by E. L. Todd
Ward laughed. “I think I’m going to spoil him more. Clementine won’t be thrilled about that.”
“I can already tell who’s going to be the cool parent,” I said with a laugh.
Ward shrugged in guilt.
“So…has anything happened with you guys?” He understood the meaning of my question.
“No,” he said with a sigh. “Well, when we found we were having a boy she kissed me…but I think it was just because she was excited. I think we might have a chance of getting back together but it’ll take a while. It’s clear Clementine doesn’t trust me.”
“She will,” I said as I patted his hand. “Give it time.”
“I’ll talk to her,” Cayson said. “She’s always had a knack for being annoying.”
“No,” he said immediately. “Don’t mention it to her. I want it to happen naturally. I shouldn’t need people to talk her into it.”
“Well, it’ll happen,” I said. “Just be patient.”
“I hope so,” Ward said. “I want to be a real family—and have more children.”
“Do your parents know?” I asked.
“Not yet,” Ward said. “I was going to wait until Clementine was well before I announced the news. Then we’ll fly there and tell them.”
“Ooh…that means your son will have dual citizenship,” I said.
“I guess he will,” Ward said with a smile.
We continued talking about the new addition to Ward’s life when Trinity walked inside carrying a few heavy bags. She set them down with a clank, and Slade came in behind her carrying more stuff. Trinity stared at me with disappointment. “Girl, I’m here to help.”
“Help me do what?” I asked, having no idea what she meant.
“Just because you’re sitting in a hospital bed doesn’t mean you can’t look awesome while doing it. I’m going to get you cleaned up.”
I tried not to laugh. “Thanks for being so sensitive about it.”
“Hey,” she said. “Friends don’t let friends look like shit.”
Slade shrugged in apology.
“So, everyone get out. I need to make her into a beautiful queen,” Trinity said.
“She looks fine,” Cayson said. “She needs to rest.”
“No.” I gave him a firm look. “I need her assistance.”
“Skye—”
“Get out,” I said. “All of you.”
Cayson sighed then kissed my forehead. “I’ll be outside.”
Everyone stood up then walked out. When the door was shut and Trinity and I were alone, she set her tools on the table next to me.
“Trinity, you’re a life savor.”
She stared at my face. “I know. Don’t look in a mirror right now.”
I laughed. “I won’t.”
“Alright, I’ll make you beautiful. You can’t spend the beginning of your engagement looking like hell swallowed you and spit you back out.”
“Okay, you made your point,” I said with a laugh.
“Now, let’s begin.”
***
When I was finally released from the hospital I was so grateful to go home. I was sick of lying in that uncomfortable hospital bed, and I was tired of having an IV in my arm. Now I could pee in a toilet and shower whenever I wanted.
Cayson took me home and my parents came along too. I could walk but my arm was in a sling. It didn’t hurt as much as it used to but I had a large supply of painkillers to keep me going. But the muscle had been damaged and now it didn’t work the same. Hopefully physical therapy would give me the ability to use it normally again.
Cayson guided me to the couch then sat me down. “Home sweet home.”
Mom immediately went to the refrigerator and looked inside. Then she made a grocery list.
Dad cleaned up the garbage in the living room and hung up the coats I left on the kitchen table.
“You guys don’t have to do this,” I said.
“We know, honey.” Mom grabbed her list then tucked it into her purse. “Your father and I will get groceries then get the laundry going.”
“You guys have done enough,” I said. “I got Cayson.”
“I can take care of that stuff,” Cayson said.
“Well, we’ll get the groceries anyway.” Mom walked out with Dad.
I rolled my eyes. “They can be annoying, huh?”
“No,” Caysons said. “They just want to help.”
“Don’t be a kiss-ass,” I said. “They aren’t even in the room.”
He laughed. “I’m not being a kiss-ass.”
“Liar…”
“Now that you’re home, what do you want to do first?”
“Shower,” I said. “I want a nice, long shower.” Imagining standing under the warm water as long as I wanted sounded like heaven. I was sick of all the sponge baths and the dry shampoo Trinity put into my hair.
“I can do that,” he said. “Just give me a second.” He headed into the bathroom and got the water running. Then he grabbed a towel. “Alright,” he said. “But I need to put a plastic bag over your shoulder.”
“Why?” I demanded.
“If it gets wet, it could get infected,” Cayson explained. He helped me take off my shirt without hurting my arm before he wrapped the area with cling wrap.
“Man, I feel sexy,” I said with a laugh.
He chuckled. “I think you look sexy.”
“I looked like a clown—that’s what I look like.”
Cayson guided me to the bathroom then took off my bottoms. Then he took off his own clothes.
“You’re going to shower with me?” I asked.
“You think I’m going to let you stand in there alone?”
“Well, my parents might be back soon…”
“I don’t care, Skye.”
My eyes almost fell out of my head. “Come again?” Cayson was the most respectful guy I knew. He didn’t care if my parents knew if we showered together?
