The Lover's Vow

Chapter 37: Callie

We were sitting on the floor leaning against the couch in Aidan's living room, halfway through eating the pizza when he pushed the box away and faced me.

"Alright, you're fidgeting so much you're beginning to make me nervous. Go ahead and start asking." His voice was full of amusement, but he also seemed a little wary.

"Well, first of all you have no right looking so hot on a skateboard while wearing a helmet and knee pads." His eyes sparkled but he held back the laughter I knew was building in him.

"I won't touch that one. Plus it wasn't a question."

"No, it wasn't but I had to point it out anyway. When'd you start skateboarding?"

"Middle school. I went to a kid's birthday party at a rec center and tried it out. I was obsessed from then on."

"You're really good, obviously." I thought back to the way he'd moved, almost like the board was an extension of him. I could tell that he didn't even have to think about how to move or how to pull off a trick. While watching him, something in my brain had gone a little fuzzy, like it was trying to pull a memory out that I didn't recall. That feeling nagged at me but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't pull the memory forward. Then, the girl had sat by me and distracted me before I got a headache

"Callie? Still with me?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes I am. You saw the girl that sat with me?"

He blew out a breath. "Yeah, I definitely did."

"She said her name was Elise."

"She... she told you her name?" Aidan's eyes were wide, shock evident.

"Um, yeah. I asked her how old she was and she said she was eight, but she didn't really say anything else. She only looked at me when I asked her other questions."

Aidan was still staring at me in shock, but I had no idea why. "She told you how old she was?"

"Yes..." I was confused. "What am I missing here?"

A sound of disbelief blew out his mouth. "Callie, her name is the only thing she's ever told anyone. And I was the only one she told. She hasn't spoken a word to me or anyone else since, and she doesn't ever let anyone touch her either. Ever."

My heart pounded hard, and now I was the one surprised. I set down the piece of pizza I'd been eating, then wiped my fingers with a napkin before replying. "W-what?" I'd planned on saying something more articulate than that, but that's all that ended up coming out.

"Yeah, exactly. You can imagine my shock when I looked over and saw her happily sitting in your lap and letting you braid her hair. How did you do that?"

"I have no idea. When she first came up to me I reached out to shake her hand and she flinched really hard. I could tell that she was jumpy so I backed off. I tried to ask her questions and when she barely responded, I started to tell her things, making it easy for her to just listen instead of asking her a bunch of questions I figured she wouldn't answer. Next thing I know she's putting my hand on her head so I ran my fingers through her hair. She leaned into my hand like a cat so I asked if she'd like me to braid her hair. She jumped into my lap and well... you saw the end part, I think."

"I did. She hugged you, touched your face and then ran off."

"Yeah." Tears started to gather in my eyes just like they had when I'd watched her scamper off. "I wish I could've done something else for her. She was shaking in my lap and I just wanted to make everything better." My voice cracked at the end and I covered my face as the tears I'd been holding back spilled out.

My heart broke to think of everything that the poor girl must have gone through that caused her to be so closed off. I felt Aidan move closer to me and pull me into his lap, comforting me as I cried for Elise, and a little bit for Aidan because I knew that he'd had a difficult childhood and had to have experienced something like that little girl.

"Callie, love, please don't cry. You're killing me here." I sniffled through another surge of tears, looking up at Aidan's pained expression. "You did more today for her than anyone has been able to so far. You're amazing, and beautiful, and you have the biggest heart I've ever seen. I love you, Calliope."

A bolt of shock shot through me at those words. More tears fell onto my cheeks, and I desperately wanted to give him the same words but I couldn't make myself say them just yet. "You... love me?"

"Of course I do. How could I not? But Callie, I don't want you to say the words back to me until you're completely comfortable, until you're totally sure. I know you have a lot going on and I'm not trying to pressure you into anything. I just needed you to know that I've fallen in love with you."

I bit my lip as I stared at him. He didn't seem stressed or worried, and I could hear the honesty in his voice. I smiled shakily and nodded, letting him know I understood. He leaned down to kiss me softly, and I could feel the love between us even if I couldn't say the words yet.