Chapter 19: When Near Becomes Necessary,
1004 Words
Bonny’s POV
I should have said something clever.
Something light.
Something capable of protecting me from whatever that sentence had just done to my insides.
Instead, I said nothing.
Adrian stood beside me at the window, hands in his pockets, gaze on the city.
As if he had not casually restructured my emotional framework in one line.
Typical.
“You do realize,” I said eventually, “that sometimes you say things more intimate than people who write poetry.”
He looked mildly offended.
“I would never write poetry.”
“That was not the point.”
“It was still inaccurate.”
I laughed despite myself. He always says weird things.
Then the quiet settled again.
Different now.
Less empty.
More inhabited.
My shoulder brushed his accidentally.
Neither of us moved away.
Small disasters everywhere.
And somewhere somehow I liked it.
---
The next morning, I woke up to knocking.
Not gentle.
Insistent.
Like the house is on fire.
I opened my bedroom door to find Mara standing there with visible excitement.
“You have visitors.”
I frowned.
“At this hour?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
She smiled.
“The grandparents.”
What the hell are they doing here at this time. I had to rush in cleaning up myself.
I was fully dressed in under four minutes.
---
Evelyn Knight swept into the penthouse like warmth itself, carrying flowers and opinions.
Edward followed more slowly, elegant as ever, holding a pastry box.
“My dear girl!” Evelyn exclaimed, embracing me before I could prepare.
“You look tired.”
“Thank you?”
“It was not praise.”
Edward kissed my cheek politely.
“You look stronger,” he said.
“That sounds suspiciously like praise.”
“It was.”
I liked him immediately again. The warmth that came with them just brightened to the whole penthouse.
Adrian entered from the hallway, already composed.
He is always so calm.
“You arrived unannounced.”
“Yes,” Evelyn said cheerfully. “Because when we announce visits, you schedule around affection.”
Accurate.
Edward handed me the pastry box.
“We brought breakfast as diplomatic cover.”
Inside were fresh pastries from some bakery expensive enough to apologize through butter.
We all sat.
Evelyn watched Adrian and me with entirely too much interest.
“So,” she said.
“No,” Adrian replied.
She ignored him.
“Are you two happier?”
“What a subtle question,” I muttered.
Edward sipped coffee.
“She means: have you stopped glaring romantically at each other?”
I nearly choked.
Adrian looked at his grandfather.
“You encourage chaos.”
“Only quality chaos.”
Evelyn leaned toward me.
“Has he kissed you yet?”
“Grandmother.”
“Adrian.”
I stared at my plate.
Heat flooded my face.
Evelyn gasped dramatically.
“Oh! He has. This is amazing”
Edward looked delighted.
Adrian looked like a man reconsidering inheritance law.
“This family overshares,” I said weakly.
“This family observes,” Evelyn corrected.
Then her expression softened.
She reached for my hand.
“I’m glad there is laughter here now.”
The room quieted.
Even Adrian.
Edward looked at his grandson.
“You were becoming too efficient to be happy.”
Adrian’s jaw shifted.
“I was functioning.”
“Yes,” Edward said gently. “That was the problem.”
I glanced at Adrian.
He did not look at anyone.
Something vulnerable moved through the silence.
Then vanished.
---
After breakfast, Evelyn insisted on seeing the penthouse terrace gardens.
She dragged Edward with her.
Which was generous of her.
Because it left Adrian and me alone in the kitchen.
He poured coffee.
I watched him.
“You were unhappy?”
“No.”
“That sounded automatic.”
He set the cup down.
“I was fine.”
“There’s a difference.”
He looked at me.
“You’re becoming inconveniently perceptive.”
“You’re welcome.”
I stepped closer.
“Were you lonely?”
A pause.
Then:
“Yes.”
The honesty of it landed quietly.
No drama.
No performance.
Just truth.
I softened before I meant to.
“That must have been difficult.”
“It was manageable.”
“Same thing?”
“No.”
I smiled faintly.
“Progress. You’re learning vocabulary.”
He stepped closer too now.
“From an unreliable instructor.”
“I’m excellent.”
“You’re disruptive.”
“Also true.”
His hand lifted, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear.
Simple gesture.
Catastrophic effect.
“You’re staring again,” I whispered.
“Yes.”
“At what?”
“You.”
My heartbeat lost all discipline.
“You make that sound unusual.”
“It is.”
Then he kissed me.
No interruption this time.
No phones.
No crises.
Just slow certainty.
My hands slid to his shoulders without negotiation.
When we broke apart, I rested there a moment longer than necessary.
Then Evelyn’s voice rang from the terrace.
“Edward, I owe you twenty rand!”
I jumped back.
Adrian closed his eyes briefly.
“What was that?”
Edward called back helpfully:
“She bet you’d kiss before noon.”
I covered my face. This was very embarrassing. I'm not sure I will survive it.
“This family is unhinged.”
“They are meddling.”
“Successfully.”
He almost smiled.
Then the front door buzzer sounded.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Aggressive.
We both looked toward the hallway.
Mara hurried in, concerned.
Even pale.
“Sir…”
“Yes?”
“There’s a woman downstairs refusing to leave.”
My stomach tightened. There is always someone who interrupts us.
“Who?”
Mara swallowed.
She looked very nervous, I could see from the way her eyes move around each one of us.
I didn't like how that made me feel so like I was about to get mad any minute.
“She says she’s your wife.”
- Writer
