The Forgotten Love ✔

13 Dannie

Dannie POV.

The Buddha said: "Everything arises due to causes and conditions. Where there is a cause, there must be an effect."

I really don't believe this.

Just like my mother, she was a kind person. After my father died, she worked hard to raise me by herself. Many people advised her to remarry, but she was worried that the stepfather would treat me badly, so she remained single.

Such a good woman, but she got cancer after I went to college.

I tried everything I could to raise money for her treatment, but she still died.

What the Buddha said is not correct.

But today, when I'm lying in the cold operating room, feeling the doctor inserting sharp instruments into my body; when I see that the fetus in my body had been formed, cut into pieces, and lying casually on a silver tray. I start to doubt myself.

Why am I so fascinated by David's love?

No matter what happened between us, he is married.

He has a wife, but I couldn't help but invite him to bed, so everything is the result now.

When I walk out of the hospital building tremblingly, the child's cry seems to be echoing in my ears.

Anthony leads me out of the hospital and into his car.

As I tremblingly walk out of the hospital building, the cries of that child seem to still echo in my ears.

Anthony leads me out of the hospital and into his car.

"I made chicken soup for you," he says as he drives, "It's good for your health. Drink a bowl when we get home."

Upon hearing the word "home," I hesitate a bit, "It's not necessary. I've been staying at your place for almost a week now, I've already troubled you enough."

But Anthony says, "I'm usually in New York, rarely coming over. And the house will age easily if no one lives inside, so you can help me take care of it."

"But I don't want to paint anymore. I might not be able to help you make money anymore."

Even if David said he would talk to Bella's father, I don't want to paint anymore.

Anthony glares at me, "Dannie, what have I been to you in your mind all this time? Do you think I've been nice to you just to keep you helping me make money?"

"I know it's not like that," I lower my eyes, "But I've actually..."

— I've lost hope, in anyone and anything.

"Alright, alright," Anthony seems to know what I was going to say, he interrupts me, "Then you can stay at my place. If you really feel bad, you can pay me rent."

"Private residence, with good lighting, complete surrounding facilities, and not as noisy as the city... I spent a lot of money on the decoration, and I personally selected all the trinkets... Just a few steps away from the river bank, you can get close to nature." Anthony describes his house in detail like a real estate agent marketing a property to hit a sales target.

"And you know I've been busy with my love life lately, I won't be able to come over unless I retire," he adds.

I smile.

Anthony is gay, his usual hobby is finding men in lively bars, and recently he got lucky, finally finding someone who matches him well both in bed and in interests.

And so, I officially move into Anthony's house, becoming his tenant.

My daily life is extremely simple, going out in the morning to buy groceries, cooking when I get home. After that, I do nothing, just sit on the sofa and stare blankly at the sky outside.

The house is as quiet as a black hole, sucking everything in.

So I turn on the TV, tune to a random channel for background noise, and then go to the kitchen to make coffee.

Then I hear a somewhat distant voice coming from the TV, the fairy tale ended, a failed business marriage.

I return to the living room and see the sweet wedding photo of David and Bella on the TV screen, but it's been split into two halves by a thick jagged line.

No one knows the reason for their divorce, just that it happened very suddenly.

I stand there for a long time, until the coffee pot in the kitchen emits a piercing scream, the coffee has been burnt dry.

I turn off the gas stove, and suddenly remember my meeting with Bella.

It was a sunny day in winter, it's cold, and the sun shined like light from a refrigerator.

When I saw Bella, I was startled. I knew her health hadn't been great since the accident, but I didn't expect her to be in a wheelchair.

She gave me a wry smile and said she had lost her sexual ability and could no longer have sex to satisfy David.

Her hand holding the coffee cup was trembling, and her voice was extremely low, but every word pierced my heart: "I know you and David were in love back then, but even if he didn't lose his memory, to say it truthfully, could you really marry him? David and I are from the same world. We are destined to get married, but you came to him... It must be very interesting to humiliate a woman without sexual ability, right? "

I repeated her last words in surprise: "You mean..."

"Yes! I can't make love with him!"

Then her driver hurried in.

And then the story between me and David ended.

I brew another cup of coffee and sit on the sofa.

Spring is coming soon. In the evening, I stand on the balcony of the second-floor bedroom. The slightly moist breeze from the river blows on my face, I take a deep breath, feeling as if I'm reborn.

I have some savings in my bank account, no plans to work for the time being, but painting has become a habit cultivated over the years.

So I buy an easel online and practice sketching every night.

I also encountered a cat.

It's a stray cat from the neighborhood, black and white, sometimes passing by my garden. So when I cook, I leave some meat in the garden, and he quickly shows up after smelling the food.

I've thought about whether to keep the cat at home, but he seems to be a free-spirited cat. Occasionally, he walks into my room, then uses his front paws to scratch the door, wanting to go out. So I leave him a nest in the garden, where he can sleep when he's tired.

But tonight is different.

When I'm sketching, I hear the rain starting outside. It gets heavier and heavier, and I start to worry that the cat's nest will get soaked, and he'll get sick if he stays inside.

So I open a foldable umbrella and walk into the rain, holding a flashlight in my other hand, and bend over to search for him in the garden.

The little cat isn't too foolish, he's not in the nest.

But he's nearby, I can faintly hear his meowing.

Following the sound, I find him crouching in a bush.

I try to pick him up, one hand trembling as I hold the umbrella, the other reaching out, and I softly coax him, "Kitty, come here."

But he must be startled, he suddenly jumps up, knocking over my umbrella.

In an instant, my face is exposed to the rain, I can't even open my eyes.

The next moment, something completely covers me.

I raise my head blankly, and a familiar face suddenly breaks into my sight.

The rain continues.

Finally, I manage to speak, "What are you doing here..."

David tilts the umbrella toward me, then says, "I miss you a lot."