[After you're done with the chapter, please do read the note in the end]
"Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses."
-- Ann Landers
❣Ever after
Metilda felt the rush of the wind caressing her skin, the bellowing sound of the lawn mower. Her eyes, of clear honey, watched Mark with bafflement.
He sat on his knee, the stethoscope hanging around his neck, his hair in an entangled mess. His grey eyes accessed her carefully, a calm reflection on his features.
He didn't look like a man who was proposing to the love of his life. His relaxed demeanor gave it away.
Metilda remembered the time John has proposed. The way his hands shook, sweat trickled down his forehead, and how it looked like his life depended on her answer.
"Is this some kind of joke?" Metilda spoke through gritted teeth. "I mean, Mark... we're nothing of that sorts."
Mark smiled and rose to his feet. He tucked the velvet case carefully in his pocket. "That's what I thought too"
"What do you mean?"
Mark settled down next to Metilda. "The ring I actually bought for my girlfriend. I'm going propose to her tonight."
Metilda looked even more confused than before. She drew her eyebrows together. "Are you-"
He held up his hand. Silencing her. "John came to my cabin yesterday. He has something very interesting to say."
There was a knock on Mark's door. He had just fallen asleep in the doctor's lounge. Couldn't they leave him alone for one second? The man needed at-least few hours of sleep.
When Mark reached the door, he found John standing there. For a moment, he feared for his life. What if he was here to arrest him? Or even worse, kill him.
But one look at John's face, erased all of Mark's fears.
He had the face of a defeated man.
"He wanted me to take care of you. He thinks we have something going on. I have no idea where he got this idea from."
Metilda gripped the golden band hanging around her neck from a thin silver chain. After signing the divorce papers, she no longer had a reason wear it but she couldn't let it go.
A sinking feeling entered Metilda's heart. What could he possibly be thinking? She tried assuring herself, desperately, as a lost sailor trying to reach for shore.
When Mark noticed the tensed look on Metilda's face, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "I swear I've never seen you in that way. You and Louis made me so happy. At times, I thought of you as my own family. But Metilda, I'm sorry if I've caused a rift between John and you."
Metilda shook her head. "It's not that, Mark. I'm just worried." She looked at Mark's grey eyes. For a moment, she saw wild green brimming with tears fill her vision. She blinked once, twice. "John isn't the kind of man who would bend his pride like that. He would rather die."
"Maybe you don't know him well enough."
She smiled. "Ten years have fallen short, I suppose."
❣❣❣
Talihra was a bustle of activity when she arrived at the hospital. She carried plastic containers stuffed with sandwiches and a pitcher filled with warm tea.
She set it all on the table in hospital canteen.
"You won't believe what I saw."
Metilda unwrapped a cucumber sandwich and began nibbling on it. "Okay."
Talihra let out an exaggerated sigh. "Ah, come on! Show more excitement! This news will blow your mind away."
"Talihra, please. I'm not in the mood."
The excitement drained from Talihra's face. She took a seat across Metilda and poured Metilda a cup of herbal tea. Steam rose in the air, Metilda deeply inhaled it, savoring every sip.
"What did you see?" Metilda tried appearing interested for Talihra's sake.
It worked apparently as Talihra reverted back to her excited self. "I went to that new store down Brooklyn lane and guess who I saw intensely making out."
"Who?"
"Jannet and-"
"John" Metilda completed wearily for her. Suddenly, she felt sick till her stomach.
"No," Talihra shook her head. "It was some chubby guy called Sam. I think she's cheating on John. Serves him right, doesn't it?"
Metilda didn't respond and instead reached for cellphone. She dialed John's number.
Talihra looked at her weird. "Who are you calling?"
"John. He hasn't visited us since yesterday. I hope he's okay."
"Are you serious? You can't possibly still care for that man."
"I've never stopped caring, Talihra and I never will." Metilda set her cellphone down. A panicked expression on her face. "I think something's wrong. He isn't picking up his phone."
"He rarely ever did."
"No. You won't understand." Metilda rose from her chair. Her heart beating insanely fast. A feeling inside her chest told that John had taken a drastic step.
"Where are you going?" Talihra yelled after Metilda.
"To find John. I need to see him."
Talihra's eyes widened. "You can't be serious. He cheated on you. You can't be thinking of giving him another chance to hurt you."
She held her gaze. Steady and calm. "It doesn't matter when you realize that I wasn't the only one hurting in this relation."
❣❣❣
Heels and shoes clicked on the limonium floors. Smell of perfume, rotting meat, sweat encircled the small train station. John sat near the ticket counter. He had spent his night siting here. Watching people pass him by. Two hours till the train for Boston would arrive. Two hours till his life here would fade into a mark in his memory.
He heaved a pained sigh, bags lying next his legs.
I don't want to leave. He stared at the large digital clock.
