55、第55章

    cloudsfloatedabovethecity,agentlebreezerustledthroughthetrees.Itwasabeautifuldayinthecity,butamidstthepeaceandtranquility,asenseofuneasehungintheair.Ayoungwomannamedcloudwalkeddownthestreet,hereyesscanningthecrowds.Shehadbeensearchingforhimforweeks,eversincehehadleftwithoutwarning.

    Cloudstoppedatasmallcaféandsatdownatatablebythewindow.Sheorderedacupofcoffeeandsatback,lostinthought.Ithadbeentwomonthssincetheyhadlastspoken,andshewasstartingtolosehope.

    Asshesatthere,shecouldn‘thelpbutthinkabouthowthingshadendedbetweenthem.Theyhadmetbychance,bondingovertheirsharedloveofliterature.Butastimewenton,theirrelationshiphadbeincreasinglystrained.Hehadseemeddistantandpreoccupied,andshehadsensedthatsomethingwaswrong.

    Thecoffeearrived,andCloudtookasip,feelingthebitternesswashoverher.Sheknewthatshecouldn‘tkeepgoingonlikethis,waitingforhimtebacktoher.Sheneededtotakeaction,tofindoutwhatwasgoingonandwhyhehadleft.

    Withnewfounddetermination,Cloudstoodupandwalkedoutofthecafé.Shemadeherwaythroughthewindingstreets,determinedtotrackdownhermissinglove.Asshewalked,shefeltasenseofhoperisingwithinher.Maybe,justmaybe,thiswouldbethebreaksheneeded.

    Shestoppedatasmallantiqueshop,browsingtheshelvesforanysignofhim.Theshopowner,anoldmanwithkindeyes,noticedhersearchingandapproachedher.

    “You‘relookingforsomething,mydear?“heasked.

    Cloudnodded,herheartracing.“I‘mlookingforsomeone,“shesaid,tryingtokeephervoicesteady.“Heleftwithoutwarningtwomonthsago.Ihavenoideawhereheisorwhathappenedtohim.“

    Theoldman‘sexpressionturnedsympathetic.“IthinkImightbeabletohelpyou,“hesaid.

    Cloud‘sheartleaptwithexcitementastheoldmanpulledoutasmallboxfrombeneaththecounter.

    “Thiswasfoundinadumpsterontheoutskirtsoftown,“heexplained.“Itbelongstosomeonewho‘sbeenmissingforweeks.“

    Cloudtookthebox,herhandstremblingwithanticipation.Sheopenedit,revealingasmallnotebookfilledwithcrypticmessagesandsketches.

    Assheflippedthroughthepages,Cloudrealizedthatthiswastheirjournal,theonetheyhadkepttogetherduringtheirtimeapart.Itexplainedeverything-whyhehadleft,whathadhappenedtohim,andwherehewasnow.

    Withtearsofjoystreamingdownherface,Cloudturnedtotheoldman.“Thankyousomuch,“shesaid,hervoicebarelyaboveawhisper.“I‘llfindhim,Ipromise.“

    Theoldmansmiled,hiseyestwinklingwithwarmth.“You‘rewee,mydear.Yougoandfindhim,anddon‘thesitatetebackifyouneedanything.“

    Cloudnodded,herheartfullofgratitude.Shelefttheshop,feelingasenseofpurposethatshehadn‘tfeltinmonths.Sheknewthatfindinghimwouldn‘tbeeasy,butshewasdeterminedtotry.

    Asshewalkedthroughthecity,Cloudfeltasenseofhoperisingwithinher.Maybethiswasthestartofsomethingnew,somethingwonderful.Andwiththatthought,shesmiled,feelingasenseofjoythatshehadn‘texperiencedinmonths.

    Thesunbegantoset,castingawarmglowoverthecity.Cloudcontinuedonherjourney,herheartfullofdeterminationandhope.Sheknewthatshewouldfindhim,nomatterwhatittook.

    Andasshewalked,thecityseemedtealivearoundher.Thestreetlightsflickeredon,castingasoftbluelightoverthepavement.Thesoundoflaughterandmusicdriftedthroughtheair,minglingwiththescentoffoodfromthenearbyrestaurants.

    Cloudfeltlikeshewaswalkingthroughadream,onethatshedidn‘twanttowakeupfrom.Sheknewthatthisjourneywouldbedifficult,butshewasreadyforit.Bringiton,shethought,asmilespreadingacrossherface.

    Sheturnedanothercorner,andsuddenly,shesawhim.Hewasstandingoutsideasmallbar,hisbacktoher.Cloud‘sheartskippedabeatasshefeltarushofexcitement.

    Wasthisit?Wasthisthemomentshehadbeenwaitingfor?

    Withouthesitation,Cloudwalkedtowardshim,feelingasenseoftrepidationmixedwithhope.Assheapproached,heturnedaround,theireyesmeetinginaflashofrecognition.

    “Cloud?“heasked,hisvoicehesitant.

    Shenodded,herheartracing.“Ifoundyou,“shesaid,hervoicebarelyaboveawhisper.

    Hesmiled,reliefwashingoverhisface.“ThankGod,“hesaid,openinghisarmstoher.

    Cloudfellintohisembrace,feelinglikeshewashome.Sheknewthatthisjourneyhadbeenworthit,everystepoftheway.

    Andastheystoodthere,wrappedineachother‘sarms,Cloudfeltasenseofpeacewashoverher.Maybethiswasthestartofsomethingnew,somethingwonderful.Andwiththatthought,shesmiled,feelinglikeshewasexactlywhereshewasmeanttobe.