Obsessed

Chapter 15

Mark stepped into the house behind Ronnie, taking in the warm blend of her world.

The living room was a mix of classic comfort and modern design. Dark hardwood floors grounded the space, gleaming under the soft overhead light. Light gray walls gave the room an airy feel, and a dark fireplace drew the eye—a sharp, elegant contrast with a detailed mantel and a flat-screen TV mounted neatly above it. The cream-colored sectional looked like it had been molded for relaxation, accented with textured pillows in shades of silver and navy. A round coffee table sat in front of it, scattered with small Halloween decorations.

To the right, the dining area opened up under a contemporary chandelier, its warm bulbs casting golden reflections off the dark wood of the table and matching chairs. The whole space was flooded with natural light from a wall of windows, softened by sheer curtains and framed with tall potted plants. The decor was minimal but intentional—framed artwork with delicate brushstrokes, a woven throw blanket draped over a chair, a single flickering candle near the window.

Theo, still buzzing from the sugar high, plopped his bucket on the coffee table. “Mark! C’mon—I wanna show you my room!” He grabbed Mark’s hand without hesitation and started tugging him toward the stairs.

Mark followed, throwing Ronnie a quick glance. She offered a small smile and a shrug.

“I’ll be right out,” she said, heading toward the far end of the hallway. “Just changing.”

Theo’s room was a sensory wonderland tucked inside pale blue walls. LED lights lined the ceiling, set to a soothing purple glow. His bed stood elevated, four feet off the ground, with a little staircase leading up one side and a curving slide down the other. Beneath the bed, he’d made a nest of pillows and plush animals, a secret hideaway perfect for a six-year-old's imagination.

Shelves lined one wall, filled with sensory toys, color-coded bins, neat rows of books, and carefully stacked puzzles. The entire space was clean—surprisingly so for a child his age—but Mark could see the system behind it. Order was comfort for Theo.

“These are my squishies,” Theo said, pointing to a shelf of small rubber creatures. “And that’s Mr. Chomp. He’s my angry guy.” He picked up a green dinosaur with one eye missing and made him growl dramatically.

Mark chuckled. “Terrifying.”

As Theo dove into naming his stuffed animals one by one, Mark stood in the doorway, half-listening. He shifted slightly and caught something out of the corner of his eye.

Ronnie’s bedroom door, just slightly ajar.

He didn’t mean to look—but his gaze betrayed him before he could stop it.

She was inside, her back to the mirror. Her platinum hair fell like silk around her shoulders, and she wore nothing but a black lace bra and matching underwear, her flawless skin illuminated by the warm light overhead. Her body was… perfect. Sculpted yet soft, elegant yet raw. He felt his pulse spike instantly—heat rising in his chest, creeping up his neck.

He should look away. He needed to look away.

But for a moment—just one brief moment—he didn’t.

“Mark?”

Theo’s voice yanked him back to the doorway.

Mark blinked, shook his head quickly, then turned toward the boy. “Sorry, buddy. What’d you say?”

Theo beamed. “Isn’t this cool?” He gestured to the bed and then to the small box on his nightstand. “This is my Tonie. You put little figures on it and it reads stories and sings songs.”

“That’s awesome,” Mark said, clearing his throat.

He needed to get it together.

A second later, Ronnie stepped into the hallway. Her glitter was gone, her makeup washed off, and she wore an oversized tee that slouched off one shoulder, paired with soft shorts that barely peeked out from under the hem. She was dabbing her cheek with a cloth as she approached.

“All right,” she said, smiling down at Theo. “Let’s get you in your pajamas and pick a movie before bed.”

Theo whooped in excitement, already tugging at his costume. Within seconds, he’d stripped down and slipped into his favorite dinosaur pajamas—complete with a tail and hood. He bolted down the stairs, giggling as he leapt onto the couch.

Mark followed more slowly, and Ronnie walked beside him, drying her hands on a towel.

They settled onto the sofa, Theo in the middle, snuggling into the cushions. Ronnie curled her legs beneath her, brushing her hair back behind her ear as she leaned toward Theo.

“What do you want to watch?” she asked softly.

Theo grinned. “Nightmare Before Christmas!”

“Of course,” she said with a smile, grabbing the remote.

“Classic,” Mark murmured.

The movie began, casting soft light across the room. Ronnie reached for the throw blanket draped over the back of the couch and pulled it over Theo. Within fifteen minutes, he was out cold, his mouth slightly open and his little hand gripping the edge of Mark’s shirt.

Ronnie looked down at him with a soft laugh. “Lightweight.”

Carefully, she slid her arms beneath her brother and stood, cradling him against her shoulder. His dinosaur tail flopped over her arm as she carried him upstairs.

Mark watched her go, the way she moved with ease—like she'd done this a thousand times.

A few minutes later, she came back down, barefoot and relaxed. “You want a beer or something?”

Mark nodded. “Yeah. That sounds good.”

She padded into the kitchen, grabbed a bottle from the fridge and poured herself a glass of red wine. She handed Mark the beer, then sank into the couch beside him, tucking one leg beneath the other and sipping quietly.

For a while, neither of them spoke.

