Chapter 135
632 Words
Dallas looked up from his laptop to see Olivia standing in his office doorway. He grinned at her and spun in his chair.
“Hey there,” he said. “How was everything at the shelter?”
“Good, actually.” She walked over to him, and he pulled her into his lap. “I helped Tina and Lily move into their new apartment.”
“They happy?”
“Happy and nervous.” Olivia ran her fingers over his strong forearms. “Even though Tina’s ex is in jail, and will be for a few years, she’s still scared. But Lily loves her new bedroom… she’s thrilled that we painted it purple and white for her. I think they’ll be OK, in a little while.”
Dallas nodded. He’d met the families at the shelter for battered women and children that Olivia had started, and which she now supported and funded, and they all had the same look in their eyes: stark fear, mixed with a startling commitment to get on with their lives, despite their abusive spouses and fathers. He’d never seen such astounding physical embodiments of hope before, in the whole of his life.
He gazed up at Olivia now, wondering how she was doing with her own internal battles. He reached up and stroked her cheek, the one with the scar. She didn’t flinch this time, so he saw that as progress. Dallas placed his large hand on the back of her neck and pulled her in for a gentle kiss. She curled her fingers around his t-shirt and responded sweetly, but he sensed tension in her body.
He pulled back, looked into her eyes. “You OK?”
She nodded. “I was thinking…”
“About what?”
“About Jenny.”
He leaned back. “Yeah. Chris moved in this morning, huh?"
“He did. She’s just so determined to do this, you know? To get on with her life, to get past it all.”
“I know.”
“Yeah. You do.”
Their eyes met. Dallas knew exactly what had happened to Jenny six years ago, and even though he and Olivia had never really talked about it, she knew he knew. She wondered how much Chris knew now, wondered when Jenny would tell him everything.
“Anyway,” she said. “I was thinking… if Jenny can be this brave and face down her demons, then what’s stopping me? I mean, hers are way worse than mine, right?”
Dallas looked up sharply. “Hey, this is not a competition, and it’s not a race. People face things when they’re ready. Jenny wasn’t ready before now, and I don’t want you pushing yourself to do anything. Don’t compare yourself to her, and don’t feel bad if you need more time.”
“But you…” she said softly.
“What about me?”
“Will you really wait until I’m ready?”
“Hell, yeah, baby.” He kissed her. “You know that, don’t you?”
“Sometimes.” She spoke in a small voice.
“Well, I want you to know it all the time. You hear me, Olivia? I can wait. I will wait. You tell me when you want to make love, and I’ll be there with bells on and nothing else, sweetheart. Before then? I’m just happy to get into bed and hold you every night. I need you next to me, Olivia, I need to know that you’re safe and whole. And that’s all I need.” He held her brown eyes. “OK?”
“OK,” she whispered.
“I love you,” he said. “I want you close to me. I need to hold you. Everything else, it can wait.”
- Writer
