The 12th Kiss

❁stars, stars

"Smile, the worst is yet to come"

❁stars, stars

            On the day of the fifth kiss, all was happy in the Hamington household. Metilda was writing her report on the recent football match. John was helping Louis eat breakfast.

            John watched from the dining room: Metilda's narrow back bent over the laptop, her eyes lost. She sat on sofa in front of the TV. A random new report playing on the TV.  He knew for a fact that Metilda was having a hard time writing. He walked over to her while Louis placed the empty bowl of cereal in the sink.

            Resting a hand on the sofa's back, John placed a feathery kiss on Metilda's cheek. "Everything alright?"

Metilda's heart fluttered, a bird that was about to take flight again. She knew she was falling in love with him again and she wasn't going to stop herself from falling.

"Yah." She lied sweetly.

He lifted her chin so she would meet his gaze. Metilda had an urge to raise an eyebrow. Seriously, why do you even care?

            "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I am." She wanted to slap his hand away yet she wanted to also pull closer and steal all his breaths.

"If you say so. I'll be late today." John quickly added the next, seeing Metilda's thinly concealed disappointment. "Chief and I are going to South Harbor. There's been two murders in the area and they need our help." Why was he giving her explanations? He just wanted her to know he wouldn't be spending the day away from her with Jannet.

"Be safe." She touched his jaw then quickly pulled her hand pulled away realizing how close they were.

Louis was approaching the living room. His backpack tightly fastened over his shoulders. He was grinning at him parents.

"Daddy, let's go! Time for school."

John leaned down and kissed her cheek. Again.  "Goodbye, I'll see you at night."

            "Bye."

❁❁❁

            "Talihra"

            The very beautiful women with star like hair smiled. Metilda was visiting Talihra's home. It felt less like a home but more like a temple with the different statues of gods and various incense sticks lighted in the hall.

            The instant she stepped inside her house. All her emotions that she had bottle up from the past week burst through. She turned into a sobbing mess.  Talihra held her sister and led her inside, to her room.  

            Talihra's room smelt of Sandalwood. They sat on the bed.  

"Shh, it's okay. I got you. I got you."  Talihra stroked Metilda's short, brown curls. "I got you."

            After five minutes of crying, Metilda felt at peace. Talihra was a sort of person that could make anyone calm down.

            "How's everything going?" 

Metilda shook her head. "Fine. It's been going better than I thought it would."

            Talihra smiled. "I told you. John's a great guy. The only time I wanted to rip his head off was when he brought Jannet to our reunion."

            "Yah." Every year, Metilda and John came to Talihra and her husband's house to celebrate valentines. Few months ago, on Valentine's eve, John brought Jannet to Talihra's place. Talihra being her feisty self kicked John out the second she saw Jannet. "But you did tell him to get out of your house. It was amazing."