Collide Invisible Lips (KELLIC)

Chapter 12

"Hey, Vic?" I'd been laying down for most of the night, just mulling over my thoughts while Vic read a book.

"What's up?" he asked, setting his book down and coming over to side beside where I was laying. His fingertips comfortingly brushed a strand of hair out of my face.

"I'm feeling kind of stressed out," I told him. His face immediately fell.

"I'm sor-"

"That's not what I meant. Do you remember the other part of my birthday gift?" I prompted, my cheeks just barely beginning to warm up. Vic smiled down at me.

"I do remember. Would you like to collect now?" he offered. My blush deepened, and I just nodded. Vic stood up from the bed, stretching so that his shirt inched up, allowing me to see a small strip of his torso.

"Okay. Go hang out with Alysha for fifteen minutes or so while I get everything ready," he instructed.

"You said this used to be your job, right?" I asked him.

"Yeah, I worked at a pretty nice spa in southern Cali. But I haven't done this in almost fifty years, so don't expect too much," Vic told me jokingly. I followed his instructions and went down to the nursery where Alysha was at the extremely late hour.

"What're you doing, Lysha?" I inquired. Alysha didn't answer. She was leaning over the edge of the baby's crib, turning his mobile in circles with her slender fingers. The baby gurgled happily and she placed a different stuffed animal in his crib.

"He was fussing, so I thought I'd help out the parents since they're asleep. I'm going to miss him so much when they move away. He's beautiful, isn't he?" Alysha asked dreamily, talking to herself more so than me. We both watched the baby nibbling on the soft foot of the toy she had given him.

"I want a baby," Alysha whispered, folding her arms over the side of the crib and resting her head on them. I put an arm around her small shoulders.

"I know," I whispered back, watching the tears build up in her lovely blue eyes. She sniffed daintily, holding in her sobs, and looked back up at me.

"If you go to Heaven, will you ask God to give me a baby?" she asked suddenly, her voice heartbroken but serious. I knew that Alysha was upset; she was never able to think clearly when babies were involved. I carefully began to answer her.

"Lysha, you know I don't plan on going back to Heaven," I reminded her gently. She nodded, the shiny tears finally spilling onto her cheeks. She bit down tightly on her bottom lip before speaking again.

"I know, but if you change your mind... will you just ask him?" she requested again.

"I'm not sure I can just-"

"Please, Kellin, this is all I want. This is all I've ever wanted. Any God who shows any mercy at all would let me have this. I'll do anything, just please ask him to give me a baby," Alysha begged me, grabbing my arm roughly as she pleaded. I was startled by the somewhat maniacal look in her ordinarily calm expression.

"Y-yes, I will. I promise," I soothed her. She calmed down a bit, but not all that much. Her slender frame still shook as she cried.

"Thank you," she whispered, throwing her arms around me and burying her face in my chest. I held her until she was all cried out. Alysha didn't say anything further to me; she just turned around and went back to watching the baby fall asleep. I sensed it was time to leave her alone, and I headed back up to the attic.

"Are you-" I began to ask Vic if he was ready, but I fell silent as soon as I walked through the door into the attic. The room was dim, but not as dim as it had been when I met Vic for the first time. This time, he had lit dozens of candles around the room, their sweet scents mixing and mingling. Our bed was freshly turned down with the blankets and pillows taken off of it. Vic stood in the center of the attic in only a pair of well-worn jeans.