A Graduation Gift

Moisture was gathering in her eyes, blurring out the image of Rufus's face.

Rufus let go of a breath he did not know he was holding, got down from her. Then, he gathered her into his arms.

"Cassandra, I love you. You will never know how much I love you," he whispered into her ears.

He had no logical way of explaining it, but it turned out that she had been connected with him all this time, as if this woman was always meant to be his.

She had held him in her heart for a long time. Chance could be both a terrible and wonderful thing, and at this moment, Rufus thought there was nothing greater that could happen to him.

"I love you too, Rufus. I've loved you for a long, long time, and no matter what happens, you will always be the most beautiful thing that happened to me,"

Cassandra told him, holding his gaze with her steady eyes. Tears were falling from the corners of her eyelids and Rufus felt the warm moisture seep into the fabric of his shirt.

It had been a long and tough road to be where she was, in the arms of the man she loved.

Cassandra had always felt that she was the luckiest woman in the world because life had brought Rufus to her again. And her joy only doubled when they decided to spend their lives with each other.

They held each other, content with the warmth of silence. It was almost as if their feelings were reaching across their chest, intertwining, like vines forming infinite loops around a tree trunk.

"I want to pay a visit to your family, Cassandra," Rufus said suddenly.

He felt her stiffen in his arms at his words.

"What made you want to visit them suddenly?" Cassandra asked. She was confused.

This was the first time Rufus offered to see her family. It could only mean one thing. Could it really be what she was thinking?

she waited with bated breath for his next

met my family. It's only fair that

his head to kiss her forehead. He felt the quick pace of her heart and the way she took

"Your family?"

understand him at first. She

"My aunt, Michelle,"

her confusion. He himself had never regarded

asked her to leave Rufus before and had an accident because of her. She imagined she

Michelle would take it," she said, suddenly feeling worried at the thought of having

for a long time. Cassandra

aunt will never separate

It was his decision to marry

the best impression of me, you know," Cassandra

out. What if she was still against it?

face between his hands. His eyes looked into her with tenderness and

worry. I'll talk to her later.

the accident from before. He was still unable to figure out what

give us her blessings when she sees how happy we are

Cassandra relaxing

be accepted by your family, Rufus," she

Michelle, but she was willing to do everything she could

herself about the whole situation even if she was not saying a word. "You're the one I'm going to marry. If there are people having a problem with it, that's their problem. We can't make everyone

Rufus said