INTEGATES (Original Story)

EPILOGUE

Silk-like fabric.

My fingers moved lightly on top of the material with my tired eyes still closed. The feeling was too comforting that I wanted my whole body to move and rub my skin on it. Yet I remained lying on my side. There was a soft foam under my head, which I assumed that it was the best pillow one could ever lay on. Cold air hit my face along with the aroma of brewing coffee.

I was about to move when something touched my back. A soft skin caressed my exposed cheeks. Even without the knowledge of who it was, a smile instantly crept across my lips. Their warmth was enough to calm every inch of my veins. There wasn't any feeling I wanted more.

"Wake up, sleepyhead."

A woman's voice tickled the tip of my ear. Her hand traveled from my waist to my stomach, writing absent-mindedly with her fingertips. I turned around to lie on my back. She didn't wait for my eyes to open as her gentle lips landed on mine. My arms surrendered around her shoulders to pull her closer. Our lips moved in a synchronized motion. The kiss lasted a few seconds before we pulled back.

I opened my eyes slowly, and I was faced with the most beautiful woman I could ever lay my eyes on. Her own pair glowed with the perfect shade of blue green, even surpassing the beauty of an ocean. No wonder I was in love with her.

"Good morning." I greeted shyly.

"Good morning to you, gorgeous." She smiled before giving me an eskimo kiss. "As much as I enjoy being here... there's a kid waiting for us at the table and he's about to turn into a monster if he doesn't get his breakfast in the next ten seconds."

I laughed. "Just let me freshen up real quick. I'll be out in a second."

She kissed my cheek one last time before she got up while I forced myself to sit, a little disappointed that I had to get off the comfortable bed.

"Hey." I called right before she got out of the room. "I love you."

She walked backwards with a huge smirk on her face. "Surely not as much as I love you." The last thing she did was wink before she continued her way out.

I walked into the bathroom to wash my face with cold water. As I damped it with a dry facial cloth, my eyes stared at a reflection I almost forgot. My brunette hair bounced lightly on my shoulders with its wavy ends. The previous pale shade of skin was replaced with a fresh and moisturized tone. My body looked healthy. All my flesh felt firmly in place. The figure in front of me was almost good as new.

The only thing that I get bothered with was the foggy images inside my head. I knew my name. I also recognized the woman I had an encounter with a moment ago. She was the love of my life. Always will. I even knew the kid she mentioned. He was our son. Yet there was something missing. I wasn't empty, nor lost. There was just a part in me that couldn't hold on to what I know. I had no grasp of what I remember. My memories were all just in my head yet nothing was clear. It was like waking up from a dream and not remembering anything other than I had a dream.

I stopped forcing myself to think. The haziness was probably because I just woke up and my mind needed time to process. So instead of wasting more time, I quickly finished freshening up and change my tank top into a loose black shirt that nearly covered the length of my shorts.

The smell of freshly cooked pancakes and bacon was what welcomed me when I entered the kitchen, along with a young boy's cheer. He sat at the breakfast nook as the other woman in the room served him his plate full of food.

"Good morning, Mommy!" He greeted before taking a bite of his meat strips.

I kissed the top of his head while one of my arms hugged his small frame. "Good morning, munchkin."