Always There

Chapter Ninety-Seven

I raise an eyebrow at her, but she just smiles and leans in to rest her cheek against my shoulder.

"If I only have a couple hours to spend with you, I want to make the most of it. So why would I sit across from you when I could sit next to you?" Blossom says gently.

She then rests her hand atop mine, where it's resting on my thigh. I flip my hand over so that I can link my fingers through hers, and I watch as she smiles once again at the sight of our intertwined fingers.

I kiss the top of her head. "That makes sense. I miss being physically close to you too. You give the best hugs."

Blossom giggles the slightest bit, and I mentally pat myself on the back for making her laugh.

"You give the best hugs. I would just lay in bed with your arms around me for the rest of my life if it were a possibility. Everything feels all right when your arms are around me," she then says quietly.

I look down at her and watch as she immediately averts her eyes from my face, as though she's embarrassed by the words that she just let slip.

I reach out with my free hand to gently cup her face. I angle her face back towards me before tipping her chin up a little bit, so that she's forced to look me in the eye once again.

"You've been acting strange today, honey. What's going on in that head of yours? I want you to be honest with me," I tell her, keeping my voice as soft as possible.

Blossom pulls her bottom lip between her teeth. She sits in silence for a moment as she considers my question, but eventually, she lets out a long breath and answers me.

"Maybe I'm different from how I was the last time we saw each other. But we haven't seen each other in awhile. I'm pretty sure this is how I always am now," she says.

I feel my eyebrows furrow. "So you're always sad? And spacey?"

Blossom shrugs her shoulders. "I guess. I always thought that I did a good job at hiding how sad I feel most of the time, but everyone always tells me how spacey I am. I try to shake it off, but it's just because I'm usually thinking about you. Because I miss you. So fucking much."

I do my best to hide my surprise, but I'm unable to stop my eyebrows from raising at how easily the word 'fucking' slipped from her lips.

I sigh. "Haven't I told you over and over again that you need to call me whenever you need me? Honestly, baby, you don't even need a reason. Just call me whenever you want, and I'll be there for you."

Blossom lets out a small sound, almost like a whimper. "Please don't be mad at me."

I blink at her. Several times. "Why would I be mad at you?"

She whimpers again. "Because . . . Your tone of voice. You sound disappointed in me. I'm just trying my best."

I simply stare at her for many long moments.

She seemed so happy earlier, while she was dancing with Knox, but it's almost as though that was a facade that she was only able to keep up for a little while. Now, she's crumbling apart right in front of me.

I sigh again, and when Blossom winces at the sound, I almost curse because I'm so frustrated by myself.

"Blossom. Babe. I'm not mad at you. I'm not disappointed in you. Your best is more than good enough, and I know that you're trying. I just worry about you, all the time. I don't think we should talk about this anymore, though, because I'm just making you sad. But we can talk about this more another time, honey, if you'll just give me a call," I tell her softly, trying my best to be reassuring.