Half an hour later, they sat down on the rim of the fountain’s basin, and Tia glanced at Tae. “Are you warm enough?”
“Now I am,” he whispered.
Even his coat had gotten wet. He’d been shivering by the time he’d gotten into some dry clothes. Unfortunately, a certain unmentionable was still a tad wet. But the jeans and sweatshirt he was wearing were warm and dry.
“Tae, can I buy you a new coat?” she asked now.
He looked down at her out of smiling eyes. He just adored this girl. “You most certainly may not. I’m just fine. But I am hungry. Really hungry now.”
She reached into the bag and found the half-eaten croissant that had started all the trouble. Ruefully, she pulled it out. “Here, Tae, you eat it.”
“No, no. No way. I’ve already eaten more than my share. And gotten what I deserved for teasing you.” He picked up the croissant and held it up to her mouth again. “Take a bite.”
“I don’t think I want it anymore.”
“Liar,” Tae countered.
Suddenly, a flash of irritation slid over her face. “Oh, all right!” she gasped, grabbing the croissant out of his grasp. “You found me out!” Then she took a big bite. And closed her eyes. The pain au chocolat was safely held within her hand. Tae wasn’t going to steal it. As she enjoyed its sweet, buttery combination, she opened her eyes and asked him a question. “Have I ever told you how much I love chocolate croissants?”
He shook his head.
“I remember my father taking me to get some from time to time when I was a child. Hmm,” a tiny breath of air escaped her nose as a puff of sorrow-filled laughter. “It’s one of my fondest – and clearest – memories of him. I don’t know why.”
“I do. It’s because you loved him so much. And that moment was a perfect one. Your tastebuds helped to sync it with your brain. When you taste a chocolate croissant, you can’t help but remember. I bet you remember what the sky looked like that day too. And your Papa’s smile.”
A tear invaded her eye. She sniffed. “I do. He had the brightest smile. It lit up my whole world when I was little. He would grin at me and scoop me up to sail through the air before setting me on his shoulders. Then he would carry me around and tell everyone I was taller than him. He always said it with such pride. And joy. He delighted in me.” She set her hand down in her lap, the croissant temporarily forgotten.
“You know he would be so proud of the woman you’ve become, right?” Tae smiled sympathetically down at her. “You know that, right?” he echoed when she didn’t say anything.
Where was she? She was staring off into space. Suddenly, her eyes shifted to meet his own again, and he saw a flood of tears filling them. Then she blinked, and several tears all descended at once to water her cheeks.
“Do you really think so, Tae?”
“I know so,” he nodded. “The wall in his office would be covered with all the beautiful pictures you’ve taken.” He reached up and cupped her cheek. Then his thumb tenderly wiped away half those tears.
The image he had conjured unleashed a whole new flood of tears. “I miss him so much, Tae! I think Julieta was very close to our mama. But my papa was my whole world. And he’s been gone for so long now!” She began to sob. “I can’t even hear his voice anymore or see his face clearly now.”
Tae glanced around. No one was paying them any heed. He pulled his hood further down over his face. Then he reached over and slipped his arm around her shoulders and drew her close to his side. “I’m so sorry, my precious girl. I’m so sorry you lost him. And at such a tender age. It must hurt so badly still.”
She nodded. Then she glanced up at him. “But you make it better, Tae.”
Surprised, his eyes met her own. “I do?”
“Yes,” she breathed.
This moment was perfect too. But for one thing. If she were leaning against the other side of his body, she would have been able to hear his heart beating. She sighed. She missed that. Tae’s reassuring heartbeat. Reminding her that he hadn’t left her. He was still here. Holding onto her.
