RETURN OF THE LEGENDARY CASSIAN MARKAVELLI

2 - Hope

Cassian barely slept that night.

The next morning, people stared at him dangerously and angrily as they saw the expensive coat around him.

They threw all kinds of insults at him.

Some even pointed accusing fingers of stealing at him.

At night time, he stayed under the small covering outside the pharmacy, clutching the coat and umbrella like they were lifelines. Her soft scent still lingered on the fabric. The kind of scent that didn’t belong in his world.

If not for the coat and umbrella in his arms, he would have convinced himself it was a dream.

A man passed, dropping a coin into his plate.

The sound jolted him out of his thoughts.

He looked around but the man was long gone.

A familiar black car suddenly pulled up in front of him.

People stared, wondering what would happen.

The window rolled down, and there she was.

The mysterious lady from last night.

Her brows furrowed as she looked at him. “You stayed here all day long?”

Cassian stood, wincing slightly from the pain in his leg as he leaned on his clutch.“Didn't… don’t know where else to go.”

She got out of the car, this time dressed in sleek travel wear and sunglasses tucked into her hair. She looked like someone from another universe, but her voice was kind.

" Have this for dinner ” she dropped a handful of coins into his bowl.

Cassian was more than surprised.

If the first time was a mistake but this isn't.

The amount of coin she dropped was enough to get him two weeks worth of meals.

He raised his eyes to her “Why… why are you helping me?”

She tilted her head and smiled. “Honestly? I don’t know. Maybe I just believe people like you deserve better. "

He blinked, unsure if he heard her right.

“Who are you?? ”

“ Someone you don't need to know,” she said, a little teasing. “

He chuckled weakly and looked down at this bowl " Th-thank you…”

She laughed gently and walked to her car.

“ You have to get used to seeing me around then,” she said bending into her car.

Just before driving off, she glanced back and gave him a wink.

Cassian watched the car sped off.

Eyes were still on him.

It was as if they had just seen an angel or worse an impossibility.

From that day, she came by every morning.

Always smiling.

Sometimes it was just a quiet “Good morning, Cassian,” as she dropped a coin in his plate. Sometimes she paused long enough to chit chat a little before leaving.

Other times, she brought clothes and gifts.

She never stayed long. But her presence lingered even in her absence.

She once told him her name and It had taken him four tries to say it, and even then, he hadn’t gotten the pronunciation right. Still, she smiled.

She was the only woman who noticed him and saw beyond his physical appearance.

It got to a point where he anticipated her arrival every morning with enthusiasm.

Then one evening, after she dropped her coins.

She stood tall and stared long at him.

He noticed her face was gloomy and instantly knew something was wrong.

People were still staring but he cared less about them.

" Is anything wrong, my lady?" Cassian asked, wondering what could have soured her mood.

She cleared her throat a few times before summoning the courage to stare at him

“I’m traveling,” she said softly. “But I didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye.”

He blinked. “Oh.”

She hesitated, then added, “ I'll be gone for two months and when I come back… if you want… you can come live with me.”

Cassian’s mouth fell slightly open. “W-what?”

“You heard me,” she smiled gently. “You shouldn’t be out here. You need rest, food, and someone who gives a damn.”

" Thank y- you.." He had agreed. What choice did he have?

He had lived under the bridges and streets for five years and when the offer came, it sounded like salvation to his ears.

But her overwhelming act of kindness was starting to stir him up.

He stared at her calmly.

“Why… why ar-are you h-helping me?”

Veronica looked down for a moment, then met his eyes. “Simply because I can. Because I have the money to do so. Case closed"

The reality that the only person that cared about him was leaving hit him hard in the chest.

He took a deep breath and said " w-would you- you please s-stay.. I-I r-really like y-youu" he said expressing his feelings

" Can't you please stop the joke, you're really something else tho " Veronica laughed it off

" I'm serious, p-please." Cassian fired back.

" Well then,” she said, pulling a small card from her coat pocket. “Let’s talk more about it when I’m back.”

She scribbled something on it with a blue marker, then handed it to him.

Cassian shook his head" No, I-I want a-a res- response n-now, p-please"

" Fine, I love you too, haha ha ha " she laughed.

Her laugh was hearty and light.

" R-really," his face brightened.

He couldn't believe his ears.

" Yes of course, or why do you think I'm doing all this? " She laughed again.

He smiled back.

" Come meet me at that address on that date, okay and that day is also my birthday. You better bring a nice gift when coming " She smiled and walked away.

Before he could reply.

She had stepped into her car and was gone.

Cassian stared down at the card.

Veronica Williams

Her name was printed in bold.

Under it, her address and contact number.

And at the bottom, written in blue ink:

August 12.

The day she’d return.

And most importantly, her birthday.

Cassian tucked the card inside his pocket like it was made of gold.

Veronica Williams.

The name vibrated in his mind

And finally, tonight, after sixty days of waiting.

He would get to see her again.

He had memorized every letter of her name, the way her handwriting curled the date in blue ink. It was the only thing that kept him sane while he begged on corners and battled the pain in his leg.

The jacket she gave him had long lost her scent, and hoarded with dirt but he still wore it.

Cassian clutched the card tightly in one hand as he limped through the streets, his other hand gripping the crutch someone had gifted him out of pity some years back. His beard had grown wild, and he smelled of street dust and rainwater, but his heart beat fast.

He won't be sleeping under the bridges tonight.

But with a roof over his head.