Rain Again (Completed)

Chapter 8

Children were like heaven on earth. Kate felt like she was in the very center of heaven.

She watched with a smile as the children played in front of her. Some of them were toddlers, some older but no less cute. A group of them ran past her with a ball, their innocent giggles and shrieks filling the emptiness in her heart.

Like every weekend evening, she was at the playground of Mary's Home for the unfortunate children.

It was close to the boutique, just a block away next to a beautiful lake. During her beginning days when she joined Victor's boutique to restart her life, it didn't take her long to discover this ethereal place close by. Since then, she became a permanent face around the children every weekend and sometimes more than weekends too. Mary's Home became her solace for she found her own child that she could not see among these children. Sometimes she took a toddler to sit on her lap and showered them with kisses and affection that she would have given to her own.

She still could remember how it was like the first day when the children tackled her on the ground with furious hugs when she brought snacks and gifts for them, she broke down crying then and there. If anyone can find heaven on earth, it can only be through the unrestrained, innocent, and trusting hearts of children. And she found hers. It took time though before she could finally rein her emotions and not become teary each time she came here.

Seeing her average financial condition she could not give a lot to them, but she tried doing whatever she could. More than money, it was the affection that these children craved more and she could give them that - a lot.

There was some shuffling beside her on the mat. Kate turned to find a kind and wrinkly face.

"He's a newbie here," The establisher of the sanctuary — Mary cooed with a smile, looking down at the tiny one in her arms. "approximately five months old."

Kate's heart soared seeing the baby. She opened her arms and Mary placed the boy in them. When Kate rested the boy's head on her chest a sigh came out of her mouth. A smile appeared on her lips at the warmth that engulfed her very soul.

"How did we find this cute little one?" She inquired in a soft tone of voice, rubbing a finger delicately at the boy's drool-coated cheek.

A long sigh of exhaustion passed through Mary's lips. The wrinkles on her forehead deepened. "One of our junior sisters found him from the trash. She was passing by the slum area of west Asthel."

A surge of anger and pain hit Kate's heart, she clutched the boy tighter and he squealed in excitement. It seemed like he was enjoying being held this way, obviously, he never got it a lot before getting discarded so inhumanly.

This has become the world and humanity and parenthood where infants are thrown away like they are trash, literally. 

How can hell be any worse than this!

Kate sat there with the new boy in her arms until the sun went down and the children had to be taken indoors. It was hard giving back the boy to Mary but she had to.

While leaving she decided she would have to come back here sooner. If it was possible she would have even loved to live here permanently. Nothing gave her more positivity, hope, and faith than Mary's Home and the children who lived here. It was not just a refuge to those children, it was a refuge to her as well.

Darkness scattered its dreary fingers all over but she didn't want to return to her apartment yet. So instead she strolled to the lakeside. There, a small bridge was made, over where the lake was too thin at some point. She walked over it and stood by the wooden railing, gazing down at the water lilies wavering on the teal lake water as the moon shone down upon her.

She didn't know how long she stayed that way.

A cold breeze blew past her then, making her shiver. For some reason, everything fell silent at that particular moment and a strange feeling covered her from head to toe. Weirdly, it felt like she was being watched — with searing eyes piercing down into her skin. 

Her head snapped up to the side. And finally, her eyes locked in with ones she never thought she would see anytime soon.

No!

This can't be happening for real!

--

Alex chewed what was served to him and swallowed bite after bite. It strangely felt like he was chewing his own teeth. And people said this Italian restaurant, despite being a cheap and small one, was the best in Asthel.

All rubbish!

But then again, whatever he ate these days tasted just as same. Absolute rubbish. He was suspicious it was more to do with his loss of appetite and not the quality of food.

Alex had to say though that the view of the lake from here was serene. It calmed him somewhat, and it had been a long time since he felt any f***ing kind of calm. So after he was done with his lonely dinner, he exited the restaurant, and though he wanted to get into his car, g back to his apartment, and drown himself in liquor for the night, he instead began walking towards the lake.

The lamp-posts at the side of the road had lit most part of the lake. But still, there was the far side where the light didn't reach he observed, their only moon illuminated as much as it could. And like a magnet that far side with the natural light of moonlight sparkling in and out of the clouds lured him. His slow wandering steps, aimless and restless took him there.

Alex was surprised to discover a small bridge there, and more for the skinny form of a woman standing there her face covered by the strands of her hair flying around carelessly. He stood at the foot of the bow-shaped bridge and frowned at the pull in his heart.

A breeze blew past. A tremble went down his spine knowing something significant was to come. And it did.

The woman suddenly snapped her face up in her direction.

Alex froze.

His feet though had a mind of their own, taking him closer to her. He only halted when she was just a few short steps away. A surge of pain went through her now glossy eyes, she stumbled a small step back but even then her feet caught and tripped over each other. He gasped aloud when she fell back on the wooden bridge.

As if on instinct he raised a hand to lift her up, but then he only could tuck a strand of hair behind her ear before backing off like he had been scorched with fire.

Kate never looked up at him again, those eyes did not stick with his as they did earlier in shock anymore. She sprung up to her feet and ran, and was out of his sight before he could even blink.

Clenching his fist, breathing heavily with an onslaught of emotions Alex stood immobilized there for a long time.

~

Finally, they met! Tell me your thoughts about this chapter. :) Please don't forget to VOTE and COMMENT; FAN/FOLLOW and SHARE this story. 

Take care till the next upload. Love yaa all...
- Lara.

P.S. What song do you think is apt for this chapter? 
         And also, do you like the cover I made for this chap? :)