Through the Darkness: Of Love and Loss Series Book One

26

"Is he here yet?" Elyria asked, standing in front of the bay window. "What time is it? I can't believe I overslept—you were supposed to wake me."

"One o'clock. I did try waking you if you'll recall. At least three different times," Daphne murmured. She came and stood next to Elyria. "His car is parked outside, but I don't see—oh, he and Simon are talking... they're walking into his office."

Elyria frowned. "Why would he talk to Simon?"

"A lot of people talk to Simon," Daphne quipped with a gentle nudge of her elbow. "I enjoy talking to him myself."

"That's not what I meant," Elyria chuckled, then turned and walked to the sofa. "You don't suppose Simon would give him a hard time about our relationship, do you?"

Daphne laughed and sat beside Elyria on the sofa, "No. I forbade him from doing so unless I'm present to witness and hear everything they discuss."

Silence descended and was only broken by the soft tick-tock of the clock for the next four minutes until Elyria muttered, "What do you think they're talking about?"

"I don't know... maybe he needs some lawyer advice," Daphne said with a shrug, her arm rubbing against Elyria's. "What do men talk to other men about? Sex?"

A shocked giggle escaped Elyria. "Daphne!"

"What? You know how thin the walls were between Winston's room and mine," Daphne murmured, all innocence. "He and Stephen discussed the topic with one another on countless occasions. I couldn't not listen to them, could I?"

Elyria bit back a smile and cleared her throat. "The war?"

"No, not Simon... at least, I don't think he would," Daphne said quietly. "Baseball?"

"Everett said he's not much into sports."

"Oh, did he? I don't remember reading that in any of his letters."

Elyria strained her ears to try listening to the faint conversation coming from Simon's office. But muttered a curse when it remained unintelligible male mumbling. "It wasn't in any letters... Last night, after he picked me up at the station."

"I meant to ask you earlier," Daphne leaned in close and lowered her voice, "what all happened last night? With the way you two were kissing this morning, I can only assume it wasn't the first—it wasn't, was it?"

Elyria blushed and bit back a smile. "Our first occurred while he was still a patient."

"What?" Daphne gasped, "And you never told me?"

"But last night felt different," Elyria sighed, ignoring the pang of guilt that pierced her over not sharing the moment with Daphne.

"Different, how?"

She thought about it, trying to find the right words, then said softly, "You know when you draw a bath, and you dip your finger in to test the temperature before getting in?"

"Are you saying he's a wet kisser?" Daphne asked, appalled. "Did he slobber all over you? That isn't at all the sort of man I thought him to be."

Elyria choked on a laugh, "No! No—oh, it's a terrible analogy, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is, and that's coming from the Queen of Analogies herself."

Elyria giggled and covered her face in her hands. "Our first kiss was slow, kind of like we were taking our time in getting a sense of one another... savoring the moment."

Silence, and then Daphne murmured, "Why do I feel like you're describing my relationship with cake?"

"Oh, dear," Elyria laughed.

"And last night?" Daphne chuckled, "How did it differ?"

Elyria closed her eyes and sighed, "It was wonderful. Not that the first one wasn't, but last night... I don't know if it was because of all the excitement and anxiety leading up to it. Or just because it's him." She replayed the night again in her mind, then turned to Daphne. "Last night became the first time in my entire life that I've ever had a real taste of passion and romantic love. He kissed me like he couldn't get enough of me and wanted to devour me—in a good way."

"As opposed to a cannibalistic one?"

"Yes." Elyria smiled and bit back a laugh.

"Well, I'm glad you cleared that bit up for me," She teased. "And did you want to devour him?"

Elyria nodded and blushed.

Daphne patted Elyria's knee, "I believe it's safe to say you two should have quite a bit of fun on your wedding night."

"Why will they have fun on their wedding night, dear?" Simon asked, walking into the room, "Aside from the obvious."

Elyria bit back an embarrassed giggle.

"Jokes," Daphne blurted like a strangled squirrel. Then she cleared her throat and said in her usual tone, "She told me one of Everett's jokes he shared with her last night. He has ever so many of them, I'm sure they'll laugh from sunrise to sunset."

Elyria groaned and hid her face in her hands. This situation was going downhill fast, and she had no idea how to stop it.

"Oh really," Simon said, his tone suspicious. "What joke was that?"

"How did it go?" Daphne tapped Elyria's leg.

"What's brown and sticky?" Everett blurted out while sitting down beside Elyria. He took her hand and kissed her cheek, whispering, "Don't worry, I've got you covered."

The chair across from them squeaked softly when Simon sat. "I don't know, what?"

Everett gently squeezed Elyria's fingers, "A stick."

Daphne burst out laughing, shaking so hard with mirth that the entire sofa trembled.

Elyria giggled and leaned in to whisper, "Another one from your cousin?"

"No," Everett chuckled quietly, "purely born out of panic."

"I don't believe it was that funny of a joke, darling," Simon murmured.

Elyria kissed his cheek and whispered against his skin, "Thank you."

"Sorry, I'm late," he whispered back. "I overslept."

She smiled. "It's all right... I did, too."

"You're awful pretty when you do that."

Elyria pulled away, her brow creasing in a frown. "When I do what?"

"Smile." He placed a bouquet in her arms. "I got these for you."

She lifted them to her nose and gently felt the blooms with her fingers. Grinning, Elyria whispered back, "Buttercups?"

He kissed her cheek. "I had to go to four florists to find yellow ones, but you were right; they're beautiful. I can see why you love them."

"Thank you," she said softly, caressing the flowers.

"You wouldn't want to go on a walk with me, would you?" He asked, taking her by the hand.

"That's number four on your list of courting, isn't it?"

He chuckled, "Indeed, I believe it is."

She stood and turned to Daphne and Simon, "We're going on a walk. Would you care to join us?"

Everett made a strange choking sound, then cleared his throat and stood beside her. "No, they wouldn't."

"No," Daphne murmured with a smile in her voice, "but thank you. I'll put your flowers in a vase in your room... you two go enjoy yourselves."