"There was a rock star that stole my heart. His...thing was so big people said he had three legs. He makes me happy, he made me laugh. He built me up and made me strong. Now the world better watch out because here I come."
Ophelia watches as Austin tries to hide his smile, his eyes still closed. "Wake up, sleepy head. Rod has been calling you all morning and now she is downstairs. She is upset about something. I think she is worried about your hearing," Ophelia says kissing his cheeks. He moves his head and connects their lips, she squeaks in surprise at how hard he kisses her like he is scared she will disappear. He insists she showers with him and keeps reaching out to touch her as they get dressed. He kisses her again and then laces their fingers together as they walk down to the kitchen. He is usually laughing and cracking jokes by now but he seems sullen - must be his hearing. Rod jumps up from her chair and grabs him by the front of his shirt then hauls him outside as soon as they enter the kitchen. Ophelia watches as Rod speaks angrily at him, her arms waving as she talks. She is usually so cool and collected but she looks almost crazy right now. Austin stands with his head bowed and lets her talk then he lifts his head and says something to her. Rod's face crumbles and she cries into her hands, Austun grabs her shoulders and pulls her to his chest, hugging her tightly. What is going on? Ophelia swallows thickly, whatever has upset Rod is pretty bad. "I think her and Oliver got into a fight. I heard her on the phone with him earlier," Aubrey says as she walks into the kitchen. Oh, that makes sense, she is sure Rod hates fighting with Oliver. Then she watches as Rod steps out of Austin's arms and says something to him. Austin looks at her for a long time then shakes his head. Ophelia and Aubrey gasp when Rod suddenly slaps him then turns on her heel and storms off. She does not come inside but chooses to walk around the side of the house, leaving without saying goodbye.
Don't get it wrong, Ophelia is very angry and if she had been outside she would have tried to stop Rod. Even now, she has to hold herself back from running out to him. But, Austin looks like he needs a second alone as he lights a cigarette and walks off into the garden. She does not know the dynamics of his relationship with Rod fully. They have a whole lifetime, while all Ophelia has is just for now. Her heart squeezes at the thought. Their time is almost up, she can feel it. She woke this morning and saw a text from her lawyer that her divorce was finalized and she wanted to celebrate - she did, for a second, but then dread filled her. With the divorce finalized and Austins hearing today they have almost come to an end. But she is going on tour with him next week so she has at least a month with him. Hank had arrived early this morning and she had snuck into her closet with him as Austin slept and they had placed all the fake stuff into the draws. She watched Hank very carefully around her underwear drawer.
Aubrey had made him breakfast while he had prescribed a message from her to Austin on the back of the black watch and then he had left.
The end is drawing near, but she has a month left with him and so she is going to make the most of it. She knows he asked her not to ask him to stay again but she is going to. She does not know what he wants family-wise, they have never discussed that far in the future. She can't find it in her to go through another miscarriage so she does not want to get pregnant, she hopes he would be ok with not having children. She will talk to him while on tour and straighten everything out. She has a month and she is going to make the best of it. Austin walks back in and hands her a bunch of tulips from her garden. They took her years to grow and get right but she does not care that he has pulled them out in their prime. She gives him her best smile and takes them then wraps her arms around him. "Are you ok?" she whispers. "Yeah, sometimes siblings fight but it will all work out in the end. Ready to go?" he whispers back. Ophelia pulls out of his arms and hands Aubrey the tulips then follows an unusually sad-looking Austin out to the car.
~
"Mr. Post, I have to say that I was not surprised when your file landed on my desk. Just another junked-up rockstar," the judge says from the head of the large table. "Given miss Lovit's circumstances I took the liberty of meeting her at the hospital. She tells me a very different story to the one you just shared."
"She is trying to protect me."
"Oh, yes that was very clear in the words she spoke. This is my last year as a judge...I turn eighty tomorrow. I have been around long enough to know all the tricks of the trade. I don't believe your story, Mr. Post. I believe you were only holding those drugs in an attempt to save your friend. But unfortunately, the law does not make room for kindness. The fact remains, drugs were found on you. You have a long history, four pages of convictions from drunk in public to inciting a riot, drug possession, and public indecency. You are a menace to society. If I let you off the hook, I would not be holding up the integrity of the law."
