"Good job!"
The director yelled to his son. Calum was back in his orange uniform. His handcuffed hands rested on the metal table in the visitation room.
Calum's usual expression remained the same, an empty reaction. His hair had grown a little longer than before, and the hair under and above his lips was a little more visible.
Over all he still looked incredibly handsome. His father stood before him, congratulating him and calling him a hero, but it meant nothing to him right now. What was circling in his head was what happened last night. His eyes were fixed on the white wall of the room. He was clenching his jaw and reminiscing about the passionate night he shared with Mariana. Thoughts of her consumed him: her addictive scent, soft skin, beautiful brown eyes, and gorgeous, mouth-watering body made him gulp. He clenched his jaw and smiled, shaking his head. His father paused, witnessing this.
"Are you okay, Cal? And when the hell did you learn how to smile?"
A question laced with curiosity came from his father, who waited for an immediate answer.
Calum just stared at him with a deadly look, and his father shook his head.
"I just wanted to say it will be much easier for us to clear your name, and you helping us kill Crow will be the solution. Everyone was praising you for your heroic action in the bus bombing incident, so I'm completely sure that the lives you saved will be enough to atone for your sins."
Calum's raging eyes began to calm.
"That wasn't enough payment for my sins. I didn't just kill twenty people; it was more."
Jack breathed heavily.
"Then keep saving people until you think you've atoned for your sins."
Jack said, bowing his head and continuing.
"I'm sorry, son. You shouldn't be experiencing any of this if I had been a better father. You're right, we're different. You know how to be responsible, and I don't. I hope someday you'll find a way to forgive me."
Jack was holding back tears. Calum looked into his father's face, and for the first time, he chose to understand him. He chose to listen and feel his father's words.
"I have forgiven you... Dad."
It was almost a whisper, but Jack heard it clearly. The tears he'd been holding back slowly poured down his face. He'd missed that word; it had been so long since he'd heard his son call him "Dad." Jack couldn't control his emotions, so he grabbed his son's shoulder and hugged him.
"I promise you, son, I will get you out of here. It's not too late for you to have a better life."
Jack stood and paced near the door, saying before leaving,
"I hope your next visitor knows why you know how to smile already."
- - -
"What did she do?"
Trae asked, and his forehead furrowed.
It seems that he can't believe what he just heard Jack was telling him.
"She's dropping the case."
Trae began to laugh sarcastically.
"What happened? Did she slap her head against the wall to just change her mind like that?"
Both of them were outside the visitation room.
"Or maybe Calum's charm worked for her; that's why she's doing that.
Damn, not gonna lie, she's actually hot.
Lucky man."
Jack just shook his head, and his eyebrows raised, listening to Trae's hysterical laughter.
The private visitation room was actually closed with thick walls, but Calum and his visitor could hear his laughter echoing.
"You're wearing a turtleneck; isn't it hot outside?"
A question that first came out of Calum's mouth as Mariana sat opposite him with a small metal table separating them.
There gazes directly met.
That's the only question his mind created because his heart was totally restless, overwhelmed by the joy of seeing her beautiful face.
She was wearing a black, long-sleeved turtleneck tucked into her fitted jeans and black boots.
Mariana's eyebrows met, internalizing his question.
She was actually happy seeing him, yet the first words that came out of his mouth annoyed her.
"Yeah, I'm wearing this stupid turtleneck because of you. Because of this."
She parted the part of her dress covering her neck to show him.
It made him smirk, looking at her with his seductive eyes.
He clenched his jaw and bit his lower lip.
Seeing that red kiss mark on her neck made his desire to be near her grow higher.
"That looks good on you.
You look so beautiful, I love you."
Calum's words pinched her heart and gave her butterflies in her stomach; she wanted to shout with too much affection circulating in her heart.
She wanted to be calm and collected and act like his words didn't affect her at all, but a smile drew itself on her face.
She looked away from his eyes while she stated.
"I'm just here to make sure you really did surrender to the police."
Mariana placed her hands on the metal table and continued, erasing the smile from her face.
"I'm happy you did do it."
Calum was just staring at her face with eyes full of adoration.
He moved his hands to hold hers, and that made her lift her head to meet his eyes properly.
He moved his face to hers and kissed her.
The kiss was soft and gentle; he ended it by biting her lower lip.
Calum smiled while he placed his lips on her cheek and smelled her hair.
"God, you're driving me crazy, Mariana..."
He whispered in his breath.
Mariana didn't move at all but she let him do what he wanted. She loved it; she loved the feeling of him being this close to her, and she didn't have any plans of pushing him away, instead pulling him much closer.
She touched his face, and this time she kissed him back.
Her kiss wasn't gentle at all; she seemed to be so fed up with his seductive sight.
She placed her other hand on his neck to support herself because of the intensity of their kiss.
Their tongues were touching, and he was biting her softly; that made a soft moan escape her mouth as they both gasped for air.
Their lips separated while their eyes closed and their foreheads touched.
"I love you too... Calum."
Those words that escaped her mouth made Calum's eyes open.
His heart beat so fast, pounding with happiness.
That's the first time that he had heard it from her since she lost her memories.
She caressed his cheek and continued.
"I may not regain my memories with you, but I know God left me evidence that I love you.
It was my repetitive dreams.
It was always been you, your eyes, your smile, and your kiss."
Calum breathed heavily and clenched his jaw before he smiled.
"We can create new memories, Mariana.
You don't need to remember the past; we can create a better future, together.
I thought it was never possible, you and me.
But here we are; we are starting to make the impossible happen.
I love you; I love you more than the depths of the oceans, farther than the edge of the universe, and through every phase of the moon and back again.
My heart was never fraudulent; it was telling me not to let you go because you are the missing piece that will complete its broken part.
You are my everything; I love you."
Mariana smiled, and a tear of joy fell from her eyes.
It was always good to have this feeling that she only felt with him.
And she knew this is it, the feeling of love that she never knew before; he was completely giving it to her.
"I love you too, Calum.
Promise me you will be with me forever."
Calum kissed her before saying.
"I promise..."
***