Marriage Reunited

Chapter 16

Lilly was asleep when Connor got back to the hospital, and she looked so peaceful that he didn't have the heart to wake her. Instead, he stood guard all night and made sure that her sleep wasn't disturbed. He must have fallen asleep in the chair at some point because he awoke abruptly and saw Lilly laughing softly.

"What time is it?" he asked gruffly, and she glanced at the clock.

"Just after nine," she said, and he was relieved to see that the smile remained on her face. Maybe there was hope for them after all.

"I'm ready to explain everything," Connor said, and Lilly looked taken aback for a second but then she shook her head and offered him that same charming smile again.

"I don't need to hear it. At least not yet," Lilly said.

Connor felt so confused. First, she'd demanded answers and now she didn't care? What was he missing here?

"I don't understand," he confessed.

"Your mother visited me last night," Lilly said. Connor started at that. His mother had visited. How the hell had she done that without him realising?

"What?"

"It was after you'd gone and before you came back with the mysterious bruises that you didn't explain," she said, and he kept quiet at that.

"What did she want?" he asked curiously. His mother could be sneaky when she wanted to be. She was always trying to meddle in some way, and they'd all learnt early on to keep her as far away from their business as they could.

"She wanted to explain some things to me," Lilly said. He wasn't any clearer on what she was talking about.

"Like what?" he asked dreading the answer.

"She told me more about your brother," Lilly said. That absolutely was not what he'd been expecting her to say.

"Cameron?"

"I never really understood what he meant to you. I mean I obviously realised that he was your twin, and that Alexa was his wife but I didn't really get it. Your mother explained it to me in a way that I understood," she said. He still didn't understand.

"What exactly did my mother say?" he asked slowly. She grinned at him.

"She explained to me that Alexa and Cameron married young and that he just disappeared. She told me that you both worried about him because he was in the army and that he was constantly at risk and never got in touch. I can understand what Alexa feels like because I felt the same when I was away from you and I can understand why you'd be worrying about your brother because I would feel the same," she said.

"My mother told you this," he repeated, and she nodded.

"I just never got the connection between you and Alexa. I never understood why you two always seemed so close and why you couldn't just be there for me instead," Lilly said.

Connor felt guilty at this honesty. He hadn't realised how much he'd been pushing her away. He hadn't thought about her feelings every time he'd put Alexa before her.

"I'm sorry," he said but it felt inadequate.

"You don't have to be sorry. I told you; I don't mind."

Connor simply stared at her in disbelief. He couldn't believe the dramatic change in her since the night before. He'd expected to have to crawl on his hands and knees over glass as he begged for her forgiveness.

"I didn't realise how much this affected you and I'm sorry. I should have put you first all the time," he said, and her smile widened.

"I'm glad you realise that now, but it doesn't matter," she said.

"I wasn't having an affair," he announced, and it took them both by surprise. He'd just wanted to get that out there so that she knew he hadn't betrayed her.

"I know. It was just my own insecurities getting the better of me," she said.

Connor couldn't believe the change in her. Her mood was brighter, and she barely seemed in any pain at all. It was like things used to be and he couldn't help but think that it wouldn't last. They didn't have a very good track record when it came to their relationship.