When Our Love Blooms

Coffee Together

"Would you like me to come over for a quick coffee?" Jack asked as both of them came out of the car in the carpark.

"Yes, please."

He noticed Hannah wasn't saying anything except agreeing to everything he's suggesting. Why was she like this? He thought about it as they were inside the lift until they got in her unit.

"Let me make it for both of us." He said as he snatch the kettle from Hannah. He then inspected her kitchen cupboards and try to find where the coffee was kept.

Hannah was sitting on the sofa when he finished making coffee for both of them. He then brought the cups, placed them of the table and he sat beside Hannah.

"Here, try it and tell me if it's fine. I haven't made coffee myself for a long time."

"Mmmm, perfect! Thanks for making me this." Hannah said as she made a tiny sip on the coffee cup then forced to released a shy smile.

Jack looked at her but she's avoiding his eyes.

"So how long will you be staying?" Jack was trying his best to keep the conversation going. But Hannah wasn't with him.  She's acting like a stranger but she's too weak and shy as if she's just forcing herself to be okay. Then she releases a deep sigh every now and then. Jack wasn't happy with what he observed about Hannah. So he thought it might be better to just leave her and let her be alone. Maybe she's not comfortable with him around her.

"Mmmm, about a month or two? Depends."

Her answers were brief. It's obvious that she didn't want to make a conversation with him.

"Can we see each other again before you leave then?"

"Uhuhm..." she said while trying to fake a smile.

"Hannah, baby." Jack wasn't so comfortable with how Hannah was acting. Earlier she released her emotions. Then she raised her voice on him. Then she was okay. Now she's lost again. Jack couldn't hold it anymore. He has to say this to her.

"I know you have a lot in mind, will you please release it now. If you're mad at me you can shout at me, hit me, do whatever you want. Just release that baby."

Hannah was already crying. Her sob was deep and full of emotions.

"Hannah." Jack hugged her as she was crying hard. "I'm so sorry baby. I'm sorry." Jack was now breaking down too. "I was looking for you but it was too late. It's all my fault."

The clock stopped for a long time as both of them broke down. Hannah sobbed intensely as if she's trying to let everything out.

"It's okay. Life was cruel. But I made it." She said after releasing her emotions. Jack released her from his hug and faced her.

"Tell me what happened."

"I was devastated so I tried to escape life from here. Then I heard you got married so I realized I was hopelessly waiting for nothing. Then I married a bastard. A man who has another family. He only used me for financial purposes. I suffered. A lot. Physical. Financial. Emotional. My life was a mess. Real mess. So I wonder if life was the same if you were my husband. I was thinking of you and long for you the whole time especially everytime he hurt me. But when I came to my senses, I knew it isn't possible  for us anymore. So I asked myself what have I done? What have I done wrong that life would punish me this way? Isn't this too much?"

Tears still falling as she spoke.

"But I guess life was really cruel. Not just to me but to others too. I divorced my husband and now I'm starting to do what I love to do. Like helping the less fortunate kids." She smiled.

"I'm sorry baby. If only I knew what you're going through. I could have rescued you sooner." Jack shook his head. He wanted to kill that bastard but what right does he have? In fact it was all his fault why Hannah ended up like that. So 'sorry' was all he could say.

"I'm sorry that I really couldn't fake what's inside me." Hannah said.

"I knew you weren't good that's why I insisted to come over. I knew you've something to say. And I'm really sorry for what you've been through. It's all my fault."

"Please stop saying sorry and stop blaming yourself. It wasn't all your fault. I also made mistake, that I haven't waited for you here long enough. We couldn't turn back time anymore so let's just keep moving forward."

"Baby." Jack hugged her one more time and released a deep sigh.

"What about you. Tell me what happened in your life."

Jack suddenly lose energy. He knew it's not a good idea to share his current relationship status with his wife.

"I'm okay. My wife and daughter are in the hometown."

"Why are you staying here then?"

"For my work, it's important that I stay within the city. I just go back on weekends."

"Oh, that's good enough." Hannah commented with a shy smile.

Jack looked at her full of longing. He couldn't stop drawing closer to her until his lips touched hers. She suddenly felt a familiar leap of emotions but she knew she had to handle it properly. She allowed him to kiss her because she was also longing for that kiss for a long long time. That kiss that's coming from the person she loved the most. Her tears started to fall again unnoticed as she was feeling the emotions brought about by Jack's hungry kiss.

Jack's longing to hold her and kiss her was finally achieved. He wanted to be with her and protect her but he knew it wasn't a good idea. He looked at her, wiped her tears away and kissed her again with a kiss full of passion.

"Baby, what will I do? Tell me. I want to protect you but I don't know how."

"No need. I'm fine." She looked at him straight in his eyes for the first time. "Really, don't worry about me. I'm a survivor."

He held her hand and hugged her tightly. He really didn't know what to do. He was so confused.

"Do you follow any drama at all?" Hannah initiated the talk as she's trying to cheer him up. She knew Jack was too worried about her and that he felt guilty for all she's gone through.

"No, none as of this moment. How about you?"

"I'm following a Korean Drama called Thirty Nine."

"What's that about? Can I watch one episode with you?"

Hannah turned on the Netflix and started to watch the current episode she's supposed to watch.

"It's about three women who were at age thirty nine. One of their friends died of cancer."

"Oh, how sad." Jack said and both of them kept quite as the drama was starting to play.

Jack pulled Hannah closer so that she could lean on his arms. Both of them stayed  comfortable in that position.

Then he thought Hannah was concentrating on the drama but when he asked her she didn't respond anymore. He realized she was already sleeping on his arms. So he just let her stay that way a little bit longer and when the episode was finished he carried her to her bedroom. He went out to turn the TV off then went back inside the bedroom and positioned himself next to her so that he can hug her while sleeping. How he wish it could have been them. He knew Hannah was too exhausted today that's why she fell asleep on her favorite drama.

In the morning, Hannah woke up first and was shocked about what she found out. Why was Jack beside her? She slowly moved out of the bed but Jack quickly caught her and pulled her back to his hug.

"Why are you still here?" She was looking around. "Did something happen?"

"No. Not without your permission." Jack sweetly smiled at her.

She knew nothing happened that night. She stayed a bit longer in his hug and she hugged him back.

"I wish we could stay like this forever." She sighed and tears fell down her eyes.

"Baby." Jack couldn't say a thing. He didn't know what to say at all. So he just faced her and dried her tears away. Then he hugged her once more. "Let's stay like this today." He whispered.

THE END