Mr. Ral had been out to water the plants and after an hour and a half he came back .
A combination of loving life and nature's beauty appeared on his sweaty face. Scattered sloppy lines and drops of mud on his rubber boots showed how much he was trying to lessen the mess and tried to desperately stay clean not wanting to dirty his daughter's house . he also knew how Levi regards cleanliness and Mr. Ral respected that.
Levi felt pleased at that notice.
Mr. Ral's stillness beside the window caused sun rays coming from it to reflect onto his face, illuminating it. Radiance crept and somehow his sweat gave a shine to his face. Except for some slightly wrinkled lines on the side of his eyes, he didn't look much old. Speaking of age, seeing his daughter, Petra, about to add another member to the family was such a bright thing enough to bring back more life to his soul and age. as a gardener, a man with a green thumb, he knew how to deal with trees and exotic plants. He gave Petra a handful of herbs in his right hand while carrying the watering pot in his left one.
His fatherly warm gaze was on Petra, he calmly said, ''patience…. Patience my dear daughter, for most beautiful gifts in life come with waiting..'' seemingly wanting Levi to hear those words too .
'' your mother used to drink those natural herbs in her pregnancy, wash and try them my dear.''
She placed her hand on his shoulder, ''thank you father.''
He wiped away the sweat on his forehead by his palm and turned facing Levi '' so you are heading to work now son? ''
''yes sir I am.'' Levi replied straightforwardly and more stoic than a normal reply should be .
Mr. Ral was surprised for a few seconds at the way Levi addressed him. '' well, if you'll excuse me I am going to take a shower.'' Before Mr. Ral went along Petra told him ''father, I prepared your towel, you will find it folded beside the mirror.''
Petra grabbed Levi's hand before he could hold his boots and wear it. She spoke to him with her soothing voice ''Levi you haven't eaten anything for breakfast , at least let me fix you a cup of tea. You still have extra fifteen minutes. ''
She hurried to the kitchen and Levi followed her. He leaned his back on the kitchen's door carefully watching Petra as she did a hasty attempt to fill the teapot with water and put it on the stove.
She looked a little lost, hovering up and down at the cupboard to look for something. Petra let out a sigh free from weariness but filled with wonder. ''hmm, now where did I put your mug ?''
With his manly sober steps, he was walking near her, sort of a homeward way. That unfathomable mysterious and warm feeling of ease that grew in him at this time of his life, he certainly never had such a feeling before . He soon was standing behind her, he encircled his arms around her belly, lowered his head towards her shoulder and delightedly told her '' forget the tea, je t'aime Petra..'' .
She also loved him from all her heart with all his flaws. He knew he would be a fiendish-hearted jerk if he would ever shoot her a rejection offhandedly that it could flare up her tender heart. His bleak outlook for the future turned into a wonderful thoughtful insight into life . His face that contorted with silenced pain was perked up, and that pain melts down when her presence and much better her voice falls onto his ears, pampering him by caring words . Petra turned her head towards his face ''I love you too'' letting out a chuckle ''frenchie'' she playfully nuzzled her nose with his. His innate world went secure.
'' Levi..'' said Petra calling his name in softness that held nothing but care ''loving you is something I would never in the least regret.''
He thought if only he could clean his heart from things he hated more than dirt, things harder to clean, which were grudge and pain of his past years that fouled his heart. But Petra made it easier for him, she simply entered his life and cleaned his heart with her smile that was a bless bestowed on him.
How a beautiful clash between two different worlds would coincide and mingle in melodic harmony sending their hearts to dance blissfully between gleams of happiness. She was to complete his other half, the forgotten and long abandoned one that he never cared to have. Petra renovated his heart and mollified his worries .
She was his wife, his home…
She hugged him, accommodating him into welcoming arms, most importantly , heart. His being which she wanted to harbor, giving him relief after countless moments of his misfortunate past . No voice but hers was to do a softening effect on his angered and hurt heart. Her whole arms as a home to lay his head, and by that exact time he would disregard the whole world and think it is worthless beside her because she is ardently the closest one to his heart.
He was supporting her again with his arms and looking fixedly at her face. Happiness long muted broke free and made him smile. Petra pecked Levi's cheek, thinking he is cheeky in an amusing kind of way.
She found herself laughing again, but suddenly, misty tears were filled with emotions sailing through her amber eyes, making them shinier than ever. She spoke, becoming dramatically wistful and about to cry ''I don't want you to feel alone ever again, I'll be the world to you because you mean the world to me.'' She wanted to cherish her husband, he was amazed. He was at loss for words at how one loving person replaced the world as a whole. His eyes widened when they fell on her teary ones, ''Tch, how come you are crying now ? Petra you were laughing a minute ago..'' she loved how cute he looked when he raised an eyebrow at her, good to see his facial expression for a change.
She wanted to discard anything that blemishes his happiness, even if it took her to convince him how much a good person or father he will be despite many bad things he thinks about himself.
He slackened the hug and caressed her belly ''take care of yourself and our brat for me''. Petra was about to droop. He put aside his sternness and spoke to her very gently, ''Petra you need to rest.''. Little did anybody know how caring he was from the inside that he himself rarely tried to explicitly show.
She raised her face to his ''I…I'm not sure how tired I am, but I am sure about my feelings, and I absolutely meant what I said to you''
Levi put a strand of Petra's auburn hair behind her ear ''this is good to know but please go rest, Petra.'' He loosened his hold, but she didn't want him to depart from her. But then again he had to go to work.
He was a person whose attributes were belied and marked as characteristics which define a cold heartless person unlike what he actually was. People have always thought him to be extremely rigid, stupid misconceptions of others made by their own minds. Their judgments were never likely to be fair. They were forgetting that their thought itself was harsh because it was superficial and random.
Of course he would be strict but only when it was necessary. There were much more things about him, deeper than that.
She closed the door after him, letting out her tears flow. ''Levi, I deeply know that your heart is purer than what you yourself would know..''