The 12th Kiss

❁every night

❁every night

The day of the seventh kiss was a bright Monday morning. Metilda's skin looked almost translucent as John leaned at the porch steps to kiss her cheek.

Louis's cheeks were growing rosier by the day. He gleamed at his parents, a joy Metilda always longed to see in his eyes.

As John pulled away, his heart grew heavy. He turned his back toward them and started walking towards his1998 Mercedes.

I'm just going for work. He chanted inside his mind. Why is my heart so heavy? Why do I feel like something is missing? Why is my conscious killing me?

He turned around for a moment.

Sunlight danced off their fair skins. Metilda wore a lavender colored dress. Louis stood still next to his mommy, waiting for the arrival of the school bus. The wind tousled few strands of Metilda's hair. She caught John's gaze and smiled, a reassuring smile.

John took a deep breath. He knew everything was going to be okay. Louis and Metilda would be home when he returned.

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The eighth kiss took place when John came to pick Louis up from school. It was a short peck on the lips as Metilda quickly pulled away. John had wanted to kiss her longer.

Louis once again was overjoyed. They met James mother and father, who very sweetly kissed their son, James.

Louis looked up his parents. The small eyes alight with joy.

On the other hand, John and Metilda's eyes couldn't have been sadder.

Honey colored eyes mourned for what was about to come while wild green ones mourned the fickle nature of time.

❁❁❁

On the ninth kiss, sitting in the front-lawn, John had kissed Metilda. This time she didn't pull away. She let him kiss her. They pulled away moments later when little Louis of five fell from his bicycle.

"I'm okay, mommy, daddy." He smiled at them. There was a scratch on his knee and Metilda panicked. John had to wind his arm around her to calm her down.

Her skin was a feverish red and so were eyes. John wondered if he could ever leave them alone. The worry would eat up his inside. Had Louis gotten to school on time? Was he alright? Had Metilda eaten? She often forgot to eat when she worked on her articles. He had to force her to drink some soup or chew on some bread.

She had grown so slim over the past months. Was it because he wasn't there to take care of her?

❁❁❁

John's lips brushed against Metilda's head. The stars had risen. On the king-sized bed, a sleepy Louis sat awake in between his parents. He held both their hands tightly together.

"I love you. Mommy, daddy. Louis loves you."

With a peaceful smile, the little boy fell asleep, next to the warm, stiff bodies of his parents. A tear slipped out John's eyes. Did he really deserve his son's love?

Metilda didn't look his way. She stayed quite. Still. Frozen in time.

John was definitely not ready to let go. Metilda definitely couldn't hold on any longer.

❁❁❁

The eleventh day came faster than John had expected. He stood in-front of the mirror in his bathroom. His heart beating insanely fast. Dread, fear, anxiety was all he could feel at the moment.

Just one more day. Metilda would no longer be in his life. His mornings would no longer hold those small joys, Louis's giggles, Metilda's soft laughs, the sound of Metilda singing to herself as she made breakfast, Louis's grumpy mood when he woke for school, the breakfast conversations he and Metilda held, Louis asking for help to tie his shoes, Metilda's flustered smile whenever John came into the kitchen.

John shook his head and buttoned up his vest.

When he arrived in the dining room, Metilda stood alone, looking out the window. Without giving it a second thought, John walked to where she stood.

He pulled her arm, cupped her face, and gave her the most passionate, loving kiss a man could ever give to a women. Metilda's eyes widened. She could have pushed him away but she didn't. Maybe she too felt the sadness he was feeling.

When their lips parted, John knew what he had to do.

He ran a tender hand across her jaw.

"Wait for me to come home."

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Note:

❁Of the six remaining kisses, the next four kisses will be turning back time, bringing what was lost back to life once again time will slip through the hands and dread will settle deep inside someone's chest which will lite a candle in the darkness. ❁

Meaning: John himself has turned back time. He has realized that he is the master of fate and time. Earlier he had given into the circumstances and bad experiences. Now he has decided to take control of his life.

The candle symbolizes the hope for their marriage which John has lighted again. In this chapter, John has gone to back to the golden days when Metilda and he used to be together. Wait for me to come home was what John used to say to Metilda every time he went anywhere.

I know all of us our struggling with our demons. All of us have problems but problems are problems as long as you believe them to be so. Your life is yours. Don't let circumstances govern them.

The next fragments: ❁ do not fear the end for I had promised a story not a tragedy ❁

Eagerly waiting to hear from you guys.

-Tallara.