With his hands casually tucked inside his pants' pockets, Mac's eyes remained fixed on the seductive display of desserts, each one vying for his attention. The rich, velvety cakes, the delicate pastries, and the glistening fruit tarts, he was finding it hard to make a choice.
Before he could make a pick, the unwelcome ring of his cell phone pierced the moment. Still gazing at the desserts, irritated and curious, he retrieved his phone from his pocket.
Pressing the answer key, he raised the phone to his ear, his voice tinged with impatience, "What flavours do you want?"
A young, slightly mischievous voice on the other end replied, "Um! Suddenly, I don't want to have anything."
Mac's face scrunched in annoyance. He struggled to keep his temper in check as he retorted, "What do you mean? Just a while ago, you asked me to pick a dessert, and now you're refusing. Don't test my patience, Luna Noble."
Luna's voice remained teasing as she countered, "I have no interest in tasting your bitter patience, Mac Noble. Return home."
Rolling his eyes, he grumbled, "Like, really? I pulled over in this downpour just for you and now you are saying this. I don't even know how I am going to cross the road without an umbrella. You know very well I don't like to get wet in the rain."
"May the moon goddess bless you, my big brother. Mom is looking forward to your presence, so hurry back home," she said, before hanging up the call.
Gritting his teeth in frustration, Mac clenched the phone tightly and shoved it back into his pocket, his annoyance mounting.
As he turned to leave, a concerned voice from behind the dessert array startled him. "Do you need any help with picking the item?" asked the sales assistant.
Without looking back, he replied, "No, thank you," his irritation still lingering. He marched towards the door, not wanting to give in to Luna's whims.
"But why?" the sales assistant shouted in haste, worried that her gaze might have cost her a sale.
Without offering an explanation, he exited the establishment, standing in the rain, pondering how to cross the road without getting drenched. His eyes then fell upon a person standing in front of the bakery, holding her umbrella upside down.
"Ptf!" he grumbled in annoyance at the sight of her wasted umbrella. Without a second thought, he strode over to her and called out, "Excuse me!"
"Hmm!" Her response was melodious and soothing, instantly catching his attention.
Shaking his head to jerk off the thoughts that were ready to go wild, he snapped himself out and, clearing his voice, he asked, "If you don't need an umbrella, can you borrow it?"
Thinking she might refuse and he would fight for it, he was preparing his words, but to his surprise, she extended her umbrella towards him.
'Is she serious?' Puzzled at her easy-going character, he took the umbrella and tried to take a glance at her face, but with the occurrence of sudden lighting, she squatted, covering her ears.
It didn't take him long to realise that she was scared of thunder. Shortly after skimming at the umbrella that he got from her with no effort, he tossed it aside and crouched beside her.
With a roar, when the thunderbolt hit the ground, he wrapped her around his arm, trying to make her feel safe. When she was in his arms, he felt his heart thumping out loud and a strange kind of bliss running through his veins and reaching the heart.
Finding her flinching at the sound, he gripped her tight, whispering, "It's alright! I am here for you."
Then, in a moment when his eyes met hers on the reflection, suddenly he felt his world coming to a halt. The beauty she had drove him to another dimension where the curiosity of knowing who she was born.
However, they were not able to get lost for long, as the horn of the car snapped them out of their thoughts and they both pulled away in haste.
"I… I…" she stammered, growing nervous.
She seemed to say the words of gratitude but was going out of words.
"Are… Are you alright?" Mac tried to help her with words.
Nodding, she looked sideways. Then the wound in her hand caught his attention.
"Your forehead… Why is it wounded?" he asked out of concern.
She took a glance at him with her big eyes as if he had said something very shocking. He could see her gulping hard.
He then grabbed her wrist and pulled her to the shelter from the rain. He took his handkerchief out, and extended it to wipe her forehead. But she dodged back.
"Don't worry, I won't hurt you," he assured her.
Finally, when she let him wipe the dampness around her wound, he took a closer look before announcing, "Thankfully, the cut is not deep enough to leave the scar."
"Here! Hold this," he suggested, handing her his hanky.
Then, taking out his wallet, he searched for hansaplast. Taking it out, he ripped its packet before pasting it on her wound.
Raising his brows, he then inquired, "You want something to eat, right?"
