When I opened my eyes I found myself at the beach. It was late and the sun was about to reach a twilight state. The sky shining in different shades of orange.
"This is... Serenity..." I said while letting out a heavy sigh, like all the negative emotions in my body had been removed.
"Is that why you gave that name to our daughter?" My wife, Shayla, asked me as she put her arms around my shoulders. It felt like the most pleasant thing in the world.
"When I was kid my father brought me hear all the time. It was also my 'spot' when I was depressed or angry. The first time the word 'Serenity' actually came to mind was when I proposed to you. I sort of just knew it." I chuckled as I kissed the ring on her hand.
It was only the three of us at the beach. My wife, my daughter and my dear old self.
My daughter, Serenity, was sound asleep on the towel next to me. Her thumb in her mouth as I heard her purr herself to sleep.
Where else would you find another three year old this adorable?
"I didn't expect you to be the spontaneous type, Michael." Shayla said as she rested her chin on my head as we looked out to the sea.
"I prefer to think of it as a message from God. Why else would that memory come back to me when I saw our daughter for the first time."
"That's really funny because all I heard was screaming and was fantasizing about multiple ways to kill you after you made me do a natural birth."
We both laughed but I'm sure mine was a little more awkward. I mean come on, was this only my fault?
"But I don't regret it, though..." She sounded like she was thinking or contemplating something.
"Can we... Stay like this for a while longer?" She asked in pleading voice that made me want to look up at her so that she could see the confusion on my face. But I didn't, no... I couldn't.
"'Something wrong, Shay?" I ask.
If I had to describe my wife in a word or two, I would call her the seductive enigma.
When I had first met her she was oozing with sexiness from all corners of her body but once our relationship got serious she only acted seductively when were alone. That made me, as a man, want to pat myself on the back and shout "hallelujah!" in a dramatic fashion.
The enigma comes from the fact that she didn't act the way you would expect. She hated clothing that revealed her body, make - up and only wore practical shoes. She'd rather walk around in a sweatshirt that wear what she would refer to as "half a dress". What's even more interesting is that she devotes all her time to reading and painting. She was always acting in an aloof manner when she was painting as well. That's the things that make me love her a thousand times over.
Now she was acting in a scared manner. Like she didn't want to let go of me.
I remained silent and waited for her to continue. Its how these conversations went when she reached an emotional point. I was there to listen and accept them all.
"You never do things like this anymore. I miss talking to you like we were the only family that existed in the world. You've become so distant since your job promotion." Her nails started digging into my flesh and I almost winced. "Please, Michael. Please..." She whispered in a pleading voice.
I felt a tear sink into my hair. This was the love of my life with the most adorable daughter in the world. What the hell is wrong with me? Family is more important than work.
"I'll make it my priority..." I kissed her left hand. "You and Serenity are all that I want, need, and contempt with having for the rest of my life." I kissed her right hand.
"Come hell or high water, I'll protect you with everything I have. I promise."
"Glad to hear it..."
"But you're mother though... I'm not helping her in the apocalypse." I said then closed my eyes. I was joking but I already knew what was coming.
Whack!
"Ow!" She smacked me in the back of the head. "I should have expected that, right?"
"Why won't you save my mom?" She asked in high pitched voice. It happens when she finds something overwhelmingly shocking. You know when you're so surprised that you can't help but laugh? It was like that.
"She brought some muscular dude to propose to you at our wedding day! Look at these sticks..." I raised my arms. "I couldn't compete with that." I said that line in a low voice.
She sank her head and whispered into my ear. "You're still the one that I chose, right?"
I couldn't help but smile as I thought about it. She was the love of my life. I was the love of her life. Our lovely daughter is a sign of our love.
My family...
... Is my reason for living.
• • •
"What the hell...?" Sajin muttered as his eyes widened in surprise as he looked at the man in front of him.
It was a business man who appeared to be in his early thirties that looked back at Sajin in bewilderment.
It was Michael.
Sajin had introduced himself and then they shook hands when that scene played through his head. Looking at his surroundings its clear that it had only happened for a moment but this is the sixth time it has happened.
Every time Sajin focuses his eyes on the person's 'heart' he then makes physical contact with the person and it... Works.
It only happens for an instant but the to Sajin it feels like he's swimming to the bottom of a very deep pool to pick up a coin. Except the coin looks the black veins and it fits into his whole hand. The entire process feels real and the time it takes as well.
He's only done it six times but the experience never changes. He doesn't see it as something that he would get used to.
There was only one thing rewarding about the experience that no normal person should have to go through.
This man, Michael, walked onwards without saying another word. His eyes looked to have softened up and his movements weren't as stiff as when Sajin had first saw him. The biggest reward to Sajin was the 'heart' on top of his head.
The heart was pure white.
"Master... " Sue called him.
"Yeah?" He turned to look at her. She remained in her usual manner but this time had a napkin in her hand.
"Dammit, again..." He muttered as he touched his cheeks. Tears were streaming down his face again. He took the napkin and started walking again.
"Is this gonna happen every time." He said as he cursed under his breath.
"Master will get used to it." Sue sounded almost like she was encouraging him but he couldn't say for certain. Her voice was still as emotionless as usual.
Sajin looked at the time on his phone.
12:32.
"Let's grab, lunch." He said and they started walking to the closest café they could.