Melodies of a stranger

Chapter 23

TW: mention of non-main character death and grieving

Riftan loaded the last suitcase into the boot of the car before turning to Maxi. "I know I've asked you a million times, but are you sure you feel well enough for this? We can always go after Christmas if you're not feeling up to it..."

"No, I promise I feel absolutely fine now. I just had a bit of a stomach bug the other day, that's all."

"Ok, if you're sure..."

Riftan slammed the boot closed before making his way to the front of the car.

Determined to make the most of their time away, they set off before the sun had even begun to rise. As they drove out of London, the streets seemed almost eerily quiet. Maxi quietly napped in the passenger seat while Riftan drove with one hand on her knee.

Several hours later, Riftan was standing at the open passenger side door, shaking Maxi gently. "Wake up honey, we've arrived."

Riftan reached over and unbuckled Maxi's belt before he took her hand to help her out of the car.

Maxi took in her surroundings as she placed her feet on the ground. They had parked in the middle of a large clearing in the woods, with four log cabins set around the edge of the clearing. The air was filled with birdsong and the smell of trees.

"We're in this one over here." Riftan nodded his head towards the last cabin that was set back slightly from the others. It had a porch in front with a table and chairs set up. Pulling a set of keys from his pocket, Riftan let them in.

The front door opened up into a spacious living room which was tastefully decorated with a sofa and several armchairs around a stone hearth. A wooden staircase to the right of the door led upstairs. An open plan kitchen was tucked behind the stairs and a large table with chairs on one side and a bench along the other sat in front of a large sliding glass door.

Maxi looked around, stunned. Riftan asked nervously while looking at her face, "What do you think?"

"It's beautiful... I thought you said it was small?"

Riftan let out a chuckle. "It is small when compared with the others. You can comfortably sleep 4 adults here, but the three other cabins can all take between 6 to 10 people each." Seeing the horrified look on Maxi's face, he quickly added "Don't worry, I checked when I picked up the keys. It's just you and me around here all weekend. We have the place to ourselves."

Riftan pulled Maxi into a tight hug. "It's just us all weekend. The only person you've got to worry about is me. We can do whatever you want to do, there are no plans, nowhere we have to be. Just tell me what you want, and I'll make it happen."

Maxi gazed up into his eyes, which were soft and full of ardour. He seemed determined to take care of her every whim. He had been attending to all her desires, with the exception of one. "I feel sticky from travelling. I want to wash quickly first."

Riftan nodded and showed her the master bathroom. Maxi stripped off in the bedroom, in full view of him, and when she got into the shower, she left the bathroom door ajar in hopes that he would take the hint and join her. But once again, he seemed determined to not lay a single finger on her. The most he had done since that afternoon when he had professed his love for her was give her a peck on the lips. Saying she was frustrated seemed to be like saying the ocean was a little bit wet.

After getting dressed, Maxi went downstairs to find Riftan putting away the groceries they had brought with them. As she approached, Riftan smiled at her and pointed to a mug on the kitchen counter. "I've made you some tea, why don't you have a look around outside and I'll join you when I'm done?"