And A Lot Found
Thea’s point of view-
The driver is trying to restart the car which has stopped in the middle of an almost empty road and my phone’s battery is also dead. I am standing outside in a long top and shorts as a chilly breeze makes me put on the hoodie of my jacket. Ugh, I should have changed my clothes before stepping out.
I pay him the money and start to walk on my way trying my best to avoid walking into the mud and water poodles in the almost dark road. I most definitely am god’s favorite child. Maybe it’s nothing and maybe he is all right. Maybe this whole idea of trying to go and look for him is a ridiculous idea. I don’t even know what I am going to say to his wife or maybe ex-wife if she recognizes me and asks me what I am doing at her house.
The clouds make a thundering sound as I curse my luck and myself, as it starts to slowly drizzle. Trying to make a run for it, to avoid catching a cold or a fever, I slip down, scrapping my knees and hands. Just my dumb luck, I think to myself as I push myself to get but end up falling down, instead. Feeling pathetic and angry, I just sit down right there and after a while notice someone’s shoes, standing in front of me.
Looking up I realize that it was Professor Kiernan in the flesh as I sigh with relief. He helped me get up and looked angry and relieved at the same time.
“You’re okay.” I whisper as I pass him my bright smiles. He doesn’t realise how happy I am to see him.
“Are you crazy? Do you realise how much you scared me and your friends? How can you even think of just running-”
I immediately pull him into a hug and relax for a while. Seeing him all safe and okay was the only thing that mattered to me now. Tightening my hold around him, I pull him closer, closing my eyes as tears of relief fall down my eyes. Other rational things could be talked about later as he slowly wraps his arm around my waist and I find myself wishing time to stop right at this moment. After a few seconds I slowly pull back as I look into the eyes of the man that I was badly falling for.
“I am so sorry Kiernan…I didn’t mean any of those harsh words that I said.” I whisper as he gives me a slow smile.
“I am sorry too, Thea.” He whispers back.
“Let’s go home, now that we both know that the other person is safe.”
“Let’s do that.”
Instead of driving me back home, he took me to his place and whenever I tried to protest he shut me up by giving me a glare. We reached his place as he held onto my hand thinking that I might run off as I bit my lip when he opened the door to his place. I was expecting to see that woman but the place looked empty. He went over to his bedroom as he asked me to sit on the couch. I looked around and saw a few framed pictures on the cabinet against the wall. Curious, I make my way towards it, looking at the pictures. They were his childhood pics mostly, along with a few pictures from his graduation. One of the pictures that really caught my attention was where he is casually looking over at the camera and laughing in such a careless manner. He looked like he was four or five as he was sitting on a swing and his eyes were filled with so much love and adoration. I take the frame in my hand as I run my hand over it, smiling to myself.
I really want to see him laugh like this again. What happened to you Professor Kiernan that made you lose such a beautiful laugh? I keep it back as he comes out of the bedroom with a towel and clothes in his hand. He says that I can change in his guest room and take a warm shower as well. Nodding my head, I make my way to the guest room and come outside freshly showered and dressed in his shirt and boxer shorts.
He was brewing coffee as he looked up at me and stopped stirring, making my face go red as I stood there suddenly self-conscious. He looks away, clearing his throat as I take a seat on the couch. After a minute or so he hands me the coffee cup as I take it with a grateful smile. Then he walks back to the cabinet and walks back to me with a first aid box. He sits down on the floor as he inspects my knees.
“I am okay.”
He gives me a glare as he starts to disinfect the wound with the most gentle touch as I quietly sit there and observe him.
“I was really worried about you, Thea.” He whispers without meeting my eyes. “And so scared…”
“Kiernan.” I whisper his name as he looks up at me, his eyes welling up as my heart just breaks into a thousand pieces as I process his words and the look in his eyes. The ‘you-are-my-entire-world’ look as I tentatively rest my hand on the side of his face and he leans into my touch. Leaning towards him, with butterflies all over, as my eyes close and gently press my lips on his forehead as his entire body tenses up.
Feeling a little braver and opening my eyes I look at him sitting there with his eyes closed as the tears roll down his cheek and then I kiss his closed eyelids as he shudders. He then slowly opened his eyes as our eyes met again and never have I felt my world filled with so many colours. He reaches over and slowly puts the loose strand of my hair behind me, his brown eyes never leaving mine as he inches closer as I close my eyes and feel his soft, warm lips brushing against mine in a slow, tantalising manner. I answer him back by caressing his lips with my own. He tasted like the evening rain and misty early morning. Our mouths lose themselves in their own slow waltz filled with so much longing and yearning. His hand slides down the behind of my neck and suddenly I pull back, breathing heavily.
“You have a wife.”
_____________________
Kiernan’s point of view-
“What? No, Thea.” I deny immediately as she bites her lips and it drives me insane but I try to focus on the matter.
“Then who was that pregnant lady with short blonde hair and green eyes?” She asks.
“That was Mia, my sister-in-law.” I explain, Wait! You came to meet me? When?”
“Of course I did…do you really think you’re the only one that was scared and worried?” She asks, as she caresses my cheek with her thumb. She leans next to me and kisses the corner of my mouth.
“I am sorry for taking so long to express my feelings to you.”
I shake my head and whisper, “Thank you for expressing your feelings to me. And honestly, I can wait for you for however long you want me to wait.”
“No more waiting. I like you Kiernan.” She gazes into my eyes with a twinkling look, “I really, really do…”
“Thea, I have said this before and I will say it again. I like you. Every. Single. Bit. Of. You. And I want to like those parts of you that you don’t like about yourself so that I can show you…how truly beautiful you are.”
She smiles down at me, her eyes tearing up as she claims my lips with her as if she is ready to open herself to me but slowly and steadily. And I response to her kiss back telling her that I am willing to wait.
author's note-
:] do let me know if you enjoyed this chapter.