Ramliel by A.M. Griffin
Chapter Nineteen
The video started with Ram’s head hanging low. He didn’t say anything. He just sat there in silence. Mia made her way to the kitchen and to the food processor. There was a dish Ram had mentioned and she wanted to see if it had been programmed in the processor.
Ram’s chest rose and fell sporadically and his shoulders jerked. Mia paused.
Is he crying?
She paused and frowned, giving the video her full attention. Ram raised his head. His eyes were red and swollen and tears fell from them in heavy drops. “Father died.” His voice broke as he spoke. “Now I have no one.”
Mia gasped and staggered to lean against the kitchen counter. She’d already known his father was dead. Why was the news affecting her like this?
Ram. It was because she felt the emotion radiating off him through the video. These past days she’d watched him talk about his father and had forgotten about his death. The pain was real, for both of them.
Mia covered her sob with her hand. Her eyes flooded with tears as she watched him cry. She wanted to reach through the video and hug him. She wanted nothing other than to ease and take away all the hurt he was experiencing. She knew what it felt like to lose a dad, be an orphan and to be alone and she wouldn’t wish that feeling on her worst enemy.
“I can’t stay here anymore,” he continued between sobs. “I just can’t. Maybe Cohn will let me live with him until I’m old enough to live on my own.” He wiped away his tears. “My father wanted me to have many female children with you. He talked about having grandchildren to bounce on his knee. That’s never going to happen now, so what’s the point in mating with you? This was all for him and he won’t be here to experience it.”
The video seemed to go on forever with Ram sitting there and crying and Mia crying with him. Then it clicked off.
Message complete. Do you wish to receive the next?
Yes.
Ram’s image displayed. Not the kid Ram, but the adult Ram. His clothes and hair was disheveled. He looked like he hadn’t slept or ate in days. His eyes were red, whether from lack of sleep or because he’d been crying, she didn’t know. But she cared to know.
He took a deep breath and thrust his claws through his hair. In one hand he clutched a piece of fabric to his chest. He stared away from the camera then back at it again as if meeting her gaze straight on. “I am sorry for everything. I know this apology doesn’t mean anything, but I needed for you to know. Nothing that happened was your fault. You are perfect the way you are. I was the spoiled child who threw a tantrum because I didn’t get my way. I was the stubborn one who thought to have a battle of wills with my father by not continuing to send you the messages. I’m the one who was so broken after my father’s death that I couldn’t conceive of living out his dream of having a family of my own because of my own grief. And. I. Am. Sorry.”
He wiped his nose and Mia’s eyes spilled with even more tears.
He took a deep breath and let his head fall back, exposing his throat. There was an audible gulp and sniffle. He brought the fabric up to his nose and inhaled deep. “Mia. Mia. Mia,” he said to the ceiling. “You’re all I think about and your shirt is the only thing that I have to remember your beautiful scent by. You’re the only person that I want. I’ve known you my entire life and I feel like I need to learn so much more about you. I crave for your touch even though I’ve only felt it a few times. Your voice is in my head. Your laughter still rings in my ears. My heart calls out for you.”
He closed his eyes and rocked his head slowly from side-to-side as he held the fabric to his face.
That’s my shirt. He has my shirt.
Mia lifted her hand to the holovid. She longed to stroke his skin and kiss him. She closed her fist on air as a sob racked through her.
“I will never give up hope that one day you will forgive me and welcome me back into your arms. I’ll give you your space and won’t contact you again but know this.” He straightened and stared into the screen. “You are mine and I will never give you up. I will not sign the papers dissolving our contract. I love you Mia. Now and forever.”
The video clicked off.
Message complete.
Mia wiped the tears that obstructed her vision. No, “Do you wish to receive the next?”. This was the end? She wouldn’t hear from Ram again?
No. This couldn’t be it. Ram had messed up. Royally. But she wanted him with all her heart and soul.
She ran back to the door and slipped on her boots and without buttoning up her coat all the way, she ran outside to her hovercar. Ram was sitting on the hood of her vehicle without a coat.
Mia skidded to a halt. “What are you doing here?”
He slid off and turned to walk away without an explanation.
“Ram!” she yelled. “I asked what are you doing here?”
He stopped but didn’t turn around. Even though he was so tall and big he looked deflated, standing in all that snow as it continued to fall around him. “I come here every day.”
He did? She hadn’t noticed him. She took a step toward him. “Why?”
“Because I need to be by you and this is the closest I can get without encroaching on your space.”
It began to snow harder. A gust of wind whipped by her, almost knocking her down and she didn’t care. “I just finished the last video.”
He hung his head and shook it. “I meant what I said, Mia. I will not sign the paperwork.”
“And I don’t want you to.”
He turned around slowly to face her. His eyes burned into her like fire. Confusion was on his face.
“I want to be with you, Ram. Only you.”
His chest heaved as he released a big breath and he stumbled back like he’d been pushed. “Are you sure? I’ve messed up things so badly.”
She let out a chuckle. “And every time I get angry with you I’ll be sure to bring it up.”
A burst of air broke from his lips. Ram crossed the distance between them in quick, long strides. He reached for her hips and lifted her to him. Mia wrapped her legs around his waist and held on with everything she had. “You’re mine, Ram Takeria. No one else’s.”
“And you’re mine, Mia Takeria. Now and forever.