After I made Athalia eat the food. Thought it was a slow process not to upset her stomach, I helped her into the bathroom.
With Aaron and his parents gone on a college visit, Athalia had the house to herself now. There was no one else here to help me.
I eased her into the bathtub, with her clothes on. I kissed her on the forehead. Holding her hand, I assured her, "I'll leave the door open, but let me know if you need anything."
"I'll be okay now, Shawn," she said, trying to squeeze my hand but it felt more like a tremor than anything. Managing a half mouth smile, she looked at me with her dead eyes.
Aligning my forehead with hers ever so gently, I told her, "I love you, Athalia."
Drawing in a shrill breath, she gulped and responded, her voice the strongest she could muster, "I love you too... So much."
My eyes were clamped shut, but I could tell Athalia's were closed lightly for the calm I felt in her face. She felt safe, it radiated off of her. And oddly, I felt safe too. She had possession of my heart, and would never allow me to be vulnerable so long as she could. She was my precious warrior, beautiful fighter.
I pressed my lips encouragingly against hers, but not too long. I lingered long enough to make it a decent kiss, but no longer. Leaving another kiss on the top of her head, I got up and left the room.
Athalia's POV:
The water felt wonderful. It's warmth was life giving. I wriggled out of my soaked clothing, wrung them out best I could, and dropped them on the floor. Cupping the water with my hands, I lifted them to my arms and let the water trickle around them, finding peace in the way gravity guided their path.
I was now as sure as gravity where I was going. As indefinitely as gravity brings things down, I knew now would be my season to fly. Shawn had given me wings. I sighed, and rested my head back, closing my eyes again and imagining Shawn's lips moving on mine.
I'm sure I drifted between consciousness and oblivion, but I became fully aware when I heard singing in the background. Shawn was singing something. Unsure of what song it was, my curiosity lured me out of the captivating water. I dried myself off with a towel, letting my hair be wet because I got light headed every time I tried to reach for it.
I shuffled out, clinging to the towel and to the walls as I made my way into my room from my bathroom.
I took a break on my bed, waiting to make sure the black spots would go away. Shawn came to check on me. "Better?" He asked. "Yes," I answered and added, "is there any way you could bring me some water?"
Shawn jumped up, eager to help, "Of course, I'll be right back with it."
While he was out of the room I walked over to my dresser and yanked open the drawer. I got out a pair of leggings, some underclothing, and my favorite flannel. Sitting down I pulled on my Victoria's Secret and then shimmied into my leggings. Dropping the towel, i struggled into my sports bra.
Shawn came knocked on the doorframe. "We're you watching? I smiled nervously embarrassed. "Not really," he mused.
"What did you see?" I tugged the flannel onto my shoulders and walked over to him. "You're too skinny," he said concerned.
"I'll start eating more, I promise. Just tell me what you saw."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"I saw you putting on your leggings and that," he motioned towards my uncovered sports bra, "but only from the back. I wouldn't have kept looking if you weren't so beautiful," he cupped my face with one hand as he handed me the water with the other, "I'm sorry that it made you uncomfortable."
"It's alright. But I'm not beautiful. I'm skin and bones and scars."
"The reflection you see of yourself is different than mine."
"What do you see?" I said taking the water out of his hand and drinking it.
He didn't answer.
After waiting a pleasant, quiet moment for him to respond, I decided to take a drink. Choking on the water a bit, I managed to swallow it. I placed my hand on his chest for balance.
I licked the dampness that the water had left on my lips, and Shawn saw this. Entranced, his lips returned to mine automatically, grasping for more of me, all of me. His hands had already found their way inside my flannel, not that it was buttoned in the first place. His large, warm hands engulfed my back and his thumbs pressed into my hip bones gently, but eagerly. My arms rested on top of his as he deepened the kiss.
"God, you're so beautiful," he gasped as he stood a little ways back to look at me. Biting his lip, he said, "How did I ever get so lucky to have you?"
"I should be saying that," I shook my head.
"No, you're amazing, Athalia."
"I don't agree. But I know one thing that I am proud that I am."
"What's that."
"Yours."
"You'll always be my girl. I love you."
"I'll always love you."
