Zara’s POV “So, what do you have planned today?” I ask when he successfully veers the car out of our driveway and onto the main street. “ Nothing…but, I was hoping you’d show me around time. What’s fun to do around here? There’s a lot to do in our town actually, but I didn’t know where to begin. If we were to explore, we’d spend the whole day at it. “ Hmmm, there’s a lot to do actually” “ Alright, let’s narrow it down to your best place then. Where’s your favourite place?” “ That would be the museum and botanical garden.” He side eyes me, while trying to keep an eye on the road. “ Didn’t take you to be the nature-loving type”. I raise one brow. “ What do you see me as , if I don’t strike you as nature-loving?” He raises his free hand, not the one steering us smoothly down the road. How have I never noticed how relaxed he is when driving? Maybe because most times, there was someone driving is and when he did drive, we were engrossed in one issue or the other. He’s leaned
Marcello’s POV For the first time in my life, I was learning what it meant to really learn to love someone . Not by grand gestures or charm or convenience, but by learning to take baby steps.I wasn’t expecting her to reach out first but when she did, I was over the moon. I was content with seeing her through the window that morning. Although, she just stood there piercing my soul with her eyes, I was thankful for the chance to see her at all.Picking her up for dinner was very nerve-racking. It almost made me laugh how willing I was to the woman’s bidding. Before her, I would have spat in the face of any woman who dared to make me work for her attention. I never had to try too hard. Women were always available; ready at my disposal.But, not Zara. She was always ready to put me in my place, and she didn’t even have to, because I was always the one seeking her attention. Love does humble you in unexpected ways. Regardless of it all, I’m elated that I get to meet her, that I get the
Zara’s POV He came back the next day looking worse for wear. This time, he came back alone , no car, just him walking back and forth the street with hands in his pockets. He walked with his shoulders hunched with something heavy. Regret? Love?Looking at him made my heart ache. I cradled my stomach as I stared at him staring off into the distance, like a man who had lost purpose. I didn’t want him to look like a shadow of himself. I wanted him to always be his confident self. Seeing him like this pushed something inside of me to run outside and pull him into a hug.That day, I opened my window wider and our eyes met through the tiny space. So close, yet so out of reach. The thing about heartbreak is that it teaches you to build walls that others cannot penetrate. But, it seems Marcello had found the cracks in my own walls, and was slowing sneaking in like a little ray of sunshine that penetrates a dark room.I still loved him but I wasn’t sure I was ready to forgive him. I wasn’t ev
Zara’s POV Before I went to bed that night, I re-read the note he had left me. The peonies and daises, I didn’t know what to do with, so I let Emily take care of it. Not asking for forgiveness…I guess I was expecting that he would try to knock down my door in a bid to apologize, but this was better. Him giving me the space I needed to consider whether he was worth forgiving.For the next two days, he didn’t show up. I know because I looked through the window to see the black SUV he usually drove when he came here, but it wasn’t in it’s usual position outside.Was he already tired of waiting, and had decided to give up? If that was the case, then he wasn’t deserving of my forgiveness.But, something told me he had not given up, so I began to worry. By the second day, I was restless when I found that he wasn’t there by noon.Dad came in to ask my help in organizing some of his old books, and I was grateful for the chance to do something else other than worrying.We worked in silence.
Zara’s POV I had just rounded up on my day’s work, when I heard the doorbell. The bell rang again and I wondered if there was no one to check who was at the door. When it rang the third time, I reluctantly dropped my laptop on the beside table and stepped down slowly. Only, before I could move, I heard an all- too- familiar voice.Marcello. He’s here.I couldn’t move. My feet were stuck on the wooden floor. After all this time? I had hoped the first few days that he would come, but after the first week, I had given up. But now, he’s here. I hear mom’s footsteps before I hear her. She knocks three times on the door. “ Honey, are you in there?”I don’t answer. I can’t . My heart is beating erratically in my chest. “ Can you come out for a second? There’s someone here for you. Hello? If you don’t respond, I’m coming in."Leave me alone, please. That’s what I want to say ,but nothing comes out of mouth. It’s like I’m a deer in headlights, scared of moving for fear of being seen. I t
Marcello’s POV The next morning, I set out at the first sign of sunrise to look for a flower shop. I see a variety of flowers in the shop. I don’t know what to get because I’ve never really bought anyone flowers. The florist, a small statured elderly lady , asks if she can help me find what I need.“ I’m not really sure. There’s so many of them.”“ well, who is it for?”“ it’s for my wife. I did something unforgivable to her and she’s not speaking to me.”She narrows her eyes at me, probably judging me silently. “ you didn’t cheat on her, did you? Because with you men, it’s always a new woman.”“I wouldn’t cheat on her. I let her go because I didn’t realize how important she was to me, and I want her back.”“ Well then, you can never go wrong with daises and peonies. They both signify forgiveness. There’s also the white rose which signifies new beginnings. So, what’s it going to be?”“ how about a combination of all three?”“ Desperate, aren’t we?”“ You have no idea.”While she arra