Behind the Velvet Ribbon

Tanya gazed at the city below in a daze, slowly forgetting the main objective for which she had come to her current location in the first place.

The view was breathtaking. The city looked like a sea of little lights that shone so bright, it was almost hard to believe.

The serene environment made her lower her guard, so even when someone walked up to her, she didn’t notice until their hand was over her eyes.

“My love.” A gentle but deep and husky voice whispered lovingly into her ears.

‘This voice…’ Tanya thought as tears pooled her eyes and wetted the hands on her eyes.

Soon, the hands on her eyes were removed and a handsome face came into view. The man she hadn’t even expected…

“Ezra…” She called out, a bit out of it. This day had been nothing but hectic and now…

“My love. I missed you. Didn’t you miss me?” Tanya but her lips as she shook her head in a bid to calm her emotions, but like torrents, they kept on pouring.

“Don’t cry. You’ll ruin your makeup.” Ezra said as he leaned down and kissed her tears. A heavy slap came to his cheek and Ezra stared at his woman in shock.

“You slapped me?” Ezra said as he grazed his cheek in disbelief. Wasn’t she supposed to be happy?

“And I’d give you a much harder one if I did love you. Do you know how worried I was after I woke up?” Tanya said as she broke out into fits of sobs.

“No one was telling me anything. I thought you had died! I was so scared. The kids were my only refuge. I was even ready to die- mmph!”

“Only I can kill you. No one else! Do I make myself clear, little Sylvester?” Tanya nodded slowly as she rubbed the lips that he had been on a few moments ago.

“Stop that. I really might kiss you if you keep doing that.” Ezra said as he brushed her lips gently with his thumb. “Where are the kids?”

“With their Aunts, Uncles, and grandparents.” Tanya said with glee. Her man was back and so she was beyond glad.

“And Alvise…” Tanya’s brows furrowed a bit before she answered, “I don’t know. He has arrived but I haven’t seen him anywhere yet.”

“What are you doing here, though, Ezra? I’m here to meet my Secret Santa. Do you know him too?”

“Too?” Ezra asked with amusement and confusion at the little woman who was in the embrace of his bear-like figure.

“All my siblings have collided with my Secret Santa. I’m wondering who it would be?”

“It seemed you liked the necklace and Outfit I had picked for you.” Ezra said with a sly smile as he looked at his romantically dense girlfriend.

“Oh! It’s lovely. I couldn’t have chosen a much better- Wait a second!” Tanya lifted her head from appraising her outfit to meet the beautiful hazel eyes of her man. “You bought this? Are you…”

“Your secret Santa? Yes. Yes, I am.” Tanya looked on in shock. “Though I think it lacks something.”

“What?” Tanya asked breathlessly as the shock was yet to wear off.

Ezra got on a knee and brought out a small box which he opened up for her to see the gold band with a little pink diamond right in the center.

“Tanya, I know that we haven’t spent a lot of time together and the little we spent was always ridden with unfortunate events.” Ezra said as he brought out the ring from the box.”

Sliding the ring into her ring finger, he continued, “But I’m glad for the good and bad times we had faces together. It made the woman I had always loved come out even lovelier.”

Standing on his feet while holding both of her smaller hands in his bigger ones, he sat red into her eyes and spoke again, “From now on, till forever, let’s face the good and bad together. Let me protect you and shield you forever. Trust me on this, Okay?”

Tanya nodded and muttered a small ‘okay’ before she wrapped her arms around his and his around hers.

“So… How do you like your ‘unexpected present from your secret Santa’?”

Tanya backed up a bit without leaving his embrace and stared into his eyes. “I love my present… and my secret Santa.”

A smile played on his lips before he spoke, “And this secret Santa loves his good girl.”

And with that, Ezra used his forefinger and lifted her head to meet his gaze and crashed his lips unto hers. A silent covenant to always stay with each other and never leave each other.

…even till the sky rains ash and acid.