"I am not asking to be let off the hook. I will take my punishment."
"If I may," Austin's lawyer starts but the judge shakes his head. "No, you may not. The evidence is strong and the case is watertight. I don't want to hear the nonsense you are going to try and spin me...but, I would like to speak with Miss Monroe, alone," the judge says looking at Ophelia. The lawyers all stand and gather their files, Austin looks at Ophelia with a worried face. She smiles at him and winks. It will be fine. Austin and the lawyers sit in the passage and because the room wall is only glass Austin turns his chair so he has a full view of Ophelia. She can see he is not happy that she has been put in this position but she would have insisted if the judge had not asked to speak with her anyway.
"Miss Monroe. You, I am very surprised to see you here. I have four daughters and they are all huge fans. You were a constant presence in our home. My wife felt you were a good role model and so encouraged them. So, why on earth are you mixing with the likes of Mr. Post? Before you speak though I will warn you that you are under oath and I am a very clever man."
"Well...it's a PR stunt."
"Ah, that makes sense."
"But that's not why I am here today. I am here because of Austin."
The judge frowns and then pours himself and her a glass of water each. "I have all day set aside for this hearing and I would like as much information as possible. Tell me everything, don't hold back. The floor is yours," he says. Ophelia looks at Austin who is staring at her still and then she takes a deep breath. She tells him everything. She explains about Jim and what he did to her, she tells him about how Austin broke into her house, and how he loved her tree house. She tells him about how he flushed his drugs down the toilet and took up knitting to keep his hands busy. She tells him about Rod and Oliver, and even Red. She speaks about the things Austin says about love and how he made her father's Bigfoot dream come alive. She also tells him how strong she is now. How she is not scared of Jim or her future, but she is excited about it. She smiles when she talks about Austin's laugh and how it bounces around her house and then into her chest. She cries a little when she shares the miscarriage and how Austin stood quietly by her side through it as the judge passes her a tissue. "I know people say he needs to change, but I can't bring myself to agree. I think he is perfect the way he is. I know you may think that I am saying that because I am blind to his faults, but I am not. I know he has faults...I just love them anyway. I love all of him," Ophelia finishes. The judge sits back in his chair and watches Ophelia for a long time. Taking in everything she said and letting it settle neatly on the table in front of them.
"You speak of him like he is this anomaly."
"Because he is."
"You are very confident."
"Yes, I am," Ophelia says with a sharp nod of her head. The judge watches her and she can see a small smile play on his lips.
"Will this end? Or do you have other intentions?"
"It will end. I think..."
"You think?"
"No, I know. I flip-flop between my feeling of wanting him to stay or go because I adore him so much, but you see, I need to know that my strength comes from me, not from Austin and if he says I will never really know. I will always have a little bit of doubt. Austin unlocked many doors...but I was the one who chose to step through. I need him to go even though I don't want him to go."
"Do you think he wants to go?"
Ophelia smiles. "Is this for the hearing?" she asks. The judge smiles back at her and nods. "As I said, I would like all the information so I can make an informed decision," the judge says pouring her another glass of water. Ophelia looks at Austin who seems to be getting more and more agitated the longer she is in here. She looks back at the judge and smiles. "No, I don't. If I ask him to stay I know he will. But he needs this as much as I do. These past few months I have been the central point of focus. But he has done a lot of learning himself. He thinks he is a bad guy, like a real bad guy. He doesn't think he is good enough for me, for anyone, when it's the opposite really. None of us deserve someone like Austin. He says he has been selfish all his life, put himself first - but would a man like that really find himself here? Taking the fall for someone just because he does not want her to be scared? Or put his life on hold so that I can chase my monsters away? He is selfless, not selfish. I love him very much...I will love him forever."
"So he needs something that will help him see that he is not the bad guy he thinks he is?"
