Song of the Firebird

Twenty Eight

Kiara opened her eyes at the first rays from her window. She and her friends hugging each other behind a picture frame by her bedside table began to glow away in the dark room. A summer skyline of New York photobombed the women wearing jogging shorts and tank tops. Their sweat was trying so hard to keep their hair to their forehead. Ivy looked ignorant of Natasha's and Kiara's hands behind her head. They brought her favourite, salted caramel ice cream to calm her hysterics, post-prank. It was the first date for them as gym buddies. A faint smile formed on her lips at the fond memory.

Ivy and Natasha were her world after her horrible divorce. Spending time with them made her realise the part of life that she had always missed out. She enjoyed being a part of their combined adventures, neither as a nerd nor as the girlfriend of the man with a low-key fan club. Rather, she lived as a free spirit.

While she was living her past memories, her blanket shifted. A muscular arm snaked her waist under the sheets and pulled her back only to hit stone-hard abs. A raspy 'good morning' accompanied a set of soft butterfly kisses on her nape. A bandaged hand caressed her coffee brown locks, moving them away from the porcelain skin of her face. Her own hand interrupted the other and brought it closer to her lips. After receiving the kiss, it grabbed its counterpart, only to place another kiss on the back of her palm.

Unable to restrain her emotions kindled by her lover's antics, Kiara turned to face a sleepy Danny.

'Isn't it too early for you to wake up, Ki-a-ra?' Their noses touched and their foreheads crashed. Blushing, she chuckled at his husky tone. His eyes were half open and a smirk played across his lips. His hand stroked her hair, 'Are you good? Nightmares?'

'Mhm. I don't have a single worry, since you're here.' She whispered as she began to relax under his hold.

'Well, that's good to hear.' He closed his eyes and snuggled closer to her frame, 'Let's resume our task till that heck of a timepiece scares the sh*t out of us.' She chuckled lightly and her eyes gleamed with joy as if Santa had got her long-time wish fulfilled.

'I was excited and that's the reason I woke up early these days, you know.' Danny opened his eyes at the statement and shot her an inquisitive look since that was his first time crashing her place, after they were separated. 'Ah, I didn't tell you that, did I?. You know that how I always wanted a baby and cannot conceive due to that accident years ago.' He nodded gravely. 'Guess what? One of my close friends was pregnant and I might be one of the aunts. I have been going through a lot of designs as to how to change her studio apartment.'

'Well, is it not the duty of her husband or boyfriend? Is she taking advantage of your feelings, sweetie? You're too-'

'Danny, she is having the baby out of wedlock. Her boyfriend hadn't proposed to her yet and he was on a trip. She didn't know when he would be back. She was unable to reach her lover to relay the news. Moreover,' her voice slowed, it came out more like a pity, 'she was afraid if he would abandon both her and the baby, because she was not doing good with her life, right now.' Her mind recalled Natasha's plea on their last girls' night. 'She was scared and reached out for help. I was scared not only for her mess, but also the ones that would befall us. I wanted to be there by her side.' She looked straight to the now widely opened Danny's eyes. 'Am I a coward for hesitating to help her, Danny?'

This does not look like excitement, he thought. Fear. The type when one felt that their closed ones were in danger; the ones he had while growing up; the ones that never left him until this time. He too ran away before. The day when he decided to confront them, he was slowly getting used to it.

Danny cleared his throat. 'No, sweetheart. You're just not ready to get used to that side of your friend. You guys will be fine, in the meantime. If anyone is coming at you, don't worry. I will not let them get near you.' He squeezed her hand.