Just Live

Chapter 24

"Love, are you okay there?" Matteo asked while he bent down in front of the fireplace.

They've just gotten home from their evening sleigh ride and dinner in the cabin when he started the fire immediately after taking his winter jacket off.

Matteo looked at Sarah's direction when she didn't answer and the corner of his lips curved upward upon seeing her smile through her eyes.

"Yes, love," she finally said and he saw her tinkering with her phone while standing beside the couch.

Matteo stood up and smiled even more as he walked towards her. Sarah still had her winter coat on while doing something on her phone. "You're still wearing your winter jacket. What are you doing, bub?" He asked, chuckling while wrapping his arms around her from the back. He looked over her shoulders and saw that she was posting their photo taken on the sleigh on her Instagram account captioned, 'Beautiful evening sleigh ride with my partner for life.'

"Just sharing our special evening with our friends and family, bub," Sarah smiled as she turned her head to peek at him before looking down on her phone again.

"'My partner for life.' God, that makes me so happy," Matteo said with a content sigh.

Sarah smiled and tapped on 'Post' before putting her phone down on the couch. She took a deep breath and looked outside the floor to ceiling glass windows. Through those, they could still see some of the ski runs from higher up the mountain. It was later in the evening but the village was still very much alive with all the lights.

Without moving in his spot, Matteo extended his arms around her and reached out to her front to carefully remove her winter jacket while Sarah pulled her arms out as he did. He enveloped her with his arms again and placed his chin on her shoulder, giving her a hug from the back, which Sarah responded to by leaning on his trunk. The two of them stood there with nothing but the sound of crackling fire and their breathing until he spoke again.

"Bubba?"

"Yes, bub?"

"Are you happy?"

Even though he couldn't see it, Sarah smiled and closed her eyes, leaning her head close to his neck. Their height difference was perfect for such gestures. "Sobra pa sa sobra, love. Sobra pa sa sobra," she answered. "What about you, bubba? Are you happy?"

"Oh love, you have no idea. I'm very very happy," Matteo answered before kissing her cheek.

Sarah tightened her embrace and Matteo gave her a long kiss on the side of her head. In their comfortable silence, both kept their hold on each other while looking out onto the heart of the village. They allowed each other to take in the serenity of the place and moment as they rested against each other.

"I love it here, bub. Pwede bang dito na lang tayo? Yung tayo lang dalawa?" Sarah asked him with a giggle. She has enjoyed their mini vacation so much that she didn't want it to end, though she was already well aware of the answer to her question.

There was nothing more that Matteo wanted to give Sarah but the chance to fully enjoy life, and it broke his heart that no matter how willing he was to give it to her, it wasn't up to him. As much as it pained him knowing what was waiting for them when they return home, he knew it was their only chance at saving Sarah's life. "Kung pwede lang love," he replied, helplessness lingering in his tone of voice.

"I know, love. I know that you would make it happen if we could, kaya thank you pa rin," Sarah said to him with utmost understanding of her situation. "Sarap lang kasi mag stay dito kasama mo. Maybe next time? God willing?" She asked with a hopeful smile.

"There will be a next time, love, God willing," Matteo answered as he wrapped his arms tighter around her. "After all of this, love, we're gonna come back here and we're gonna go around the world, okay? Just the two of us."