Ivy ran inside her apartment, tears with staining her face. Her hands were trembling so violently that, as she tried to unlock the door she dropped the keys twice. She unlocked the door and ran into her room slamming the door behind her.

Ivy stood for a long time wondering why her apartment suddenly felt so empty and cold soon she crumbled to the floor, sobbing and helpless in her distress. It would have been better for her if she had been drunk when Linden and she parted to go their ways now that Linden thought that he would let her go like this without even a goodbye, now that they would never meet again.

She questioned, can Linden and she be strangers again because she couldn't remain as just a friend with him, as she knew how it feels to be with him and his family. She was in love with him but he didn't felt the same, she was sure. Was it even possible that he could be in love with her; they even didn't share a kiss? No, then he wouldn't let her go.

Two nights ago, she went to the bar with the hope that some alcohol would help her to recover the heartbreak but she actually returned from there by giving away a part of her heart to somebody.

Wiping away her tears with the back of her hands, she walked toward where she had left her purse. She took out her phone and scrolled down to Linden's number.

Linden kept driving at a high speed; he was already about halfway to his house. Linden phone suddenly beeped and he looked down at it. He had a text message from "unknown".

He was in no mood to read a message from unknown number --- they were usually telemarketers or other offers.

After five seconds, moment crystallized on him as if someone hit him in the face tight. It was scary and exciting all at the same time. Linden slammed on the brakes, causing the tires to bark in protest, and the car jerked to the right, toward the crash barrier.

It was his luck, that there wasn't much damage done to the car, apart from dented bumpers.

His fingers trembled when he clicked on the inbox.

Hey Linden,

This message may sound somewhat needy or rather desperate, I think I should not do it but I can't help. You will find me very clingy by the end of this message but honestly just never wanted to lose you, and now that I have. It is only a few minutes that dropped me, left me even without saying goodbye. It didn't quite sink in at that moment, but I knew my life had been torn apart.

The simple fact is I love you; I honestly have done since we met though I was drunk and just came out of break up. The memories we have in the too short time we had together are forever held in my heart, you taking me home, all the laugh and breaking of my cookie jar, meeting and celebrating Christmas with you family, watching TV together and your kisses on my forehead, it all felt like a dream, the best dream I could hope for. And it was actually real...

I hope I have treated you with love because I certainly love you with all my heart. This is not a perfect way to start a relationship, hell it started with a drunken call at midnight. But how can't one love you, you're beautiful inside and out, like someone had crafted the most amazing human. You eyes, beyond adorable, I could look into them all day and those five freckles on your left cheek and neck I can look at them all day, your hand fits in my perfectly and your laughter heartwarming. I can't quite believe we had to say goodbye so week and now you mean so much to me.

You know what; foolish I wanted you to stop me... I mean, I want you to notice me. I want you to voluntarily look for me and to reach out to me. But you didn't. Not yet. This isn't goodbye because I can't let go yet. I still have things to hold on to.

Gladly yours,

Ivy.

As soon as Linden finished reading, he didn't know if he should laugh or cry if he was relieved or distraught. It wasn't like being caught in between conflicting emotion- because he was in love. He held the steering wheel tightly for a moment, then executed a risky U-turn through a gap in the reservation barrier and drove back to Ivy's apartment.

Ivy room was dark except for a slither of daylight that slid through the window drape; she thought that the dark could hide her feelings. The doorbell rang. Ivy ignored it. It rang again. She ignored it again. It rang again. This time she couldn't ignore it. She rushed to the door.

As soon as she opened the door, a pair of strong arms suddenly encircled her, the pair of thin but warm lips pressed to her cheek.

"I am so foolish that let you go... I love you, Ivy," Linden rested his lips at her ear, his warm breath was tickling her but she knew it was Linden and so she made no move to leave his embrace. He returned his lips to her cheek and to her neck, moving slowly as he kissed her repeatedly, his lips traveling under her jaw and down her throat.

