Through the Darkness: Of Love and Loss Series Book One

24

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather rest here?" Elyria murmured. They stood at the bottom of the front steps to her home, where they had been for the past twenty minutes, unable to stop kissing or touching and dragging out their goodbye. "Daphne and Simon won't mind."

"It's tempting, but I better not," Everett whispered against her lips and hugged her closer.

She returned his kiss, then sighed and pulled away. "But you'll be back later?"

"Absolutely." He paused for a minute and pushed his sleeve up. Then, tilting his wrist, he said, "How does noon sound?"

"Terribly far away."

"I agree," He chuckled, "but it's only four hours, and you need rest." He squeezed her hand gently and lowered his voice, "Anne has spotted us... oh, and there's Daphne." He waved, brushing Elyria's arm as he called out, "Morning, you two." Then, laughing softly, he leaned in close and whispered in her ear, "They've ducked out of sight. I don't think they expected to get caught."

"I better go in," Elyria said with a smile. "You promise you'll be back at noon?"

He pulled her into his arms. "Not even battle-ax Winters and her minions could keep me away."

She laughed. "One more kiss before you leave?"

"You read my mind," He murmured before delivering a kiss that stole her breath and left her legs wobbly when it ended. Resting his forehead against hers, he said, "I love you, Pegleg."

"I love you too," she sighed. After a moment, she straightened and took her walking stick and bag firmly in hand. "Just so we're clear, I expect to see you here promptly at noon."

He clicked his heels. "Yes, ma'am."

"Not a moment later, or I'll send out the hounds," she warned, making her way up the steps to the front door.

"Whose hounds are we speaking of? I thought you were afraid of dogs?"

"I meant it as a figure of speech, you goose," she chuckled.

"Good morning, you two," Daphne said, swinging the door open with a dramatic display of exuberance. "You've been out here so long that I was beginning to wonder if your lips had been fused."

Everett burst out laughing.

Elyria bit back a mortified chuckle and cleared her throat, then turned to Everett, who seemed to be having difficulty reigning in his mirth. "I'll see you soon."

"Twelve o'clock sharp," he agreed between giggles before limping back toward his car.

She remained on the stoop until she could no longer hear the sound of his car traveling down the road. Only then did she enter the house and close the door with a dreamy sigh.

"That good of a kisser, is he?" Daphne murmured, clearly amused.

Elyria jumped and covered a giggle. "Oh, Daph, I don't think I've ever been so happy."

"Are you going to marry him, Auntie El?" Anne squealed with glee from the living room.

Elyria couldn't hold back her smile and nodded, "Yes."

"He asked you last night?" Daphne said with delight. "I had a feeling he would."

"No."

Daphne took her by the hand and held it tight. "Don't worry, he will. He's already asked me for permission."

"He did?" Elyria sighed with a joyful grin. "Isn't he wonderful?"

"He has his moments," Daphne chuckled. "Now, do you want sleep first or food? Knowing you, you probably haven't eaten more than one meal over the past three days from nerves."

Her stomach gurgled in reply.

"Food it is," Daphne giggled, "I'll start up some hotcakes and eggs."

Elyria's smile slipped from her face when a sad realization struck her. Marrying Everett would mean leaving her best friend and all that remained of her family behind. Tears suddenly stung her eyes.

"Goodness," Daphne murmured, settling a gentle hand on Elyria's left shoulder, "why do you look so crestfallen all of a sudden? You were so happy just a moment ago."

Elyria's voice broke when she said, "Because I'm going to miss you dreadfully."

Daphne pulled her into a tight hug and kissed her cheek. "It's only marriage, El, not death, and Idaho isn't too far from here."

"It's over two thousand miles away, Daph," Elyria replied tearfully against Daphne's shoulder.

"Yes, well... when you put it that way, it does sound rather far, doesn't it?" She paused for a moment, then whispered in a voice thick with emotion, "We'll simply have to follow you out there. I'll persuade Simon to move—I can be very persuasive, you know—and he's talked about moving out of the city for a while now. I'm sure he meant Idaho."

Chuckling, Elyria straightened and wiped tears from her cheeks. "I love you."

Daphne cupped Elyria's left cheek in her palm, "I love you too." She sniffled and took the bag from Elyria's hand, "Now, let's make some breakfast and get you off to bed."

"Can I help?" Anne asked, skipping across the floor to meet them.

"You can cook the bacon with me if you like," Elyria said as Anne slipped her hand in her grasp. "You do such a good job of making sure it's perfectly crisp."

"D'you hear that, Mama? Auntie El said I'm in charge of the bacon."

Over the next hour of making breakfast and sitting down to eat, Elyria found herself soaking up the time spent with her family and fighting back the urge to weep over it coming to an end.

How could it be possible to feel so much happiness and sorrow all in the same moment? Would she be able to leave everything behind to start a new life with Everett?

"Go rest," Daphne whispered with a hand on her shoulder, "you look ready to drop. I'll clean up."

Elyria nodded and slowly stood. "Will you wake me before he gets here? I don't want to oversleep."

"Of course."

"Goodnight," Elyria murmured, turning to walk to her room.

"Sleep tight, Auntie El, and don't let the bed bugs bite," Anne chirped. "Do we even have bed bugs, Mama?"

"No, dear," Daphne chuckled.

Elyria smiled and covered a yawn, then set her walking stick by her bed and laid down, doubting she'd be able to sleep at all.