Watch the Stars with Me

Chapter 34

It is well past two o'clock in the morning when the door to Violet's home opens just long enough for someone to slip in without letting too much of the cold winter wind or it's tiny little snowflakes enter. She had fallen asleep holding Aster by the fireplace in the living room, but the sound of the door woke both of them up now as they listened to the approaching footsteps until the shadow of a man continued to move it's way towards them.

As he stood in the doorway the light from the fire revealed his kind face and soft blue eyes. "What are you two doing down here this late? You should both be in bed." Leon spoke and signed as the two ladies got up and quickly walked to him.

Aster got to him first, wrapping her arms around his leg and squeezing tightly as her mother wrapped her arms around his neck. "You've been practicing." She says into his neck.

He reached down to scoop up Aster, who is definitely still very tired. "Everyday." He smiles.

Violet pulls his face into a chaste kiss. "Welcome home."

He sighs as his travel wearing eyes close and his heart warms as he realizes that what Violet just said feels completely right, he is home.

He carried the little girl up to her room and tucked Aster in to her bed before he left she tiredly signs "I'm so happy that you're back."

When the door closes Violet wraps her arms back around him. "You would think it was Christmas and you were Santa the way that she refused and argued to not be put to bed until she saw you with her own eyes."

He chuckled as he rested his head to hers and sighed. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." She whispers before bringing their lips together. "I missed you very much." She says after they part.

He sighed as she tried to kiss him more and he turned away. "I only wish I had the strength to keep doing this all night..."

She smiles as she settles back into her heals and grabs his hand. "Let's get you to bed. We can talk in the morning."

She let him to a room he hadn't been to before with dark blue wall paper and dark curtains. As she guided him to sit on the side of the bed he noticed something strange about her. "Is everything okay?"

Her brows knit together for a brief moment before smoothing out with a comforting smile. "Everything is fine. Get some sleep." She kisses his forehead before walking towards the door.

Leon sounds exhausted and somewhat disappointed. "Oh... you're not.. I see..."

She continues to walk out the door but before closing it peaks her head through and speaks in a gentle manner. "I'll see you in the morning."

When he woke up it took him a moment to remember that he was no longer on the road touring his latest book, but he was somewhere he could call home, and that he had some important things to take care of now that he was here. He quickly got himself ready and went to find the nanny.

He found the woman in the kitchen finishing her danish and coffee looking more peaceful than he'd known her to look. "I hate to interrupt your serene moment but—"

"Oh! Mr. Stephanotis! I thought I heard you come in last night, but I just assumed it was a dream." The nanny calmly set her cup of coffee back down on its saucer before standing.

"You can just call me Leon." He smiles. "I was wondering if you would be willing to help me with something this morning."

About an hour later, after the nanny got Aster up and dressed in a pretty yellow dress she brought her downstairs and into the sunroom where Leon was waiting next to a table set up with breakfast and began signing. "Good morning princess."