A Graduation Gift

Night spread over the small space like a dark canopy as tears clouded Cassandra's vision and made everything dimmer. Her
tears, flowing like waterfalls, traced wet paths down her cheeks.
Cassandra surrendered to her sorrows as Rufus held her in his arms. She had reached the end of her tether, and it was as if her
past was catching up to her, along with everything she tried so desperately to bury and leave behind. Letting herself be lulled in
his embrace, she closed her eyes and clung to the comfort he was giving her like it was air. She knew that she shouldn't let him
hug her like this - she was a married woman and he was her brother-in-law. However, she just couldn't prevent herself from
reaching out to him as sobs wracked her frame and shivering from the coldness that sprang from her chest.
Rufus felt her shivers and wrapped his arms tighter around her, stroking her hair gently. His chest constricted at the sight of
Cassandra's tear-stained face. Another tremor shook her shoulders. At that moment, if he could take away her pain or somehow
find a way to free her from it and claim it for himself, he would not have hesitated. He remembered her smiles as they drove on
the road here, and wanted so desperately to bring it back, the image of her face almost gleaming against the light of day.
The tremors eased and he felt her shoulders relax as she continued to breathe deeply. "Why are you crying?" he finally asked.
"Aren't you happy that you are back home?"
He looked down and Cassandra raised her head slowly to meet his eyes, not speaking a word. Rufus looked into her eyes, and
he found himself unable to tear his gaze away from the pain in her eyes, as if it was speaking to him. He watched once again as
tears filled her eyes to the brim, flowing down her face in wet trails.
"Silly girl," Rufus sighed and gave her a fond smile.
He did not know why he had done this - taking her in his arms and comforting her as the emotions raging inside her. All he knew
was that even before he could comprehend it, his feet were headed to her, and arms reached out holding her to him. He didn't
understand it himself, but it seemed that when it came to this woman, he dropped all his guards. Slowly and carefully, he raised
his hand and held her face. His touch was careful, as if he was touching delicate glass. Cassandra felt his warm fingers wipe her
tears as his eyes never left hers.
At once, more tears flowed out, as a sudden wave of sorrow washed over her. It was as if that small touch released more of her
sadness. "Rufus..."
She called him, her voice shaking.

She didn't know where to begin and what to tell him. Her head was a whirlwind because her pain had wrung her chest,
squeezing out whatever was left of her.
Rufus didn't say a word and just looked at her, patiently waiting, until she could find the words to start.
He kept wiping her tears away. There was a desire inside calling him to protect her, keep her safe, and hide her away forever
from anything that could have hurt her. It was an alien feeling, one that he had never experienced before, and yet unmistakable,
like a mark brandishing itself in his mind.
The Cassandra he knew was strong and stubborn, but now looking at the woman in his arms, she was so fragile and hurting. He
wanted nothing more at that instant than to be the one to protect her.
Nothing could have prepared him for what happened next. His mind stopped for a moment when he felt her soft and warm lips
on his own. Cassandra was standing on her tiptoes and wrapping her arms around Rufus' neck when she pressed her lips on
his, pulling him closer desperately.
It was as if everything else stopped around them. Everything Rufus knew that moment winded down to Cassandra's lips and the
bitter taste of her tears. It was as if he could hear the world's heartbeat as it pulsed silently around the two of them.
Cassandra kissed Rufus. That was what happened.
In the next second, he put his arms around Cassandra's waist, holding her even closer and tighter. He kissed her and answered
her lips with a fire of his own.
They knew nothing but their lips on each other, arms clinging as though they were both trying to memorize each other through
the kiss. They forgot where they were and what they were here for. They forgot about everything. Everything, except for their
knowledge of each other, faded into the background.
For once, Cassandra let herself go wild. Rufus filled her mind and she drowned herself in his scent, his touch. She felt
intoxicated with the man who was kissing her, his arms giving her warmth she did not know she so desperately craved.
Unexpectedly, a sound of someone's voice came from a distance.
"Sis, are you there? Sis?"
The sudden voice made them stop what they were doing.