He closed his eyes.
Aunt Rein was stroked his hair. "You promised me, John. You would win Metilda back no matter what it takes. You promised to keep trying till your breaths ran short."
"She's out of my reach now. Mark..."
"How do you know, dear boy, you've made assumptions and how could you leave your son like that. At-least say goodbye to him."
John opened his eyes. "Louis."
❣❣❣
Metilda was worn to the bone. She had searched everywhere from their house to John's office, he was no-where to be found. Defeated, she returned to the hospital.
There was noise coming from the Louis's room, laughing noises. A familiar sound made Metilda's heart halt. John's laugh. It was the most pleasant sound to her ears.
She rushed inside to find Louis riding on John's back. The joy in Metilda's eyes as she watched John and Louis cannot be comprehended in words. This is the point of the story where my words won't be enough to describe all that is taking place. Stand in a crowd of strangers, the moment a familiar face emerges among the unknown, the peace you feel cannot be written about.
Louis tightly hugged John's neck. "Faster, daddy, faster." His arms spread wide as though he were a bird soaring the infinite skies.
John's gaze was captured by Metilda. He drew in a sharp piece of air. This was going to be so much harder.
❣❣❣
In the crowd of patients and nurses, no-one noticed as Metilda's hand traced John's wrist. They stood outside Louis's room. Their angel was fast asleep.
"Where are you going?"
John's eyes were hesitant and didn't have the courage to meet hers. "To Jannet."
"Jannet who?"
John didn't reply. He didn't know how to.
"Jannet, the woman, you broke up with two days ago because you realized you loved your wife."
John finally looked at Metilda. The evening sun cast an ember glow on her skin. She was truly beautiful. "How do you know?"
Metilda smiled to herself. "She called to see if Louis was alright. It's strange. But I never hated her. Even when she took away the most important person in my life." John noticed how Metilda's grip was becoming stronger, how the smile on her lips was growing, how she was closing the distance between their bodies. She carefully entwined their fingers together. "I'm glad that she did because I would have never realized my mistake and you would have never told me."
John was on the verge of tears.
"Please don't." He told her. "Please don't. I've wronged you in so many ways. Metilda, I don't have the guts to apologize. You've been through the hell because of me. I don't deserve your forgiveness."
"No, you don't." She whispered. Her hands now rested on his arms. "You deserve my love."
"You'll be disgusted with me if you knew the real reason for everything I did. I dated Jannet because I wanted your attention. I wanted to hurt you like I was hurting. I wanted you to suffer."
"No, John. It wasn't you that wanted all of that. It was your ego." She brought her hands to his face. Few tears trailed on John's sharp Jaw, Metilda's feeble fingers brushed them away. "John, we have to accept change. I had Louis to take care of. We can't always be madly in love, now can we?"
"I know."
"Everyone thinks I was the only hurt, I was the victim. But I know you've gotten through pain more than I have. Every time you yelled at me, I saw the guilt in your eyes." At this point, a sob escaped John's mouth. "I saw you stay awake for every night that we fought. I saw you linger by my room when I was pretending to be asleep."
Metilda took a deep breath in. "I forgive you, John. Please forgive yourself as well."
John nodded and wrapped his arms around Metilda. Two bodies merged into one. The world drifted past them as their hearts became whole once again.
❣❣❣
I want to say that they lived happily ever after but that would be a lie. They faced many more storms after that day but they faced them together. In each other's companion, they found bliss. When the world would tire them, peace would be painted by the quiet talks they shared.
And so, John and Metilda lived happily together after.
THE END
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The last note
Many adult writers judge wattpad to be a place for teen and fanfiction. By reading 12th kiss, you've proven to them that wattpad is where every good story is given a chance. (give yourself a pat on the back)
There will be a one shot contest. Details posted in the next chapter. Since I've made you guys cry so much, I've decided to write a funny bloopers chapter where John and Metilda will try to make you laugh.
I do realize John and Metilda's relationship was relatively less complicated than the ones in real life and that John had more prominent good side than bad. Relationships in real life are far more wrecking yet devastatingly beautiful.
There is a fine line between fiction and reality and I didn't want to cross that line. The reason we all read fiction is because we need an escape. We need hope. From the very start, I knew I would never write a tragedy.
12th kiss is symbol of hope. If John and Metilda could save their relationship, so can you. It doesn't have to be a martial relationship that you're saving. It could be your relation with your friends, family, yourself.
Through the journey of the 12th kiss, I have gained many wonderful, insightful readers. I do not wish to lose you. We can continue our journey in the form of the other books I will write.
But if you wish to bide me adieu, I shall gracefully accept your farewell. Goodbye, and May the universe always be kind to you.
Always your well-wisher,
- Tallara
OTHER STORIES
Simply Love(Tara & Jai)
The Ugly Swan (completed)