Jennifer explained, "I have a wisdom tooth recently, so my cheek is swollen. It'll recover in a few days. Don't hold my cheeks. It'll hurt."
Ivan stared at her tenderly and poked her nose tip. "A wisdom tooth? That's rare for a grownup." Then he rubbed her hair. "All right. I won't hold your cheeks. Shall I send you to the hospital? Do you have any way to release the pain?"
"No big deal." Jennifer looked into his eyes, shaking her head. "It's normal. I'll be fine in a few days. Don't worry."
"All right." Ivan pulled out a key chain from his pocket, on which there was a small girl doll. "Doesn't she look like you?"
Jennifer looked closer and denied purposely, "Not at all. She's ugly." However, she grabbed the key chain from his hand. "Is it for me? Thanks."
"Look at this one. Is this guy handsome?" Ivan showed her the other one. "This is me. I hand-made them myself."
Jennifer checked it on carefully, took the boy keychain away, and returned the girl to him. "I want the boy. Whenever I miss you in the future, I'll look at him."
"Silly girl. If you miss me, you should call me. Then I'll appear in front of you right away," Ivan teased.
Bright smiles blossomed across their faces.
"You've accepted my gift. Can you answer my question now?" Ivan put away the key chain and grabbed her shoulders gently, staring at her in affection. "Have you got the answer, Mrs. Marsh?"
"I love you," Jennifer answered without hesitation, looking into his eyes sincerely. "I don't know when it started. Probably from the moment that I wished you could be happy, that I could cure the wounds on your back as well as your stomach problem, that I could cure your mother, and I also hope..."
Ivan couldn't restrain his desire anymore. Pressing the back of her head, he captured her soft lips and sealed all her unfinished words.
Jennifer's chest heaved up and down fiercely, her hands clutching his shirt tightly.
A warm stream traveled through Ivan's veins. He felt something that he had never felt in the past 38 years.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Mrs. Marsh's Revealed Identities novel (Jennifer and Ivan)