Formidable Devotion

XIII

I'm not an obvious person, but it's pretty obvious that I love you.

NATHANIEL WILBUR'S POV

Raymond lived in one of those suburban neighborhoods designed to make you feel safe. It was the kind of place where crime rates are nonexistent. The police are driving around , making sure that nothing out of the ordinary is threatening the harmony of the town. There isn't much to look at. The streets aren't very busy, just kids playing around here and there. People taking walks , driving , tryna get to their destinations.

It's a clean neighborhood, the architecture is organized, the type of place to settle down for a while. So far, nothing here is chasing me away.

"Malcolm has already prepared lunch for us. You can eat once we arrive home and then get some rest."

"Are we close?" He pointed at a white house just a few blocks away. It's a huge home, nite. "Can I ask for a favour?"

He nodded. "Sure."

"Remember when I mentioned not wanting anyone to know about what has happened to I and Gwen, that also includes your family. Keep this between us."

"Of course. I haven't told them anything. It's not in my place to disclose those details. Feel free and safe in my home."

"Thank you and I hope it remains that way." The last thing I need is people offering hands and eyes of pity towards us.

I am not ashamed of my life. It is full of dark times but I am not saying I hate that I'm still alive. I don't care if I'm not enough, I'm living for the future of the great things to come. This life is mine and I can't refuse it.

We arrive at the house , driving through the gates and into this safe haven. Raymond helps me get off the car and hands over my crutches. My eyes begin to search for that one person I care about and soon enough...Gwen appears into my line of vision , smiling, her hair pulled back as she run towards me. My heart had never been happier to see her again.

She lands in my embrace, her head on my chest as we hugged each other. I feel the weight of our history fall onto the ground while I hold her. "You look as good as new." She graced me with her gorgeous laughter while eyeing my crutches. "They even patched you up real nice and gave you another pair of legs."

"Aren't I the luckiest man in the World!" I chuckled... . "I only get one life and an extra reward of six limbs to pursue my life purpose. What more can a renegade ask for?"

"You already have it all." She feed into my sarcasm. "And guess what?"

"What?" I inquired.

"We made it out." Her smile was so ever wide and eyes teary. "We did it Nathan. We're free and this isn't a dream anymore."

I pulled her in, and kissed those lips because I missed them so much. She has never tasted any sweeter than now. Her arms came onto my neck and into my hair, drawing me closer and closer to her that I felt her body heat.

"Do you want to go somewhere?" I spoke against her tender cherry lips.

"Right now?"

"Yes, we can call a taxi and leave. I'm taking you to our very first date. What do you say?"

Her cheeks turned red, the excitement flowing through her. She gave me a wide eyed gaze, flustering while planting her lips back on mine again. "Take me wherever you want. I was honestly just waiting for you to arrive so we can start site seeing......but wait....." She halted, face with concern as she asked me,"What about your wounds? May be you should get some rest Nathan. Then we'll go when you are better. I can wait. There's no need to rush cause we got our whole Lives and....."

I placed a finger on her lips to silence her , "I've waited my whole life for this, I'm not waiting another minute longer. This leg is perfectly capable."

She wanted this, badly, that I can see it so clearly,but her eyes won't leave my injuries. "I'll be alright, trust me."

"Don't collapse on me okay. I can't carry all those pounds." She teased me. "Besides, How can I say no to my first date?Where are we going?"

Yes.

"Just the park. We can have a picnic."

"I think I'm going to love the park, I can already feel that it's my favorite place already." She wrapped her arms around me.

"I'm sure there better places you'll love than a regular park."

"Not a chance. Nothing is going to bit the first place you take me after getting us out of that hell hole...nothing."

This girl always manages to put a smile on my face. "I love you." I blurted out and she laughed.....

"Of course you do."

One thing that Gwen enjoyed most on our little date was the time she had to play around the park with other people's children. I don't think I've ever seen Gwen that happy to be around anybody other than me. But I guess that's the effect kids have on you. I'm actually surprised that these kids parents just let them play with a stranger. I do know that Gwen is the least threatening human being and there are security guards around the area, but how safe is this town that nobody seems to worry about their children getting kidnapped?

I don't think Gwen and I are particularly good with people, how can we be? We're the only people we talk to, it's been that way while growing up. I guess we can try and commute, fit in but It'll be hard actually connecting with anyone older than ten.

Something else I noticed Gwen loving is the rain. The weather was bound to betray us at some point but Gwen played in the rain still. She loved it so much that she cried. I just watched her have fun under the water as I stood by a shade, admiring her grace. I wanted to run around with her as it poured but my body wouldn't handle. With these injuries I couldn't afford catching a cold or infecting the wounds. So for that meantime, I enjoyed observing her as she put on a show for me without even noticing it.

__________

Any thoughts?.
-Lynn.

Images of all the characters so far are out now in the Prologue .