She didn't meet his gaze when she shook her head right to left.
"You handed me your umbrella with no reluctance. So, you don't need to hesitate if you need anything," he implied.
"It's not…"
He interrupted, "Let me get you something."
Then, without hearing her, he rushed back into the bakery.
Seeing him return, the sales assistant asked with a big smile on her face, "Welcome back, sir. What would you like to have?"
Scanning the desserts, he questioned, "Is that blueberry pastry?"
"Yes, sir! And it's eggless!"
"Get me one!"
Shortly after collecting the bag, when he returned, he was astounded to find only her umbrella. He looked around but was not able to see her anywhere.
Picking up the umbrella with a heavy heart, he was about to walk away when, suddenly, he noticed something engraved on its handle.
'To my Beloved Beth!'
🍁🍁🍁🍁
"Why are you even wet with an umbrella in your hand?" Luna inquired, just after Mac stepped inside the house.
Mac, who was home after a beautiful encounter with Beth, hung the umbrella on the stand and walked to his room with no response. The disappointment of making him roam the bakery was still wafting around his head, and this made him turn a blind eye to his sister.
Halfway to his room, he suddenly came to a halt and looked over his shoulder.
Seeing Luna about to touch the umbrella, he shouted, "LUNA! STOP!"
Startled, she withdrew her hand and glanced at him in total shock.
"Why are you even shouting?" she whined.
With no answer, he marched towards her. Biting her lower lips, she watched him in nervousness.
"I am really sorry, Brother Mac. I didn't want to trouble you. I was just…" she paused, as he grabbed the umbrella and made his way back to his room.
Tucking her hands on her hips, she grumbled, "Seriously? I was just going to dry that umbrella. You didn't have to be that mean."
Dropping the pastry bag on the tea table, he silently made his way to his room. Placing the umbrella beside the door, he entered the washroom, and shortly after, he stepped out in a comfy set of silk pyjamas.
Walking to the nightstand, he was about to grab his cell phone when suddenly his eyes fell on his wallet. Grabbing it, he plunged into his bed.
With a heavy heart, he retrieved a crumpled photograph from the wallet and stared at it intently. The image depicted a lady who once held a special place in her life. As he gazed at the photograph, a cascade of memories and emotions surged within him, causing his eyes to well up with tears.
Determined not to let his emotions overcome him, he reached for a lighter from his pocket and flicked it to life. With a trembling hand, he held the flame to the centre of the photo. The fire took hold, consuming the image of the lady. The once-vibrant colours of her face turned to fiery red, then slowly blackened, and finally disintegrated into a fine, grey ash.
When the burning photo reached the tips of his fingers, he released it, and the remaining fragment fluttered to the ground. The rest of the ashes danced on the heated currents, floating away like long-lost whispers of the past.
Taking a deep breath to compose himself, Mac left his bedroom and made his way to the dining hall. As he entered, he found his mother, Lucy, a graceful woman in her late forties, seated at the head of the table. Luna, a vibrant and vivacious teenager at sweet sixteen, sat opposite her, her eyes reflecting the curiosity of youth.
Beside Lucy stood their dedicated butler, Nate, who was impeccably dressed and efficiently serving the meal. The aroma of a freshly cooked dinner wafted through the room, creating an atmosphere of warmth and togetherness.
A heavy silence enveloped the room, and even Luna, usually a chatterbox, remained unusually quiet, making an effort not to further agitate her brother.
Breaking the silence, Lucy, halfway through her meal, inquired, "When is she coming to meet us? I'm looking forward to seeing her in person."
His demeanour turned frigid as he responded, "She's not coming."
Lucy's expression shifted to one of alarm. "Why?"
Carefully placing his cutlery on the table, he used a tissue to wipe his lips before answering, "Because we're no longer together."
Lucy's eyes narrowed as she probed, "How can that be possible? She was..."
Interrupting her, Mac's irritation flared, "Mom, please, I don't want to talk about her."
Stiffly, Lucy nodded and returned her attention to her meal. As she delicately slurped the lotus rib soup, Mac decided to reveal something that would hopefully reassure his family. "You don't have to worry about me. I'm fine. Besides, I've found someone else."
Both Lucy and Luna stared at him with wide, shocked eyes.
Lucy, raising her brows, asked, "And who is she?"
"Beth!"