Their Perfect Match

18

Morgan

Blake comes back into the bathroom as I’m swirling the water with my hands around my knees. I’m too embarrassed to look at him, we both know what happened. I can’t believe I was so stupid to not have noticed.

“How do you feel?” He kneels down beside the tub and gazes at me, I turn away from him to avoid any kind of eye contact.

I shrug, “I’m okay…” my voice is a whisper

“Look at me,” He reaches over and tilts my chin up, I reluctantly look into his eyes. “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about, it is a natural thing.. Something you have no control over. You never have to be embarrassed about your body with me. Finish your bath and then come have breakfast. Your brother wants to speak to you before we leave.” He leans forward and kisses my cheek.

“Leave? Are we going home already?” We just got here. I thought we would stay longer, I feel disappointed to not have more time with my brother.

“No, we aren’t leaving yet. Micheal and I have to run into town. We will be gone all day. Leon will stay here with you”

“Could you… maybe.. Pick me up some tampons while you’re in town?” I felt my face turn beet red at my own request.

“Of course babe, now hurry up. We need to hit the road soon. It’s a long drive to town”

Ten minutes later, I’m dressed and brushing out my hair before heading out to meet the guys for breakfast. Leon is leaning back in his chair with his feet up on the spare chair, Blake is sipping on a cup of coffee. Micheal has his back to me at the stove, the smell of eggs wafting through the air.

“Morning” I say as I walk over to the table and yank roughly on the spare chair that Leon’s feet are resting on, making them fall to the floor. He gives me a startled look but doesn’t say anything. I shoot him an unimpressed stare and sit down.

I have cramps in my lower back and I am in no mood to play nice with anyone today. Blake gives me a smirk over his coffee cup and winks at me.

Micheal turns to the table with plates stacked high with food, steaming scrambled eggs and bacon with toast smeared with melted butter. Handing off plates to each of us, we all dig into the food, a comfortable silence falls across the room. The sound of forks clinking against plates and chewing with slight heavy breathing as food is inhaled makes me feel slightly nauseated. I pick up a slice of toast and reach for the jam in the center of the table. Micheal looks up to see me pull it towards my plate.

"That's mom's rhubarb recipe". He smiles widely and nods with approval. I feel his eyes on me as I spread a thin layer on my toast and take a bite. The sweetness spreads across my tongue with an explosion of flavor. I nod in response to him.

"It's really good!" I don't even have to lie.

Once breakfast is all finished, I clear the plates to the sink and begin washing the table with a wet rag when Micheal comes beside me.

"We had better get going. I wanted to talk to you before we leave. I have something for you… I found it in the fire after everything… it was our moms… I know she wanted you to have it." He pulls something from his pocket. A small gold locket. It has something engraved on it, I lean forward to take a closer look at it. Small vines and roses line the outside of it, a simple design. It hangs on a long gold chain, dangling from his hand.

"It's beautiful " I breathe.

He moves behind me and latches it onto my neck, my hand rests gently against it holding it in place.

“I promise you I will make sure you are safe, no one is going to hurt you again” He pulls me into a hug that I can’t help but feel like it’s a goodbye. I pull back and look him in the eyes, "It's not your fault what happened to me. You know that, right? I don't blame you"

He lowers his eyes, looking down at the necklace. " You know our mom wore this all the time. You used to try and take it when you would play dress up in her closet. She would find you asleep in her laundry hamper with it clutched in your little hands. She would laugh and say one day you would be fighting her for it… who knew a day would come when you wouldn't have to fight her… it suits you."

A tear slides down my cheek, he reaches up and swipes it away with the pad of his thumb. He leans down and places a soft kiss on the top of my head before turning and walking away, leaving me standing there in a daze.

Confused as to what just happened, I turn to see Blake watching me from the doorway. He pushes off and pulls me into his arms.

"Don't look so scared babe. We'll be back before you know it" His hands trailed down my back.

"Don't go… something doesn't feel right Blake." I say, my voice shaking.

He nods, " I knew you'd figure it out. You're a lot of things, but stupid is not one of them."

"You're not going to town are you?" Anger began to rise inside me.

A wicked smile spread across his face. "No."

Cupping my face between his calloused hands he kisses me deeply before pulling away and taking my hand in his.

“I’m coming back for this”. He presses something into my palm and curls my fingers around it before turning and leaving the cabin. I look down at my hand. Opening my fist, I see a diamond ring. I feel the air escape my lungs like I’ve been punched.

Is he asking me to marry him?

“What did he give you?” Leon asks from the other side of the room. I had forgotten about him. I close my fist and shove my hand into my pocket.

“Nothing…” I mutter and go to the bedroom, slamming the door.

How could he drop this on me, now of all times?

He just left me here by myself while he goes off to fight a war for me that I don’t want. All I want is him here with me, I don’t care about all the rest of it. We could live in a shoe box for all I care, I just want to be together, but his pride and ego gets the better of him and he has to go and prove himself. I hate it.

I pick up a pillow and scream into it at the top of my lungs. I scream and scream until I have nothing left in me and the tears are falling like a monsoon. I pull the ring out of my pocket and stare at it for a long time before I decide to try it on my ring finger.

It fits me perfectly, and I like how it looks, but I am so mad at how he did it I rip it off my finger and toss it into the nightstand drawer, slamming it shut.