Stepping out from under the shower, I stumble back into the bedroom to find Mason sitting on the edge of the bed.
" I've brought you something," He slowly pushes himself off the bed and hobbles towards me. It's been only a few days since I stitched his leg together.
Cupping my cheek he presses a kiss onto my forehead, and I revel in the gentleness and love behind that gesture.
" What is it?" I hug the towel wrapped around me tighter. Although I'm happy that we sort through some things. There is a part of me that instinctually fears him. It is small but it is there and I'm having a hard time ignoring it.
Mason points towards the corner of the room behind me, and I look over my shoulder to see that he has brought the gramophone, and a box full of records.
" I know this place can get to you, in ways that you wouldn't think it is possible. I thought it would cheer you up," He smiles down at me when I turn to look back at him.
" Thank you," I say quietly, and wrap my arm around his waist to lead him towards the bed. I know he can't stand for long.
He plops down, and I follow. We are trying to adjust to the new normal. He takes my hand in his and laces his fingers with mine.
" When Micah came to see me...," I take a deep breath. The memories are roiling some emotions that I didn't want to relive in this lifetime but I need to get things sorted.
" He said that you were supposed to take me to him, four months ago," I swallow the knot in my throat and look at him. He nods and I'm conflicted.
" Micah came to me after you turned eighteen. Being out in public, has drawn attention to you. You are not easy to forget, and you made quite an impression. You may not know this but there was a picture of you in the Morston Gazzete the next day," I didn't read the paper but he did. He must've seen it.
" When he came to me he brought the paper and said that you are the girl he has been looking for all this time. And I'm to bring you to him along with the seals. I didn't know if he was aware of our connection, but he didn't mention it to me. I agreed...," He pauses when I frown at him, take my hand out of his and curl it in my lap. I was half expecting him to deny it. I wanted him to deny it. For once, I wanted him to lie to me.
Placing his hand over mine in my lap, " I didn't Lily. I took that time to prepare myself. I knew he would lose his patience and he will come for you himself. I did my best to hide you from him. I tried to deal with him my way. To keep him away from you," I'm dying on the inside and that small part of that feared him grows stronger, more invasive.
His fingers slip under my chin, tilting my head back to look at him and I find the endless pools of blue gazing into mine with endless kindness, and fear.
" I bought us as much time as I could. I had no intention of giving you up," He says sincerely and a part of me wants to believe him, desperately.
" You doubt me," He says quietly, and I nod in assent. He may be a good liar but I'm not. Truthfully, I didn't want to become one, but sometimes...
" It's hard to discern friend from foe," He nods in understanding, " I'm having a hard time, " I take a deep breath in search of the right words and I find that there are no right words when it comes to certain things," I'm nothing but a stranger to you, who stumbled into your life about two years ago. A debt to be repaid. A burden. You owe me nothing. This could easily go away if you would do what Micah asked you to do," It comes out in a breath. All the thoughts that had been on my mind since it all started.
He smiles wearily at me, closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, " Hmm....See, you're wrong Lily, " He shakes his head, " Is not as simple as it seems. You are not a stranger to me. You never were. Was I harsh on you? Yes. Because I wanted you to become something you were proud of. Then we happened, and it was the most beautiful mistake I ever made," He smiles, and I swallow the tears down, " I think sooner or later we would have happened anyway. Because you are a part of me and I'm a part of you. With you I feel whole, " He presses his forehead on mine, and his breath softly caresses my lips, " With time you will come to see that. Just hold on for me a while longer, my sweet Lily," His lips brush over mine in a touch barely there and my breath stalls in my lungs.
" I will," He smiles against my lips and slowly pulls away.
" Lets get you some food. There is a good chance that Graham will eat everything in the kitchen, just to spite me," A watery smile stretches on my lips, and he kisses my temple, sweetly.
Getting up, Mason reluctantly lets go of my hand and stands up on shaky legs.
" I'll go ahead, so you can get dressed," He says with a sigh while I stand before him.
" You can stay, and we can go together," He shakes his head and chuckles.
" If I stay and you take that towel off in front of me. We are not going anywhere, except for the bed ...," The reaction is instantaneous, I'm flushed with a wave of heat, sweat beads over my lip and I'm about to melt in a puddle of nothing on the floor at the intensity in his gaze.
" For now, until we line up all our cats and dogs...," He trails off and I swallow at the reminder of our convoluted situation.
" It would be best that we keep at a safe distance. I don't want to destroy the delicate balance we currently have," That was his brain talking. His stupid level level-headed brain.
Clearing my throat, I smile, " That's very chivalrous of you," I taunt and he chuckles.
" You know that I'm anything but...I want to do this right, Lily. I want you to know this. We started on the wrong foot but I have every intention to start again on the right one," He calmly says and I nod.
" I'll see you in a bit," I say as he turns around and hops out of the room, waddling from one foot to another. I'm surprised that he is on his feet. An injury like his would have left anyone immobilised for weeks.