The Luna Cure

FORTY-EIGHT

Dante was a very intelligent man. I knew this well, not just from his Oxford education or his ability to speak perfectly, but also from his constant awareness of everything around him. He seemed especially conscious of my moods, too.

Anyway, it was clear as day that Dante was very smart. So it shouldn't have surprised me when I woke up alone, given my obvious distance from Dante. I mean, I hadn't even tried to conceal the fact that I did not want him to touch me. From the boat onwards, I had avoided his warmth. And by his exasperated sigh when I refused him any information last night after my shower, he knew I was distancing myself.

I should not have been surprised to turn over in bed and find simple white sheets. And maybe I wasn't so much surprised as I was slightly saddened.

Sliding out of bed, I held in a sigh. I should not be sad at his absence. It was what I wanted, right? I had only made it very plain to him.

Fifteen minutes later, I strolled out of the room and into the kitchen, where my mom was sleepily pouring herself a cup of coffee. My dad sat at the table, reading the paper behind thin reading glasses. "Morning, Florence!" He greeted, to which my mom echoed.

"Hi," I glanced around, finding the house far too peaceful and quiet for the amount of people currently in it. "Where is everyone?" The clock on the stove told me it was a little before 8:30, and while they had stayed up late last night, it wasn't crazy late for them.

"Sleeping." My mom answered, setting the pot of coffee back down. "Do you want any? I don't know if you're a coffee person." She cringed slightly at her own words, but offered me a smile.

I shook my head, wrapping my arms around myself. "No, thank you. I probably wouldn't like it." Dante wasn't sleeping. He wasn't in the kitchen, and from what I could see, he wasn't in the living room, either. Where could he be?

I took a step to the left so I could peer into the dining room down the hall a little bit better. He was not there, either. "I've heard iced coffee is bigger with you all now, anyway." My mom replied, shrugging. "I don't know."

"Huh?" The distance in my voice barely registered with me. Dante was not anywhere to be found. Right now, I was virtually alone with my entire family, and while this kitchen conversation was fine and pleasant, Dante being out of sight made me far more uneasy than I'd care to admit.

Turning around, I looked out the back doors, into the bright white snowy forest. Not a prince in sight.

"Have you seen Dante?" I asked my parents, my eyes still wandering around the room as I spoke.

"Uh, yeah, sweetheart. He went out the front door awhile ago." My mom answered.

Front door? He wouldn't have left, would he? He wouldn't do that to me. He knew I needed him here.

Right?

I couldn't have screwed everything up this bad, could I have? I mean, I was amazing at screwing things up and ensuring that nothing went well, but me pushing Dante away couldn't have made him leave.

Without much other thought, my feet brought me through the house, down the front hall, and in a minute I was opening the door and stepping onto the cold, snowy front stoop. I closed the door behind me and breathed out a sigh at the sight of Dante's car still sitting in the driveway. I slumped against the cool wood door behind me. He didn't leave. He's still here.

I may have stood out there for a minute or two, stupidly relieved, because Dante's sudden voice caused me to jump in surprise and throw open my eyes.

"What are you doing out here? Barefoot, no less." He asked, pulling out some tiny white thing from his ear and walking up the drive. I blinked, giving him a full once over. He wore some gray sweatpants thing that were loose and tight at the same time with a black zip-up jacket and gym shoes.