Florian (Augarten Book 4)
Page 10
The clouds broke, and I gasped as we flew over Stonehenge and on toward North Wales. I clung to Michael's robes as he swooped down, not wanting this night to end. Then the angel held me aloft in his outstretched arms, and I immediately missed the warmth of his chest. I lay there like a frightened child, but he locked eyes with me again, and another moment passed between us, another message. And then it was over.
The angel set me down on soft grass. I swallowed my tears and put my hands over my heart. "Thank you."
With his fiery gaze upon me, the archangel beat his wings and shot into the sky, through the clouds and disappeared.
I woke to Gethin and Rhys teasing me for sleepwalking into the backyard.
Looking around, I had to pinch myself to admit the night before had actually happened. An angel had lifted me out of Paris and returned me to Wales from my nightmare, and for the first time since Michi's death, I knew I had the strength to move forward.
Solomon handed me one last note tucked in the pages: That's all, you two. I hope you're okay after reading this. Come find me and give me a big hug. Love you both.
Solomon closed the diary. We both stood at the same time. Sol reached for me, eyes brimming with tears, and I gathered him in my arms. Wordlessly, we held each other as the full weight of what we had read descended on our home. The silence of the kitchen only seemed to agree with our inability to speak, wrapping around us, the moment stretching longer as Florian's story imprinted on our hearts. It was as though the world wanted us to come to grips with these new truths so that we could support Florian going forward.
"Let's make love tonight," I said shakily when words returned, "the three of us."
Sol nodded against my shoulder. "Knowing our luck, he'll come home tired from selling masks all over town today."
"In that case, we'll draw him a hot bath. Once he gets out, you can massage his feet, then I'll blow him, then we'll tuck him in bed with us."
Sol tilted his face to me, the quiet command clear.
I kissed him. "Love you, Sol."
"I love you, Gabriel. I am forever grateful that loving you brought Florian into my life as well. I am so blessed to have you."
I kissed him again, my heart echoing his sentiments. "You bless me too, Sol. You and Florian both do."
We were cuddling in bed when the deadbolt on the shop door threw and Florian called, "I'm back!"
I leapt from the bed and dashed downstairs, Sol right behind me. At the doorway I stopped. Florian was washing his hands and face at the sink. "Ollie went home."
He dried his face with a towel, as if stalling to prepare himself for our reactions. Sol stepped to my side, his hand brushing mine in reassurance. There was so much I wanted to ask him, so much pain I could not believe he overcame for the sake of loving me. Again—Florian loved a person from my soul again, despite everything that had happened to him.
He finally put the towel down and glanced at us, his warm hazel eyes unsure.
"I think we need a hug," Sol said as a prompting.
Flor huffed a laugh and smirked. I stepped to him and closed the distance, wrapping him up tight. A second later Sol was there and I pulled him in too. The three of us held each other in the quiet shop, sharing our love and reaffirming our bond.
The End.
Florian—Augarten Book Four
About the Author
Charlie Godwyne lives in Vienna and loves to walk at Augarten and shop at book binderies. A translator by trade, Charlie enjoys taking train trips around Europe and hopes to one day learn how to play the banjo.
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