32
CIARA
Aaron drives me home in his car. He parks in front of the house and turns off the engine. He gets out and comes around to my side to open the door for me.
“What’s this?”
“We’re starting over, right? Let me do things the right way,” he says, smiling at me.
I shake my head in embarrassment and accept his hand that’s helping me out of the car.
“And now I will walk you to the door.”
“It’s not necessary.”
“I want to. I want you to realize what you are capable of pulling out of me. You are the only one in the world with this super power.”
I blush and follow him to the door. I glance over to the garage door and it’s like an instant black cloud.
“You’ve stopped painting, haven’t you?” he asks, following my gaze.
“That place doesn’t feel like it’s mine anymore.”
Aaron caresses my cheek softly and I let myself appreciate it. It’s a tender touch that makes me feel understood and loved.
“I always loved watching you painting.”
I smile at him bitterly.
“When you immerse yourself in colors, the real you comes to light,” he says. “You concentrate on what you’re doing and your face takes on this blessed expression and your entire body gives out this positive light and… love. I never want you to give all of that up, especially because of him.”
His words make me sad.
“Forgive me, Ciara, for having been so stupid and blind, for not having accepted your presence immediately, your help… If I had, things would be different now. You never would have left my house and my arms. I know it’s my fault and I hope one day you will forgive me.”
“We’ve already been over this. You have nothing to apologize for. It just happened.”
“I understand that it was a terrible experience and that it’s hard to turn the page but I am here for you and I always will be. I promise you.”
He comes towards me and touches my lips lightly before breaking into a smile and saying: “Someone is watching us.”
I look towards the window in time to see the curtains shutting. I laugh and shake my head, glad for this family that worries about me and wants to see me happy.
“I hope your family will like me.”
“They’ve known you your whole life!”
“That doesn’t mean that they accept a guy like me buzzing around their little girl, who is just twenty-two years old.”
“That little girl is just about to turn twenty-three,” I say, making fun of him.
“Well then, whadda ya say we organize a little party?”
“Hmm.”
“At TheOnly4You.”
“It sounds great.”
