Chapter 59.
“ How do you know someone loves and values you? You don't doubt it. ”
***
 — Miranda –
“ Have you seen your dress? ” His velvety voice brought me out of my thoughts. 
I turned to face him on my phone screen. He was putting on blue pajamas and his hair was as messy as it could be.  “ Yeah… ” 
“ Do you like it? ” His words were slow and careful.  “ Yeah. ” I replied, clearly not interested in this conversation. It's been five days, yet it feels like forever and I miss him like crazy. 
“ Miranda… ” I stared at him and smiled when I recognized the longing in his eyes.  “ I miss you. ” I choked on the words as the depth of my longing hit me. How could I miss someone so much? It's been just five days yet it feels like forever. Why does he now feel like a drug I'd been addicted to? 
Though it's the first time we've been separated in years, it's not meant to hurt this much. Should it?
“ I know… me too. ” He sighed.
 “ I think of you every minute, Jose! ” I held back my tears.  “ Does that sound normal to you? ” I was desperate for answers, though Evelyn was my best friend, there were still some things I avoid sharing with her especially because her relationship with her boyfriend has been quite rocky, so I didn't want to give her one more thing to worry about. 
“ It is, Babe. I feel the same. ” He laid back as he ruffled his hair and for a moment, I wished I was there with him. Lying beside him on that bed and cuddling. Gosh! Why was I thinking this? 
My eyes met with his and I instantly blushed realizing he'd just heard my thoughts.  “ We'll be able to do all of that in nine days. ” He replied, assuringly. 
Nine days, yet it feels like a lifetime away. I bit my lips trying not to ask the question in my mind.  “ What's up, Babe? ” 
“ Why don't we get married sooner, Jose? Why do we have to wait for nine more days? ” I avoided his gaze, until I heard his chuckle. 
  “ Babe… ” His smile warmed my heart. It was so refreshing.  “ We'll be married sooner than you know it, Kay? ”
“ Yeah… ” I nodded, finally. 
“ Why don't you tell me about your day? What did you do today? ” His question made me relax and I couldn't help sighing.
“ Evelyn and I went to the beach earlier where we did some sun bathing. ” I continued seeing his nod of approval.  “ I worked on my historical fiction project for several hours after that and then did some light editing on my work in progress. ” 
“ Um… that's interesting. ” 
“ Yeah. ”
“ What about you? ”
“ Nothing much. I've been stuck in the office all day reviewing some papers for a project. I also had a business meeting earlier. ”
“ Alright. Have you purchased your wedding suit? ”
“ Yup. Can you guess the color? ”
“ Blue? ” I replied after a moment of silence.  
“ Not telling. ” He grinned. 
“ That's cheating, Jose! It is. ”
“ Maybe. Have you heard from Nanny lately? ”
“ Yeah. She was here earlier.  I think she's been a lot busy lately. ”
“ I bet. Chasing one's dreams has never been an easy task. ”
“ Yeah. Speaking of dreams, you remind me of Malisa Evans, your mentor’s wife. ”
“ Oh. What about her? ”
“ How did they meet? ”
“ Still curious about this, Babe? ”
“ Of course, I am. You promised to tell me but didn't. ” I couldn't help pouting, which earned a hearty chuckle from him.
“ Well, like you know she's an African and they met when Arvier went to her village to do some rural development. His attempts to convince the village head seemed pointless.  But in the end, he left with something greater. ”
“ Interesting. Seems like a fairy tale. ”
“ It's not, Babe. They've been several hurdles along the way. ”
“ Same with every love story. ” She sighed. 
“ I can't wait to be your husband, Babe… ” His smile made me blush red.  “ I can't wait to always be there to see your morning face and night face. ” 
“ Hey, you've seen that already, okay? ”
“ Not as much as I want to. ” He chuckled. 
“ I also can't wait for you to start calling me, Hubby… ” Oh no.
“ That's if I will. ”
“ You will. ” 
“ Whatever. ” I yawned tiredly. 
“ You should head to bed, Babe… ” His soft voice warmed my heart as always.  “ I don't want to. I want to keep listening to your voice. ” 
“ Um… how about you lie down and let me tell you a story? ” I nodded, taking a moment to tuck myself in.  “ I'm ready. ” 
“ Twenty one year old Brandson Silverado had been in love with his Nanny's daughter from his childhood, but couldn't confess to her out of fear that his mother would hurt her once she realized his feelings. On her eighteenth year birthday he overheard a conversation between her mother and his mother about marrying her off to earn some extra income and that's when he made a decision to take a risk that would cost him his inheritance and reputation. In the end, he achieved his aim and got married to her. Losing everything else in the process but when asked why he did what he did. He said,  “ Everything else can be gotten back, but losing the love of my life would be my greatest regret.  ” His words touched hearts and in the end. He gained more than he lost. ” 
“ Wow… you are really amazing, Jose. ” 
“ Thank you. ”
“ Love is a choice, isn't it? ”
“ It is and it's always worth it in the end. ”
“ Yeah… ” I paused, simply staring at him through the phone. I missed him so badly that I wished I could hug him through the phone camera but I knew that was impossible. 
“ I can't wait to be your wife, Jose. ” I mused.
“ Same here, Miranda. I'll be back in eight days. ”
“ Yeah. ”
“ I can't wait to hold you in my arms and never let go. ”
“ Hm… ”
“ I love you, Wifey… ”
“ I'm not your wife, yet. ” I replied with an eyeroll.
“ But you'll be soon. ” He grinned. 
“ I love you, Jose. ” I replied at long last, feeling my eyelids drooping.
“ Goodnight, my love. ”
“ Sweet dreams. ” I closed my eyes, as he sang me a lullaby like he'd always done since we were teenagers. 
I missed him, yeah.
But I figured that this distance is necessary.
Indeed, love covers all and true love waits.
“ Thank you for the gift of love, father.  ” those were the words on my mind as sleep consumed me.
….
A/N : Wassup, guys? How was the chapter?