The movie continued playing in the background—Jack Skellington singing about something being terribly wrong in Christmas Town—but the energy in the room had shifted. Softer. Slower. Somewhere between comfort and curiosity.

Mark took a long sip of his beer and leaned back, glancing at Ronnie as she swirled her wine in the glass.

She caught him looking.

“What?” she asked with a small, shy smirk.

He smiled and looked down. “Nothing. Just… you seem different here.”

“Different how?”

Mark shrugged. “Lighter. Like you breathe easier when you’re home.”

Ronnie looked down at her wineglass, her fingers tracing the rim. “Maybe I do.”

Silence again, but not awkward. It felt... loaded, as if both were holding back something they didn’t know how to say.

“Is it hard?” Mark asked finally, his voice low. “Raising him on your own?”

Her lips pressed into a line, then softened. “Yes and no,” she said. “Theo’s… he’s my whole world. But yeah, it’s hard. Some days I feel like I’m just barely holding it together with string and glue.”

He nodded slowly. “But you’re doing it. All of it. And you’re not just surviving—you’re doing a damn good job.”

Ronnie blinked, caught off guard by the compliment. “Thanks,” she said quietly. “That… means more than you know.”

Mark glanced over at the empty staircase, his voice soft. “So, his dad…?”

Her expression didn’t change, but something behind her eyes hardened. “Not in the picture,” she said quickly. Then, with a breath, “And thank God for that.”

He could tell not to push. But she didn’t stop there.

“My mom… she was already in prison when she found out she was pregnant with Theo,” Ronnie said, her voice steady but distant. “His father was arrested not long after. They're both still in prison.”

Mark’s eyes softened, but he didn’t interrupt.

“My uncles, Marvin and Gale… they helped me get full custody of Theo before he was even born,” she continued. “We didn’t want him going through the system. I was nineteen when he came into my life. Still trying to figure out how to be an adult, and suddenly I was a full-time guardian.”

She exhaled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “It was tough. Taking care of a newborn, doing college classes online, working odd jobs… I barely slept. But I couldn’t let him be alone. Not like I was.”

Mark nodded slowly. “But you did it.”

“I had help,” she said. “Marvin and Gale were amazing. They did everything they could. And we still go visit her—our mom. Once, sometimes twice a month. I do it for Theo, mostly. He deserves to know where he came from… even if it’s complicated.”

Mark stared at her, admiration clear in his eyes. “You’re stronger than most people I know, Ronnie.”

She gave a faint smile, one that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I didn’t really have a choice.”

“You were just a kid yourself,” he said softly.

She looked over at him, blue eyes gleaming in the dim light. “So were you when you enlisted.”

He smiled faintly. “Fair point.”

Their gazes lingered, a quiet current pulling them closer. Ronnie was the first to look away, sipping from her wineglass and blinking rapidly, like shaking off something too intimate.

“I’m sorry about earlier,” she murmured, eyes still on her drink.

“Earlier?” he asked, confused.

“I left my door open. I didn’t realize. You saw…”

Her voice trailed off, but the heat between them pulsed.

Mark looked down, rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah. I did.”

She didn’t move. Didn’t cover up the moment. “Did you like what you saw?”

His head snapped toward her.

Her tone hadn’t been flirtatious. It was honest. Vulnerable. Like she wasn’t just teasing—she was asking if she was still allowed to feel beautiful.

Mark leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees, his beer held loosely in one hand. “You’re gorgeous, Ronnie. But it’s not just that.”

Her breath caught slightly, and she looked at him then—really looked.

“You’re brave,” he said. “And smart. You fight harder than most people ever have to, and you do it while raising a kid who adores you. It’s… impressive doesn’t even cover it.”

Ronnie’s chest rose and fell with a soft inhale. She set her wineglass down and hugged her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them.

“I’m not used to compliments,” she said. “They usually come with strings.”

“I’m not most people.”

She smiled, small and genuine. “No, you’re not.”

Another beat of silence passed, thick with emotion neither knew how to untangle.

Theo stirred upstairs—just a faint rustle through the baby monitor beside the couch—and both of them instinctively turned toward the sound. Then Mark looked back at her.

“I should probably head out,” he said, his voice quieter now.

“You don’t have to,” she said, almost too fast. Then, blinking, “I mean—if you want to. It’s late. And you’ve had a long day.”

He gave her a half-smile. “You inviting me to stay over, Doctor Summers?”

Ronnie blushed, shoving him playfully in the arm. “Not like that.”

He chuckled, then stood, stretching slightly. “I’ll go. But… I’d like to come back. Maybe hang out with you guys again.”

Ronnie stood too, walking him to the door. “Theo already wants you to move in. He told me so.”

Mark raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah?”

“He says you’re strong enough to fight bad guys, and tall enough to reach the marshmallows.”

“Well, those are critical skills.”

At the door, they paused. Just for a moment.

Mark leaned in slightly, and Ronnie lifted her chin just a little—then stopped herself. Too soon. Too complicated.

But he didn’t mind. He simply smiled, gently touched her arm, and stepped out onto the porch.

“Goodnight, Ronnie.”

“Goodnight, Mark.”

She watched him walk to his truck. When he looked back at the last second, she gave a small wave, then closed the door.

And behind it, her heart beat a little faster.