Julian took a deep breath before going inside. The café sharing the space with the flower shop was almost empty but it would facilitate his task here.
He knew who he was looking for, had searched her online and made sure to remember the pretty woman's face. He realised he had seen her a few times over the years. They had attended a few garden parties at his grandparents house, her and her parents. The Bensons.
They were nice people but Julian had always felt bad about the way they looked upon him and Lizzy with something akin to pity and guilty resentment in their eyes as if still unsure wether to hate them by principle or give the innocent children a chance. Their daughter had been nice though. She had smiled warmly at them and though he hadn't seen her attend those summer parties in years, he remembered her fondly.
He remembered a bright, warm girl exuding vitality. He didn't expect the exhausted, sully woman sitting behind the counter. She didn't even look up at his arrival.
« What would you like ? » She asked in a monotone, her face pale and her hair a mess.
« To talk to you, » he answered softly.
She sighed and slowly looked up, preparing herself to tell him off by the look of it but the second their eyes met she froze. Her eyes went wide and filled with tears and she shot up from her chair. He looked at her kindly while she struggled with what to say.
« Julian… » She finally choked out before looking over his shoulder with a devastatingly hopeful expression that confused him. « Is… Is your mother with you ? »
« No… » Julian frowned, trying to understand her reaction. That she recognised him was explainable, he probably hadn't changed much in the few last years. « Do you know my mother ? » He asked before cursing at his stupidity. « I mean, like, now, like you know her… Damn ! »
« I get what you mean, » she stopped him and a kind smile softened her tired face.
And she told him about the friendship she had developed with his mom and how it had ended.
« You're this friend ?! » he exclaimed in shock.
« She told you about me ? » Beatrice seemed surprised.
« Of course ! She liked you a lot and I wondered why she stopped talking about you but… So that's what happened, » Julian leaned across the counter and sipped on the smoothie she had brought over.
« I don't want to be rude but… » Beatrice looked at him with hesitation. « Why are you here ? »
Julian took the time to gather his thoughts before speaking. At least, he knew now that Beatrice genuinely liked his mother. Her reaction had spoken for itself.
« I really hope I won't bring up sleeping traumas, » he started. « But I need to ask you a few questions. »
« Let's move this to my office, » she nodded her head and led him to a messy room.
« I don't think my mother murdered your sister, » he decided to be direct and was shocked to see her nodding along from where she sat across the desk.
« Yes, me neither, » she agreed.
« Excuse me ? » Julian opened wide eyes at her.
« Everything I said in court… It's all true. Your mother really came and argued with my sister that night. I did see her in the flames, covered in blood. And up until now, it was all I could remember, » she looked down at her hands. « But I always said there was something else. Something that was still missing. My parents wouldn't hear it and the doctors put it on the trauma… »
« Up until now ? » Julian asked.
« I… I still dream about that night, » she admitted in a soft low voice to the teenager. « I never stopped. And since meeting your mother… It triggered something. »
« Do you remember who did it ? » Julian felt his heart squeeze in anticipation and he held his breath.
« No, » she shook her head, looking sorry for the crushing disappointment he couldn't hide. « But I know it wasn't your mother. I… I think your mother saved me. »
Julian didn't realise he was crying until she handed him a tissue.
« Sorry, » he apologized and hid his face in the clean paper while his shoulders shook.
The gravity of the situation suddenly dawned on him.
Yes, he believed his mother innocent. Yes, he wanted to prove it and restore her reputation.
But he hadn't really thought about all the implications until now. He hadn't really realized all his mother had been through, everything that had been stolen from her. And now that he discovered she might not just be innocent but that she might have saved this woman's life before being dragged into hell… He felt the immensity of what was happening.
« My father… » Julian cleared his throat after calming down. « He told me about your sister's secret. »
« Secret ? » Beatrice frowned.
Julian related what he had just found out to the rapidly paling woman.
« Does it ring any bell ? »
« No… » She answered but Julian saw the hesitation in her eyes.
