Bite Shift

81

A few hours later, I pulled the BMW into my driveway. I was exhausted from the hour of fighting with the kid at Walmart about a new phone. He had explained that he had phones available but couldn't link it to my account until 9am when his boss came in and they would contact AT&T. I had explained that I couldn't be in the store at 9am and tried to make him understand how important it was. Finally, I had threatened to sue for discrimination and them not accommodating a customer with disabilities. That had resulted in a call to his boss who, miraculously, was able to activate the phone and link it to my account over the phone.

Isn't it interesting how knowledge suddenly flies into people's brain when you push back and threaten litigation?

So, I was home with a new phone and very done with this night.

Walking up the stairs to the deck, I remembered the last time I had come up those stairs and seen a fridge in front of my door. I chuckled under my breath. It was definitely the weirdest gift I had ever gotten while also being one of the most thoughtful.

When I had been married, I used to tell Tom that the best gifts were the ones that showed me you were paying attention, noticing what your partner needed and getting it. He had never really gotten me, not even after ten years of marriage. Sorin had gotten me after a few days.

I was still thinking of that silly fridge when I saw what sat in the same spot. Where the black fridge had sat, a long white box now did. I picked it up, unlocked the door and stepped into my quiet little house to see what it was. I laid the phone, the shawl and the car key on my kitchen table. When I opened the box, there was only one person it could have been from. Three red roses lay in white tissue paper.

Three roses for our three times together. Will there be more? Do I want more?

I picked up the phone, reminding myself that I needed to get a case before this one ended up shattered like its predecessors. He answered on the first ring. "You were able to replace your phone so quickly?"

How long until his voice doesn't seen shivers down my spine?

"I had to threaten a teenager."

He laughed and I could have lived in that sound. "The poor child should have known to give you what you want."

"He does now."

"How was Monica? The good doctor?"

I left the things on the table and headed for my room, continuing the conversation. "Alex is fine. I found him sitting with her. She has a very long road ahead of her but she should be okay, physically at least."

"How is she handling... knowing?"

I knew what he meant. "She's scared and confused. She's angry that I kept it from her. She won't tell, that I know. She loves Olivia and Ellie too much to put them through that."

He sighed. "Not many of them know about us. Partly to protect ourselves but partly to protect them. Many of them could not handle the truth. She is a strong woman."

"She is," I agreed. "You should have seen her. She looks so fragile, like a broken doll. I never understood how fragile I was as a human. They're so easy to hurt."

"But," he responded, "they have us to protect them now. They have you, Rhys and I to keep the safe."

"You're right."

"What will you do now," he asked.

"I want to take a hot bath, have a little more to eat and try one more time to watch a movie."

He made a noise into the phone that sounded close to a purr. "I don't think I will ever look at the bathtub the same since last night."

I smiled. "And, I will be sad every time I have to wash my own hair and don't smell like roses. That reminds me. Thank you for the roses. You don't have to give me roses every time, you know."

"Katherine, I won't stop until I am giving you barrels full."

I shuddered and loved the sound of that. "Bring it on, my lord." I hung up and left him with that playful tease.

Roses, shared baths, soft beds, new dresses and an expensive car. It was all nice but I'd share a carboard box with that man and I knew it.

I sent a text to Rhys asking him to come over to the house once he was up tonight. I didn't know when he would see it but know he wouldn't question it. He would just come.

I wondered what Tom would think when he saw a shiny Beemer parked in my driveway. It made me smirk. He'd be jealous as Hell!

Let's be honest, if the car was the hardest question he asked me, I'd be lucky. I'd had my fill of difficult questions for the evening. I should win an award for how honest I had been since waking up. It was freeing to not have to lie so much. I couldn't, obviously, tell my family the truth. But at least I didn't have to hide from Sorin, Rhys, Alex or Monica. Even if Monica never spoke to me again, she knew the truth and that was important.

And, Sorin. I had been more honest with him than I think I had ever been with Tom. Looking back, I owed him an apology. I had always been holding back with Tom. I had never fully trusted him or given myself to him. I had always protected pieces of me and not let him in all the way. It hadn't been fair to him. I had played a part in the ending of our marriage; a big one.

With Sorin, I had let those walls fall. He was in and there was no going back from that. Could I trust him, I mean really trust him, with my heart?

Did I have a choice anymore?