Gypsy Lover

Harman, in turn, gently caressed her back. "All is forgiven now," he said quietly in her ear. "And just for the record, I never had a grudge on you for leaving me that day. But I just thought I'd died. My life was so meaningless without you, Alodia. I was working so hard just to find you. I just loved you everyday more and more, iubirea mea. Just that you were not there by my side. That was what hurt me so much! And that I couldn't hug you, kiss you and make love to you..." He kissed her neck then; his lips felt the fast-beating pulse there.

"B-but... if I confess something to you... would you forgive me?" She wriggled free from his embrace and looked him in the eye. Her eyes were filled with tears.

"Alodia, I love you so much! I don't even know why I love you so much. Why won't I forgive you? And I've even already accepted that my family won't ever forgive me again, except for Aunt Fairuza and Mala. Mala by the way left home to come to me in Bucharest last week because she didn't want to marry the kid she is engaged with. It's only Aunt Fairuza who's supporting her until now. But of course, I'm helping Mala to get on her feet by hiring her in my company and she's happy where she is now. And... she was sad to see me sad because you were not with me."

"But I left you so that you needn't have to pay back to your Gypsy king..." she reasoned, tears still running down her face.

"He didn't ask anything. And because he's the Gypsy king, he has to take care of the Gypsy community. So, he had to let go of his only daughter Laili. But they meet secretly now and then." He smiled at her and went serious again. "Can we get inside your friend's house? It's so damn cold out here! I don't want you to freeze!"

She chuckled and wiped away her tears that chilled her face even more. They went into the house and right through the kitchen. Yes, she needed a distraction before she'd tell him everything. She made him tea while she gathered her thoughts and emotions.

"Harman... I-I don't know how to say this to you..." She took the chair across from his and then closed her eyes tightly while he waited and listened to her patiently. "I... I didn't know I was pregnant when I left you..." "What?"

"I was so depressed for leaving you... I cried almost day and night... One day, I just passed out because of some unbearable pain... and when I woke up, I was already in a hospital and... and got the news that I lost the baby... I lost our baby... Harman!" And her tears came running down her face once again.

She observed that he could not move or say anything in the beginning. "Alodia..." he whispered and got on his feet to embrace her, trying to console her.

"I'm so sorry, Harman... I-I didn't know... I didn't mean to... If I did... I should've taken care of the baby!" And she just kept on crying hard as he embraced her, trying to comfort her. She felt his kiss on the top of her crown. He let her stand up and embraced her and kissed her again on the forehead and her teary eyes.

"I'm sorry, Alodia. I was not there to know how you suffered... and to give you comfort. I'm so sorry, iubirea mea,” he whispered and kissed the tip of her nose.

"I love you so badly I couldn't be the reason to make your life hard than it already was. I had to leave, Harman. I just kept on telling myself that I was just playing a game with you like I played with other men to get back at your kind for being the reason why my sister killed herself and her baby..." she explained to him.

"Shh... that's enough, Alodia. I understand now. Just don't be hard on yourself. Let's just start anew. Can we do that? All I want is a second chance for both of us." He looked at her in the eyes, cupping her face gently.

"Do you really forgive me, Harman?" She wanted to make sure of it and that she was not just dreaming all of this. It would be hard for her if she woke up and found it was not real. She might go crazy for real.

"Of course I do! I love you, Alodia. How can I not forgive my one and only love? Besides, it wasn't your fault it happened," he said with a smile to assure her that everything between them was well. The love was even reflected in his sexy eyes. She forced herself to smile at him and returned his kiss. "I do love you too, Harman. Since the day I met you at the airport when you were holding and reading my passport... I must admit that now. It was love at first time, as cringy it may be." She smiled at him.

"But I loved you even before that." He grinned at her and gently wiped away her tears with his thumbs.

"Oh, alright. I'll remember that always. You said you saw me first in Turkey." And she kissed him back when his lips were pressed against hers lovingly.

"If I ask you to marry me, would you marry me?" he asked in a husky tone.

"What? Is this some kind of a punishment that I'm getting? You just proposed to me like this?" she complained laughingly.

"Hmm... I do have a punishment for you in mind. But, yes. I'm going to formally propose to you later so that you would have no time to back out ever." He was still grinning at her.

She laughed while she was still in his embrace. "Fine then. I promise that I won't ever leave you again, Harman."

"Excellent! And, one more thing. I want to make love with you all night tonight! I want to fill in those nights when you weren't with me. And you can just imagine that it's been more than three years!"

Her eyebrows rose in disbelief. "What?" She even looked scandalized.

"Don't worry. I'll ask for Nicoleta's permission. And I'll just tell her that I'm going to try to get back that baby we lost." Then he winked at her.

She laughed heartily. All of a sudden, her sorrows were gone all of a sudden and here she was, back in her lover's haven, in his amorous arms and by his side. She could have that happy ending after all, which Alyanna could not have... and it was because of Harman. It was because he was Harman. And this time, she'd never have that game come between her and him. She would make sure of it. She would just love him wholly, without pretense.