Page 9 of In the Cover of Darkness

“Yes, to … ?”

“To all of it Dante. If that's okay?” she says tentatively looking at me. “I really can offer you nothing but some average company at this point. I promise I'll pay you back for everything once I get a job and will help out where I can. I can cook and clean, do washing—”

“Hold on,” I say, pausing slightly, making sure she understood my next words. “I'm not asking you to come with me because I'm looking for a maid. I've lived most of my life in the Army, and most of that looking after myself and all that entails, so I don't need you to start doing any of that for me. I'm just one person trying to help another, that's all,” I tell her smiling.

“Okay then, let's start over together,” she says with the most confidence I've heard from her, breaking into a giggle. “But not together, together. Just, together you know.” Her face is full of hope and possibility as we start this new adventuretogether.

Chapter 9 - Mila

This is definitely not a five-star resort, but it's safe and warm and I can have a shower, so I'm not complaining. Dante carried me to his motel room because I didn't have any shoes and he said it was stupid for me to get my feet wet when he could just carry me. He lifted me like I was nothing, he did not complain and just trudged through the snow to the motel room.

Placing me on the ground I take a few steps into the room before something runs across the floor.

“Ahhhhhh,” I yell, jumping at Dante and trying to climb him like a ladder.

“Something moved,” I hiss, as he holds me steady, practically curled around his shoulders while I scan the room for any further movement.

“I know it's not pretty, sunshine, but it's the only room they had, at the only motel in town. I won't lie, but I'm fairly sure there's a mouse living in here.”

“Are you sure it's a mouse? I swear it has three heads and promised to eat my firstborn,” I whisper at him.

“I'll try and catch it, but it's more scared of us than we should be of it. The bathroom’s over there with fresh towels in it. The room is clean, a bit rough around the edges but it’s clean.” Slowly I climb down off Dante, continuing to scan the room for movement.

Placing all of my earthly possessions on the end of the bed, I take out the plastic bag I was given to keep my cast dry when showering.

"Can you help me?'' I say, gesturing toward the bag. Without hesitation, he takes the bag and searches for some tape.

“Can you remind me to take some of that medication when I'm out of the shower please? I don't want to miss a dose and have the pain come back.”

Nodding in agreement he looks at the bag containing several kinds of medications, before saying, “Okay, you're all good to go. Let me know if you need a hand,” wincing instantly as he says it. “Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I just meant if you get stuck or need help, you know,” shrugging his shoulders, a slight blush creeping up his neck.

“I get it. Thank you. You don't have to explain everything. I know you're not making sexual innuendos every chance you get,” I say with a small chuckle.

“You do?” he says looking genuinely surprised. “Thank fuck for that. I've spent years living and working with men. The line is very blurry these days for me with women, and I never want to make you feel uncomfortable or offend you.”

"How about we make a deal then? I promise I'll let you know if something is not appropriate and you ask me if you're not sure as well. I don't think we need to make a big deal about it, we can be just two people helping each other out, letting the other know if they cross the line,” I say grinning up at him.

“Deal,” he says, putting out his hand to shake. Laughing, I take his hand and give him the toughestmanhandshake I can muster.

“Ha, was that meant to be intimidating,” he says, looking at me trying not to laugh.

“It is notmeantto be, itisintimidating. I can tell you are shaking in your boots with how strong and all-powerful I am,” I say as I walk toward the bathroom, hearing him chuckle to himself as I close the door and turn on the shower.

???

I feel like a newborn baby. That shower was the most luxurious thing ever after feeling dirty for so many days. I would risk getting eaten alive by whatever else is living in the room with us just to have this feeling every day.

Now, however, I have a small issue. I have no clothes and nothing clean to wear. I forgot to ask Dante for some clean ones before I had a shower. I can't bring myself to put my dirty clothes back on so I have to go out and ask Dante if I can borrow some.

Cracking the door open and shielding myself behind it, I say, “Dante, are you there?”

Nothing. Dead silence.

“Dante?”

Nothing again. Okay, don't panic. He's probably gone outside to help an old woman cross the road, he's just that sort of person. I can feel the kindness oozing from him. Maybe, just maybe, he caught the mouse and is setting it free. I'll pray to all the gods that this is what he is doing.

I attempt to wrap the small towel around me and push the door open further. I can see the room is empty, but there is a pile of clothes at the end of the bed next to my handbag, however,my medications are now spread out over the small coffee table by the window near the front door. Frowning, I make my way toward the pile of clothes and quickly see that Dante has left some sweatpants, a couple of shirts and a sweater out for me to wear. These are all going to engulf me but it's either this or go naked, so I'm grateful I have this as an option. Dropping the towel, standing naked as the day I was born, I shake out the folded sweatpants and manage to get one leg into the waist. This is far more complicated than I thought it would be trying to get changed with one hand, but I wasn't raised to be a quitter.

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