THE WARM rays of the sun beamed down on Tami's face as she sat on the cool balcony attached to her room. She watched the waters beneath her roll in with all its crystal-like beauty as it crashed against the coastal rocks.
It seemed like a perfect day to have breakfast on the balcony. She had realized how much she loved being on the balconies, whether it was hers of Raphael’s. So, when the sea's winds knocked against her windows and woke her up this morning, she knew she simply had to eat there.
Mrs. Garcia had prepared her favorite meal, since Raphael wasn’t home and she was feeling sad. Mrs. Garcia is such a sweet woman, and despite the questions about Tami, she always treated her like a daughter. They appreciated each other in an odd way. Even though they don't talk much, their relationship was never strained for the sake of Raphael.
With a final sip of her coffee, Tami checked the time for the umpteenth time since she woke up.
Before Raphael left last night, he informed her that he'll be back by ten the next morning.
9:39 a.m.
Only twenty more minutes, and then she'll be in Raphael’s arms again.
To pass the time, Tami decided to watch an episode of her favorite TV show. Sitting on her still unmade bed, she switched on the huge TV that sat on her wall where she realized that the show had already been rolling.
It kept her occupied for at least an hour before she realized that a third episode was about to start, and still there was no sign of Raphael. With a frown, she decided that she'd use the house phone to call him. Maybe she was being a bit too much, but he was her only company here. Mrs. Garcia was excellent company, but she barely spoke English. The two could only exchange so many words until the language block took effect.
As Tami shuffled from bed, she heard the skidding sound of wheels on the dirt road below, and she dashed towards her window like an eager child awaiting her parents to come home from work.
Just as she expected, a familiar Lamborghini was pulling up to the house and Tami could feel her stomach erupting in joy. She was well aware that she was still in pajamas, but she wasted no time in racing down the stairs, almost falling over as she met him at the door.
Raphael barely saw her coming as she launched herself at him which made him stumble a bit as he caught her in his arms. However, he quickly recovered and wrapped his arms tightly around her as her feet snaked around his waist.
She buried her nose in the crook of his neck as he hugged her back tightly. Mrs. Garcia watched in delight from the corner of the foyer that led to the living room. She had known Raphael all his life, and she had never seen someone who made him this happy.
Raphael's face held a huge grin as he hugged the woman he loved. This was all she wanted for him. Even after so many years, Mrs. Garcia could relish in the joy that he’d finally found his peace. Leaving the two love birds to it, she ventured back to the kitchen to prepare lunch.
"I missed you," Tami mumbled, still not taking her head from his neck as she hugged him impossibly tighter.
"I missed you more, Tami. I couldn’t sleep knowing I was so far away from you."
Tami giggled before pulling her head from his neck with a playful glint in her eyes. "So what will we do when I'm away at medical school?"
Raphael groaned as if he didn’t want to think about it. "I'll just go sleepless every night," he joked as she hopped from his waist.
Their laughter died down as she walked with him up the stairs and to his room. He eyed her PJ's in amusement before meeting her gaze again.
"Just got out of bed?"
"Sort of." She giggled. "I'll go get changed," she said and he nodded.
Raphael placed a kiss on her temple before watching her little frame go. He missed her so much even though he was gone for less than 24 hours. He needed her close. He craved her proximity, and it warmed his heart to know that she did too.
The meeting with the board of directors had been tiring, but the last thing he wanted to do was sleep. He tried to catch a nap on the plane, simply because he wanted to make up for wasted hours with Tami. And that's exactly what he was going to do.
He started to undo his buttons to change into something more comfortable as his stomach complained about its hunger. It wasn’t anywhere near lunchtime as yet, but he was sure that Mrs. Garcia had something he could eat before lunch.
He pulled his drawer open to grab a white t-shirt, when something caught his attention. A pink ribbon sat neatly in the corner of his drawer, filling his thoughts with memories of Tami and how they met. This was the very ribbon that she pulled from her hair and wrapped around his bruised knee when they were at camp all those years ago.
A smile crept on his face as he ran his finger over it. Who would've thought that sixteen years later, they'd find each other in the most beautiful way ever? Raphael tucked the ribbon back in its place before pulling the shirt over his head.
He was about to leave to go to Tami's room, but he noticed something unusual. Something very unusual.
In the distance, he could see three vehicles driving in the direction of his house through his window. But as they got closer, he noticed that they weren't just any vehicles. They were police cars.
Police?
Who called the police?
Could it be...No. He quickly shook his head, dismissing the thought before it had time to manifest. All that they had shared since she accepted him couldn’t have been an act. Yet, he couldn’t fight the fear and doubt that rose in him still.
That very doubt that ate away at him every night when she wasn’t sleeping in his arms. His doctors had told him that his condition would have him fearing rejection and abandonment more than the average person, and he never saw it happening until Tami came into his life.
Even though she showed him daily how much she really cared for him, he couldn’t help it.
However, he decided to think positively as he made his way downstairs. The doorbell sang loudly through the room as he reached the door, and he wasted no time in pulling it open. He needed to know why they were there.
In front of him stood a stern looking man with five of his buddies behind him. They all stared at him with an expressionless face, so Raphael reciprocated the emotion.
"May I help you?" he asked as leaned against the door frame.
The officer cleared his throat before beginning. "Good morning, Sir. We have reasons to believe that a missing woman is in this house and-"
"What makes you believe that?" Raphael cut him off, surprisingly keeping his voice and face steady so as to not give himself away. The officer didn’t look impressed by the interruption, but replied anyway.
"We received a report of the woman being spotted close by here. We would have to perform a thorough search of the property. The witness was very specific and sure."
Raphael raised a perfectly arched eyebrow at him. "You can't do that. This is private property."
"We have a warrant. This is an ongoing investigation. The young woman's mother was very sure that he daughter had been-"
"Kidnapped. I've heard," Raphael mumbled as he finished his statement, clenching his jaw as the officer held up the piece of paper that could ruin his life this very minute. The last thing he wanted to do was let them in, but he didn’t have a choice. Besides, if he refused, they’d be onto him even more.
"By all means, go ahead," Raphael offered, even though it was the last thing he wanted to say.
'It had to be that man from the beach', he thought. It had to be him.
He was the only one who saw Tami, and it's so odd that only four days later, the cops are at his house. It can't be a coincidence. His house was the only one here for miles, so the eye witness must've been sure that this is where Tami was staying.
Even after Tami called her family and told them that she wasn’t 'kidnapped', her mother had still been convinced that she was. That was the only reason why the investigation was still ongoing. Otherwise, they would've dropped it.
Raphael stepped aside as he let them in, silently praying that Tami wasn’t anywhere in sight.
It can't end this way. It just can't.