Foul Play 🩷

Nineteen

Henry quietly entered Millicent's dimly lit room to find her asleep on top of the blanket, a book still in her hand. He smiled to himself and gently took the book, placing it on the nightstand. As he turned back to her, her eyes met his. "Hey."

"I'm sorry, I must have dozed off..."

"Don't worry about it, shortcake," he replied. "I was helping with the Christmas decorations at my parents' house and lost track of time. Should I go?"

"No!" She quickly crawled under the blanket and patted the spot next to her. "I want you to stay. Please?"

Henry hesitated for a moment before removing his shoes and draping his jacket over her desk chair. He discarded his jeans and settled into the bed beside her, gently pulling her against his chest. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, he spoke softly, "I won't let them get away with hurting you."

She sighed, turning to face him and resting against his chest. "Henry, I don't want you to risk your future for this. You can't afford to be kicked off the team."

"I understand," he conceded with a sigh of his own. "I promise I won't do anything reckless." He smiled and shifted onto his side to face her, reaching up to stroke her cheek. "We're going to graduate, and I'll make it onto the English Rugby team. And then next summer, we'll have a big wedding and plenty of red-haired babies."

Her laughter filled the room, and she pressed her hand to her mouth, trying to stifle it. Henry raised an eyebrow playfully. "What's funny?"

"No, it's just... I haven't laughed this much in a while."

He pretended to look offended. "Are you laughing at my life plans?"

"Never," she replied with a grin, moving closer so that his hand settled on her waist. "How many babies?"

"Four," he responded quickly as she raked her lip through her teeth.

"Two," she counters with a smirk.

He pretended to ponder it. "Okay, you win. Two it is."

Millicent shook her head, giggling. "And what about the proposal? A wedding needs a proposal, you know." She nestled her face into his chest, her eyes closing.

Henry chuckled, resting his head atop hers. "You'll get a proposal, I promise. Now, get some sleep, love."

***

Henry stirred awake to the sound of Millicent's distress beside him. She had moved away during her sleep, her back now turned to him. He reached out and gently rubbed her back. "Shhh... Milly." He turned on the side table lamp and tried to gently shake her awake.

Her whimpering continued, and she shrugged him off, letting out a startled yell as he shook her. "Don't touch me! Get away!" She thrashed, her elbow accidentally hitting Henry's eye, causing him to stumble and fall off the bed with a thud. Millicent woke fully now, her panic subsiding as she saw Henry on the floor, clutching his eye. "Oh, Henry," she groaned, rushing to his side as her bedroom door burst open.

Darren rushed in, his face filled with concern when he saw Henry on the ground. He helped Henry to his feet, his voice laced with anger. "What's going on here? What did you do?"

"Daddy, please," Millicent intervened, pulling her father away from Henry. "He didn't do anything. I was having a nightmare." She sighed and gently guided Henry back to sit on the bed, examining his eye. She winced as she moved his hand to reveal a rapidly forming black eye. "I'm so sorry..."

Darren's anger seemed to subside a bit, replaced with a mixture of concern and exasperation. "Why is he here?"

"I asked him to be here. He makes me feel safe," Millicent admitted softly, her eyes pleading with her father.

"I don't trust him..."

"I know you don't, sir, but I promise I'll earn it," Henry pleaded as Millicent left them alone in the room.

"Sneaking into my daughter's room in the middle of the night isn't exactly helping your case."

Henry managed a rueful chuckle. "You've got a point there."

Darren sighed, watching as Millicent returned with an ice pack for Henry's eye. "Just promise, when you come to this house, use the front door. Not the window."

"Deal," Henry promised with a small smile. Darren gave them a measured look before shaking his head and leaving the room, softly closing the door behind him.

"I'm sorry, Henry," Millicent repeated, sitting beside him on the bed. She leaned against the headboard, drawing her knees up to her chest. "I'm broken now. I don't think I'll ever be able to let you touch me."

"Shortcake, that's not true at all." Henry moved closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her close to his side. "I'll wait for you, as long as it takes. And remember, you're not the one who's broken. They are."

"Why are you still here, Henry?" Her voice quivered, and she looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears.

"What do you mean? Do you want me to go?"

"No," she clung to him, burying her face against his chest. "I mean, why do you keep coming back to me?"

He let out a soft scoff, shaking his head before pressing a tender kiss on the top of her head. "I've told you, Milly. I love you. How many times do I have to say it before you believe me?"

She chuckled, not lifting her head, and replied in a soft whisper. "Maybe a few more times."

"Fair enough," he agreed with a sigh, shifting down in the bed. "Now, let's try to get some sleep. I promise not to wake you up next time you're having a nightmare," he teased, earning a groan from her. "I'm okay, really. I play Rugby, a black eye is nothing."

Her laughter filled the room, and she looked up at him, sharing a knowing smile. She wanted to say those three words, but the wounds were still too fresh. Instead, she whispered, "Thank you," into the darkness as he turned off the side lamp, and they settled under the blanket together.