“I’m marrying you,” he said. “And I need to take care of you right now. They aren’t going to care. Now let’s go.”
I kinda liked this bad boy side to Cayson. “Okay.” I got inside and he followed behind me.
Cayson checked the plastic wrap on my arm. “Good. It’s working.” Then he squeezed shampoo into his hands and massaged my scalp.
“I can—” I shut up because it felt so good. I hadn’t had a hot shower in weeks. And I hadn’t exfoliated my scalp once. He massaged all the oils and debris away, and my hair was feeling lighter by the second. I closed my eyes because it felt amazing.
There was a smile in Cayson’s voice. “Feels good?”
“Uh-huh…”
He chuckled then continued massaging my hair. When the soap had dissolved he guided me under the falling water and washed it out.
Now I wanted to go back to sleep.
Then he lathered the conditioner in my hair and let it soak.
“Have you ever considered being a hairdresser?” I asked.
“Once,” he said. “But I didn’t want every girl to think I was gay.” He laughed at the end. Then he grabbed the bar of soap and cleaned me everywhere. He spent an extra amount of time on my tits. But when I looked down he wasn’t hard. For some reason, that hurt. Then he grabbed a razor and shaved me everywhere, even the area between my legs.
“Okay…we’ve never done this before.” I felt a little helpless that he had to do everything for me.
“I’ll always take care of you. You would do it for me.”
“Yeah…but…” I still felt useless.
He rinsed out the conditioner in my hair then turned off the water. “All done.”
I was hoping we’d have a little fun in the shower but I guess not.
Cayson patted me down with a towel then dried my hair. “Feel like a new woman?”
“I do,” I said.
He wrapped my hair in a towel before he dried himself off and put his clothes back on. “Come to the mirror and I’ll blow dry your hair.”
&n
bsp; “How do you know all this stuff?”
“I have a sister.” He said it like it explained everything.
“And you did her hair for her…?”
“When she broke her arm, I did. I told her not to tell anyone. I guess that’s out the window.” He plugged in the dryer then began drying my hair. He lifted the hair and dried it underneath, acting like he knew exactly what he was doing.
“You learn something new every day…”
When my hair was dry, I was shocked it looked better than when I did my own hair. “How did you know that?”
He shrugged then handed me a new change of clothes.
“Are you gay, Cayson?”
He laughed. “You caught me.”
When we returned to the living room, my parents were piling the groceries in the kitchen.
“Good, you showered,” Mom said. “Feel better?”
“A million times better,” I said.
“Your hair looks nice,” she said.
“Cayson did it.” I shot him a look.
“Wow,” Mom said. “He’ll have to come over and do my hair sometime.”
Cayson laughed. “Maybe I should open my own salon.”
“I’d go there,” I said.
After my parents finished with the groceries, they joined us in the living room.
“So…” My dad put his hands in his pockets. It was obvious he didn’t want to leave me even though he knew his job was done.
Mom put her hand on his arm, silently comforting him.
“Thanks for everything,” I said awkwardly. “I think Cayson can handle me.”
“I’m sure he can,” Dad said.
“Well…” I didn’t know what else to say.
“I need to get back to work,” Cayson said. “Can you watch her during the day?”
I had a feeling Cayson was only offering this to make it easier on my parents.
“Yeah,” Dad blurted with enthusiasm. “We can do that.” He looked too excited.
“Great,” Cayson said. “I can take the night shift.”
I would rather spend all day with Cayson but I knew he had responsibilities. I could take off as much time as I wanted but he didn’t have the luxury. “Sounds like we have a plan.”
Now my dad felt more comfortable leaving. “We’ll see you in the morning.” He pulled me in for a one-arm hug and didn’t touch my injured shoulder. “I love you, pumpkin.”
“I love you too, Dad.” I rested my head against his chest.
“I’m sorry about everything.”
“Don’t apologize,” I said. “It wasn’t your fault.”
He sighed then pulled away. “I’m just glad you’re okay. I’ve never been so scared in my life.”
“I know.” I remembered the look on his face before they rushed me to surgery. I’d never forget it. “But everything is fine now. Let’s be happy.”
He nodded. “Let’s.”
Mom hugged me next. “Love you, honey.”
“Love you too.”
“We’ll see you in the morning,” she said. “And we’ll make French toast.”
“Yum,” I said.
“Hmm…” Caysons said. “I might be late to work tomorrow.”
My parents chuckled.
We walked them to the door then finally said goodbye. When they were gone, we were alone. It’d been the first time Cayson and I had any time to ourselves. There were always people around.
He looked at me and emotion filled his eyes. “I’m so glad you’re home—with me.”
“Me too.”
“I was really scared, Skye. If you didn’t make it I was going to—”
I didn’t want to hear him finish the sentence. “I know.”
He looked down at the ground for a moment before he looked at me again. “I know you think your dad is annoying because of how protective he is but…I’m going to be the same way. I hope you can learn to accept it—in time.”
“I understand.”
He moved his arms around my waist and held me close. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too.”
