Chapter 19: I Remember Cheyenne’s Breath and Footsteps
Cheyenne slipped off her high heels at the doorway before tiptoeing into her apartment holding Rejuvenated Herb. The wooden floors felt chilly beneath her feet as soon as she stepped inside; just then, the piano music abruptly stopped playing.
A warm voice like spring water sounded beside Cheyenne’s ear. “I knew it was you who came over here! Be good now, put your shoes back on since it’s cold on this floor.”
Upon hearing this, the woman paused in her footsteps, pouted her lips and spoke softly, “Can’t you just let me give you a surprise once?”
Feeling around the piano, he stood up and reached for his ebony cane with a carved flower design that was placed nearby. He slowly made his way over in a pair of grey slippers.
“It’s because you always want to tease me, but I’ve memorized your footsteps and breathing patterns,” he explained.
Cheyenne looked at him in surprise as she helped him sit down on the couch in the living room. Curiously, she asked, “What do my footsteps sound like?”
“You’re always rushing around but your steps are light by the time you reach the door. And your breathing is about one second slower than others,” he replied.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.
“Benson is so clever! You can even identify people this way,” Cheyenne praised him.
But not everyone was worth remembering for Benson; only Cheyenne had that privilege.
“Benson, your eyes will be healed soon because I found Rejuvenated Herb!” She exclaimed excitedly to him.
His eyes…
Cheyenne’s gaze became teary as she thought, ‘Benson wouldn’t have lost his sight if it weren’t for saving my life. Benson would have been a world-renowned musician by now instead of being confined indoors these past three years while missing out on many opportunities and honors that should have belonged to him.
“Cheyenne, I don’t hold any hope anymore for my eyesight but seeing how much you work hard every day just to take care of me breaks my heart.”
Benson Gibbs smiled faintly, his hand covering Cheyenne’s and noticing how cold her palm was. He couldn’t help but tighten his grip.
“Treating your eyes is what I should do. I hope that one day you can see me with your own eyes. So I haven’t given up, and neither can you.” Her voice was unusually firm, and Benson could even imagine her acting cute in his mind.
His Adam’s apple rolled as he softly spoke a word, “Okay.”
After a moment of silence, Benson suddenly touched her soft hair and asked gently, “By the way, Cheyenne, are you free the day after tomorrow?”
The day after tomorrow?
She thought carefully before shaking her head. “I’m free. Is there anything you need my help with?”
Benson nodded and got up to search for something on the bookshelf in the living room. His long fingers slid over the second row before taking out an old book with a worn cover.
He took out two tickets from inside and returned to face Cheyenne.
In a gentle voice, he said, “It’s my birthday in two days’ time and I’d like to invite you to go see an opera with me if possible.”
It was Benson’s birthday in two days’ time!!!
Cheyenne widened her lips in surprise; she had been so busy fighting Kelvin these past few days that she had forgotten all about Benson’s birthday!
What kind of gift should she prepare within three days?
“Okay,” she agreed without hesitation.
Looking at the tickets handed over to her by him revealed that it was actually one of the world’s top opera tours – these two were even best seat tickets!
‘It’s hard to buy them even if someone has enough money. How did he get them?’
“I’m really looking forward to celebrating my birthday together with you.” He smiled, revealing two small dimples beside the corners of his lips.
“I will definitely go.”
…
Three days later, Red Moon Concert Hall in Akloit.
This concert was the last stop on this year’s global tour and also the finale. The team originally wanted to choose Briyra for their final performance but for some reason they changed their minds and chose here instead.
The performer was Mr. James, an expert in opera who had received countless praises from fashionistas for his combination of opera stagecraft, lighting and costumes. Watching him perform an opera is undoubtedly a visual feast.
Tonight’s attendees were all dressed elegantly with exquisite hairstyles and clothing choices that exuded a hint of artistic elegance with every move they make.
To everyone’s surprise, a pink Lamborghini drove over from across the street – its romantic color full of youthful energy – followed by even more astonishment when people saw how expensive it was!
After opening the car door, a stunning woman with an hourglass figure wearing a white cocktail dress stepped out. With her oval face featuring high cheekbones, almond-shaped eyes above her nose bridge and luscious lips painted in maple red lipstick that looked both passionate yet bold…
Her face was lightly made up, accentuating her beautiful eyes and eyebrows. She looked young and full of vitality, probably in her early twenties, but already driving a luxury car worth millions of dollars. It was truly enviable.
The woman extended a delicate hand towards the car, then another hand grasped her wrist. But this hand belonged to a handsome young man whose appearance immediately caught the attention of most women present.
He wore a white three-piece suit with double-breasted buttons that complemented his short sandy hair and charmingly refined facial features. His lips were neither too thin nor too thick, always curved into an alluring smile.
He seemed like a prince from a fairy tale – elegant and noble – until people noticed that his pitch-black pupils had no focus. He was blind!
Despite being such an attractive blind man with gentle manners, spending the rest of one’s life with him would undoubtedly be challenging for any woman.
Feeling the unfriendly stares from those around them, Benson nervously tightened his grip on Cheyenne’s hand. The latter sensed his sweaty palm and knew why he felt nervous.
“Benson, don’t be nervous,” Cheyenne said as she leaned closer to him on tiptoe. “You’re the most handsome man here.”
Reaching out with her small, delicate hand, Cheyenne clumsily and slowly helped him fix his crooked tie. The distance between them was less than twenty centimeters, and Cheyenne’s cool fingertips occasionally brushed against his skin through his white shirt.
She also smelled of a faint fruity sweetness that made people feel refreshed and happy.
Cheyenne wasn’t good at tying ties. Even after being married to Kelvin for three years, she had never helped him once. In fact, she had secretly practiced countless times before but he just never gave her the opportunity to put it into practice.