A year has passed and Julian did not manage to see Sylvester since the day he left.
But he had managed to meet Vernetta a couple of times and both of them were even starting to talk again albeit as friends.
Vernetta had come to terms with Julian’s sexuality and she knew she could never shut Julian out of her life with what they had shared before. Julian felt blessed that he had Vernetta’s understanding and forgiveness, thus he made sure that he would always be around for her when the needs arises.
After picking Vernetta up from Charmaine’s place and towards the airport, Julian asked, “So where are you flying to?”
Vernetta smiled sweetly as usual and replied, “Thanks for picking me up. I am flying to Venice for a month. Maybe I will get myself a romantic guy there to propose to me and I will not be back! How nice if it really happens? So you still did not manage to locate Sylvester after a year?” Vernetta asked.
Julian took a quick look at the still as radiant Vernetta and nodded, “Simon, my colleague who was his counselor after Sylvester requested for a change, told me that he had successfully completed his term and had found a job. So in a way, I am very glad that he is getting on fine.”
“Then what about you? How are you getting on? You are going to wait only for Sylvester, right? All other guys are of no attraction to you?” Vernetta quipped.
Julian smiled a little and parked his car at the open air car park outside Changi Airport.
They entered the bustling departure hall, it was a Saturday and it seemed a lot of people were going aboard.
Julian felt as if he needed a vacation soon, and walked Vernetta to the departure gate.
A familiar figure stood at a far corner and fixed his gaze at the couple since Julian and Vernetta walked in.
His gaze followed them to the departure gate and never allowed his view of them to be blocked.
He saw Vernetta kissing Julian at his cheeks before she entered the gate and he quickly walked towards Macdonalds when Julian waved goodbye to Vernetta and walked away.
Julian had a sudden crave for french fries so he headed towards the direction of Macdonalds.
He joined the queue and was thinking to himself that he really needed a nice vacation to get recharged.
When it was his turn at the counter, he looked up at the guy behind the counter and both Julian and the service guy’s eyes met and were shocked.
The guy, wearing Macdonalds’ uniform complete with a cap, was Sylvester!
Both of them stood there speechless and it was till the person behind Julian, voiced his displeasure of waiting too long, did Julian regained his composure.
He hastily ordered coffee and Sylvester got it done as soon as he could.
Julian took one last look at Sylvester after the latter returned him his change, he got a seat nearest to the counter and fixated his sight on Sylvester, worried that Sylvester might disappeared again.
Julian’s coffee turned cold but he did not bother to even look at it, he was looking at Sylvester all these while.
Sylvester looked even better now, his once listless eyes were now bright and attentive.
His nice dimples seemed to get even deeper and his thick eye bushes seemed darker.
His curly eye lashes looked curlier and his once lean jaw looked fuller now.
Sylvester even seemed to have built up his mass, he looked so much more muscular now, his short sleeve uniform could not even contain his bulging biceps and Sylvester looked even tanner and fitter.
Julian’s stares was making Sylvester uneasy, he saw Julian earlier when he went to the toilet.
He had never expected to see Julian again, at least not at the airport.
He was transferred to the outlet for a day and when he saw Julian with Vernetta, he too spotted the difference.
Both Vernetta and Julian seemed to have lost weight from what he saw from a distance away but he was more concerned about Julian.
Julian seemed to have aged, his once tight taut tanned body seemed to have shrunk but still looked fantastic for a man approaching his thirties. And when Julian was at the counter, Sylvester thought he saw visible eye wrinkles on Julian but Julian still exuded the manly charms.
Time seemed to pass slowly and Sylvester couldn’t wait for his shift was over, it had been over 3 hours now and Julian had not left.
Julian was waiting for Sylvester and Sylvester knew that when he saw the coffee that Julian had ordered not been touched.
When it was time for Sylvester to knock off, he knew he could not avoid Julian so he made no such attempt.
Julian walked out of Macdonalds behind Sylvester, both of them did not say anything till Sylvester was waiting for his sky train.
“Sylvester, can I drive you home? I have a lot of things to tell you. Please?” Julian pleaded.
Sylvester nodded.
They walked towards the car park in silence and when they got inside the car, Sylvester was frantically trying to think of something to say but Julian got to it first, “How are you? Where have you been? I have been looking for you for one whole year!”
With that, Julian buried his face onto the steering wheels and cried.
Sylvester was taken aback and he placed his hands on Julian’s shoulders, “I am fine, really. I have completed my programme and gotten a job at Macdonalds. Simon got me a rented room and I am fine. I am really sorry to have walked out on you that day but I knew you would be in a difficult position if I don’t leave. And I saw you with Vernetta earlier so I know I made a right decision of leaving you then.”
Julian wiped off his tears and said, “You saw us earlier? Why didn’t you call out to me earlier? If I didn’t make a detour to Macdonalds, you were going to avoid me again? Why are you doing this to me? Why are you so cruel?”
Sylvester panicked and tears welling in his eyes, “I don’t have a choice. I couldn’t yell out to you when you were with Vernetta. Both of you still looked so much in love and I wouldn’t want to come in between both of you.”
“What in love? I have told Vernetta all about us! I told her the truth the night you left. This past year, Vernetta and I are nothing more than just close friends, she forgave me and gave me her blessings. I drove her here as a friend, she is just a friend.”
Sylvester could not believe what he had just heard, “Really? You told her about us? She forgave you? You mean you have been searching for me for the past year to tell me this? That you choose to live your life with me?”
Julian hugged Sylvester tightly and said in between sobs, “Yes. You light up my life and showed me who I am. You gave me what I have yearned for and I know I love you more than anyone else. I couldn’t deceive Vernetta of who I am but I know I must be truthful to who I love. And that is you! Please don’t leave me again, you had made me suffered enough this past year. Please stay with me and love me just as much as I love you!”
Sylvester’s tears rolled down his cheeks and he declared, “I love you too! I love you too! I was thinking about you every night since the night I left, I dreamt about the times we had together and I would cried myself to bed. I hated myself for giving you up so easily but that’s because I love you so much!”
Both of them hugged and cried in each other arms for a long time, they let out all their emotions and did not want to hold back.
Finally, the violent cries slowed down to sobs and they eventually stopped.
Julian looked at Sylvester and wiped off his tears, kissed on his cheeks and said gently, “Let’s not cry anymore, we should be happy that we are back in each other’s arms after a long ordeal. I promise that I will never make you shed a tear from now on and you will do the same to me too, right?”
Sylvester nodded and Julian continued, “Shall we go back to my apartment? I want to have you all to myself.”
They drove back to the apartment and all clothes were off when they were at the doorsteps. They kissed passionately, touching and feeling every single part of their bodies, they made passionate sex that afternoon. They made LOVE.
THE END
Redemption is written by Covantai, who enjoys writing short stories yet having difficulties finding an avenue to post his entries. For more of Covantai, please visit http://covantai.blogspot.com/
