Capturing Her Heart

11

        •Elysian Monroe•

My eyes remained fixed on the ceiling, uncertainty gnawing at me about how today would unfold. After all, Akari was sleeping in my guest room. I sighed softly, questioning my decision to let her stay.

When she shared her story last night, the tightness in my chest left me speechless. I simply didn't know what else to do.

Rolling over, I curled up under the blankets, surprised that she had chosen to seek comfort from me. After how our last session ended, I had thought that I'd seen the last of her.

I chuckled bitterly to myself; I should've known better. A door creaked open, followed by the distinctive sound of footsteps.

Please let it be Eli and not Kari, I hoped. With another sigh, I decided to get out of bed. After a stretch, I took a final, deep breath and headed toward my bedroom door, stepping out into the house.

As I approached the guest room, I knocked softly. When I heard no response, I gently opened the door and peeked inside. To my dismay, she wasn't in sight.

Closing the door quietly, I made my way to Eli's room and knocked before entering slightly. Again, no one was visible. Curious, I stepped further into her space.

I noticed her necklace still hanging from the mirror—something I needed to ask her about when she returned from school. Just then, I heard a rustling noise from her closet.

"Eli?" I called out, my heart fluttering with anticipation.

I heard something drop, and moments later, her head popped out from behind the closet door. I was relieved to see that she was awake on time.

"Care to explain who's in our kitchen right now?" she demanded, her tone leaving no room for misunderstanding.

I sighed, realizing news travels fast. I stepped closer and softly exhaled as the moment from last night replayed in my mind. "That would be Akari," I admitted.

Eli emerged from her closet, arms crossed and brow furrowed. I braced myself for her response.

"She's prettier than I expected," she remarked, her expression a mix of surprise and intrigue.

I chuckled at her comment, bracing for what I knew would follow. The compliment was a setup for her next words.

"You aren't fucking here and yet, here she is, making breakfast in our kitchen. Odd, wouldn't you say?" she muttered.

"Watch your language. I won't tell you again. Next time, I might just throw something at you," I warned, my annoyance surfacing.

Eli merely hummed in response, irritation creeping up my spine. While she had every right to feel uneasy, it didn't justify her tone.

I walked to her bed and sat down, deciding it wouldn't hurt to fill her in on why Akari was here. I didn't have to go into detail, but a glimpse of the story would hopefully assuage her concerns.

"She showed up last night because the father of her child took their daughter from her," I explained. "I can't share too much; even though she's no longer my client, what she told me during our sessions is still confidential. What I can say is that she did me a favor before, and I'm just returning it."

Eli turned to face me, her head tilting slightly as if trying to recall the specific favor.

"Right, she paid to get the car fixed. How long is she staying?" she sighed.

"I told her she could stay for the night," I replied.

Eli nodded, processing my response. To my surprise, the conversation had gone better than I anticipated, though I knew not to count my chickens before they hatched. Still, it seemed she believed me—for now.