"Turn back. Please..." - he thought desperately, standing at the window in his parlor.
It was warm. Evening brought long waited calm after midday heat. Green lawn was shining in the rays of sunset, and everything was drowning in orange light creeping very close to the ground like mist. It was only a middle of August, but they already could feel a mild smell of the fall. Though maybe it seemed like so to him only because Marinette baked cinnamon rolls in the morning, and then she spent the whole day sitting on the windowsill in the northern part of the house: she was knitting a sweater of mustard color interspersed with different shades of brown.
But now she was sitting in the small white garden house with carved patterns, and she seemed to be waiting for Adrien. She wore a light blue dress with a neat thin belt, her hair beautifully framed graceful features. She wasn't that clumsy droll girl, no. She became older, and Gabriel didn't recognise her from the first sight when Marinette came to his house again half a year ago. She had something subtly adult and heavy-hearted, but at the same time her face was glowing with the sincere childish joy. She was beautiful in her simplicity and softness, and, without expecting, Gabriel got lost.
And now it was the second month of Marinette living here at the insistence of Adrien. His son was going to marry - Gabriel saw it clearly, even though there wasn't any talk about the wedding yet. He stopped taking any part in Adrien's life from the moment when he turned eighteen, and now Gabriel rarely leaved his parlor. He didn't want to ruin his son's life even more: Gabriel realised how many mistakes he's made way too late.
Marinette still was shy in front of him and seemed to avoid him, they never remained alone. Though Gabriel never appeared in "their" part of the house: they were meeting only in the kitchen and the hallway, but even this was a big luck. He felt easier living this way. But sometimes, in the moments of weakness and the desire to run away from routine and unbearable pressure of loneliness, he desperately wanted to be in these caring hands to disappear, forget about everything for a couple of minutes and stop to hold inside his storm of feelings.
"Turn back..." - Gabriel was repeating it like a mantra, hiding behind the thick curtains. One short sight of her kind and sad eyes could make him thrill. Marinette looked at him like if she understood everything, like if she saw him through, saw the feelings tormenting him and his controversial desires. She saw - but was silent, zooming hit to even greater torment.
"Turn back".
Gabriel was ready to throw the whole world at her feet. But instead of it he was just looking from far away, not daring to approach, not daring to ruin nor the fate of Marinette, neither the happiness of Adrien. He was slowly drowning in his work, willingly locked in the room that now seemed so small. He was dieing, dieing again and still with the same reason - cause of love that burned his heart out every time. And he clenched his fists from complete powerlessness.
***
- Beed waiting long? - extremely happy Adrien approached Marinette and kissed her lightly, then sat next to her.
- No, - she shook her head and smiled.
- I have a surprise for you, - he said, not being able to hold his overwhelming joy. - Close your eyes.
Hesitating for a moment, Marinette still complied his request. Then Adrien stood up fast, pulled out a red velvet box from his jeans pocket and got down to one knee.
- Marinette, - he started, and she opened up her eyes, - will you marry me?
First her face showed amazement. Then she blushed in indecision, but her eyes started to shine from happiness. She looked into this familiar and loved face of the guy she was dreaming about from their very first meeting, and she barely could hold back the tears.
- Yes, - was the only thing she could mumble.
And the first yellow leaf fell down on the ground, and the wind started to blow a bit stronger bringing the smell of September. But the season didn't matter anymore.
Nothing mattered anymore.
