I jumped from the moving car and quickened my steps towards the studio. It was locked! Fuck you, Al. I was angry and tried to peep in from the windows to see if anyone was inside. I banged the door but it didn't open.

Daniel suggested that we return to the hotel but I didn't want to take a chance. What if I missed catching her?

I sat in the car, parked it near her studio and closed my eyes. It was going to be a long night. What will be our first reactions on seeing each other? Will she run and kiss me or run away from me? I will hold her tightly and never let her go. The three years I spent without her were like exile for me. Dear Sun, wake up early, please.

Daniel knocked on the window of the car to wake me up and I checked the time. It was 11 in the morning. Fuck! The jet lag. I drank water and gargled with the remaining. I didn't want to smell bad when we kiss. I exhaled heavily before entering the studio.
Fuck! The breathtaking view my eyes witnessed raised the beats of my heart like tsunami.

"I like your eyes you look away when you pretend not to care
I like the dimples on the corners of the smile that you wear
I like you more, the world may know but don't be scared
'Cause I'm falling deeper, baby be prepared
I like your shirt, I like your fingers, love the way that you smell
To be your favorite jacket, just so I could always be near
I loved you for so long, sometimes it's hard to bear
But after all this time, I hope you wait and see

Love you every minute, every second
Love you everywhere and any moment
Always and forever I know I can't quit you
'Cause baby you're the one, I don't know how
Love you 'til the last of snow disappears
Love you 'til a rainy day becomes clear
Never knew a love like this, now I can't let go
I'm in love with you, and now you know"

"Al," I merely whispered but the girl who was dancing, singing and painting at the same time in an aqua coloured sundress, stopped all her activities. I knew the song was for me and I felt treasured. She still loved me. She didn't turn but I could see her in the mirror. Her eyes were shut tightly and her chest was rising up and down. I crossed the fifteen steps gap between us in a second and hugged her from behind.

My heart started to beat in sync with hers instantly. If I had to name my biggest victory, it was this moment when I had the world in my arms, my Al.

Her hand almost reached mine when someone hit my legs vigorously. I looked down to see the cause of the interruption. A small boy was looking at me with anger. "Move away from mommy."

How victory turns to defeat, and how earth shatters from beneath your feet, I understood then. Al had a child? Could that be mine? Huh! What was I thinking? We didn't even have sex. My voice could not connect to my vocal cords.

Al picked up the baby and cooed him. He smiled immediately while I was just watching them like an audience.

"Kenny!" The baby shouted and clapped his hands bringing me back to the shattered earth.
"Mommy, Kenny. Wow! Clap, clap." The boy excitedly asked Al to clap her hands and she did. Al tried to force a smile but looked like she was caught red-handed.

The boy flapped his hands gesturing me to hold him.
No way!
Like I had a choice? He jumped on me and I had to catch him so that he doesn't fall. He kissed my cheek and astonishingly it felt good. "No fear-Shesh-here."

My lips automatically twitched upwards when the boy mimicked my famous dialogue in his infantile voice. It was cute but I didn't like the air I was breathing. It smelt of betrayal.

Al took the baby from my arms and our fingers brushed against each other. The current flowed like thunder and our eyes met. An ocean of feelings streamed in our eyes.

"Jimmy, just finish that card you were making so that you can give it to him before he leaves. Come on, hurry up!" Al bribed the boy, Jimmy and he ran away to a small table kept in the corner.

Al took a deep breath before facing me and I did the same. The shock I got, flopped all plans and preparations I had made.

"Hi," She said but I was lost in her. I couldn't believe she was talking to me face-to-face and not in my imagination.

"So, a baby boy, huh?" I wanted to come straight to the point.

She smiled. "He's cute, isn't he?"

"Very," I replied and fisted my palms to curb the anger building inside me. "Why did you do this?" I asked her a little loudly and she looked surprised. She ditched me. She built hopes in me and killed them with a single shot. A blonde "baby" shot.

"I thought... I thought your feelings for me were eternal. But you... I was waiting for you, searched for you like crazy. Everyone told me to move on but I was hooked to you. You could have given me one chance at least. Who is the father?..."

