The 12th Kiss

❁love

❁love

"Daddy" was the first word Louis had said. John beamed at Metilda. He picked up his baby boy into his arms.

"Say it again." Louis giggled as he clasped John's ear. He had lost attention now. John looked at Metilda his eyes wide.

"Had he really said daddy? Had he really?"

Metilda nodded smiling. John had never felt happier in his life. He kissed Louis's cheeks. "I love you buddy,"

John reeked of winter, sadness, and despair. Every passerby would glance at his face, the haunting empty eyes of a defeated man. A shudder escaped the new ward boy. He wasn't used to seeing such pain, let alone experiencing it.

John didn't know what to do. Metilda was inside with the doctors. Louis had regained consciousness. They were accessing his condition. He could have gone with Metilda but he was scared. A coward everyone may call him. A worthless man who doesn't deserve an ounce love is what Talihra used to call him.

Talihra stood near the door with Jai standing behind her. They both looked worn with worry. Metilda's parents Dr. Harrison Wells and Mary Wells were sitting on the benches opposite to John's. They sat hand in hand. Dr. Wells gently caressed Mrs. Wells arm. This incident was as much as shock for them as it had been to John. After all, they loved their very grandson dearly.

Metilda came out followed by Mark. There was a willowy smile lighting her features. Mark gave Metilda a tight hug before leaving with his staff. John didn't miss the way Mark's hand lingered a second longer on her waist.

Metilda turned to face her family. "He's okay. He's asleep but he's okay" Tears brimming in her honeysuckle eyes. "He's alive. He's breathing and that's all that matters. Mark says that he has lost sensation in his left leg but his motor neurons are alright so he shouldn't have trouble walking. I ju-just can't believe he's okay..."

John zoned out as he watched the scene around him.

Talihra was the first to cheer out loud. Dr. Wells grinned from ear to ear. Mrs. Wells quietly bowed her head, thanking the universe for its kindness. Talihra lifted Metilda off the ground while Jai laughed at his wife's excitement.

John smiled. As he stood up, to walk to his Metilda, to home, to the universe, his star, his moon, his sun, his light, he stopped. On Metilda's hand that gripped Talihra's shoulder, their wedding ring no longer adorned it.

The past 12 days he had spent were with Louis's mother, not his wife. He had lost that woman a long time ago.

❁❁❁

"Where's John?" Mrs. Wells asked her daughter.

Metilda shrugged her shoulder. They sat on chairs next to Louis bed, watching him snore softly. "I don't know."

"Mella, Is everything alright between you two?"

"No." Metilda wanted to focus on her son, not John. At the moment, she didn't even know what to feel.

Mrs. Wells didn't ask her anymore. Probably sensing Metilda's reluctance or perhaps she had something else on her mind.

"You know your father never told me that he loved me." Mrs. Wells stared out the window. The ember trees glowed in the setting sun's light.

This had caught Metilda attention. She turned to face her mother. "Really? You've been married for forty years. Dad has never said I love you.

Mrs. Wells nodded, smiling. "Not even once."

"Why? I mean how..."

"do I even know that he loves me?" She completed for her. Mrs. Wells resembled Metilda in many ways. The quirk of her eyebrow, the lightness of laugh, the gentleness of her speech.

"Harrison was never big on pretenses."

"Mom but still....how hard is it to say I love you. Three words, really?"

"Just as easy it is to say let's get divorced."

Metilda averted her gaze. "Who told you?"

Mrs. Wells smiled, a secretive smile. "When I had my first heart attack, after the operation, my chest began bleeding profusely. You know how much your father fears the sight blood. Yet he was the one who screamed for the doctors. He was the one who held my hand while the nurse cleaned me up. No amount of I love you could compare to the love I felt then."

"He got distracted." She stroked her daughter's hair. "When you fell asleep last night, he was the one who brought pillows for you to rest your head on. This morning, he was the one who had brought breakfast. I don't think that man has eaten anything in the past twenty-four hours yet he makes sure you are fed. If that isn't love, my dear, I don't know what is."

Note: While I work on the next chapter, you guys can enjoy this. I know its super short. Two chapters left. hopefully, they will be up before the end of next week.