Page 4 of Love's Faithful Vow

His head jerked up from his phone, and he had the oddest expression on his face. It was a mix of surprise and relief. “Did you say that you love me?”

“Of course, you fool! I don’t sleep around, you know. I love you, and I have been for a very long time. Don’t you get it?”

He smiled with a grin that threatened to cover his entire face. He bent down, wrapping his arms around my waist, picked me up to swing me around the room. Then, he buried his head in my hair, and said, “I love you too, baby. How my life would ever be complete without you saying this, I’ll never know.” He kissed me, gently at first, but then it deepened into something much stronger. I felt it all the way in my core. In my soul.

“Well, now that we’ve established that, care to tell me what got you so rattled in that last text message?”

He hesitated, but nodded his head. “It was from Angela, the police officer from the school.”

“The one who has the crush on you.”

“I’d like to say that you’re imagining that, but I think I agree with you. I think she has a slight crush on me. But you have to believe me, darling, there’s nothing going on between us.”

“Let me just tell you something, sir. I don’t have any right to question you about any relationship you’ve had before today. If the two of you had something before now, that’s fine. My only concern would be about anything that would happen from this day forward.”

“Nothing is going on, nor has it ever gone on. I can say the same thing you just said to me. I’ve loved you since the day I met you all those years ago, and I’ve never wanted to be with anyone but you. I wouldn’t be able to look you in the eyes if I’d been with another woman.”

“That’s good to know. Alright then, what did she say that has you so concerned? You can tell me anything. I want to know everything about you.”

“I’m not sure you mean that, or even if I could bring myself to tell you everything, even if you meant it. But she said that her boss wants me to come down to the station to answer some questions.”

“What kind of questions?”

“Questions about the dead man that was found in your office this morning.”

If I’d been hit by a Mack truck at that moment, I didn’t think I’d be able to tell the difference. “There was a dead man in my office this morning?”

“Yes. She also said that they have some questions for you. Apparently, someone saw us leave together this morning and mentioned it to the police.”

“But I had nothing to do with someone ending up dead in my office! Who was it, anyway?”

“It was James Sinclair. The janitor.”

“That old bastard! I hated that guy! He was always throwing away papers he found on my desk, claiming that they were on the floor. His son was one of my students once, and I failed the kid because he never showed up for class. I wasn’t the only teacher who failed him, but I was the one that the kid mentioned in his suicide note. Mr. Sinclair has always blamed me for his son’s death, despite my arguments to the contrary. He and I had another argument about it just the day before yesterday. He threatened me. He said he’d follow me, wait for me to be somewhere alone, slash my tires and leave me in the woods overnight.”

“And then,” Donovan began, “he said that he’d come back to pick you up the next morning. Only he’d rape you first before he beat you to death with his tire iron.”

“How did you know? I never told a soul he said that, and it was late. No one else was in the building.”

“I was. You don’t know this, honey, and I hope you don’t freak out, but you rarely leave this building without me following you home. To make sure you get home safely, of course, buy lately I’ve been waiting in the room next door until you headed down the stairs. I’d wait a few minutes and then leave right behind you. I’d get to the parking lot with plenty of time to see you get in your car.”

“Then you’d follow me all the way here? Is that how you knew aboutThe Woven Blanketbut you’d never eaten there before today?” He nodded. “So, you’d just sit in your car until I was finished and then you’d continue to follow me?” He nodded again. “What about the times when I would go to the library, or pick up groceries before coming home? You’d follow me those nights, too?”

“Yes. I’ve even followed you to the cemetery to put flowers on your mother’s grave. I wanted so much to comfort you when I would see your shoulders moving and knowing that you were crying. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it, though. I had to make sure you were safe, but I was afraid that you’d tell me to stop, or that you’d think I was some freak and you’d never let me get close to you. I don’t think I could hand;e that. Please don’t push me away, honey. I didn’t mean any harm. I can’t tell what you’re thinking right now. Talk to me.”

My face must have had a slack expression on it, because he kept asking if I was alright and begging my forgiveness. “Everything is making sense. All those times I felt that someone was watching me… I was right! My sister thought I was crazy, or just lonely, but I knew you were there. I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what was going on, but I felt your presence.”

“Are you angry with me?”

Surprisingly, I wasn’t. “No. I’m not angry with you, Donovan. I was uncomfortable thinking that perhaps someone was out there who might want to hurt me, but now that I know it was you, I’m actually relieved.”

“I didn’t mean to scare you. I just wanted you to be safe.”

I smiled up at him, taking his hand in mine. “You didn’t. Really. I got used to it after a while, and, honestly, it made me feel safe. Thank you.” I pulled him to me and kissed him. Tenderly, that time. With gratitude. “By the way, I meant to ask. You said that they found Mr. Sinclair dead in my office. What happened to him? Did he have a heart attack or something?”

“No,” he intoned. “He was beaten to death with his own tire iron.”

Chapter 5

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