It wasa little after two in the morning by the time they’d finished eating. Like she said she would, Rema left them and went back to her room. She told them a few things about her past and Choyce’s mother, including what led to her being taken by the Jeromes. Lavender saw every emotion that passed through Choyce displayed on his face. After the hard childhood Heather had, her father’s drug addiction forced her into an even harder marriage. Choyce seemed to have a moment of revelation, saying that he understood why she drank as much as she did. They both agreed that though they wished she was still alive, Heather was finally at peace.
Lavender hadn’t seen Choyce shed a tear yet. She wondered if he would do so when he was alone. He walked her to the room she’d be occupying and assured her that he would have answers for her later in the morning.
“That’s fine, but I don’t think I’ll be going to sleep any time soon.”
He chuckled softly, showing off a relaxed smile. “Same.”
Lavender looked back at the Queen-sized bed. “Um… can you… stay in here with me?”
Nodding, Choyce closed and locked the door behind them. He’d showered after her but had put his black button-down shirt and slacks back on. She watched as he stripped down to nothing but his boxers, exposing a slim body and six-pack that she couldn’t wait to feel the warmth from.
After cutting out the light, Choyce slipped into bed behind her.
He wasted no time pulling her into his arms, and in that moment, Lavender felt the safest she’d felt in a while. Her heartbeat relaxed, and the constant shake she’d picked up over the past month was alleviated. Resting against him, Lavender tossed her arm around him and released a soft sigh. This wasn’t a permanent solution, but it would damn sure be a temporary one that she allowed herself to get lost in.