34
1703 Words
After they finished eating and Lukas paid for their meal, he introduced her to the man who owned the diner. Mr. Cain took one look at her and paled, his breath catching in his throat as he noticed the color of her eyes. The light refracted off them, highlighting the blue and green flakes hidden deep within the iris's teal shade. "Good God."
"What?" Lukas asked, surprised by the man's reaction.
"Nothing the matter, Lukas," Mr. Cain answered. "It's just that… her eyes…"
His surprise turning to confusion, Lukas frowned at the old man. "Still not getting it."
"In Wales, there is a wide diversity of colors, but I've never seen such a perfect shade of teal before. The symbolism is deep, carried by the traits of both blue and green. Blue for the water – a force that can either help or hinder. Green for the earth—for grounding and growth. Both together? Your young woman holds the power to bring truth and justice to light, a real harbinger of the ebb and flow of life itself," Cain told them, his voice laced with reverence.
Johanna's breath caught in her throat, and she felt a tightness in her chest. Her eyes, which had been one of the many sources of pain, were now being spoken of with awe and respect. The memories of being called a demon, of the harsh words and cruel laughter from her family, flooded back. She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she tried to steady her breathing. This man was the second one who claimed her eyes were her most unique and powerful feature, but he didn’t know her from a hole in the ground as far as she was concerned.
Lukas noticed the change in her demeanor and gently took her hand, his touch grounding her. "Johanna, are you okay?"
She nodded slowly, tears welling up in her eyes. "It's just… my whole life, I've been ridiculed for my eyes. They called me a demon, said I was cursed. I never thought… I never thought they could be seen as something good. Well, not until Lukas told me he loved them."
Mr. Cain’s expression softened, and he stepped closer, his voice gentle and carrying the weight of years gone by before he moved from Wales to start a new life in Canada. "People fear what they don't understand, my dear. But know this – your eyes are a symbol of something much greater. They carry the power of truth and justice, a reminder of the balance between water and earth. Take pride in your uniqueness, dear child. It’s what makes you, you after all.”
Johanna swallowed hard, the tears spilling over as she looked up at Lukas. He smiled reassuringly, wiping away a tear with his thumb. "Didn’t I tell you, Johanna? You're not a demon. You're extraordinary."
Not for the first time since meeting Lukas, Johanna felt a sense of acceptance and pride from a complete stranger. She let out a shaky breath, her heart swelling with a mix of hope, renewed vigor, and gratitude. "Thank you for your kind words, Mr. Cain."
Leaving the café diner, Lukas laughed as Johanna snuggled deeper into his side. The sunlit spring day in Ontario bathed them in warm light, the gentle breeze carrying the scent of blooming flowers – a stark contrast to the storm that hit the night before. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’re trying to climb into my skin.”
“I’m not,” Johanna breathed. “I just… I’m finally starting to enjoy life. I’m finally seeing myself as human instead of Emilia’s shadow. This feeling of safety… does it ever overthrow the survival mentality?”
He smiled, holding her hand as he kissed her knuckles. Their eyes met, and he sighed—the sound dreamy, like a man caught under a spell. “Not always, but hold onto your survival instincts, okay? Being in the mob means watching your back as well as the team's, so you need to hold tight to survival mode should you ever need to use it in our world. Feeling safe is new for you. How does it resonate with you?”
“Why did you do that? Why did you change how you spoke to me?” she asked.
He frowned slightly, gently tightening his grasp on her hand. “Don’t think it’s anything to do with you; it’s not. I had to adapt how I spoke to you based on your level of communicative intelligence.”
“Oh,” she murmured. “Well, that makes sense.”
Walking to the nearby park hand-in-hand, Lukas led Johanna through a maze of trails. The park was alive with the sounds of chirping birds and rustling leaves, creating a tranquil atmosphere. Sunlight filtered through the canopy of evergreen trees towering above them, casting dappled patches of light on the path ahead. When a skunk suddenly darted across the trail into the woods, Johanna quickly ducked behind Lukas.
