Part 22 (1/2)
There's a knock on the door. I can make out a platinum blonde ponytail through the circular window. Billie's face peeps in and she throws her hand over her mouth. She tiptoes inside like she's trying to hide something but lets out a lowly squeal at me. I embrace her carefully and she lets my nose fill with her overwhelming vanilla perfume.
”My baby,” she whispers. ”Jesus Christ.”
Landon climbs from the bed, out into the corridor and leaves us in private.
”W-What are you doing here?” I say, shocked to see her, and maybe a bit more shocked that she's not already at Landon's throat...
”Landon called me... But for now, don't worry about any of that. I brought someone to say h.e.l.lo.”
From her large beach bag she pulls a fluffy feline, a much welcomed face today.
”Babeen, my beautiful boy.” I smush his fur and press my head to his.
Meoooow.
”Shh, Babeen, you have to keep quiet,” Billie whispers.
I laugh as I take the silly boy into my arms and inhale him while he nudges at my face. It's a comfort I've missed. Then I take Billie back into my arms and start crying again.
”I've missed you guys.”
”We've missed you too, baby girl. My G.o.d. I'm so glad to see you safe.”
”Billie, I'm so so...”
”Hush. Hush your d.a.m.n mouth. We're here to get you better. The past is the past. You are alive. Love makes us do some d.a.m.n foolish things and best be believing there'll be some words. But for now, let's celebrate breathing, shall we?”
I nod and laugh, pulling her into my arms again.
”I have so much to tell you...”
”Well, we'll get to that. You just rest up first.”
She pulls away and I notice something s.h.i.+ny on Billie's hand.
”What is this?” I say, taking a modest ring between my fingers.
”Oh, don't get too excited. Me and lazy-eye may have given each other promise rings.”
My eyes fill with more tears. I've missed so much since I've been gone. Of all the things I'd let go about Baddock, Billie was the very last.
”I'm so sorry.”
”Ugh, for the last time, less apologizing, more healing.”
”No... I owe it to you. I need to tell you everything.”
”In that case, you go ahead and start at the beginning... And no lies this time. I've been letting you get away with lying to me for too d.a.m.n long...”
”You knew?” I asked quietly.
”Course I did... But I saw good in you, and I thought you might come around sooner or later...”
It's a few hours of talking Billie and Babeen finally leave me and Landon alone. I cuddle into his shoulder again. He places a kiss on my forehead.
”Lucy,” he says quietly.
”Mm...”
”I've been thinking about our future lately, about where we go from here.”
”What about it?”
”Well, there's something I've been holding in the last few days and I didn't know the right time to tell you. I didn't want you stressing out anymore than you have been.”
I don't know if I want him to keep talking or let me live in this Limbo bubble a few days more. But curiosity gets the better of me. ”Landon, what are you talking about?”
”Do you see a future with us?”
I shake my head in disbelief.
”Of course I do.”
”I just want to be sure you're ready to live this life with me, all the good, all the bad...”
His fingertips move along my collarbone and I collapse deeper into his touch. ”Landon, you're scaring me.”
He lifts my chin up and kisses my mouth. ”Do you want this future with me?”
”O-Of course. I want it to be you and me, forever...”
”If that's what you want... I'm getting back out of the club.”
”Doesn't that mean another fight?”
”Not with Rev in charge... He'll let me retire. Besides, I can't keep being the f.u.c.king enforcer if I'm afraid the next fight might take me back to sixth grade english...”
I could see there was more he hadn't told me yet. Something hidden behind his eyes.
”And... The doctor ran some tests on Wednesday...” he starts.
My stomach lurches. s.h.i.+t. It isn't over, is it? It can never be over for us.
”Are you okay?” I ask quietly.