Page 144 of One Secret

Bemused, Cyrus takes the envelope and follows me out of the hospice and into the sunshine.

I have no idea what day it is, much less the time. But I suspect, from the heat, it's midafternoon.

'What is this?' Cyrus asks, waving the little envelope. I find it curious that, for all his stoicism, he hasn't even blinked at the hand-holding.

'Our future,' I tell him. 'If you want it.'

Frowning, Cyrus opens the envelope one-handed. He thumbs out the image inside and nearly drops the damn thing.

For a full minute, he's frozen there on the curbside. Just staring.

'You said something on the cliff...' I say, when I'm worried he might be atrophying in place. 'Before we got on the boat...?'

'Mmm?' Cyrus doesn't look up from the photograph. His eyes are glued to it. Memorizing every splodge and blurry line.

'You said you were going to take me home.'

Something in my tone draws Cyrus's focus. I sweep my hair back and tap the tattoo behind my ear.

'The rune?' I say. 'That's what it means. It means "home". It's what I want for my life. What I've always wanted.'

Cyrus swallows. His fingers tremble in my hand.

'I told you already, I'm not the—'

'I'm not talking about bricks and mortar and a white picket fence, Cyrus.' I pull him in close and fall in love with him all over again when he's careful not to squash the sonogram between us. 'A home doesn't have anything to do with walls and a roof. It's about the people inside it. I want someone who I can trust. Who I can rely upon. Who will love me.'

'I will,' Cyrus vows. He keeps looking between me and the picture of our baby. 'Baby, I will. Whatever you need. Fighter, lover, parent, whatever. I can't promise I'll get any of it right,'—he swallows nervously—'but I can promise I'll fight harder than anyone else.'

'Oh yeah...?' I tease, feeling my world settle comfortably on its new axis. An axis with two poles inside of one. 'Because you love me?'

'Because I love you,' he repeats, like a vow. 'More than anyone has a right to love someone.'

'Hmm...' I glance up at him thoughtfully, a finger to my lips. I wince awkwardly. 'Does this mean we're in a real relationship now?'

Cyrus snorts.

'Dear God...' he groans in terror.

'It'll be fine,' I breeze at him with a laugh. 'You're good at adapting remember? And our first date is in the bag now. It wasn't so bad.'

Cyrus looks at me like I'm a lunatic.

'You got shot,' he points out.

Automatically, I shrug. And then have to wince at my error. Cyrus brings a hand to my bandages peeking out from beneath my coat. He brushes the gauze gently with his thumb. His eyes are dark, full of shadowy regrets.

I, on the other hand, have none. This last week broke down the wall between us. It gave me Cyrus.

'Small price to pay,' I promise him.

'No...' he growls, leaning down towards me. He pulls back the lapel of my coat and presses a kiss just above my wrappings. 'This is never a price to pay.'

I smile, remembering his words back on the island...

'Because I'm so "precious"?' I ask.

'No,' he shakes his head, stroking the lines of my face with his fingertips before leaning in for a kiss. 'Because you're everything.'

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