Lukas's laughter echoed warmly through the park, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "You know the skunk was probably more afraid of you, right?"
"I can't believe I hid behind you like that," Johanna admitted, shaking her head as she peeking out from behind him, her cheeks still flushed with embarrassment.
Giving her hand a reassuring squeeze, Lukas said, "To be honest, it was kind of cute that you used me as a shield, Anna. I’m usually the one being protected, so this is a nice change of pace.”
Spotting a vendor selling ice cream, Lukas offered to get her something. When Johanna eagerly mentioned that her favorite was chocolate, he smiled, appreciating their shared love for the sweet treat. Upon his return, he found her staring at her phone in confusion. "What's the matter?" he asked.
"Um, how do I send a message like this one?" she showed him the device, and he laughed at the message Kennedy had sent her. “And what does that little picture stand for?”
“Wow, Ken. Just wow. Um, that message is personal, so do you mind if I read it?” He asked.
She nodded, “Well, I’d rather you than a stranger help me understand your friends’ mannerisms.”
“Well said,” he commented, sitting down to patiently guide her through the process or replying. “With Kennedy, it’s best to keep it blunt and to-the-point, otherwise, I have to deal with the Cherry Bomb of the crew. For the record, I’d lose. Horribly.”
She giggled, handing him her phone as they worked through her confusion. For the next half-hour, their laughter and amusement filled the air as he taught her how to send texts and use emojis.
Looking up, Lukas winced as he spotted April coming toward them. He finished his cone, a sour look on his face as he muttered, “Damn. Not now, and not her.”
Johanna gave him a puzzled glance, watching as the woman drew closer. "Who is she?"
He smirked, seeing an opportunity. "She's just a girl I asked out once before we met. She decided to listen to the one ex-girlfriend I had, so we never even dated."
April stopped beside the bench, her face red and gasping for breath as she tried to get his attention. "Please, give me another chance?"
"I have nothing more to say to you, April," Lukas replied firmly. He stood up to throw their garbage into the provided covered bins that dotted the park. Sitting back down, he pulled Johanna close and kissed her on the side of her head. “So, any place you’d like to visit next? Maybe the museum? Or the movie theatre? Or the CN Tower? This day is ours to get to know each other better.”
The atmosphere grew tense, charged with the weight of unresolved emotions. April, seeing that Lukas wasn't going to relent, turned her gaze to Johanna. "He's mafia, you know."
"I'm aware. I also know you almost dated my husband, but that was in the past. We’re married, so you must be a mature woman and let go of any previous connections." Johanna’s dismissive tone was clear and free of any attitude or condescension, reflecting her self-assuredness and composure.
“Listen, you! Go back to whatever country you crawled out of, and butt out!” April shrieked, drawing the attention of a few other park-goers.
"Years of dealing with an abusive sister have taught me that women like you are nothing but spoiled, gold-digging brats who don't know what it is to be honest or faithful," Johanna said without missing a beat.
Watching in amusement as April ran away in tears. Lukas said, "You handled that confrontation beautifully, sweet girl. I’m proud of you.”
Shaking her head, she placed her hands on both sides of his face. He gasped at the contact, his aversion to PDA kicking in before he relaxed, sinking his hand into her hair as he pulled her closer. Breaking away, he pressed his head to hers. Their eyes met, and he saw the flicker of admiration in the teal depths. The words to describe the emotion rushing through him were on the tip of his tongue, and it frustrated him that he felt he couldn't tell her.
His thoughts had been on her every second of the day before. It was why Francis got into the fridge and spilled the juice. Every call had eased his mind, stopping him from spying on her day of fun and freedom. His heart ached every minute they were apart, but he would never tell her that. It was far too soon to expose her to such a raw emotion just yet.
She might have been nervous about it, but he'd been worried sick. If she'd gotten hurt, and he wasn't there to protect her, he’d never forgive himself for it. Thankfully, spending time with the girls helped her open up a little more.
I have to tell her I already love her eventually, he thought as he watched her toss the duck feed into the water. I just don’t know how.
- Writer
