Crossover Crossroads (The Kell and Maille Story)

020: Independence

"It is late, Maille Mann." Kell said simply.

  "I should go." She replied automatically, but she didn't have a watch or know what time it was.

"Take my car." He encouraged.

"Your car?" she repeated dumbly. "Why?"

"There was a sigh. "So that I don't have to drive you home. I am tired and must be up, up, up, up, early for the job. Please take my car. You have my number. Call me later in the afternoon and you can return the car."

"Seriously?" she wondered, a thrill of excitement coursing through her at the thought of driving his car. Beholden to no one in her family. Although, beholden to him. But somehow that seemed better. She wasn't mad at her family. She just wanted her independence.

"Maille Mann .... You are standing in my room, without my permission." He said wearily and she immediately crouched and crawled over to him, where he lay on his back uncomfortably on the stairs like the Grinch slithering down the chimney. His hands were folded over his chest, and his face was obscured by the dark goatee and mustache and night.

She lay on the floor, her head next to his, propped up on her hands. Kell reached up and smoothed her braids. He pulled several over to him and rubbed them under his nose. He breathed in stiffly as if smelling her hair. Maille turned on her stomach, her fists under her chest and lay the side of her face on the carpet. Kell continued to stroke her braids absently.

Maille knew she was safe for the first time. He'd said it over and over, but it had taken on different meanings each and every time. Safe from molestation, safe from outside threats, safe in his friendship, safe in his interest, safe in his home.... With him.

Her whole body relaxed. Kell pulled each braid out and lay it carefully, gently in an array of dark silk trailing down the stairs, over his own arm and neck, each time, sniffing for her benefit, letting her know he enjoyed her presence in his life. Wanted her, as nobody else ever did.

It didn't matter why.

In this moment, nothing else mattered but those long fingers, arranging her hair. Time didn't exist. She had all the time in the world.

"Kell...'' she whispered before she really did fall asleep, his fingers in her hair made her so drowsy.

"In a minute, Maille." He whispered.

Maille reached up and twined one finger in his dreads, his hair was course and wispy. He was still. She figured if he tried to get up and leave her there, then she would know... but before she could even finalize her thought, she was asleep.

Kell breathed easily at last. "That blessed sound." He whispered, listening to her soft even breathing. He shook his head, still fingering her braids. And smiled in the darkness. It said so much about her feelings, her trust, her longings for love and acceptance that she could fall asleep with him. A shiver of his own unmistakable innermost desires washed over him, and he accepted it gladly.

She'd told him her secret... and let him braid her hair.

*****