Chapter Text
Chapter Two
You Came Back
Esti and Hannah were at the living room of their two-bedroom flat just a couple of streets away from the university compound.
Hannah was comfortably sitting on the rug, engrossed with the new coloring book that her mama brought her while Esti emptied a few more boxes that contained books and reading materials that would fit perfectly in the wooden shelves by the window.
As Esti carefully stacked the books on the shelves, she reached for the last reading material inside the box and when she recognized one of her prized possession, she halted her moves.
She took the dated photo book out of the box and leaned on the arm rest on the couch.
She sighed deeply as her hands delicately leafed through the pages.
She’d kept Ronit’s photo book ever since she brought it to London and gave it to Dovid the night she stayed in their home about four years ago.
She’d kept it and held on to it as the only remaining connection of Ronit to her.
She held on to it like an anchor, something that kept her grounded when her entire world shifted overnight.
She held it during the most difficult moments of her divorce.
She held it during the most loneliest of nights.
It was a constant source of strength when her’s was almost tapped out.
It was her compass while trapped in her ocean of confusion, pointing her to her true north - to the place where she can finally be free.
She walked back to the bedroom as she clutched Ronit’s photobook in her hands. This felt too personal to be kept in the living room and the only place this belong was by her bedside table, somewhere near her. Somewhere within reach. Somewhere safe.
“Mama! Mama!” Hannah rushed towards her and tugged on her shirt. She excitedly pointed at something in the living area.
“What is it sweetheart?” she asked tenderly and allowed Hannah to drag her out of the bedroom.
Hannah pointed at her mobile phone that buzzed nonstop on top of the wooden center table.
“Thank you sweetheart!” Esti smiled and tickled her little angel which made Hannah giggle with joy.
Esti quickly picked up the phone and answered the call.
“Hello?”
Bea stood by the window of their living room as she watched absentmindedly the cars as they passed by the house she shared with Allie.
She wore an all-white sleek and chic pantsuit and was waiting for her fiance to come down so they could take the car together to Athena Art Centre and attend the opening night of Ronit’s digital art exhibit.
Bea took out her phone. She was worried about the new professor in her department, Esti.
In a lot of ways, seeing Esti and her daughter, she was reminded of how she struggled with her own divorce and how she raised Debbie all by herself. She felt like Esti needed new people in her life and maybe she and her fiance could help her be comfortable in this new environment.
She dialled Esti’s number. After the second try, Esti finally picked up.
“Hey Esti, this is Bea.”
Allie came down from the bedroom armed with the accessories to complete her chic navy blue tube top jumpsuit ensemble when she wandered to the living room in search for her fiance. She noticed that Bea was just on the phone and caught the tail-end of the conversation where Bea successfully convinced the other person on the line to join them at the opening of the exhibit. After a short while, the professor said her goodbyes and hung up.
“Ohhhhh did you invite a mystery woman tonight? Should I be worried, babe?” Allie joked lightheartedly as she clip the lock on her left earring.
Bea spun around to face her beautiful fiance. She chuckled lightly and shook her head. “Nah. You’re the only one for me. Hi beautiful!” she breathe out. Allie looked utterly divine tonight.
The redhead openly checked out the stunning beauty and walked closer to her. “There’s a new professor in my department. She moved here from London just a few days ago with her four-year old daughter. She doesn’t know anyone in the city and she’s a little bit..”
“Cagey?”Allie guessed as she locked her other earring.
“Private.” Bea corrected gently.
Allie inched a little closer and reached for the collar of Bea’s dress shirt. She slowly traced the sexy clavicle with her index finger which made the redhead blush profusely. “If I recall, there was a time when you were a bit cage.. uhm.. private yourself?”
“Pff.” Bea scoffed a little amused and rolled her eyes as reached for the necklace in Allie’s hand. “Here. Let me.” she rasped out.
Allie giggled and turned around.
Bea quickly place the necklace on Allie’s tempting neck and locked it. She adjusted it slightly and left a lingering kiss on Allie’s neck which immediately sent shiver’s down the blonde’s spine.
Taking it further, Bea snaked her arms around Allie’s waist and pulled her closer to her. She left a trail of soft open mouthed kisses on Allie’s neck as Allie leaned back on Bea’s fierce embrace.
“How much time do we have?” Bea whispered seductively.
“No.. time.. we.. need to go.. babe..” Allie struggled to reply between heavy breaths. The warm tingly sensation was quickly building up. She was hot, bothered and almost on edge.
