IVAN:
If I go one more day without seeing Rufi I most likely would need that psychiatrist.
I went to church this morning while the storm and whirlwind of my life were still asleep. Diana still refuses to leave my room.
"Where to?" Mum asked as I passed by her in the living room.
"Going out" I picked the key to my Rolls Royce. The ride means a lot to me now because it seems its my 'good luck with brown eyes' car.
The day she gave me her contact i drove the Royce, the first time we kissed i drove the Royce.
A pang of guilt hit me as a realization crept in.
The last time i called Rufi was Thursday- the day she showed me her inside- what must she be thinking now.
That I see her as dirty? I'd been so frustrated Friday that I didn't even eat lunch, I know she'd notice something weird about me and I don't want to draw her into this mess with my mom and Diana . I hope and pray she don't think any of this.
"You're leaving us at home?"
"I need to go somewhere, I need to see someone" I crossed my fingers that Rufi understands.
"You are not spending today with us?"
"Mum you're leaving tomorrow morning and not this night OK?" Not that I'll oppose if they left this instant anyways.
"Alright" she gave up "When will you be back?"
"I can't say" I shot her an enough look and she caught her clue.
"See you later mom" I kissed her cheek.
..................
RUFI:
I was inside the kitchen making lunch while Maria did the laundry and Ana-Blaire did the talking. Someone knocked at the door.
I had given up hope of Ivan showing up at my doorstep and the only person who came visiting these days was Mrs Wellington.
"Ana-Blaire! Please answer the door" Maria called out.
"OK!" She said before I heard her little legs padding across the living room. After waiting for about five seconds and didn't hear anything I dropped the tomatoes I was dicing and went to check what was wrong.
I came to a stand still at the door as I saw who stood there. The one I'd given up hope of seeing was introducing himself to my daughter? He looked up and our gaze locked.
Confusion grew as the second passed and none of us spoke. The silence became deadly until he finally broke it
"I'm sorry Brown eyes" he said so low i thought i imagined it. I wanted to say something to reduce this awkward situation but for once my brain failed me.
"What is _ _ _" Maria stopped abruptly.
"Rufi?" She gave me a questioning look before giving Ivan a once over "Are you OK?"
"Y-y-yes I'm fine" I stuttered.
After thinking for a moment she huffed "Ana-Blaire?"
"Yes"
"Let's go get ice-cream"
Traitor!
Maria rushed back inside got her purse and carried Ana-Blaire out of the house leaving me to face Ivan alone.
"W-W-What do you -----" I was cut mid sentence by Ivan's mouth claiming mine. I didn't even know when he closed the distance between us.
I tried for a few seconds to push him away to remind myself he hadn't called me since Thursday that I was suppose to be ---- what? No use!
I gave up and kissed him back, I poured all my fears and hope into kissing this one man who has my heart with him. I told him everything I would not be able to speak with that kiss and soon we were lost in one another.
I ran my hand through his silk brunette hair and drank his taste, the strawberry mint I'd come to love. This was my second kiss and it felt more power filled than my first. I loved this man with the whole of my being.
I told him how much I love him with my kiss.
"I'm sorry Rufi" he said breaking the kiss.
How come we're on the floor i wondered.
If there's one thing Ivan should feel sorry about now it is breaking the kiss. Putting one hand on his cheek and running the other through his hair i kissed him. Ivan groaned so deeply i felt the ground shift under me, his hand went down my back and i shivered against him. He gave his everything to that kiss and I gave it my all.
If all kisses were like this then I fully understood Maria and Victor. The heat and current between us this moment could fuel a rocket to space.
***********
IVAN:
I never expected Rufi to forgive me so easily. The reason I'd kissed her that hard was to get my fill of her - as if that was possible - and that was all it took for her to forgive me.
A kiss?
That was one hell of a kiss.
"Ivan?" she broke into my thoughts
"You've not told me why you didn't come see me since Thursday"
It doesn't get any better than this "You wanna hear it now?"
"Yeah"
"Alright! Brace yourself" I eased her out of my arms and stood up. I told her everything, every damned details about my screwed up life. "That's why I've not being able to call" I sighed
"Its OK!" She wrapped her arms around me. It felt so freaking right. I circled her until she was at my front and wrapped my arms around her. I hugged her like my next breath depended on it.
Her head rested perfectly on my chest "Nae salang" I murmured
"What does that mean?" she whispered
My love
"Not gonna tell" I chuckled
"I could be really persuasive you know" she pressed
"hmm! How persuasive" I played along drawing small circles around her arm.
"Very persuasive" she looked at me and those big brown eyes said thing she wouldn't dare say with her mouth.
I kissed her nose.
"I" I kissed her cheek "do" lower lips "like" upper lips "very" I pulled her into a kiss and my heart rang 'I love you' even with my head telling me how crazy it sounded.
Bernice words played at the back of my mind "Your heart knows it but, your head is fighting it".
Screw my head for now! I dwelt in that sweet paradise where everything tasted like summer and chocolate cake.
***************
RUFI:
Heaven! Undeniable paradise!
"Wow! Wow!" Maria's voice sounded like a bell and pulled me out of that heaven.
Ivan whispered something I was too numb to hear before wrapping his arms around me.
"At least recognize our presence" Maria giggled. Traitor!
"Hmm" I groan against Ivan's shirt too embarrassed to look at her or Ana-Blaire.
"You want icream?" Ana-Blaire asked innocently
"Hmm!" I groaned again and pulled deeper into Ivan arms.
Ivan chuckled and the ripple vibrating through me.
"Your mom is embarrassed" Ivan told Ana-Blaire in a voice that melted my legs.
Feeling like I need to meet their gaze I looked at them but trust me I didn't leave Ivan's arms.
"Embarrassed? Momma you are embarrassed" she stared at me wide eyed.
"N-N-No Ana-Blaire" goodness gracious!
"she star-----" she looked at Maria to compete the sentence
"Stuttered?" Maria supplied and joined the giggle.
Soon Maria, Ana-Blaire and Ivan were hysterical.
"Mama stuttered" Ana-Blaire pushed out
"She definitely did" Ivan supplied.
The whole thing was so funny I didn't know when I started laughing.
At that moment we were one big happy family.