Paper Hearts

THEN:Chapter 15

“Please tell me that that ‘oh my God’ was because you liked it, and not because you want to laugh but are afraid of hurting my feelings”

That did make him splutter with laughter; he got up and moved towards me, brushed back my hair, “I definitely don’t want to laugh at you. You look – where do you even buy stuff like that?”

“In shops where people judge you with their eyes from behind the counter” I ducked my head again, colouring, but he forced his hand under my chin to tip my face back up to his.

“Eden, you look absolutely beautiful and I’m even more glad than usual that you’re mine”

It was my turn to laugh, “You mean it?”

“I do. Though I think I might have to reassure you later...I don’t think I can just keep looking at you for much longer”

I went to laugh again, thinking he was joking, but when he kissed me it was a more forceful, hungry kiss than I had ever shared with him before, even including my greeting to him a few days previously, and I responded with enthusiasm.

“Good present, then?” I murmured as he moved away from my lips to brush his lips across my neck and collarbone.

He didn’t use words to reply.

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“Look at the positives! You’re going to stay with Jane for the night, right? And the girls. They adore you, you’ll have a nice time”

I looked at him with raised eyebrows, “Seriously? Best you could do?”

He shrugged, looking sheepish, “Can’t think of all that many positives for me, either, if I’m honest”

I gazed out of the train window, watching the city and then the countryside speed past us, a great blur of green and grey and gold, moving faster even than the time we had left to us. Ollie reached across the table between the seats and took my hand.

“It’s okay. It won’t be long, not if I can help it”

“But you can’t help it, can you? It’s your job. Your duty”

“I...yeah, you’re right. I’ve not got much comfort to offer, to be honest” he fell back into his seat, smiled at me, “But we have letters”

“Words aren’t the same as actions, though, are they? Or sight”

“Eden Copley, stating that words aren’t good enough?! Are you ill?” he lay a warm hand across my forehead and I had to laugh, swatting him away.

“You know what I meant. It’s just different, that’s all”

“I know. I know it’s not the same and that sucks. But there’s not much we can do”

“I know that, too” I looked out of the window again and groaned as the train started to slow, “Two more stops, Ollie!”

“They’re long gaps between stops” he offered up helpfully.

“You really do try to have something positive to say about everything, don’t you?”

“I’m trying to gather some good karma around me. Thought it might aid our chances of seeing each other again soon”

“What happened to not believing in fate?”

“Fate and karma, Eden Copley, are as different as words and actions”

Ollie: