Blood Luster

Chapter Six

Magnolia woke to light beaming through the window as the sun set. After realizing Benjamin was no longer in the bed, she nuzzled into the sheets and giggled, remembering the events that had previously taken place right where she laid. She found peace in his arms, something she had never felt before. After wrapping the sheet around herself, she walked toward the full-length mirror positioned against the wall behind the door. She allowed the sheet to drape around her wrists, exposing her naked body. As she peered down, she couldn't stop herself from feeling as though she was a different woman. Her body had now been touched in ways she had never imagined; it had been loved fiercely and adoringly. She no longer saw flesh; it was much more. It was skin that had been touched by him. Knowing she would always be able to close her eyes and feel him touching her brought relief to her bruised soul. The door swung open, startling her. She yelped and wrapped the sheet tightly around herself.

It's him.

Her chest warmed at the sight of him.

"Sorry baby, I didn't mean to scare you." He smiled.

"I was just, uh –"

"Checking your appearance?" he asked.

"Yes, that." She blushed.

He walked toward her and planted a delicate kiss on her forehead.

"How was your nap? How are you feeling?" he asked.

"I slept better than I have in years."

She walked to the bed and sat down on the side, being careful to keep the sheet wrapped tightly around herself. Benjamin sat next to her and pulled her into him as they stared out the balcony doors.

She looked down at her hands and began fidgeting with her fingers. "I have been thinking, but I don't think you'll want to hear what I have to say."

"Okay," he said.

"Maybe I can help Ricky, I know that you don't want me to be around him. But I don't want to go another seven years on bad terms with him. I know it's hard for you to understand because you didn't know us before all of this, but I just need some peace and closure. I'll never be able to move on with my life if I can't make amends with the people I hurt when I left and find some semblance of justice for my mom."

His face lacked emotion, giving nothing away. "I want you to have the world, no matter what that looks like. But I don't trust him, the idea of something happening to you because of –"

His jaw tensed and she knew it was difficult for him to think of something happening to her.

"He won't hurt me. I wish you could explain to me why you're worried about him hurting me," she said.

"His actions since you've returned should be reason enough. For some reason you feel as though you owe him something, but you don't. The person you left seven years ago is not who he is now."

"It's important to me that I attempt to make things right, this trip was supposed to be about closure. I can't have that if demons from my past are resurfacing."

"At the very least, can you give it a couple of days? It'll give him time to cool down and maybe he'll be more open to talking with you, rather than fighting," he said.

"Okay, I can do that. In the meantime, I'll visit with Leo and Violet. Hopefully I can get my priorities back on track."

"What can I do to help?" He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.