Love & Serenity

Chapter 13

Lillian felt the cool breeze on her face and heard the seagulls and the crashing waves as she slipped out of her deep slumber. She narrowed her eyes, her face scrunched up as she opened her eyes to the blinding light.

It took her a minute before her eyes adjusted to the light and she sat up surprised at the blanket that was over her. She saw Otto on the other sofa, head hanging slightly over the edge as he watched her. Pushing the blanket to the side, she slipped her legs to the carpeted floor and looked down at the leg she'd injured. Twisting her leg to see if it was better, she frowned. The pain had dulled but it was still there, the swelling was gone but her ankle was a certain colour that made it uncomfortable for her to look at.

Pushing herself up from the sofa she had slept on, it took her a second to get her footing on her good leg. Tucking her short hair behind her ears she stretched, yawning and then limped towards the patio, scratching Otto's head on the way out. She walked through the already opened sliding glass doors and walked to the railings. Placing her hands on the railings, keeping her weight on it, she sighed at the sight before her.

If she thought it was a great view from Deidre's kitchen, boy was she wrong.

Covering her mouth as she yawned again, she sniffled and closed her eyes letting the cool breeze hit her face.

"Hey."

Lillian snapped her eyes open and her head in the direction his voice came from.
"Hey."

Jax walked up to her, with two coffee mugs in hand.
"There you go." He said, "Figured you'd need this to wake you up."

Lillian took the mug he handed to her and sipped on the coffee; it was black, no sugar but she didn't say anything about that.
"Thank you."

"You're welcome." He said and drank his coffee. "How did you sleep?"

"Uh...like a baby."

He smiled.
"The painkillers."

"Figured as much."

"How's the leg?"

"Feels much better than yesterday."

"Here." Jax moved to one of the patio chairs and placed his mug on the table. "Sit and let me have a look." He said as he turned to her.

Lillian's gaze froze on his face.
"It's better, really, you don't have to."

Jax blinked.
"Well, then you wouldn't mind me having a look."

Lillian was hesitant.

"C'mon Lily."

Lillian was taken aback by the nickname. She walked towards him and took one of the seats placing her mug next to his. Jax took the seat next to hers and bent to lift her leg. Her jeans hem was still folded up and he saw the bruise right away.

"That looks like it hurts."

"Well, it doesn't. Not as bad as it did yesterday."

Jax looked at her.
"If you say so." He placed her foot gently back on the wooden floor. "You need to keep off it for a few days."

"Thank you, doctor," Lillian said mockingly with a smile which she immediately covered by sipping on her coffee.

"You're welcome," Jax said with a smile.

"Also, thanks for the blanket."

"Not a problem." He said, "You must be starving."

I am, terribly.
"I am." She said, "I should probably head back to my place though."

"I'll drop you off." Jax stood up towering over her. "But only after you have breakfast here."

Jax didn't like the idea of her heading back to her place and then walking around the kitchen when she clearly needed to keep off her leg for a while.

"I've pretty much overstayed and put you out..."

"Hey." Jax interrupted her. "I'm not complaining."

Lillian kept her gaze on him as she contemplated her decision. She didn't exactly have a choice because she couldn't exactly storm out yelling 'no, thank you' and 'I can get to my place all on my own'. That would no doubt make her seem insane.

Smiling, Lillian nodded.
"Alright."

Jax glanced a couple of times at Lillian who was seated on one of the stools at the kitchen island watching Otto eating near her. He'd poured Otto his food and had gotten started on some pancakes while he let her use his restroom to freshen up.

Earlier, he had slipped and called her 'Lily'. The name and the scent had been lingering in his head all night and all morning. More specifically, the person who had the name and carried the scent wherever she went lingered in his head.

He'd stayed a little longer than he'd intended to, last night after she fell asleep only remembering, later on, to get her a blanket when the cool wind breezed in and chilled him. He'd placed the blanket over her and tucked her in, hovering over here for a second too long and then turning off the lights and heading to his room.

He'd checked on her most of the night mostly because he couldn't sleep but then hit the hay at the early hours of the morning. He'd been making a pot of coffee when she'd woken up, too disoriented to notice him a few feet away from her, he figured. He'd gotten concerned when she scrunched her face as she twisted her ankle before getting up. But the concern went out the door and was replaced with a smile when she stretched and made the cutest sound doing so.

Jax filled the last batch of pancakes and turned the stove off then placed the plate of pancakes on the kitchen island in front of Lillian.
"Syrup?"

"Uh, which do you have?"

"Maple."

"Yes, please."

Jax smiled and got the maple syrup.
"Want me to top off your coffee?"

Lillian smiled and nodded. Jax got the pot and topped her off while Lillian watched him with a hidden smile. Of course, he caught her even though she snapped her gaze from his quickly.

Jax joined her at the kitchen island.
"Go on." He looked at her and waited until she served herself and began eating, only then did he serve himself and start eating.

"So, what syrup don't you like?"

Lillian scoffed a laugh.
"Chocolate."

Jax stopped eating and looked at her.
"You can't be serious."

"No, I am." She said, "Bad experience."

"With chocolate."

Lillian chuckled.
"You can't imagine." She said, "Now that I think about it, it's a funny memory but for a kid, not so much."

Jax kept his gaze on her for a moment as she ate.

"Why don't you like it?"

"Who said I don't?"

"Well, do you?"

Jax looked at her look at him as they waited.
"I don't."

"Hmm..." Lillian went back to eating and Jax waited.

"You're not going to say anything?"

"Like?" Lillian looked at him.

Jax smiled.
"Nothing."

He hadn't smiled so much in some else's company in a long time. He was finding it easy to talk to Lillian and he couldn't figure out why. Asides from the conversation they had the night before, he'd figured they were much alike than he'd thought.

Lillian looked at him and gave him a small smile.