When Love & Hate Collide [Completed]

Chapter 98 - True Love

No, Norberto couldn't continue with his plans in the bedroom. Raul had come looking for us before we could go to the bedroom and wanted to show us the painting he had just made. It was of painting of an early morning filled with bright hues of red and pink and violet and purple. I was so impressed with his work and was immediately proud of him. He was just nine, but it was obvious he had creativity flowing in his blood.

Norberto had much more nuanced feedback for the painting as compared to my 'It's beautiful', and both of them had taken to draw out off those details - the choice of colours, the blending, and all. They both were so engrossed in their work that it was hard to imagine that Norberto had been desperate to go to the bedroom few minutes back.

After a long discussion on the painting, it had been dinner time, and we all decided to eat together in the dining room. This was the first time we were all eating together as a family in Fritz Mansion. Since we had returned from the hospital, Norberto had been restricted to his room most of the time. It was only today that he had started moving around though he was managing well, knowing that he had multiple injuries less than two months back. 

Raul was obviously over the moon to be finally spending time with his parents together, having his family acting like a real normal family. His happiness was reflecting on his glowing face through dinner and all that excitement took a toll when due to over excitement he was not ready to sleep at night. It was such a new experience to see his parents smiling and being happy, something that's a common thing in other families, but not his. He didn't want to go to bed and lose a single minute of that happiness. It had taken me lot of time to put him to sleep and then too, it was only when Norberto had taken upon himself to get in his bed with him that Raul had finally agreed to give sleep a go. I had sat their next to them while I saw both my favorite men sleep next to each other.

Once finally Raul had fallen asleep, Norberto got up from the bed and nudged me softly. As I opened my eyes, he signaled me to keep it quite. Taking my hand in his other hand, he led me out to his bedroom. On reaching the bedroom, he took me in his arms and whispered against my lips, "I didn't know I will have to be competing with my son for your time!"

I giggled up, completely unlike me, "He is no longer here. You don't have to whisper."

"I am not taking any chances," he replied and silenced me with his lips. Soon we were on the bed, losing our clothes in the process and he took it upon himself to prove his point that he had literally been starving for me.

It was hours before we finally laid back in each others' arms with a black silk bed sheet around our spent bodies. I never knew 'lying relaxed' with Norberto but at that moment it felt the most natural thing to do. We were embracing facing each other but I was facing more of his chest. His hand was resting on my waist while with my head was placed comfortably below his shoulder. We were both not sleepy. I guess it wasn't just Raul who was over excited to not miss any of the happiness that surrounded us. As if we were afraid that when we woke up, it would all disappear like a beautiful dream. If it was a dream, I didn't want to wake up ever.

As if reading my mind, he spoke, "Tell me its not a dream."

I raised my head to look up into his face. He lowered his head at the same time and I saw deep silver grey eyes brimming with happiness, something I had never seen in his eyes before. But there was a shadow of fear surrounding them too. Another emotion that I wouldn't associate with Norberto. I raised myself a little higher up so I could hold his face. Cupping his face, I replied, "It is not a dream. I am all yours. I will always be."

"There is nothing else I want but I am afraid my past sins may not let me be happy for too long. Something will snatch all this happiness away and I will be left a broken, lonely man all over again. Or even worse, dead. I was never afraid of death earlier, but now, I don't want to die Mela. I want to live with you, with Raul and do everything possible to undo my wrongs. But being happy... being happy... with you.. makes me afraid.. makes me... I don't want to upset the Gods-"