet..." She started.
"And you are wondering what to do?" He completed her sentence.
"In a way yes. I still have my doubts about you, but I know deep down that this is different from that other facades that you have pulled before.At that time, You only tried to convince others, but never me. It was never for me. That said, once bitten twice shy and I would be lying to say that I am jumping up for this idea."
"But..."
"Trust is given not earned and I am so curious to see what you are all about."she finished.
"Could it be that your are feelings are actually warm towards me?" He smiled and she glared at him.
"You are the one who said that not me."
"And I will gladly repeat it for you to hear. I love you Katrina Dienda Maracheli Thorpe. I must have been a fool to not see you for who you are and a bigger fool for attempting to break you. You are kind and considerate and all so full of life. You are incredibly strong and like a rose you have open up youself countlessly but I was too blind to see. For all of these virtues, I am proud to say that I am pleased that you are this child's mother." He gushed as she blushed prettily. "Now, I really can't tell you what to do in that regard as you are totally capable of making that decision all on your own. It is your life after all but I would like you to consider this, that you now have my heart and I am willing to go great lengths to have you by my side."
Well put, Katrina smiled at his eloquence and the sincerely that he had managed to inject into his speech and as she patted ways with him that night, her heart felt light even as she figured out what it was she was going to do about their situation.