« If you remember anything, please, » Julian grabbed her cold hands. « Please, tell me. »
—
Julian convinced her, after days of relentless, tenacious work, to celebrate her birthday over at their house.
It had taken much efforts to wear her down but when he reminded her that he had celebrated his birthday with her first this year, she couldn't object much more. She made him promise he was sure Elizabeth had planned a weekend away with Ruth and her parents long before they thought about planning her birthday at home. She never wanted to drive her daughter out of her own house.
Thomas also worked diligently to convince her.
That's how she found herself standing in front of the huge mansion on Saturday night. She was still working herself up when the door opened and Thomas leaned against the doorway and smiled down at her knowingly.
« How much longer do you need to prepare yourself for the Oswald's trial ? » He joked and she couldn't help the smile tilting up her lips.
« Another minute ? »
« I waited long enough, » he shook his head and reached out to drag her in his arms. « You're beautiful, » he complimented, his eyes dark and full of so many emotions.
« Julian's here, » she reminded him and softly pushed against his abdomen to put some distance between them. He sighed, leaned down to steal a kiss before allowing her to push him away.
« Hey mom ! » Julian popped his head out of the kitchen. He had flour all over his face. « I'll be with you in a minute. Dad, get her something to drink, will you ? »
« Yes, boss, » Thomas grinned at his son before turning heated eyes at him. « It seems I'm left to entertain you. »
« Do you need help ? » She ignored the giddy feeling bubbling in her chest and turned to her son.
« No, it's okay ! » He shouted before disappearing back inside.
« Oh, well… » June didn't have any more time to think before Thomas had slid an arm around her waist and was dragging her to the living room. « You're way too comfortable ! » She whispered angrily and tried to pry his hand off her hip but he wouldn't let go.
« I've been waiting for you to come home for so long, » he countered and he sounded so raw, she was left speechless while he handed her a drink.
« What is it ? » She took the wine glass from his hands and looked at the light green liquid inside.
« No alcohol for you, » he smirked. « I can't handle you drunk. »
« I still don't know what I did, » she pouted.
« Let's keep it this way, » he hummed and poured himself some wine in another glass. « Cheers to you, » he clinked their glasses together.
The cocktail was good though a bit sour. Julian finally let her go when they went to sit on the huge leather couch he had in the living room. It was much more comfortable than the one they slept on together almost every night for the past five months.
He seemed to know where her thoughts had led her because before she knew it, he was leaning down to her ear.
« We should switch sometimes, » he murmured hoarsely.
She punched him away when Julian loudly announced his arrival. She must have imagined the weird look he exchanged with his father before putting the appetizers down on the coffee table.
June discreetly slid away from Thomas to avoid making her son uncomfortable and relaxed when Julian started telling her about all she had missed in the twenty-four hours since they last spoke. She still ate up his every word, no matter that they talked almost daily now.
The night went on well. They had fun, she enjoyed seeing the closeness between father and son and felt privileged to share these moments with both. If a part of her heart felt acutely empty, she couldn't complain. She got more than she had ever hoped for already.
Thomas spent half of the dinner holding her hand under the table, his calloused finger caressing under the bracelet he liked to play with.
« Here, » Julian slid an enveloppe on the table after they had eaten the cake, baked by Thomas again. « It's not as cool as the phone but I hope you'll like it. »
« Don't say that, » she went to hug him before opening the present. « I'd love anything as long as its from you. »
Her eyes widened as she took a map out. Her heart fluttered while she followed the dark route drawn on the map. She easily recognised the highlighted place as the national parks she had always dreamed of visiting.
« Julian… » She whispered in confusion, hope rising inside.
« I'm going away to college soon and, though I'll still be here, we won't get as much time to spend together, » He smiled at her. « We might have to go back to only one sleepover a week, » he sighed as if it broke his heart and she choked on a wet chuckle. « So, I thought, maybe, if you'd like, we could go on a roadtrip together this summer ? »
June's face felt like it was going to break in two from the force of her smile and she threw herself in her son's arms.
