JORDAN
Chapter 18's

“Is the sky more attractive than me?” jordan chirped as he looked at Lionara who had since noticed the clear sky above them.

Jordan and Lionara are on top of the gondola— down the canal, enjoying the view from the aesthetic buildings of Venice. This morning they arrived in Venice and decided not to go around because Lionara still looked exhausted due to their hot activity on the plane.

In silence Jordan grimaced when remembering the incident last night. He was truly like a starving demon, almost in every part of his wife's body was left a former possession. If emotions are controlling him, Jordan often loses self-control. And to assuage his anger, his choice was only two. Killing or making crazy love to women.

“The sky is beautiful,” says Lionara.

“Only that?” Jordan raised an eyebrow

“I like to look at the sky. In the past, when I was very tired with everything, I would look up.” muttered Lionara, saying, starting to tell me “ I always felt by looking at the sky I could find the faces of my parents who were smiling from up there. Their smile seemed to give me strength and said ‘all will get better again. Finally, It managed to make my heart feel better.”

Lionara smiled faintly as she could not imagine the happy smiles on the faces of her parents. Even though thin, but Lionara's smile looks so sweet and soothing. Making Jordan have trouble distracting his eyes from the sight before him—a sight that Jordan had never seen during their time together. And for God's sake, his heart suddenly went crazy just because of that smile. Jordan.

But when imagining Lionara ever smiling like that with Daniel, making the warm and light rays in Jordan's eyes evaporate. Jordan's lips hardened almost imperceptibly.

“Don't smile,” murmured Jordan

Lionara turned, “What?”

“Never smile like that in front of another man. You can only do it in front of me.”

“Why?”

“I don't like.” reply Jordan flat, then turn his face away.  Lionara was still astonished.

“You know the bridge that is in front of us?” Jordan shifted the topic

Lionara did not comment. But his eyes stared at the Ponte dei sospiri bridge or the Village bridge in front of them. The bridge, which according to myth, believed to be local people—when a couple who waded through the river venice with a gondola, then kissed under the bridge Ponte dei sospiri at sunset, just as the bells of St. Mark Campanile clinks, then his love will be eternal and blessed.

Lionara knew the myth, only he refused to believe in things that smelled like that. Relying on a kiss under the bridge for an eternal relationship, instead of fighting for it. Well, it doesn't make any sense.

“You believe?” lionara asked with a straight glance towards the bridge.

“Now, I've never proven it myself.” Jordan shrugged his shoulders

“Mitos is just a myth. Unproven truth,”

Jordan looked over, looking at his wife. “How about we try it?”

Reflexes, Lionara turned to Jordan who was watching him intensely. “Do not joke. It's just a myth."”

Jordan smiled in anguish.  “Do you ever have a lover?”

Lionara. The question clearly struck his heart. “Why suddenly ask that?”

Jordan puts shoulder to shoulder “Just want to know.”

Lionara gulped down the saliva, while his face turned pias. Should he tell the truth if he ever had a lover, and that person was none other than Daniel— Jordan's half-brother.

“Enter or not?” jordan's birthday because his wife never answered.

“Ya.”

“Still thinking about it?”

“No.” Lionara turned his face away, clenching firmly one of his severed hands.

You lied!

Jordan smiled miris. His jaw hardened, but he quickly normalized it again.

Jordan grabbed Lionara—'s face closer. “Good. There should be no place for another man in your heart. You just have to accept me completely.” said Jordan almost whispered.

Lionaara. Jordan's aura looked different.

Jordan stroked gently on Lionara's cheeks, his eyes descending upon his wife's lips. And he slowly landed a soft kiss on Lionara's lips, just as the gondola they were riding over the bridge of Ponte dei sospiri.

“I'm your husband.” muttered Jordan in the middle of his second kiss. Lionara opened her closed eyes. He looked at Jordan with an unreadable gaze.

St Bells. Mark Campanile reads when they are both directly under the bridge Ponte dei sospiri.

****

In the evening, after dinner at Alle Corone restaurant, Jordan took his wife to enjoy a festival of masks and costumes held every year in Venice, and a lucky visit coincides with the carnival party.

Jordan and Lionara also mingle with a mask and a unique costume dress and robe. They chose just as a spectator—enjoying music and theater performances in St. Mark’s Square, a traditional costume dance party, and the prettiest mask selection contest.

“You enjoyed it?” jordan asked, glancing at Lionara who was focused on paying attention to the election contest in front of him.

Lionara turned his head for a while, smilingly nodding. Then look back ahead.

And for the umpteenth time, without Lionara knowing, Jordan again fascinated to see the smile that—smile that always makes his chest pounding. Ah yes, has Jordan said that as long as they are in this place, his wife smiles a lot? And yes, how much he likes it.

“I didn't think you'd be this pretty when you smiled,” Jordan muttered while propping up his chin, watching his wife's face stick.

Lionara turned his head, saying a little loudly amid the applause of the other spectators.  “What are you talking about? I didn't hear,”

“You are beautiful, Lion.” He said that while poking slowly Lionara cheek with index finger “turns out here there are dimples if you smile. Very beautiful.”

Getting such compliments, no doubt make Lionara's face feel hot. He became clumsy, especially with Jordan's blue bead staring at him fixedly. But Lionara again remembered that Jordan is very good at making people soar, especially women.

“Do not overdo it. I'm nothing compared to your women out there,”

“Lion-ku the most beautiful.” refute Jordan with the sweetest smile

Lionara shook his head quickly.

“Already, do not bother me,” Lionara said, choosing to look back at the event ahead.

Jordan chuckles, “I'm serious, Lion.”

Lionara does not.

“Lion,”

“Hm,”

“It looks like we have to go home,”

“Wait a minute. The show is not finished.”

“But my sister can't wait, Lion”

Lionara turned his head, frowning in wonder “You mean?”

“Ck, you are indeed an insensitive wife,” snorted Jordan, then grabbed Lionara's hand and touched it right on top of the evidence of her already fierce passion.

Lionara dumbfounded, staring at Jordan horror, “Serious Jo?”

“He woke up alone. Moreover, when you smiled earlier,” Jordan took a wide grin “maybe he already misses his home. Remembering this whole day you ruthlessly ignored her.” The frontal Jordan Cerocos that managed to make Lionara choke on his own saliva.

Jordan then rose to his feet, and immediately carried Lionara ala bridal without caring for the eyes of the tourists who now look at them in wonder. While Lionara who felt embarrassed, immediately hid her face in the chest of her husband's field.

“Basic maniac,” grouser Lionara

“Just for you, my lion,” Jordan laughs crisply

To be continued

IG: @rianitasitumorang

Jordan Matthew Christopher