A love like ours ✔️

♚32.A new ally

Rafael

Thunder rumbles in the sky and lightning flashes across the horizon. The grey clouds have swallowed the sun, making it seem like it's evening, even though the clock has barely hit 10 AM. A violent storm is making its arrival known, yet the only thing I can focus on is the the thombstone in front of me. A big bouquet of fresh white roses sits on top of it and the stubborn flame of a candle flickers, fighting to survive against the wind that's begining to pick up. Today is my wife's 25th birthday. Today also marks a month and a half since she's been taken away from me. For a moment I close my eyes and breath in the salty moist air of the city. I feel like I'm suffocating and it's not from the unbearable July heat. I miss her so much that most of the time it's hard to get out of bed, if I manage to go to sleep that's it.

After Gloria died, Soraya made a tradition out of coming to visit her grave every year on this day. Since she can't do that at the moment I am here in her stead. I read the words carved in white marble. ' In memory of Gloria Morelli- loving wife, mother and friend, a woman of tender heart, great wisdom and imense strength. May she rest in peace.' I remember her nurturing nature. She used to bake for us and take care of her garden. Her love for for books and the piano, both of which Ray has picked up, ran deep. So did her loyalty to her family and friends, my mother being on of them.

"I know you'd be proud of the person your daughter has become. She's smart and strong, kind and loving, but at the same time ruthless when she needs to be. I never told her that you made me promise to take care of her when I became her best friend after we moved here." I failed, not only once but multiple times. First I let my stupidity hurt her when we were teens, then I shattered her heart, the most precious gift I was ever given." I play with the wedding ring on my finger.

"She forgave me and accepted to be my wife, not that I've given her another option. But once again I've failed to protect her, she's gone, and I don't know if I'll ever get her back. She sacrificed herself for me when I'm so undeserving. But I will never give up on us, on her. So Gloria, please watch over Star until she's back in my arms, and I can do it myself. And-." I let out a painful shaky sigh. God I can't say it, but I need to. "And if she's with you right now, tell her she's my forever and there will never be anyone else but her. Tell her to wait for me, tell her that I love her endlessly and if we don't get our happily ever after in this life, we'll have our in our next."

Another thunder breaks the leaden silence in the graveyard, and then the rain begins to fall.

***
Si is down on the mat floor once again, and has no option but to aknowledge defeat. Once he does so, I release him form my chokehold and offer him a hand to pull him to his feet. My clothes are soaked with sweat and my breaths are laboured, the pain in my body grounding me. Lately my knuckles are almost always bruised.

"Well, babe, I can't say that seeing your ass getting handed to you by Raf isn't satisfying." Apolo says, laughing at his boyfriend's expense.

Training with Simon Bell, Adira's brother in law, has helped me blow out some steam. I can see why my wife apreciates her weekly sessions with him. He's good, challenging my abillities while giving me an ocasion to release my pent up furry and improve my skills.

"I've got to admit that he's one of the most skilled fighters I've ever came across."

"Don't stroke his ego, Si, he doesn't need it." My brother says, typing away on his laptop.

"I have to aknowledge a worthy oponent." He shrugs a big shoulder. "You know, when Ray told me you could easily take her down in a hand to hand combat I was reluctant to believe it, especially since I know how good she is, but now I've seen your skills."