"Yes and I don't think I can do that."
"I think I can. Let's call them back, shall we?" the judge says, turning and signaling for everyone to come back in. Austin jumps up so fast and speed walks into the office, straight to Ophelia. "You ok?" he asks, his face etched in worry. "I am fine, promise," she whispers back.
"Mr. Post, I think you have a lot of learning to do. Learning you will not receive inside a prison cell. I am sentencing you to five hundred hours of community service. You may look like a poster boy for trouble but I think looks are often deceiving. There's a teen outreach program for boys that I think could learn a lot from you and hopefully, you will learn a lot from them too, who knows, maybe you will see yourself in some of those boys," the judge says and then stands, gathering his files, "I hope never to see you again. Good luck in your endeavors...both your endeavors," he says turning to look at Ophelia and then he walks out. "That's it, Austin. How you got that outcome from him I have no idea. He is one of the hardest judges out there," Austin's lawyer says, standing and grabbing his files and then following the other lawyers out. "What did you say to him, baby?" Austin asks as they stand too. "The truth, that's all," Ophelia says. "The truth? Can't have, otherwise he would have locked me up and thrown away the key," Austin chuckles. Ophelia stops and looks at him, a small frown on her face.
"I love you. I love almost everything about you."
"Almost?"
"Yes. Almost. I love your smile and your laugh. I love how you create magic for everyone around you to feed off. I love how kind and patient you, how your words are soft and sweet. I even love how unapologetic and brash you can be. But what I don't love, what I hate, is how lowly you see yourself. This whole time you have been insisting I love myself...but you don't even like yourself."
"There is not much to like, baby."
"If I had it in me to smack anyone. I would smack you right now. Just...try...please."
Austin smiles and pulls her close to him, kissing her forehead. "I'll try," he whispers. "Now..." he says pulling back and slinging his arm over her shoulder as he leads her out, "about that smacking, think you could do that with a whip or maybe a paddle? Oh, and leather, I would like you in leather please," he says. Ophelia giggles and shakes her head at him. "You are ridiculous," she says.
~
Jim had come and gone while they had been at Austin's hearing. Joe and Leon had watched him carefully as a locksmith had opened the drawers for him. They said he had sniggered saying that he had played Ophelia as his fingers had curled around the jewelry. He had not taken the old beat-up milk van but he had angrily taken the oil painting of himself. "He said that he was happy to get rid of you and that you and Austin deserve each other - he had not meant it as a good thing," Joe explains. "Well, I am just glad it's over," Ophelia says looking around for Austin. He must be upstairs. "I am going to the hospital, phone me if you need anything," Joe says then disappears. Ophelia makes her way up to the bedroom. Austin is there and he is packing his bags.
"Oh, are you packing for your tour already?"
"Something like that."
"Ok well I'll start packing too," Ophelia says moving into her closet and taking a bag out. She starts rummaging through her clothes as Austin walks slowly into the closet and sits next to her open bag on the large padded bench.
"Baby..."
"How long do I have to pack for? You said a month right?"
"Baby..."
"Where are we going anyway? Do I pack for warm weather or cold?"
"Baby..."
"Oh, I will just pack for warm weather and take some jumpers."
"Baby..."
"It gets hot at your shows, right? What with all that loud music and dancing."
"Ophelia..."
Ophelia stops fiddling with her clothing but does not turn around to face him. She can't.
"You said I could with you. You asked me to come. We have one month left. Don't take that away from me...please. It's just a month."
"It's a month too long, my baby. You know this."
Anger rises in her. He can't do this. She spins to face him but the anger she felt drains away when she looks at him. He looks so sad. "It's just a month," she whispers. "Come here," he whispers back. Ophelia climbs on his lap in a straddle. "I don't think it would do either of us good to drag this out. I don't want this to end with hate. These last few months have been wonderful...let's keep it that way," he says softly. "I could never hate you," Ophelia whispers. "I hang onto your words like a lifeline, my sweet, sweet, Ophelia. Let me take you out, we can go dancing if you like. Food and wine, even a few laughs. And then..." he says softly. He does not have to finish, she knows what comes next.
