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“Fine.” I groan, but he just kisses my cheek again.
“But, before I attach my name to these works, I want to see how people feel about the art. My fortune was passed down and while I have worked hard before I got it, I want something that was not given to me. Something I have earned myself.”
Ru may be the CEO of the company, but he is just an artist at heart. I can’t wait to see what he’s done with his work.
He picks up his phone and Ru decides to play a song. “I still want to finish our dance,” Ru whispers into my ear.
I get up, he takes my hand in his and my free arm wraps around his neck. We sway to the sound of the music, and it feels…peaceful. This man gives me a space in life where I feel as if I can turn off my thoughts for a few seconds and that kind of freedom can’t be bought.
“Ru, thank you for everything you’ve done for me.” I take in a breath. “I don’t know how I’ll be able to repay you.”
Ru flashes me an endearing glance and leans his forehead onto mine, “Just continue to be great.” He hums, “There’s no doubt in my mind that you will grow and prosper. I want you to keep shining. You’re blinding, my brown eyed girl. The most radiant person I have ever met.” His voice is calm and collected as always when he whispers sweet nothings.
His smile is the one that’s blinding. The way he holds me, the way he inspires me, his sweet words…is it okay to feel this safe? Is it okay to dive into this romance without the guilt weighing on me? Does it still weigh on Ru? Every second Ru and I get closer I wonder if we can sustain this or if is it inevitable that we will find ourselves insulated by the trivial roles of our lives.
Swaying within the art gallery, with little soulful glances, intertwine fingers, and the closeness of our bodies. Set me on a path of never wanting to be out of his arms again. With my head now on his chest, I inhale to smell his rich scent and allow it to envelope me.
Ru grips my waist tighter. “We should take time to dance with each other. Swaying together to the sound of music…is calming. For the past few years, my life has been full of mania and madness, but since you have been around, it seems like my world became tranquil if that makes sense.”
“If the world gets to be too much for you, I’ll dance with you anytime.” I declare. His heartbeat is erratic again and I can't help but smile.
The song ends and we pull apart and continue to hold hands while we walk back outside through the beautifully decorated entrance. I see butterflies next to the floors and watch the white butterfly land on his shoulder. Ru stares at it and I smile.
“My dad used to say white butterflies were good luck. They used to always come to our backyard, but after he died, they never came back. Weirdly enough, I started to see them again the night I caught Greyson cheating on me.” I laugh pitifully at the memory.
The butterfly flies back to the flowers. “You mean the night we met.” Ru clarifies. That’s right. That is the night Ru and I met for the first time. “The humidity and your anger puffed up your hair, and you were wearing a cream dress that outlined your body perfectly, your nails were painted white, and you had on Jimmy Choo sandals.”
He remembers my entire outfit, from a year ago. “I must have made an impression.” I smile as I look down at the ground.
As we get near the car he opens the door for me, “You did. I do wish we could have met differently. Not a day where you were filled with so much sadness.”
When he gets into the driver’s seat, I ask, “Then how would you have liked us to meet?”
The car starts up as he ponders my question, “At an art gallery. I would have seen you, but you would be focused on the art around you to even notice me. Then I would approach you and ask you what piece spoke to you the most. Hopefully, you would find me charming, and I would ask you if you wanted to see another exhibit with me. Then…who knows.” His description would have been a better meeting than running into me with mascara running down my face after finding out his son fucked my mom. Yet somehow, I was able to meet Ru again a year later. Maybe I am a lucky girl.
“I can picture it,” I say with my head leaning back in my seat.
As much as I try to enjoy our moments my mother’s sudden appearance at the fashion show has me tense about what she is plotting. What could she possibly be after? She doesn’t care about me so rekindling our relationship really wouldn’t benefit her in any way, other than the insurance on the house but she knows that I would never give her a cent. She may be selfish, bitter, and vindictive, but she’s not stupid. She knows I would never believe her, so what’s the endgame here? Is she going to try to use Ru to get the money from me? Who fucking knows, I just want to be free of her.
People believe that we are tied to those who we share blood with, no matter the circumstance. At what point do you stop allowing people to hurt you regardless of relationship status? When is it the time that I can put myself first for my well-being? My whole life I’ve questioned if I even deserve happiness because for most of my life I have been a burden to the person who is supposed to love me the most. I struggle with that every day even if I don’t express it, the care that I received from Ru is still a mystery to me. It’s almost as if my heart wants to accept it but my mind prevents me from realizing that he is being sincere. I question anything he does in the back of my mind. It's hurtful since it's not his fault.
The hotel is brimming with people, who are probably here for the rest of fashion week. We make it up to our suite and take the time to relax for the rest of the night. Ru has a meeting in the morning and so I will be exploring New York in the morning until he is finished. Funny enough Ru does not like fashion week as much as I do. I understand once you’ve been to something so many times the magic sometimes fades away.
20 Years Ago
“Hey baby, are you catching butterflies with your daddy?” Grandma calls out.
“Yes!” I answer her. “But we let them go, so they can be happy!”
My grandma giggles, “Okay baby, give your daddy a break and come eat these biscuits that just came out of the oven.”
“Okay!” I start to run, but mommy stops me.
“Taurus don’t run. You will fall and hurt yourself.” Mommy says as she sits on daddy’s lap.
I walk inside with Grandma, “Taurus, how would you like to live with grandma?”
I shrug my shoulders not knowing what to say.