Cassandra felt dread when the weight of the events that had just transpired dawned on her. She pulled away from Rufus
immediately, mumbling apologies, "I am sorry... I am really sorry..."
She was about to cry again. Her sister's call pulled her out of what she was feeling.
What the hell had she done just now? What was she thinking? They were still in the house of the her family for God's sake! One
small mistake and they would have been in big trouble. Was she out of her mind?
"Stop apologizing," Rufus cut her sharply.
Hearing her apologies left an unpleasant taste in his mouth even as his lips still tingled from the kiss. Rufus could practically hear
her thinking as she stared fixedly down to avoid his eyes. As always, she was considering everyone else's feelings but her own.
It made his heart ache fore her, despite his irritation. Frustration grew in his chest as he looked at her, knowing that she was
locked in a marriage with someone else. He wanted to snatch her from his brother and keep her forever.
The way she answered his kiss and sank in his arms...The way she made everything seem so simple and familiar...It felt as
though they belonged together.
"Are you in the back yard, sis?" Cloris' voice ripped him away from his thoughts. "Lionel is here. We are all waiting for you."
When she heard no response, Cloris called out again. She was afraid of the dark, so she chose to stand outside the back yard,
waiting for her sister to answer her. Her sister's voice filled the atmosphere with an urgency that mirrored the turmoil of
Cassandra's thoughts. What she did was wrong - kissing Rufus, the man who was not her husband, was terribly wrong. She
raised her head to look at him, her eyes blown wide with confusion. His gaze mirrored her surprise, and none of them spoke, as
if waiting for the other to break the guilty silence.
Neither of them had expected that Lionel would come at this hour. Why did he decide to come here in the last minute?
It was Cassandra who spoke up first. She turned her head away from Rufus, feeling shame at her actions. She was a married
woman, but had acted so wrongly. She quickly wiped the tears that were still on her cheeks, then said in a leveled voice, "I am
going in now."
Rufus was left to stare at her as she quickly walked towards the direction of Cloris' voice. He watched as her figure disappear
into the darkness. Cassandra walked with quick strides and soon, she was inside the house. The corners of Rufus's mouth lifted
into a knowing smirk. She kissed him first. It warmed him, relishing the implications that sat behind her action.
It was obvious that her flustered reaction made him extremely happy.

Meanwhile, Vernon and Edith sat on the sofa in the living room. Across from them, Lionel, who rushed here this late, faced them
with a charmingly apologetic smile on his face.
"I am really sorry to bother you this late. There was so much work to do so I wasn't able to accompany Cassandra. Please
forgive me for my impoliteness,"
he said in a sincere tone. Courtesy was something that came easy to him, having had to deal with all sorts of people. He could
play the part of the loving, devoted husband if he wanted to, and it would fool everyone in the room. If it weren't for his cruel
attitude towards Cassandra before, one could easily mistake this man for a dedicated husband who adored his wife.
Vernon was obviously delighted upon hearing him. "That's all right. We are very happy that you can be here. You must be tired
and hungry rushing here this late. I asked the cook to prepare something for you to eat. Do you have any preferences?"
he asked kindly, a beaming smile on his face.
"I will ask the maid to prepare a room for you. Oh, that's right. How silly of me! You can just sleep in Cassandra's room with her,"
Edith chuckled embarrassedly at her mistake. Still, she felt something was amiss and couldn't help but glance at the direction of
the back yard. Why hadn't Cassandra come in yet? What was she doing in the back yard?
At that moment, Cloris burst into the room with Cassandra following her. "Sis, my brother-in-law really cares about you. He
immediately rushed here as soon as he finished his work. And it's so late! He is really a good husband. You are making me
jealous!" she said, feigning envy, but almost swooning at the sight of Lionel.
She also wanted a husband who cherished her and loved her. In her eyes, Lionel was the perfect husband, going to great
lengths for her sister.
Cassandra didn't reply to her sister's words. In all honesty, she didn't know what to say. Telling her the truth was obviously not an
option, but she didn't want to lie either. It in fact concerned her that Lionel was here, for she had no idea why he came. She kept
silent and just smiled, hoping Cloris would drop this subject.
"By the way, where is Rufus? Have you seen him?
He said he was going to use the bathroom just now, but he still hasn't come back." Cassandra felt as if a bomb had detonated in
her mind at hearing her sister's question. She struggled to keep herself calm and said, "Um. I don't know. I haven't seen him."

The mention of his name brought back the guilt that she felt about what she had done. She didn't dare to make eyecontact with
Cloris, afraid that her eyes would betray her. Her cheeks warmed and she licked her lips, subconsciously. She could almost feel
his lips on hers again. Even as she felt herself wanting to crumble in shame, in one corner of her heart, there was an emotion
that had evaded her for so long: happiness. It was as if the warmth in his arms reached her heart, thawing the cold pain held
captive for so long.
Cloris continued to chatter as they made their way to the three in the living room, but her words couldn't register on her sister's
mind. When Cassandra's eyes met with Lionel's, she caught a very strange sight. He was sitting on the sofa, with a gentle smile
that she had never seen before.
Despite her surprise, her expression did not change. She had already known from Cloris earlier that he would be here, and so
she had been able to brace herself for the encounter. She just hoped that he could play nice and not embarrass her in front of
her family.
She greeted her parents as she always did, as if nothing was unusual. Then she walked towards Lionel and sat down on the
sofa beside him, carefully keeping some distance between them.
Lionel turned to her, his eyes shining. He almost seemed happy to see his wife as he gave her an affectionate smile. Cassandra
felt him move closer and erase the distance between them on the sofa.
"Sorry I'm late, honey,"
he said softly. Saying that she was shocked was an understatement. An unreadable look appeared on Cassandra's face as she
struggled to make sense of what was happening. Did she hear him right? Lionel really called her 'honey'? She wasn't dreaming,
was she? Besides, what was wrong with him? When did he ever use such a gentle tone to talk to her? What was he trying to do?
Questions poured into Cassandra's head, making her turn her head to look at the man who was sitting beside her. She wore a
normal expression but surprise was evident in her eyes. Lionel looked at her with tender eyes, still smiling softly. But as soon as
his gaze moved down to her swollen lips, the smile on his face withered, and his eyes turned into cold steel.