He rubbed his nose against mine.
“Why did you tell my parents you had to work?”
He was quiet for a long time. “I know this transition will be hard for your dad. I want to make it as easy for him as possible.”
“He knows he has to let me go.”
“But let’s make it as pleasant as possible. I’m willing to give up a little time with you now—since I get the rest of eternity with you.”
“You’re really sweet, Cayson.”
“I just love you. It’s the reason I do everything and anything.”
I looked into his eyes and saw the emotion deep within.
“I want to get married,” he whispered. “I don’t want to wait.”
“Two months isn’t that far from now.”
“Even so…let’s start planning.”
“No,” I said. “I’m not going to take away Trinity’s day. We can be patient, Cayson.”
“Let’s just elope then.”
“I want our family there.”
He sighed in irritation.
“Please be patient. I’ll make it up to you on our honeymoon.”
That caught his attention. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“Well…two months isn’t that long.”
I chuckled. “Glad you changed your mind.”
“I didn’t change my mind. You changed my mind.”
Chapter Eighteen
Sean
We entered our house for the first time in weeks. Neither one of us had any urge to return without the other in tow. I struggled to walk inside because I knew how I would feel. My wife was held at gunpoint and I almost lost her.
The police had done their business a long time ago, and now the house looked exactly as it used to. I couldn’t even tell where the fucker had been shot or where his blood had stained the floor.
We both walked inside and stood on the threshold, looking around like we’d never been there before.
“You doing okay?” I asked.
“I’m fine,” she said quietly. She crossed her arms over her chest and walked into the living room. Then she stopped and looked at the place where one of our couches used to be.
I stood beside her and looked down. “This is where you killed him.”
She didn’t confirm or deny it.
My heart raced in my chest as I looked at the area. I hadn’t told anyone what happened to Scarlet. I wasn’t sure if she wanted anyone to know what she’d been through.
Could my wife really live here anymore? Could she sit in the living room in the evening and not think about what happened? Could I not think about what happened? My imagination ran wild when I pictured it, the way she must have been terrified. “Do you want to sell the house?”
She turned away from the spot and examined the house, looking at the kitchen and the expansive living room. Her eyes focused on the corner where the Christmas tree stood every year. “There are a lot of good memories here.”
There were. Our children grew up here. This was the first house we moved into after we got married. We’d made love on every piece of furniture in every room. I remembered when she told me she was pregnant with Skye. I remembered when she told me she was pregnant with Roland. I remembered everything. “Yeah…”
She walked away from the spot and kept her arms across her chest.
“It’s up to you,” I said. “We can do whatever you want. The house might be hard to sell since…” I didn’t finish the sentence. “But we can buy another house without it.”
“I don’t know,” she answered.
I came behind her then rested my chin on her head. My arms moved around her waist. “Do you want to talk about it?” Scarlet hadn’t mentioned it once since it happened. A part of me didn’t want to know. But if she needed to listen, I would.
“I wasn’t scared.”
That was the last thing I expected
her to say.
“I’m not sure why. I guess I could see the hesitation in his eyes. And he covered his face, like he didn’t want me to be able to recognize him later.”
That wouldn’t give me any security but I didn’t say that.
“I had your gun with me in the kitchen. And I had my apron. If I didn’t have those…then maybe I would have been scared. He underestimated me when he shouldn’t have. There’s one thing that bothers me…”
“What?” I asked.
“I killed him and I don’t feel bad about it.” There was no emotion in her voice. “Zack was trying to make you give up Skye, and he was threatening me to make it happen. He threatened my entire family. I guess…that makes me feel justified.”
“You shouldn’t feel bad,” I said. “You had every right to do what you did.”
“Does that make me a terrible person?”
“Not at all,” I whispered. “I wouldn’t have wanted you to do anything else. I’m glad you didn’t assume he might spare your life. You did what you had to do to survive. No one would ever hold that against you.”
“I was so angry…that Zack was hurting you. I just needed to get there as fast as I could and put a bullet in his brain.”
My wife was a strong woman, and sometimes I forgot that. Perhaps I was rubbing off on her, but she was becoming protective and territorial just like I was. “Well, I beat you to the punch. And I don’t feel bad about at it—at all.”
“At least we don’t have to look over our shoulders anymore.”
“Yeah, we’re safe now. Everyone is safe.”
“I can’t believe Zack was the person after you…did he say why?”
“He said I ruined his life. He hasn’t been able to find a job or run for office because I destroyed his reputation. I didn’t do it on purpose. Word must have spread. But he blamed me anyway.”
“Psychopath.”
“Yeah…”
“At least he’s gone,” she said. “Good riddance.”
I kissed her neck and held her close to me. “We have a lot of good memories here, but a lot of bad ones. Maybe we should sell it and move on.”
“Maybe,” she agreed.”
“What do you want to do?”
She was quiet for a long time. “What do you want to do?”
“The decision is yours.”
“Can I think about it?” she asked.
“Of course you can,” I whispered.