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Chapter Forty Seven - Neil *

I shuffle through the door as my boots have been untied, kicking them off before straightening them side by side.

My jacket is peeled off of me and my snug cap is taken off, everything is soaked.

It had begun raining in the middle of a job that we had to trek on foot to get to, and the walk back was miserable.

Outside wasn't as cold as it had been the past few weeks, but very, very wet.

The storming had temporarily shut down the diner with all the weather warnings and promises of flooding, so Esther should be home.

I'm stripped down to my shirt and long underwear as I gather my clothes to get upstairs, and then I can't help but wonder where my in-laws are, too.

For a moment I hold my breath and go still enough to listen throughout the whole house.

When I hear the low mumble of Adam from somewhere, I carry on because I can't stand my hair's droplets on my cheeks.

As I begin, my knees almost forbid me from making up each stair.

How long will I deal with this?

I'm not that old.

Well, I don't know if it's really the mobility, but perhaps the need to prevent my joints from reminding me what the sound of squatting down to peer over my dying wife was like.

Once I treat myself to a long, hot shower, Esther appears on the other side of the frosted glass as I'm drying off.

"Neil? I didn't hear you come in," she says as shadows of her dainty hands become splayed out on the semi-clear barrier between us.

"Nobody was around, but I heard talking so I just came up here. I was hoping it was you guys and not me," I laugh.

I wrap the towel around my waist as I step out, finding my beautiful fiancée in such a casual outfit.

"Clenna and Adam were giving me advice..."

"About? You make it sound like something is wrong."

She closes the shower door and we just stand there, close enough but far apart.

"About the book Will got me."

"Are you still overthinking that?" I ask as I step around her and head to the closet to get dressed, "Loretta is very close to you, sweetness, she probably thought she was bringing you comfort or some shit. Just talk to her."

I pick out my own home attire, "I'm too nervous," Esther says right behind me, "What if I really am reading too much into this?"

'She wants to watch.'

Oh so now you speak up?

"I'm sure everything is fine, Est. How about next time we go over there, I can talk to either of them if that would make you feel better, okay?"

She doesn't speak, but I catch her nodding solemnly in one of the steam-coated mirrors of our double vanity.

"Now let's change the subject," I redirect, "What are we making for dinner? Because I'm famished."

I turn around to see a smile blossom on her face, her eyes slowly coming up to meet mine.

"What would you prefer?"

The quirk of her brow offers a completely different meal, which I'm not opposed to.

I come closer to Esther, the gold glinting in her eyes matches the ring I put on her hand, and something about that makes me absolutely feral.