My question was left incomplete when a young boy entered the studio with two coffee takeaways in his hands. "Albeli, I am done getting coffee for you every day. I swear I will leave you if you don't stop treating me like your personal valet."

"This is your choice? He is fed up with just getting coffee for you? I would have made coffee for you even at twelve in the night without a single frown." I was acting like a jealous dog, I know. But I couldn't stand the boy who could not even get coffee for Al.

I pictured a sad Al compromising her life with a man who didn't care enough for her. Was she forced into marrying him? I would beat the shit out of him if he did anything like that.

"Kenny?" The man shouted after looking at me. "Oh! My God!" He jumped like a jack on spring in the studio making me furious. He stole my happiness and had no right to be happy.

"Sir I am a huge fan. No, we are huge fans of yours. Shucks! I can't believe you are here. Are you here for buying art? Sir, this is Albeli and this atelier belongs to her. I manage her sales, if any." The man giggled and I felt like punching him.

"Pack all the paintings by the evening," I ordered him but looked at Al. The man was shocked and his big eyes bulged out when I told him to charge two times the total money for the paintings. I left the studio in anger and regretted every second I wasted waiting for Al.

She wasn't at fault. She didn't ask me to wait but she had trapped me in her love so strongly that I couldn't break the cage.

I jumped into the sea to divert my attention but there was nothing that could calm me. Al had a happy family and I should be happy but I was a green-eyed monster.

I wanted to kill every person who ever said that "you should be happy in the well-being of the one you love but couldn't unite with." Fuck them!

It was five in the evening and I found myself standing in front of 'Keli's atelier'. Little minx named it after us. It was locked and I boxed the glass door. I ordered Daniel to find their address because I didn't want to leave any questions unanswered, this time.

"Kenny, there's some bad news. The little boy, Jimmy, met with an accident. He is in the hospital." My ears shot up at the news and all the hatred I felt, flew away into the cool breeze.

We reached the hospital and I disguised myself in a burqa. I got it with me to reminiscence our old memories but I would have to use it in this way, I never thought.

I saw Al from the door caressing Jimmy's head with love. He was assuring his mother he was fine and just mildly bruised. I entered the room and removed my burqa.

"Kenny!" Jimmy was so happy to see me. Surprisingly, I was too. I smiled and walked near him but Al blocked my way.

"Don't you dare come near us." That was what she had to say after three years? I couldn't believe it but her eyes told me she was serious. I ignored her warning and sat near Jimmy.

"How did you get hurt?" I asked him in my softest tone.

"Mommy..." Jimmy was a sweet child but he was trying to be extra sweet to get his mother's attention.

Al threw a card on my lap. It was rather cute. Scribblings and random drawings here and there. "He ran after you to give you this card but you never turned and before I could stop him he almost banged in a car. Thankfully the car was not in speed otherwise... Otherwise..." Al sniffled and guilt engulfed me.

I would have never forgiven myself if anything happened to Jimmy. He wasn't mine but he was Al's and I wanted everything good to happen to him. I looked around for Al's husband but he wasn't there.

"Where's your father, Jimmy?" I couldn't ask Al, so I asked him. He pointed at Al and I chuckled. Not purposefully. "Father, not mother."

"She is both," Jimmy replied amusing me. I knew the boy Al chose was a douche bag. "Get well soon." I wished Jimmy and requested Al to speak to me outside the room. "Can we meet once, please? I have travelled oceans to see you. I deserve that much."

"You deserve so much more than just a single meet. How about a punch for behaving like a deaf reckless jerk."

Oh! What a fierce mother she was.

"Sorry. it wasn't intentional. I was angry. Reasons you know well. Can we meet tomorrow at..."

"6 in the evening." She chose a time she thought I will be unable to comply. Sadly, she was unaware of the new determination in me.

"I promise you will paint the sunset with your forever muse, tomorrow evening." The settling Sun could never match the red hue that crept on Al's cheeks. I affect her. I still affect her.
Hello, sleepless night.
_________________________________
Dear Readers
Are you excited for the meeting of two lovers? Are they still lovers because Albeli has a little son?
Find out!
Stay hooked!

Lots of love