Suddenly he slowly let her go; dropping his arms to his side and stepped back, and then Linden got down on one knee. Little shocked Ivy, raised both hands trembling and she covered her mouth.

"Baby, I couldn't think of any better way to express this," Linden stared at her fixedly with a sweet broad smile on the face. "I was wondering, like, what do you think you're doing for the next 40 or 50 years? I was wondering if you wouldn't mind can we consider doing it together?"

It seemed to Linden that it took forever for Ivy to answered, "God watched me over that day, he made me go to that pub that night, he guided me to you, I am not shaking because I am scared but I am shaking because today you made me the happiest... so YES and YES," She sank upon her knees beside him. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.

................................

It's a little different looking at the past couple months and how everything changed around them in such a little time. This time two months ago Ivy she thought she had lost him not just for now but forever and here they are now Ivy was lying awake in bed looking at Linden's sleeping form as sunlight streams in through the open curtains.

Ivy got out of bed, found her bathrobe on the doorknob, and walked barefoot out to the kitchen, letting cold tiles bring down her body temperature. The house didn't have hardwood wooden floor like her last house as it was more affordable or call it less expensive than that one, anyway, it was their home, and she and Linden got it with their savings.

In her private moments, she can't help but think about Bernard, the boy, she was in a relationship with for three years; he broke up with her over the Christmas break, and how quickly she moved on with Linden, now she knows she and Bernard were never in love and Rosalie was probably right that they were suffocating each other.

Moreover, she has Linden now and wouldn't need anyone else now.

The microwave beeped, signaling to Ivy that the tea was ready. The street near their house had also started to get busy as it was begging for rush hours; it was getting to be that time where everyone leaves works and schools.

She got a marketing test today, so Linden stayed up late into the last night quizzing her for the test. It was his support for her in each huge or little thing that she was falling in love for Linden all the more consistently.

Linden was working as digital park photographer in magic's world. He was determined to get a real interview and if he passes then the job. He got the interviews and had resulted in the job and now they make enough to live comfortably.

But everything else aside, she sometimes spent looking at Linden when he didn't know Ivy is around. When he's sitting at the tiny dinner table reading the paper or when he gets so lost in photography that doesn't notice his hair fall low onto his forehead and eyes but he keeps clicking photos. And when he's sitting in the car outside waiting for Ivy with his windows up and belting out off-key songs at the top of his lungs. Or when he sits beside Ivy while they're watching a film but the whole time his eyes are on Ivy.

She still couldn't wrap her head around how Linden makes him feel. How intensely and how badly, some days she spent wondering if other people her age have ever felt so intensely and desperately about someone. She wonders if this kind of love is reserved for old, married couples after decades of being together.

And now she was late because she had been daydreaming about Linden again. She rushed to their bedroom and shook Linden's shoulder.

"Go away Vive,"

"You're going to be late for work if you're not up right now." She leaned over Linden's body and gave him a bit of a pouty smile. He pulled her more toward him until their bodies were touching at the knee and her bosom grazed his chest.

Half an hour later, Ivy was dressed in a bathrobe and standing in front of a mirror combing her hair. Linden came up behind her, first hugging her close and kissing her on the neck. "You are going to ace this test, going to do great." He said looking into the mirror reflection of her those same blue eyes that he can to stare at all day.

Of course, she will do. She studied so much last night, of course, he will. Ivy turned back towards him then whispered quietly "I hope so,"

He kissed her quickly, "I love you,"

"Good cause I am all yours," she said and kissed him again, pulling him tight against her. Unequivocally they can feel they belong to each other, they are just glad they found each other even may be a wrong call.... So don't hang up too soon.

So this is the ending.... last chapter + epilogue. I didn't update for an about a month, as I wasn't to well. I just wanted to say thank you for being lovely and kind, it was a pleasure writing for you all.

  I hope someone's reading..