GINGER PHOENIX a novel by M. Cairol Yakup

Chapter 17

Kazuya had seen the woman for a few times before. There was something about her that he couldn't explain. By the time he wanted to take a second look, the woman would disappear. She would always smile and waved to his daughter. He was so sure that his daughter saw the woman too.

He was sitting in a café, having breakfast on Sunday morning. His daughter was fast asleep in the baby stroller, covered with hood. The woman was standing in a distant, in front of a flower shop. But in a blink of an eye, she was already gone. Kazuya was so sure that he would see her if she was walking somewhere else. He shook his head as he blinked. He was not imagining. She was there.

He jumped when he saw the woman appeared suddenly kneeling on the baby stroller. It was as though she emerged from the thin air. It was not impossible she could reach there that fast. He was puzzled seeing her but he knew she was real.

"Beautiful child," she said as she caressed the baby's jet black hair.

He smiled awkwardly.

"What's her name?" She asked, returning the smile given.

"Dita," said Kazuya.

"It's a beautiful name for a beautiful child. My name is Batra," she stretched out her hand to him.

"Kazuya," he replied. He had a strange feeling to the woman. He had never seen a woman with burning red hair with striking violet eyes before and yet looked so beautiful.

"Where's the mother?" Kazuya's expression change when she asked the question. He sighed.

"She passed," he said gloomily.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. It's been a month," he continued.

"I'm terribly sorry, I didn't know!"

"It's okay, seriously!"

There was an awkward pause a moment later. Kazuya lost for words and Batra kept her mouth closed.

"Please join me," he offered a seat for her a little later on.

"I would love to. Thank you," she sat on the chair. "Are you sure that I'm not interrupting you?"

"I'm only having breakfast. It's nice to have a company. Can I buy you coffee?"

"Sure!"

Kazuya called the waiter to get another cup of coffee for her. It was strange how he felt happy meeting this woman. He was still hurt with the death of his wife Estelle a month ago, but seeing the face of the violet-eyed woman seemed to comfort him. For once again, there was another pause between them.

"I think I've seen you before," said Kazuya once another cup of black coffee was served on the table.

"Of course you did. But we never talked, did we?"

Kazuya nodded his head.

"I saw you with Dita at the supermarket the other day," she explained. She took a sip of her coffee without adding sugar or milk in it.

"I thought I imagined you."

She laughed adorably to his words. The wind blew her red hair softly as she looked at him directly in his eyes. It had been a while since Kazuya had that feeling. He had the same feeling with Estelle two years ago. Was it wrong to fall in love with a stranger that fast? He didn't have time to think to find someone else after Estelle's death. Not until today where he met Batra.

From a distant, Lady Erme was watching them both. Lady Batra had released her charm to him. Ever since a month ago, she kept following the man at daylight. Was Lady Batra going to mark him? But Lady Batra said that she did not.