The Blueness of a Blue Wild Flower

Chapter XXVI

THE 1OTH OF SEPTEMBER, THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SECOND MILLENIUM'S ARRIVAL; 9:21 A.M.

Aquila stood on his porch in his boxers, with his arms on its railings. The blankness of his face opposed the bright morning that showered him with rays of golden sunlight that mixed with the smoke from the cigar between his fingers beside his phone. His breaths seemed empty and slow as the winds blew it away along with his hair. He felt an embrace coming from behind him with a face and a chest pressed, as he inhaled the smoke from the cigar deeply.

"Aqua," an angelic voice called him, "are you okay?"

A smile brightened his face instantly as he turned his face. He gave her a quick nod as he exhaled the smoke. The smoke dispersed as he turned around.

A pair of black almond-shaped eyes stared into him, as some of the sharp tips of wavy strands of her hair covered most of her young pale, yellowish face. She stood in his boxers with his sweat shirt pressing her chin into his chest, "Are you sure?" she asked softly with her pinkish lips.

He kissed her forehead and smiled, "Of course, Mrs. Ashworth."

Her delicate giggles filled his ear, "That's cute," she said softly and smiled, "but it's more cuter if you don't rush."

"Fine," he huffed jokingly as he chuckled when he rolled his eyes with a jeering smile, "of course, Ms. Yuki Thames."

She gave him a smile, "Charming as always," she giggled, "so what's the favor you want me to do now?" she jeered.

He chuckled, "Well, since you asked," he said, "can you do me a favor of taking Dawn to her vet?"

"I was joking," she huffed and rolled her eyes, "but I got nothing to do all day since you're going somewhere today anyway."

"Is that a yes?" he asked with a smirk, "I'm joking, I'll send Alphonse to do it."

She shook her head, "Nah, I'll do it," she volunteered with a smile, "I wanted to bond with that dog anyway."

He wrapped his arm to her shoulders and pulled her to his chest. His lips landed a kiss on her head, "Thanks."

She later got dressed, "I love you!" she said and kissed him in the cheek before going down. Her hand waved to the porch, where Aquila waved back. The other hand held Dawn's leash as she went inside her car.

He gave out a sigh as his shoulders dropped his forearms back to the flat railings of his porch. The expression on his face immediately went blank. His eyes turned to his phone which began to vibrate, at the same time it widened with hope. He gently picked it up, and he rolled his eyes as he saw it was just Skye calling him. His fingers swiped the phone and rejected the phone call. It later proceeded to removing his black gummi case and skillfully pulled out the hidden photo kept in it.

The photo contained Kyleigh with his arms around her and his chin on her head. Their laughter that harmonized with the sea that day by the seaside amusement park seemed genuine in their much younger face in the almost 5-year old photo in his tired and puffy eyes and even more in his unbelievably accurate memories. He could even remember the smell of the cool and salty sea breeze that embraced them as they took that very photo.

His fingers turned the photo to its other side filled with writings of blank ink in cursive. "9/27/15," his eyes skimmed silently, "Kiwi + Aqui, Best friends forever," he continued to read. He huffed, "Fuck you," he grumbled softly to himself as he flinged the photo off his porch. His eyes immediately widened as he watched the wind carried it away, "Shit," he grimaced silently immediately went down his stairs to the outside as he snatched it from the fingers of the wind. He began dragging his feet as he went back.