Beautiful

11

   Seeing them, Hope rushed towards them and hugged Cecily's legs. Cecily shifted Flossie to one hand and hugged Hope with the other hand with a beautiful smile on her face. Hope's attention soon shifted and she started playing with Flossie who was happy to see her too. Cecily moved towards the hall. James helped her and made her sit on the sofa. By now everyone had occupied the sofas in the living room. Hope settled beside Cecily much to Torin's annoyance who desperately wanted that place.

Cecily: "Welcome uncle and aunt. Nice to meet you again"

Charlotte: "Please call us by our names sweetie. We feel old" Cecily laughed hearing that and Torin felt left out.

Cecily: "Hi Torin. Why are you silent today?"

Torin: "Nothing. I'm always a bit silent in new places. Sorry"

Cecily: "It's okay. I understand" Ariel stood up to bring refreshments while James joined her to help her. Charlotte and James kept talking with Cecily while Hope was lost in Flossie world. Soon the refreshments was served and everybody were chatting except Torin.

James: "Cecily, why don't you show Torin around? He is getting bored it seems"

Cecily: "Sure. Torin please come" Torin glanced at his parents who nodded. He stood up and went with her. She slowly started showing her one storeyed house. Finally they reached the balcony beside her room. It had a swing and plants around it making it look peaceful and beautiful. Torin was mesmerised seeing it. He felt like sitting there for some time but didn't dare to voice it out.

Cecily: "Would you like to sit here for a while?" Torin was shocked and surprised that how she guessed what was in his mind correctly.

Torin: "Sure" Both sat on the swing and enjoyed the bright moon and stars.

Cecily: "I really like Hope a lot. Such a sweet and lovely girl she is. She just makes her surroundings lively and cheerful. I just love her" Torin smiled sadly hearing it.

Torin: "That's what her mother used to say about her" Cecily looked shocked at him.

Cecily: "Torin what" She was cut off.

Torin: "Two years before, her mother and father-my elder brother and sister in law passed away in a car accident"

Cecily: "I'm sorry I didn't mean to hurt you" She said keeping her hands on his shoulders in a consoling manner.

Torin: "It's okay. We got over that"

Cecily: "No Torin. You can never get over such a thing. You may slide it for time being. But such a loss will never leave you. We just practice to live with it" Torin sensed sadness in her voice. He turned towards her and held her hand.

Torin: "Are you okay Cecily? You sound distant"

Cecily: "I was engaged once upon a time" Torin was shocked hearing it. Not because of what she said but she was willing to share her grief with him. He remembered Mr. Rafferty saying that she doesn't want to talk about it. But now she herself is opening up to him. He felt happy that somewhere she is trusting him. He didn't stop her. He wanted to pour her heart out to him. He just tightened his hold on her. And so she continued looking into the sky but didn't remove her hands.

   That night two souls shared the most deepest part of their hearts to each other. That was the beginning of something new and pure unknown to them. Unknowingly, they were trusting each other and sharing each other. A pure and beautiful start.

Till next time...