Delon's Slivers

Sliver Sixteen

            The day had passed by rather quietly and almost nothing had piqued Delia's interest,not even sleep. The scene from the previous night couldn't stop replaying in her mind and each time it did,she cursed herself.

            How could she want something so badly and then back out in the last minute? She'd had no idea that her trauma had eaten her that deeply,now she was the problem,the one pushing the intimacy away. Even when every bone in her body yearned for Stephan.

             She sighed,bringing one of her ankles over the other as she looked out her window. She'd draped herself over the beach-chair like furniture of the other bedroom,too guilty to remain in theirs. Dusk had begun to grace the sky,causing the light blue ankle-length swaddling silk gown she'd clad herself in to envelop her frame.

            Stephan had left for work before she'd even gotten up that morning and it had her feeling even more heartbroken,like she'd failed him. He'd said it was okay,he'd seemed understanding about the situation but Delia was still finding it hard to rip the guilt out of her chest. Not even his firm hold on her throughout the night could work the magic.

          She sighed again,turning in her place as she begun to pick on her fingernails. She was relieved that her mother had had a few friends to visit in town and had been out all day.

          Delia on the other hand,hadn't made an effort to leave the house. She kept giving herself the excuse that she was trying to gather ideas for her next painting but she knew she'd only been deluding herself.

         She was trying to get the night out of her thoughts,trying to get her trauma out of her mind,trying to get the images of her losing her child out of her head and trying to figure out how she would make up for what she'd done.

           "Lia.." The subtleness of Stephen's call from the doorway had Delia's heart skipping a beat,not just due to shock but because in that moment,her mind reeled with a million and one ways as to how she was to face him.

           She hesitated,tongue-tied and staying quiet until she heard his feet shuffling away from the door. "Steph" She called back with a much subtler tone,causing Stephan to question if he'd heard right. But her head turning his way affirmed his suspicion.

          "Hey" Stephan's lips curled into a smile as he approached her. "Hey,back from work already?" She questioned with a palpable innocence,one which Stephan had always loved.

          "Well,it is a few minutes to eight already so..." He trailed off,causing Delia to spare her phone a glance. "Oh,I lost track of time" She barely muttered as Stephan took a seat beside her half-lying figure.

           "What? I don't get any welcome home kisses?" Stephan mused,finally coming to lie beside her and Delia tainted pink,a small yet endearing bashful smile playing over her lips as she looked down.

            He'd reminded her of the previous night and it was harder to brush it off. Not when he now lay beside her,eluding his warmth to her whilst draping his arm over her waist. He brought her closer,close enough to feel his breath over her shoulder.

            Stephan knew she would feel this way about the night and she'd done exactly what she thought she would,she ran and tried to escape it.

           When it came to them,things she feared would break them,things she feared would scar them,she always made a run for it. She always feared hurting their relationship. And Stephan had come to understand that. And that was why he'd come straight to her room before going to theirs.

            Something had told him that she would do just that. Just like when that tragic event had happened. He was learning and understanding her better,in a way he didn't think he had over the years.