Sunflowers

-•- Four -•-

The next morning, he pulls up at her house and parks the truck. He walks up to the front door and knocks on the door-frame. Mrs. Kiefer smiles at him through the screen and opens it for him, wiping her hands on an apron she has tied around her waist. "Good morning, Corbin."

"Good morning, Mrs. Kiefer. Is Faith up yet?"

A sad look crosses Faith's mother's face. "No, not yet. She had a rough night last night. She mentioned that you were there for her though, so thank you for that."

"Of course," he smiles.

She gives him a funny look and crosses her arms over her chest. "You haven't told her yet, have you?"

"Told her what?" He asks, confused.

"That you love her," she says quietly.

He's taken aback by her words. "How did you know that?"

"It's in everything you do," she replies. "I know that look when I see it. Why haven't you told her?"

"Well, up until last night, she had a boyfriend."

Mrs. Kiefer waves her hand in dismissal. "You will always be better than he was. I never liked him, but he seemed nice enough and Faith liked him. I'm sorry that she's hurting, but I'm not sorry that their relationship ended. She can do better."

"That's what I told her."

"Better is you, Corbin."

"Thank you, Mrs. Kiefer, but now would not be a good time for me to tell her. I don't want her to think I'm taking advantage of the fact that she's heartbroken and try to pull her into a relationship when she isn't ready."

Her mom pats his cheek fondly. "You're a good kid, you know that? Now run along upstairs, you can wake her up if she isn't already. I'm making breakfast, so it should be ready whenever you two come back downstairs."

He smiles at her and then hurries upstairs. He could walk through her house blindfolded. It's as familiar and comforting as his own. He knocks softly on her door and when there's no response, he opens it a little. He sees her still asleep on her bed, her covers pulled up around her shoulders as she lays on her side.

He walks into her room and sits on the edge of her bed. He brushes her hair away from her face and gently shakes her shoulder a bit to wake her up. Her beautiful brown eyes open slowly as she adjusts to the brightness of the morning sun. "Good morning, sleepyhead," he greets her.

"Morning," she replies, her voice still thick with sleep. She yawns and stretches out, then relaxes back onto the bed. "What're you doing here so early?"

"I came to see how you were doing," he says truthfully. "Both with Jax and with your asthma. I know you were fine last night, but I still always worry."

"My asthma is fine," she reassures him with a smile. "And I don't know how I feel about Jax. I'm equal parts relieved, angry and sad."

"Why are you relieved?"

"I guess I just felt pressured after he started wanting more from me. He never really pushed me, but I felt like I had to. He wasn't as happy with me after that happened, so I thought it would make him happy. I'm glad I didn't now, though."

He lays down beside her and she immediately curls into his side again. He wraps his arm around her side and she enjoys the warmth that he always seems to give off. "Well, if you're happy, I'm happy," he tells her.

"Thanks, Corbin." She smiles up at him and he knows that he's in the perfect place right now. He wouldn't trade this for the world.

"Oh, by the way, your mom said breakfast would be ready in a couple of minutes. Get ready and we can go downstairs."

She smiles at him as she sits up. He moves to a sitting position too and she climbs out of bed and walks over to her closet. "Ugh, it's hot already," she complains. "I don't understand how it can be so hot so early in the morning."

He chuckles. "It's summer."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," she teases. She pulls out a black thin-strapped tank top with bright Aztec patterns and another pair of cutoff jean shorts. She looks over at him. "Are you going to wait in the hall?"

He grins and lays down on her bed. "But I'm comfortable."

She rolls her eyes. "Fine." She walks into the adjoining room, which is her bathroom. She changes quickly and comes back out a couple minutes later. "Come on, let's go get breakfast. You had better be hungry, because Mom always makes way too much when you come over."