Happy Together

Rachel felt the familiar warmth from Hiram's arms as they wrapped around her. She had lost count of how many times these same arms had held her. She touched a hand to his arm in quiet contentment. It always struck her how the years have not dulled their love. At present, Joyce, her only daughter was about to get married and live a life of her own, and they, Hiram and she, were still beside each other. Hiram spoke to her softly,"We were very blessed to be her parents and raise her for the past years. Twenty years, huh? I never could have imagined how quickly time would pass by. I can't believe it would be this difficult to let her go." Hiram paused and turned Rachel to him. "But we both know that it's her time now, and she has found someone to spend the rest of her life with." He took Rachel's hand and pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles. "Just like you and me."

Rachel's chest tightened as a myriad of emotions passed through her.

She was happy, and yet, tears were hovering in her eyes. She cracked a small smile to Hiram and said,"I know. She'll be my little girl forever. And today, I'll give her my blessings and my best wishes with a smile."

Hiram lifted a hand to caress Rachel's face. They were not young anymore—there were lines deepening on Rachel's eyes and forehead, and several gray strands were strewn over the crown of her head. Hiram marveled at the sight of his wife. There was a calm, wise air about her. She had aged gracefully. He caught his breath as he gazed into the brightness in her eyes and thought to himself, 'Beautiful!' "If there's one thing that I am truly happy about today, it's that our daughter would know what I have always felt like with you. Just the very idea that she would be filled with the same kind of happiness I found with you is enough for me," Hiram said, his eyes laying tenderly over Rachel.

They had been together for many years already, and he was looking forward to more years with her.

"Mom?" Joyce's voice reached them, and they turned to their daughter at the same time. She walked towards her mother. Rachel noticed how her eyes were red as well. She must have been crying too. She opened her arms and embraced her daughter. "Mom, if you're not yet ready for me to get married, it's okay. I can wait. I will stay with you for a couple more years…" Joyce said, her voice cracking at some of her words.

Rachel smiled at her daughter and placed a hand on her cheek. "Don't be silly, my love! Every girl dreams of their wedding day, and I know you are too!

That's true that it is difficult for me to let you go. You're my one and only daughter, but my wish for your happiness is above everything else. If you are able to live happily, that will be the greatest gift to me." The mother and the daughter embraced each other once more, smiling through the tears that they were no longer able to hold back. Hiram watched them with a small smile on his face.

Right at this moment, Simon also came inside.

He first turned to Rachel and said,"Aunt Rachel, I will not make any empty promises, but please keep watching over us. You will see with your own eyes that I will devote myself to your daughter's happiness. I will do everything to be worthy of her."

Rachel nodded to him and reached out for his hand, placing it with one of Joyce's. She looked at the two of them, so young, and yet, she recognized the look in their eyes as their gazes met. It was the same look that she and Hiram gave each other.

"I believe you, Simon. I trust that you will make my daughter happy," she said, and then turned to Joyce. "You two still have a long way ahead of you. Joyce, you need to be able to control your temper better. You have to learn to accept him wholly. That is what it means to love someone. Do you understand?" Rachel looked at her daughter tenderly, hoping that her words to Joyce would serve her well in the future.

Joyce nodded her head and squeezed her hand. "I understand, Mom. I'll try my best." She paused for a moment before continuing. "And you know, even if I get married, you don't have to be so sad. I'll come by whenever I can, and I won't let you be lonely." The two of them smiled at each other and embraced one more time.

After dinner, Jonny and Simon went out to take a walk. They walked silently side by side. It was Jonny who first spoke to break the strained atmosphere that had settled between them.

"I'll say this now, Simon. Joyce is my only sister and the only daughter of my parents. Her happiness is as important to me as my own, and I can see how important you are to her." He looked at Simon straight in the eye. "Make her happy. If you dare break her heart, I want to remind you that she has me, Chester, and our father, we will not let you off easily," he said half-jokingly, but the two men both knew the meaning behind his words.

He let out a sigh and gave a small laugh as he patted Simon's shoulder.

Ever since the start of their lives, her twin sister had shared everything with him. Now, she was about to get married

“Let's go and register our marriage on your birthday!”

Marrying Daniel should have been her best birthday gift, but everything was ruined the moment when she caught him sleeping with another woman on the day before her birthday.

“He’s going to marry that woman! She... was my best friend!"

e a part of your family. I'm glad that I have the two of you as my sister and brother."

Jonny's eyes widened at her words. "Brother?" he asked in disbelief. "Are you sure you can call me that after what happened to us?"

Jonny closed the distance between them and pulled her to him, his arm possessively wrapping around her waist. "Or do I need to remind you?" he leaned down and whispered to her ear. "It was my first time to sleep with a girl that night," he said as he stared at her.

Summer managed to free herself from his arms and replied,"It was also my first time, so I think that makes us even. We don't owe each other anything," she said, stepping back and trying to keep the distance between them. When Summer felt that she was far enough, she took one last look at Jonny and started walking away from him.

'It's for the best, ' she kept thinking to herself, trying hard to hold back the tears. She continued to walk, until her wrist was grasped once by a hand. His grip was so tight that she thought it was going to break.

"Let me go! People are looking at us!" she shouted.

Summer pulled her wrist with all the strength she could muster. Why did he have to make everything so difficult? She had loved him for so long a time, and finally she had made up her mind to get over him.

She felt her tears flow down her cheeks, leaving a hot trail on her skin as if her own feelings burned her. She had sworn that she would treat Jonny as a brother and let him go. "Please…let me go…" she pleaded through her tears.

Jonny looked at the familiar face in front of him and felt that there was something different. It was as if he was seeing her clearly for the first time. In the past, he used to think that he couldn't tell Winter and Summer apart. But now, looking at her tear-stained face, his chest constricted. Jonny was completely certain that he was in love with this woman. He was deeply and without a doubt in love with Summer.

Winter and Summer were different parts of the same person.

After that night, Jonny had been lost in confusion, but he found his answer now, and he was not about to let her go again.

Jonny lifted a hand to her cheek and traced the lines of her tears. Then he put his fingers under her chin and tilted her head so that her eyes would meet his. "Jonny..." Summer said quietly, not knowing what was happening.

He cracked a small smile at her. At once, her traitorous heart started doing pirouettes in her chest. Her eyes widened as Jonny bent down and brushed his lips on hers for a gentle kiss.

There was no way she could fight back anymore. She placed her hands on his neck and answered his lips. The warm sunshine was shining on the willow above them, and the young man and the young woman were lost in the kiss.

Not far from them, a middle-aged couple was watching them quietly, with one of them laughing while the other sighed.

"Didn't I tell you? I was right, again!" Rachel said jokingly to Hiram.

Hiram sighed but smiled knowingly. "It looks like Jonny and I will have a lot to talk about later," he shook his head and chuckled, despite himself.

They turned around and walked along the greenery lane in the soft afternoon light, their hands intertwined and their steps light on the cobbled pavement. They walked towards the sunset, the warmth of summer following in their wake.