Reflection (Book #2)

Chapter Twenty-Three

I stared into the mirror again, trying to think what Kyle would see. Kyle was Baya as well, and he was forty-five, but he looked twenty-five because that was when he had stopped aging. He had spent all that time being a good friend to Dion.

My mascara was running down my face and my foundation had streaks running through it from the tears. I washed my face and brushed my teeth before Kyle arrived, hoping he wouldn't smell the alcohol on my breath.

      I heard a soft knock on the door, and I rushed to invite Kyle in, leading him to my bedroom.

            "It's two a.m.," he warned. "You shouldn't be up so late."

            "It's two? I had no idea. I'm so sorry if I woke you up," I apologized.

            "It's okay. I was awake. Nocturnal, you know?"

I nodded in agreement as I shut the door behind us."I thought he left. He told me he was leaving his house so I thought I could call and he wouldn't answer me."

            He put his hands on my cheeks. "How are you feeling? You've been through a lot."

            His touch felt cool compared to my skin, but I welcomed it. It reminded me of Dion. "I feel like shit."

            "Sit down. Tell me all about it."

            "I'm drunk. I hate drinking. And... that abortion was really hard on my body. I'm still... bleeding." I glanced up at him, hoping it wasn't too disgusting for him to take. He probably already knew anyway. He was Baya, so he could probably smell my blood. "I have cramps all the time. And then he left. How could he leave me?"

            "It was an incredibly hard decision for him. He knew that you were upset to have an abortion, and he was upset with himself because he nearly killed you physically. He didn't want to hurt you anymore. You have to understand, he's basically raised-"

            "Well, I've been in love with him my whole life, so that's no excuse!"

            "You're right. It isn't an excuse. I'm trying to help you understand," he said calmly. "You asked me why he left you. I'm trying to answer your question. He feels like he's not good for you. He feels that you would be better off without him, because he is so dangerous to you. He could cause fatal injuries to you in less than a second. He wants you to be safe. He loves you more than he loves himself."

            "Did he ever say it was a mistake?" I asked.

            "What?"

            "The sex. The baby."

            "No. Not to me. I hold firm to the belief that it wasn't a baby yet. I know you're more focused on the potential of the future. He's upset about it, too, Delilah. He knows that you want him, a future with him, to be happy with him. He just doesn't think he can provide that for you."

            "I can't live in a future where he's not with me. I've never lived in a world where he's not by my side. Like you said, he raised me!"

            He stroked my cheek with the backs of his fingers. "It's all going to be okay. You should lay down. Would you like some water or anything?"

            I shook my head, laying down and adjusting the dress I'd worn to the club. i should have changed out of this stupid thing. "Do you think he'll come back?"

            "I can't answer that."

            "I think he'll come back. He has to. If he doesn't I... I won't-"

            "Relax. Just go to sleep." He rubbed my arm and I realized how tired I really was.

            "Will you be here when I wake up?" I asked, barely able to keep my eyes open.

            "Would you like me to be?"

            I nodded.

            "Who is the extremely attractive Baya man standing in our kitchen? What happened to Dion?" El asked, leaning against my doorjamb.

            "That's Kyle. He's Dion's best friend. Dion left me, so Kyle is making me feel better."

            "Why is he cooking?"

            "He's making me breakfast, I think. I don't know why."