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?

to rein in her heartbeat as she waited with

met my family. It's only fair

tilted his head to kiss her forehead. He felt the quick pace of her heart and the way she took breaths in an effort to even it

"Your family?"

him at first. She thought he was talking

"My aunt, Michelle,"

regarded Horace, or anyone of the Tangs as

They did not have the most wonderful history. Michelle had asked her to leave Rufus

would take it," she said, suddenly feeling worried at the thought of having to encounter her again.

been bothering her for a long time. Cassandra hoped that they could be blessed by both

me. My aunt will never separate us," Rufus

that his aunt would agree. It was his decision to marry Cassandra,

best impression of me, you know," Cassandra chuckled nervously, looking

react when she found out. What if she was still against it? She was Rufus's only family now.

noise of her thoughts stopped when Rufus clasped her face between his hands. His eyes looked into her with tenderness

to her later. I'm sure I

eyes thinking about the accident from before. He was still unable to figure

we are

feel Cassandra relaxing once

want to be accepted by

out with her and Michelle, but she was willing to do everything she could if it meant she would give them

saying a word. "You're the one I'm going to

sure of what I want. I see it very clearly," Rufus said meaningfully, still holding her face in his hands and looking straight into her