“Are you sure?” Bea tried again as she nibbled on Allie’s left ear.
Unable to resist Bea’s teasing, Allie blurted out. “Ten minutes!” and quickly dragged her fiance back up to their bedroom.
"Mama, where are we going?" Hannah asked excitedly as Esti struggled to help the little girl with her cute red dress.
"We are going to an art gallery to meet mama's new work friends."
Hannah pouted which made Esti stop. "Why the sad face?"
She knew that Hannah gets shy around new people and this might be the reason for her sudden mood change.
She looked at her little daughter who seemed like she was contemplating so hard on something. Then all of a sudden, the little girl ran towards her dresser are pulled out her favorite blue dress. "This one mama?"
It was a little before seven in the evening when Ronit arrived at the Athena Art Centre.
She wore a stunning sleveless silver dress with a chic red belt that matched her red pumps perfectly. She looked extremely divine which made some guests and gallerist alike make a double take.
She was greeted warmly by the personnel in the gallery and wished her luck on the opening of her event a few minutes from now.
Ronit went straight inside her exhibit space to make the final checks on her works of art that hung marvelously on the panels. She went over each piece again. She carefully and meticulously adjusted the angles of the frame on some and made sure that the labels on the other pieces were readable and clean.
As she made her final sweep, she noticed a little girl wearing a cute blue dress admiring one of her work.
She checked her watch again, exhibit hall five is still cordoned off from the general public for another ten minutes, the little girl must be lost, she thought.
The little girl had long light brown hair. From where she was stood, she could only make out the side profile of her adorable face. She followed the direction in which the young girl was staring at.
The young girl’s attention was caught by Ronit’s favorite piece, the photo mosaic of all her works.
Ronit smiled, utterly moved by her youngest fan. The sight instantly warmed her heart.
Ronit walked slowly towards her, careful not to spook the innocent child.
“You like that one?” Ronit asked softly as she stopped a few feet away.
She adapted the young girl’s pose and studied the photo that caught the interest of the little girl.
This particular piece in the series was personal to her. Every individual image in this photo mosaic archived her journey as a photographer for the last decade and the main motif - the central image that every single photo pieced together was a pair of eyes - a dash of green, some traces of gold and a light hint of brown to recreate a specific pair of hazel eyes. The eyes of her muse.
Hazel, mysterious and simply breath-taking. A pair of eyes of the woman who’s memory consumed her waking thought, consumed her in ways that no one has ever. It was a constant reminder of a love so enduring that in many ways it kept a small part of her trapped yet she was a willing captive to her own desire.
“Uh-huh” the little girl whispered and nodded shyly. She was still glued on the work of art.
Ronit turned her head to the doorway of exhibit hall five half expecting that the little girl’s parents was there but there was no one. Her parent’s must be worried by now.
“Who’s with you?” She asked with genuine concern.
“Mama.” the little girl answered cheerily and smiled at the older woman.
Ronit’s heart stopped for a fraction of a second as she came face to face with an almost identical pair of gentle eyes staring right back at her.
There’s something about the young girl’s eyes that reminded her of… It can’t be.
Her eyes quickly shifted from the little girl’s eyes and then to her art piece and then back at the young girl again.
The resemblance was uncanny.
She felt a lump on her throat which made it difficult to speak. She felt her eyes welling with tears, involuntarily.
And when her heart finally functioned again, it hammered so fast that she had reach for her chest to soothe it a little.
Ronit shook her head to ground herself. “Wh..uhm..” She cleared her throat. “What’s your name little one?” she asked in a shaky breath.
“Hannah.” The girl answered smiling brightly at the unnerved photographer.
“That’s a beautiful name.”
“What’s your name?” Hannah asked curiously and smiled adorably at her.
Ronit crouched down to reach her eye level and smiled warmly at Hannah. “Everyone here calls me Ronnie but my real name is Ronit.”
“Roh-nit.” Hannah enunciated giggling a little.
“That’s right. Very good.” There’s something about this little girl that endeared her to Ronit almost instantly. “Your mama might be getting worried, yes?”
“Uh-huh.” Hannah nodded and reached for Ronit’s hand as if implying that she could take her to her.
The gesture caught Ronit off guard a little. She knew that she’s a stranger to this girl and most kids her age was shy around grown-ups but Hannah was so comfortable in her presence that it felt as if it was her duty to protect this little girl.
She took the Hannah’s hand and held it warmly.
“Okay Hannah, let’s go find her.”