Heartbeat

02| First Encounter

Please comment and vote! :)

Kingston's POV

"SHE SAID YES!" I declared it out loud the moment I stepped foot back at home.

I was expecting to share my joy with my family but the whole house was pitch black. I wanted to celebrate this special moment with them but my heart sank when I entered an empty house.

I walked in through the front door, scraped my hand against the wall and switched the lights on. The living room lit up and my family members jumped out shouting, "Surprise!"

I looked up startled and as soon as I realized what was going on. My mood instantly lifted and my spirits brightened. I could hardly contain my happiness and was flabbergasted with joy. The feeling of emptiness I felt previously vanished into thin air.

Finn, Jerome and my mom marched in cheerfully, clasping their hands in front of them reeking with enthusiasm and delight. Then, Ashton ran around handing party poppers over to them. He glanced up at me and flashed me his sweetest smile.

I was paralyzed with happiness as I see my all my loved ones gathered around me sharing this joy with me.

Popper streamers sprang through the air, leaping towards the ceiling and landing back onto the floor. Finn reappeared with a glass of champagne in her hands, shoved it at me and whispered 'happy for you'.

I thanked everyone. My face ached with the strain of smiling so much.

"How did you know I am going to bring good news back home?" I asked as I took a sip of the champagne.

"Who is going to reject the second most charming man in this world?" Ashton replied as he wiped away the chocolate stains on the corner of Finn's lips.

"Second?" I countered as I raised my right eye brow.

"Yes, because the most charming man in the world is me and I am taken," he smirked as he licked the chocolate stains off his hand and laid comfortably on Finn's lap.

We all chuckled and rolled our eyes.

Before I could retort, I felt the side of the couch I was sitting on dipped.

"Uncle King, how did you and Aunt Mila met? Me want to know!" Jerome asked enthusiastically as he snuggled closer to me while eating the chocolate cake on his plate.

"Jerome, its bed time already. Lets head back to the room and let Uncle King rest," Finn said as she removed herself from Ashton and opened her arms for Jerome to lurged into.

Leaving a pouting Ashton.

"But mommy... Me want to know," Jerome argued.

Who could ever resist this cute baby boy? I thought to myself.

"Finn, I will coax Jerome to bed tonight. You can take a break today. I believe someone wants you ALL by himself," I emphasized with a smirk and Ashton got my hint instantly.

He got up of the couch and rushed to Finn's side, almost tripping over the mat in the process. He balanced himself in the speed of lightning and carried Finn the bridal manner into their room.

Everyone in the living room giggled and snickered at Ashton's childish action.

"I will clear the area. You can bring my darling Jerome to bed," my mom said as she planted a kiss on Jerome's forehead before vanishing into the kitchen.

"Lets go Jerome!" I opened my arms and he jumped into my embrace instantly for me to carry him back into his bedroom.

"I think you need to go on diet Jerome," I joked as he fold his arm and stared at me with air filled in both of his cheeks making him look like a chipmunk.

In Jerome's bedroom

I tucked in Jerome's blanket and he stared at me excitedly waiting for me to start his bedtime story.

"I met Aunt Mila when we were teenagers," I started.

Jerome gave his fullest attention to me as his eyes were glued to me as he waited for me to continue.

"I was on my way to school when I noticed Aunt Mila crying with bruises on her body," I continued as I recalled our first encounter.

Flashback

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked as I approached the trembling figure sitting on the edge of the bench in the park.

Upon hearing my voice, her eyes got that wide look, her bottom lip trembled and she hurried to sit nearer to the edge of the bench.

She had minor cuts on her hands and feet. There was also spreading purple with yellow blotches on her cheeks.

"I'm fine," she croaked.

Our gaze locked. From the reflection in her eyes, I was able to see the pain she was going through. Her emotional pain seeps out in her words and it hurts to hear them, hurts to read them.

I felt my heart aching simply by looking at how broken she was. I had the urge to want to protect this fragile girl in front of me.

"You can cry," I said as I shifted nearer to her side.

It was all the permission she needed. She buried her head against my shoulder as tears started flowing uncontrollably down her cheeks.

"I sense what is inside that troubles you, yet also there is so much goodness there too, bravery, tenacity," I comforted as I started drawing circles around her back trying to calm her down.

I sensed her breathing rate started to go back to normal and her body gradually relaxed against mine.

"All I can offer you is a brighter horizon, a hope that one day you'll be free of all this. One day there will be choice and freedom on a healthy Earth. Hang on, hang in there," I continued saying comforting words to her ears.

End of Flashback

"This is beri beri romantic Uncle King!!" Jerome exclaimed.

I nodded in agreement.

"The moment I laid my eyes on her, I knew she was the one that I wanted to protect. I knew she was the one that I wanted to spend my whole life with," I confessed unknowingly as I felt my heart sped up simply by recalling our memories together.

"I knew I wanted to be there to catch her when she falls. To shoulder all her pain and sorrows with her. To smile with her, to cry with her and to be with her every step of the way. As cliché as it sounds," I concluded as a single tear rolled down my cheek.

"Me know you beri beri love Aunt Mila," Jerome stated as he wiped away my tears using his tiny fingers.

"Because your face now is like daddy's when he looks and talks to mommy," Jerome continued as a smile emerged on both of our faces.

/to be continued/

❤️