Chapter 36: The Lingering Smell
Cathryn's beauty was the pride of their whole family. They always thought that she was more beautiful than all the famous actresses on TV.
They put her on a pedestal on account of her beauty. They thought it would not be difficult for Cathryn to get a boyfriend. They just figured she was too busy with her career and didn't have the time to fall in love.
Cathryn sat down on the sofa in frustration after hearing Mrs. Clark's words. She wanted to clear her mind of all the unwanted thoughts that she was forced to listen to. Her head was buzzing, and suddenly everything went blank.
It was like her mind flipped a switch, and her thoughts were now of Keith. She couldn't stop thinking about his deep blue eyes, straight nose, perfect thin lips, and his delicate face poured into her head. It was as though his face had appeared in front of her because she could see it so clearly.
She could even feel his embrace that he had given her at the airport. His smell was almost like he was sitting right beside her. "The lingering smell of Keith's cologne, how I wish he were here right now." Cathryn's heart suddenly began to beat fast.
It had been eight days since she left Flower Island, but it was the first time that she missed Keith so intensely.
Mrs. Clark saw Cathryn in a daze and then asked Mrs. Riley a question. Mrs. Riley had been very quiet. "You should pay more attention to Cathryn getting married, Victoria. Cathryn is twenty-five years old, and she is no longer a little girl; therefore, she should be getting married as soon as possible."
The topic was suddenly shifted to Mrs. Riley, but Mrs. Riley, who really didn't know how to answer the question, looked at Cathryn and said, "It's her own business. We don't want to interfere in her life." Hearing her answer, Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Clark exchanged an in-depth look, letting out a heavy sigh.
Cathryn was very grateful for her mother's help, but from the sounds coming from her aunts, she could detect their compassion and pity for her mother. It was true that Cathryn had been the most promising one in their family, but now they saw her as the most hopeless one.
Since Stella worked for a multinational company with an annual salary of seventy thousand dollars and Dexter was doing exceedingly well in school. All they could do was brag about how well their children were doing. Cathryn was very happy for them, seeing that her cousins all had a bright future. Still, she couldn't help having feelings of regret for her parents.
She was supposed to have a great career. Cathryn tried to encourage herself. Patiently listening and watching everyone talk around her, Cathryn had mixed feelings. Cathryn heard the persuasion from everyone, and finally, the elders turned the conversation on Dexter.
Cathryn instantly thought this was her chance to escape this family drama. She wanted to go downstairs to relax. She stood up and said, "I want to go out to buy some yogurt."
After getting permission from her mother, Cathryn opened the door and left her grandmother's house.
She ran from the third floor to the first floor. Cathryn took a deep breath as soon as she went out of the corridor and then exhaled slowly. Twisting her neck, Cathryn felt that her mood became bright after exhaling.
She was trying to calm herself down, and it seemed to be working. Taking a look around, she could see a day of brilliant sunshine and the shrubbery in the housing estate was clean and beautiful. It reflected the winter sunshine. She found it very soothing to relax in the warm sun, even though it was winter.
With one leg bent, Cathryn jumped down the stairs on the other leg. This was something that she liked to do when she was a child. She didn't want to fall, so to prevent falling down, she held the red door that was beside her.
Just as she had jumped down two steps, Cathryn noticed that someone was coming over to her. She could recall having this familiar feeling and wondered who it was. At that moment, someone held her hand.
The familiar warmth wrapped her palm. Cathryn's heart started beating fast. She blinked her eyes as if she were in a dream. She suddenly turned her head, smiled at the man standing in the sun, and asked, "Why are you here?"
Standing under the steps, Keith smiled brightly at Cathryn. Jonathan City was in the North, which was far away from Douglas City. It was dry and cold outside. Keith was dressed in a black coat with a knitted sweater of pure style.
His eyes were clear and bright, and his blue eyes in the northern sunshine looked like lakes. They were sprinkled with flecks of sunlight. Even the profound mystery usually in his eyes faded a little. Leaving his eyes remaining warm and soft.
Cathryn felt a sense of unspeakable joy at seeing Keith. Her hand was held by Keith. She was standing on one foot, and her body was leaning against him. Her whole point of strength was placed on the hand that was held by him.
"Be careful," Keith said with a faint smile as he looked at Cathryn tenderly.
Losing her presence of mind, she was unable to focus clearly. She immediately removed her eyes from Keith. Biting her lower lip, she put her foot down, and then she began to seek the right words in her mind.
Holding her fists firmly, Cathryn glared at Keith with big eyes. She said to him confidently, "I have jumped up and down on these stairs over a thousand times since I was a child. I won't fall down." Cathryn casually tied her hair in a ponytail with no makeup on her face, and her big blue eyes glinted with firmness with a bit of shyness.
Cathryn was dressed in a long pink sweater with a white scarf around her neck and had sandy-colored snow boots on her feet. She had dressed warmly, but her hands were still a little cold.