Kevin couldn’t hold back his desire anymore. His plan was going so well. He knew that Bella wanted him badly now. Before Bella said anything, she was dragged by the arm out of the cinema. Racing down the road, they pulled over in front of a starred hotel.
“Come on, get off the car.”
Kevin urged her but she didn’t move, “Why we come to the hotel?”
“Release my burning desire, come on.”
He dragged her off the car and went to the hotel elevator right away. Bella asked in puzzlement, “We haven’t checked in yet.”
“I’ve already got a room.”
“Hmm, you have planned it all up, haven’t you?”
Kevin took out the room card and went in. Once the door closed, he hugged her, kissing and nibbling. Bella shoved him away, saying, “Let me take a shower first.” She sweated heavily in the cinema just now.
Kevin didn’t care about showering at all. But Bella insisted, so he had no choice but smiled, “Ok, I’ll help you. Let’s shower now.”
Out of the bathroom, his phone had rung many times. Kevin called back, turning on the speaker, and here came the roaring, “Kevin, where have you been with Bella? You guys are going too far. How could you ask Alvin to babysit your kids? Is Alvin your babysitter? I tell you, come home in 30 minutes, or don’t blame me for being rude!!”
Bella put on her clothes instantly, saying in terror, “Come on, let’s go back, Lena is upset. She’s not the kind of person to be pushed around.”
Hanging up the phone, Kevin laughed disapprovingly, “Look at you, it seems as if we are having affair.”
“We are. You really take it seriously that we are attending a business dinner?”
Out of the hotel, Kevin asked Bella on their way back, “Bella, why you were so cold to me?”
“When did I be cold to you…”
“You didn’t? You don’t even sleep with me at night.”
“I have to take care of the children.”
“But last night I took the children away, why were you still not willing to sleep with me?”
Bella bit her lips, saying aggrievedly, “Because I’m angry.”
“Angry? Angry about what?”
“How many times you called me while you were in France?”
Kevin thought about it, “Ten times…No, nine times.”
“How many times exactly?”
“Eight times.”
“How many times?”
“…Seven times.”
“I’ll ask you the last time, how many times you called me?”
Kevin was getting more and more unconfident, “Six times.”
“Ok, explain to me, why you only called me six times?”
“Because…I was busy with work.”
“Was that so? You were busy…Then who is Ruth?”
Kevin’s eyes went wide open, “How do you know Ruth?”
“Hum! If you don’t want others to know, then don’t do it first!”
“Honey, you misunderstand it, there is nothing between me and her!
“Did I say there is anything between you and her? Why are you feeling guilty?”
“I’m not feeling guilty, I’m just afraid that you might misunderstand me.”
“Since there is nothing, why are you afraid that I would misunderstand you? Am I an unreasonable woman?”
“Did you have gunpowder? Why are you being so aggressive?”
“I’m aggressive? Now you are complaining that I ignore you. I’m just telling the truth, how am I aggressive?”
“Fine, here is the thing, Ruth is my business partner. That night, I got drunk when we were having dinner, so she kindly picked up the phone for me when you called.”
“Kindly? Does that mean I have to be grateful to her?”
“You don’t have to be grateful, just don’t be mad about it anymore.”
Bella turned away her head, “You only called me six times in three months, I can’t get over it.”
“Then what should I do so that you can get over it? Fire away, as long as I can do it, even going to the end of the world, I will do it!”
“I don’t need you to go to the end of the world. I’m going on a trip with Alice for several days, starting from tomorrow. And I want you to take care of the babies at home before I come back.”
Kevin suddenly took on a different attitude, “How could I stay at home? I can’t do that, honey. I’ve gotta tons of business to deal with.”
“It’s ok, Alvin is at the company. It went pretty well while you were away for that three months.”
“Where are you gonna travel on such hot days? And I’m a man, I don’t know how to take care of the babies…”
“Why Alvin knows how to do it?”
Kevin said, “They just have one kid, but we have two. Mom is not at home, the babysitters are not there. If you leave, how should I deal with it?”
“I don’t care. When I gave birth to Stella and Nate, you’ve promised me that you will carry me over your shoulder and listen to me no matter what I say.”
Kevin started to play dumb, “Huh? Did I say that? How come I don’t remember?”
“What did you say?”
“Honey, I really don’t remember it…”
“Should I repeat what you’ve said exactly so that you can remember it?”
“Ok, go ahead, I’ll see whether I can remember it.”
“Two years ago in fall, the babies were born in September sixth. You were holding Stella, saying, ‘Honey, look, doesn’t my daughter look like me?’ And I replied, ‘The two kids are identical, doesn’t that mean the other one looks like you, too? Then I don’t get any benefit after I’ve suffered so much to give birth to them?’ ”
“And you swore confidently, ‘How come you don’t get any benefit? I love you so much now. When you are discharged from the hospital, I will carry you over my shoulder, let you ride on my head for the rest of my life. I’m a man of my word,…’ ”
Bella repeated what he had said, “Now you tell me, didn’t you say those words?”
Kevin nodded, “Yeah, I remember it now, I did say those words. But when I say ‘I’m a man of my word’, I meant I would do what I said at that time. It doesn’t count now. So don’t go to travel with Alice. Why not our whole family stay together joyful…”
“Kevin, I really want to strangle you!! How could you break your words!!”
Another winter came on time, Kevin persisted in taking Bella to a photo expo. Bella didn’t want to at first but compromised under his persuasion and went there with him.
As she wasn’t interested in this, she glanced through those exhibited photos casually. Kevin pointed to a crowded place, saying, “Let go over there and have a look.”
He held Bella’s hand, standing in the middle of the crowd. At that moment, her eyes wide open and her mouth covered by hands in astonishment, she couldn’t believe what she saw. About 50 meters away stood a photo of Kevin and her that took in Hokkaido years ago. She had thought that picture was long gone. Her phone once had that photo but was thrown out by Celeste from the rooftop and never found. But now, she even wanted to cry when seeing it…
“What do you think? Surprising?”
She nodded vigorously, “Yes! Where did you get the photo?”
“You had sent this to me. You forgot about it after all these years, didn’t you? ”
“No, why didn’t you tell me earlier? Don’t you know this means a lot to mean…”
“I just wanted to surprise you. And don’t forget, today is our anniversary of six years of marriage.”
“I don’t. I thought you did.”
“Fool, how could I forget that. The book said the sixth anniversary is very special. If I can move my beloved one on this day, there is no seven-year itch of marriage later.”
Bella smiled through tears, “Didn’t know that a log like you can be romantic.”
“If you know everything, how can I have my showtime?”
Kevin held her by the shoulder, “We’ll take this photo and hang up at home. Where do you wanna put it?”
“In our bedroom, so that I can wake up to this every morning.”
“Ok.”
The shiny diamond snow, a couple suffering from trials and tribulations, and a marriage with a diamond ring, these were their belief for life.
Bella just wanted to tell her grandchildren when she got old, saying, “Wanna hear a story? Let me tell you a story about redemption and belief. That was the best memory in my life…”
Six years, they stepped into a new milestone of life from youth.
In her memory, in her future, Kevin was always there.
He was the most important part of her life, deep down to her marrow.
There was always someone who could let us laugh heartily, cry viscerally, and think about them with our soul clenched.
They taught you everything about love and enable you to love.
They came to the world just to encounter you.
Next life, even the life after the next life, I hoped we could meet each other again. At that time, I hoped that you could still give me a whole and warm harbor for life.