Learning To Bloom In The Darkness (✔️)

Chapter Twelve: Dare Est Fortis

A/N:

Very short, but I wanted to give you something. 😬😖😬😖😘

Enjoy!!

Love you all!!!

-B.

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(Lincoln's POV)

It's been a week since that night and I haven't heard from Amaryllis. I didn't contact her because I wanted to give her space. I wanted to give her time to think. I've also been on the other side of the country for business so our time zones have been different.

"Where to?"

"Home." I said.

Once he dropped me off at home I took a shower, unpacked, and then left. I got in my car and drove to the shop.

Thirty minutes till the shop closes.

I watched her through the window for a few minutes before going in. She was diligently working on an arrangement like always.

"Be with you in a minute." She said, as the bell above the door went off.

"Take your time." I said, causing her to freeze for a second.

Neither of us said a word for the next five minutes as she finished. She put the completed arrangement up before turning to look at me.

"Hi." She smiled softly.

"Hi."

"How are you?"

"Okay. How are you?"

"I'm alright."

Silence followed for several seconds as we just looked at each other.

"Have you eaten?" She asked.

"No."

She smiled. "Takeout?"

"Our usual?"

She nodded.

We waited until the shop was closed and she cleaned everything up before we left. It was silent all the way there and all the way back.

"How was your week?" She asked once we sat down to eat.

"Stressful and long. You?"

"Reflective."

"Reflective?"

She nodded. "I did a lot of reflecting."

"About what?"

"What do you think?"

"Is that why you didn't call or text?"

"Yeah." She nodded.

"Did you come to a conclusion?"

"I did."

"What is it?"

"Dare est fortis."

"Dare to be brave." I translated.

"Your life is.....quite different from mine. Your family is very different from mine. You.....are way out of my league in every aspect. I'm not lacking in the self esteem or confidence area, I'm just stating a fact. You are way out of my league. You have a.....crazy woman with more plastic surgery than anyone I've ever met chasing after you. I've heard stories about your mother that would frighten any sane person. To pursue a relationship with you....could bite me in the ass more than anything I've ever done in my life. Pursuing a relationship with you could, realistically, be disastrous for me."

I wanted to interrupt her, but I didn't. I want to tell her that she was wrong, but I couldn't because she was right. I just picked at my food while she said all that she needed to. I finally looked up at her when she reached across the table and grabbed my hand.

"Despite all of that, I'm choosing to be brave. I am choosing.....you."

I couldn't contain the smile that broke out on my face. I leaned across the table and placed a kiss at the corner of her mouth.

"You'll potentially be diving head first into a fire." I said.

"I know."

"I'm a workaholic who goes on business trips a lot."

She laughed. "I know."

"There's a chance no one in my life will approve of us together."

"I know, but you'll be by my side and I've never been one to back down from a challenge."

"My life....it's rather dark most of the time. Not a lot of love or light."

"More than ten."

"What?"

"There are more than ten species of flowers that bloom in the darkness or by moonlight."

I smiled. "Am I one of those flowers?"

"Maybe you're the flower and I'm the moonlight." She grinned.

"I'm okay with that." I said and then something came to my mind.

"What is it?" She asked, seeing the expression on my face.

"Before we start anything.....I need to know something."

She softly smiled. "You want to know how I knew your father?"

I nodded. "He was the most important person in my life. He meant the world to me."

"It's a bit of a lengthy story, but I'll tell you. I have one request though."

"Name it."

"We finish eating first and then go up to my place. This chair isn't that comfy."

"Deal."

I'd spent I don't know how many hours trying to come up with the scenario of how she knew my father. Every scenario I came up with seemed like it could be true, but I knew there was only one way to get the truth. I needed to get it from her. I needed her to tell me.

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(Amaryllis's POV)

I knew that he'd want to hear the story at some point. I knew I'd have to tell him and I didn't have a problem with telling him.

I don't know how much he knows about the last year of his father's life. Hearing some of the things I have to say may be difficult. It may....hurt him and I don't want to that.

But I can't lie. I'll tell him everything. Even if it hurts.

That's not the only reason I've kept the story to myself though.

It....

For me, it will be difficult to relive the.....ending of the story.

He said Lachlan has meant the world to him and was the most important person in his life.

It was almost the same for me. Lachlan had become one of the most important people in my life. He was like a father to me. He was like.....my best friend.

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A/N:

Any last guesses before the big reveal?

-B.