Unexpected Love

Chapter 43

Julia was busy playing with a small flame in her hand, tossing it around and cupping it in her palms, not minding the sting it sent that much.

Alma watched her by the doorway of the parlor, the younger woman not noticing her as she played with the flame.

"You better not set the house on fire." The ymbryne warns with a playful glare, Julia looking over and smiled when she seen her.

"Hey birdie." She greets, putting out the flame when the ymbryne took a seat beside her. Alma opened her mouth to say something when suddenly Julia lifted her legs up and placed them over her lap before looking at her. "Do you need something?"

"Well, I wanted to talk to you." She says softly, a slight blush in her cheeks when the woman's hands rested on her legs. "To check in with you. Are you doing alright?"

"Of course." She says, looking down and fiddling with the fabric of the woman's skirt.

"What happened earlier, Jules?" She asks softly, leaning against the back of the couch as the woman messed with the fabric, avoiding her gaze. "I don't want to be pushy, but I truly do want to help."

Julia went quiet, thinking back to that vision Barron's assistant had forced her to see. She wished she hadn't seen it nor thought about it to the point where she finally figured it out.

Julia looked up when she felt the woman take her hand, squeezing it gently to get her to meet her gaze.

"I-well, um, I don't know." She says quickly, not knowing how to say it. She quickly darted her gaze to the cup of tea that was on the nightstand, looking down into it as she deciphered every little thing about it to avoid talking.

"Did Barron do something to you?" Alma asks and Julia tensed.

"No! No, of course not. I don't think." She says, Alma looking at her unsure when she heard the tone of her voice. "I don't know."

"It's okay not to understand how you're feeling." Alma assures her. "What's making you feel unsure?"

Julia shrugged, her hand nervously picking at her nails and Alma suddenly pulled her down on top of her, hugging her close against her, her lips placing soft kisses on the side of her face. Julia blushed at the affection, melting against it and moving closer against her.

"You can tell me anything, Jules." Alma assures her, her hand running through her hair, the other rubbing her back.

"It happened such a long time ago." She says, trying to shrug it off.

"It's completely alright if it's still bothering you." Alma says, her lips brushing against her cheek for a moment.

"I don't want you to hate me." Julia says, her tension returning and Alma leaned forward, her lips meeting hers, kissing her deeply.

"Nothing could make me hate you. I promise, Jules." She says quietly, looking her deep in the eyes.

Julia looked down at the floor and nervously messed with the woman's jacket, Alma letting her do so.

"There was someone working with Barron that shows people different memories that sometimes you could even forget." Julia says quietly, not looking at the woman. "I must have pushed it down, I didn't really think much of it." She says, growing quiet.

Alma gently rubbed her cheek as she looked over her, sending her a supportive look to continue.

"I don't know." Julia says quietly after a small moment of silence.

"That's okay too. I'm not going to rush you." Alma says, gently placing a kiss on her forehead.

"Why are you so nice to me?" Julia asks bluntly and the ymbryne smiled.