« Mom you can't cry whenever I offer you something, » he laughed with his face buried in her hair.
« I can, » she shook her head against his chest.
He gave her time to calm down until Thomas grew impatient.
« My turn, » he called out and she had to begrudgingly leave her son's arms. « I should have gone first, » he complained and glared at Julian who looked very proud of himself.
June shuddered as Thomas slid his chair closer and pulled a small jewelry box out.
« You shouldn't have, » she blushed and hesitated in front of the box.
« Please, » he pleaded in a low, intimate voice and for a second June forgot they weren't alone.
She opened the velvet box and gasped at the beautiful earrings sitting on the black cloth. The craft was incredibly precise and refined. The flowers looked exactly like the ones she carried on her wrist everyday.
« They're beautiful, » she whispered.
« Let me, » Thomas breathed and picked one up.
She shivered as he gently brushed her hair back before putting it on. Then did the same on the other side.
« It suits you, » Julian complimented startling her back to the present and she fumbled with the box in her hand and awkwardly leaned away from Thomas.
« Th-thank you ! » She blushed bright red and looked away from the unreadable smile on her son's face.
« Did you have fun ? » Julian asked her as they filled the dishwasher together. She had refused their refusal and pulled up her sleeves.
« So much, » she smiled up at her son. « Thank you. »
« It was our honor, » he beamed back at her.
« Well, I should go now, » she announced after they had finished cleaning up.
« Oh, » Thomas frowned. « It's raining outside. »
« It's okay, » Julian cut in. « I can dro- »
« It's too dangerous for you to drive in this weather, » his father cut him off with a glare.
« Okay then you c- »
« It's too dangerous for anyone. »
June and Julian exchanged a confused look at his words. They all knew what he did for a living. Driving through this drizzle was nowhere near anything he did on an almost daily basis. And then some.
« I guess you'll have to stay here, » he crossed his arms and turned to send an apologetic look to June.
Oh the little rascal.
—
Thomas could barely hold back his smile as Julian led his mother upstairs to one of the guest rooms. He crumbled when his son turned around to give him a thumb up and a proud smile.
He waited a beat before making his way upstairs too. He bumped into Julian in the hallway.
« I'm beat, » his son announced loudly. « See you tomorrow. »
Thomas ruffled his son's hair and waited a moment before heading to the room he had seen Julian exit. He knocked once and his heart squeezed painfully at the sight of her standing in the doorway a second later.
« Hey, » he breathed out.
« Hey, » she looked at him hesitantly before looking out around him. « What are you doing ? » She muttered angrily. « Are you mad ? »
« I need you, » he reached out and slid a hand under her jaw. « I'm aching. »
« Not here ! »
« Please, » he stepped closer and saw her falter.
« I can't, » she shook her head in panic. « It's the house the children live in ! »
« It's my house, » he frowned. And hers too whenever she realized he was never letting her go. « And we're not doing anything wrong. »
She didn't look convinced but he knew she wouldn't put much more of a fight. He hated that she felt like they were sinning, like they had to hide the beautiful thing that happened between them.
He slid his hand down until their fingers intertwined and slowly pulled her out, she hesitated but followed along, her eyes stuck on their joined hands. He guided her to his bedroom and had to pause after closing the door behind her. This was a dream come true. June was standing in his bedroom, in his house, in their home. He had designed the whole house to suit her tastes, recalling everything she had ever told him she'd like in her future home and poured it here. And he and the house had waited for her all this time.
His possessive instincts all rose to the surface at once and he wasn't in control of himself anymore.
He took her against the door, muffling her moans with his mouth.
Then he took her in the shower. Twice. He had her on her knees, taking him into her tight, hot mouth. And he had her stand while he ate her in the same position afterwards. And then he had her sit on his face to devour her again when they finally made it to the bed.
He didn't let her go to sleep until the early hours of the next morning, taking her in every possible way, making her come with every part of his body until she was begging him to stop.
Thomas laid in his bed with the love of his life spent and naked in his arms and finally felt complete. He needed her there every night for the rest of his life.