Chapter 1 The Taken Heart

Twenty years after…

"Enara."

He mumbled in his sleep.

He stirred waking up but still kept his eyes closed. He dreamt of her again. Enara. Her soft and straight brown hair being blown by the wind on that summer day of May in the wide field of wildflowers blooming in the desert. He was her childhood love when he was still living in Lunara, the City of the Moon before he fell under the moon sky one full moon twenty years ago and woke up in an unfamiliar city he now lives in called New York.

"Shane, will you please get up? We'll be late for work."

A woman's voice roused him up and he opened his eyes to see a woman whose blond hair was done in a high ponytail wearing a blazer and pants in ivory while doing her make-up in front of the vanity mirror.

"Oh, no, I have to go ahead of you."

She said looking at her phone. She turned around and faced him looking at him with her blue eyes.

"Chris just texted me to come early today for the presentation."

She looked down at her phone again typing her reply.

"I'm leaving first. See you at work, Shane."

She said in a rush closing the door of the bedroom then re-opened couldn't e again.

"By the way, I've already prepared your breakfast. Come down soon, honey. It's already seven. Bye!"

She closed the door behind her.

"Thanks, Kat. See you at work."

He said in a loud raspy voice through the closed door.

He got out of bed and headed straight into the shower, stripping his pajamas, then opening the faucet and drowning himself under the warm water. Waking himself up from sleepiness. From the dream, he just woke up from. Waking himself and forgetting that there was once a girl named Enara who he used to love in the past.

He pressed the body wash and lathered himself. Took the shampoo and rubbed it through his curly light golden hair. Drowned himself once again under the warm water. Then, turned off the faucet.

He took the towel and dried himself and wrapped it around his waist. Then, got out of the bathroom.

He rummaged through his closet and changed into his work clothes. Picked his watch and put it on his wrist. Put his black-rimmed glasses hiding behind a pair of beautiful amber eyes that can only see in near sight without it. And ran a comb through his hair.

When he put back the comb on the surface, he opened the side drawer of the cabinet and took a box locked on its front. He's been meaning to give it to her but he just couldn't find the right timing. Katarina always seemed to be busy with work. They were busy these last few weeks.

He unlocked the box, took a small box, and opened it. A beautifully cut diamond was lying perfectly on the middle of the silver ring resting against the black cushion of the navy blue felt box.

He'll ask her after work this afternoon. It's about time.

"Hey, Kat. Would you like us to go stroll by the park after work?"

Shane asked Katarina who was busy typing in front of her PC.

She looked up at him through her glasses. She usually wore glasses when she's become busy with work.

"Sure, no problem. Wait for me for a bit, will you? I just need to write this fast. It's the deadline, Shane."

"No problem, Kat. Take all the time in the world. I'll wait for you."

"Thanks."

He returned to his station and looked over his work once again doing edits here and there.

"You're rather jumpy today, Shane."

Shane heard a gruff voice to his right side. He peered to his side and watched the elder man with short dark brown hair typing fast on his PC.

"Am I so easy to read, Steve?"

"Not when you're energy can be felt all around the floor."

"Am I?" He asked with a nervous smile. "I'm sure I'm acting perfectly normal today."

"Not when you talk to almost all the employees on the floor or act too helpful. You're acting weird today, bro."

"Hey, Shane. I've got something to ask you. Will you come here for a second?" asked a senior writer from the far corner of the room.

"Give me a sec, Mike. Coming over."

Shane replied and got to his feet fast.

He returned after ten minutes.

"That's what I mean, Shane."

Steve said shaking his head.

"What's the deal bro?"

"I'm meaning to ask Kat for—" said Shane when something fell from the pocket of his pants. He twitched his mouth. He couldn't be clumsy today.

"Oh, now I get it," said Steve with a wide smile on his face looking at the blue box. "Way to go, man."

He added tapping him by the shoulders.

He rose from his chair and called Katarina whose office was situated in front of them where they were located two stations away from its opened front door. She worked as the assistant editor-in-chief. Her office was annexed to the editor-in-chief who was busy herself in the next room.

"Hey, Katarina! Congratulations!" he shouted looking at her.

"Whatever for, Steve?" asked Katarina looking at him in confusion.

"Just whatever for, Kat."

He said with a big grin on his face.

"Whatever, you idiot. Get back to work, Steve."

"Will do, lass." He said sitting back. "That's what I love about that girl. She's got a spike."

He looked at her and said seriously, "Don't spoil it, Shane."

"Thanks for spoiling it, Steve."

"Don't worry. She has no idea."

"Thanks for the confidence, bro."

They were seated on a bench by the park overlooking the lake where a group of swans was gliding through the glassy water. The sun was bright and golden on a late afternoon. Shane was finishing his ice cream while Katarina was still eating her ice cream while sipping coffee once in a while.

"Do you think I should just mix this inside the coffee?" she asked looking at him.

"Why don't you try it?" he said observing her. "Then, you won't have to lick it while sipping coffee at the same time. It makes me dizzy, Kat, looking at you."

"Why don't I try it?"

Kat said then opened the cover of the coffee and put it to her side her and dumped the vanilla ice cream on her coffee. She used the cone to stir it inside the mix.

"Now, the cone melted into the coffee."

"It's just the same when you dip Oreo in the milk."

"Yeah, you're right, Shane." She sipped the coffee now mixed with vanilla. "It's good." She took a longer sip. "It's really good."

"Try it."

Kat said shoving the cup close to his mouth. Shane took a sip. "It's good, Kat. Now, finish it. I know you love coffee and vanilla."

She continued sipping through the straw until it already sounded. She rose from the seat and threw the cup to a nearby trash can. Then, she went back to him.

"Phew! Thanks for inviting me to enjoy a late afternoon date here, Shane."

She said looking at him while stretching her arms in the air then looked past him to enjoy the late afternoon view of the lake where the golden beam of the sun was reflected through its waters.

"It's relaxing."

"Yeah, you're right, Kat. We've been busy the past few weeks."

"You can say that, Shane."

Then he looked seriously at her and knelt before her.

"What are you doing, Shane?" she asked surprised. "Oh my god! Really?"

He nodded and smiled back at her.

"Really. I'm 100% serious. May I do the honor, Kat?"

"As you please, darling."

"Then, Katarina Sebastian, will you do me the honor of being my wife? Will you marry me?"  he asked opening the box before her.

Katarina clapped both her hands to her mouth and removed them.

"Yes. Yes!"

"Thank you, Kat."

He said and slid the ring on her finger.

He stood up and they kissed passionately under the warm afternoon sun savoring the moment embedding the memory in their hearts. Then, he hugged her.

As Shane was wrapped in an embrace with his new fiancée Katarina Sebastian, his hands and arms locked on her hair and her back, inside Central Park by the lake, strands of straight long brown hair caught his sight.

A strangely unfamiliar woman was passing by the walking pavement a few meters away from where they were standing. Something fell while she was walking and stopped by the center to pick it up.

Then, she turned to look at him.

"Enara."

Shane said caught in a trance.