"I don't know if I can."
"You can. You are so strong, you can do anything."
"I don't feel strong right now."
"I have a sneaky suspicion that it's when all hope is lost..."
"Bigfoot appears?"
Austin lets out a soft laugh and nods. "Take me to bed, make love to me, and then we can get ready...please," she whispers. Austin smiles at her sadly and nods again, swallowing thickly, she stands and he takes her hand that she offers him then he leads her out of the closet but he does not take her to the bed, instead he tugs her outside and down to her treehouse. It's her favorite time of day, the sun is low and almost setting so the lights on her tree house are starting to flicker on, creating a soft yellow hue in the haze of the sun setting. Austin waits as she climbs up the ladder and then follows her into the tree house.
It's quiet except for the sound of Austin's clothing as he removes them, Ophelia's body is shaking so she just watches him. She can tell he is avoiding eye contact with her, looking down as he struggles with his belt buckle so she steps closer and takes his face in her hands, making him look at her, wiping his cheeks with her thumbs. "You make me soft, baby," he whispers and gives her a small watery smile. Her heart thumps against her chest, she loves him so much. Slowly, and keeping eye contact with him, she removes the rest of his clothes and then hers. She kisses between his pecks and then walks around him, kissing him again in her spot, watching him shiver in response. Then she walks over to the nest of pillows and blankets and lies down, facing him and opening her legs. "I want you...just like this," she whispers. He stares at her, committing every inch of her to his memory then he bends and crawls over her, settling between her thighs. His lips are gentle and soft on hers as he kisses her as if he's afraid she will disappear if he presses too hard and she has to wipe both their cheeks.
He makes her feel weak and she knows he is no better, both are raw and vulnerable right now. Her chest burns with the realization that this is her last time with Austin and as if he can read her mind he pulls back a little and looks at her, his face raw with emotion. When Austin laughs it bounces around and burrows into her chest like warm chocolate but when he is sad, his tears feel like acid on her skin. Then he dips his head and kisses her neck, softly. She gets lost in the sweep of his tongue against her jaw and neck as he licks, nips, and kisses her, leaving her body shaking as a shiver tingles up her spine. Austin moves down her body stopping to kiss and admire her as he touches. He touches her like he is saying goodbye, leaving invisible marks on her skin that she hopes she can draw from when he is not close enough to touch her anymore.
When he reaches her hips he looks back up at her. There are thin silver streaks from his tears across her body and Ophelia finds she has to wipe her own cheeks again, his eyes are so sad it breaks her heart, and his lips that are usually stretched in a wide happy smile now only a thin straight line. He lowers his head slowly and licks into her lazily, her things frame his head and she bucks her hips gently in time to his stroking, her stomach muscles flex and roll with every soft shock Austin's tongue flicks into her.
Eventually, he detaches himself from her and watches her out the corner of his eye as he kisses his way back up her body. Ophelia has to swallow the lump in her throat and by the time he hovers over her, her breathing is labored and she is almost frantic with desperation to keep him close to her as he looks down at her with hooded eyes. Her body reacts without her even thinking about it, her back arches, and she wraps her legs around his waist, pulling him down to her. Austin as he bites his bottom lip and then pulls in a heavy shaky breath. He watches her, studying her face, and then his face breaks and that beautiful happy smile of his appears, but it does not reach his eyes. "Why do you love me? Tell me," he whispers. Ophelia feels herself smile, there is so much to love, it would take her a lifetime to explain it to him. "You...I love you because you are you...it is just that simple," she whispers back. "You stole my line, baby," he says dipping his head and nudging the side of her jaw with his nose, she tilts her head exposing her neck and he runs the tip of his tongue along her neck, biting down softly on her smooth skin. He trails his kisses under her jaw causing her to push her head back even more and forcing her back to arch a little more. She turns her head as he nudges it in the opposite direction and continues to suck the skin around her ear. She pushes her hips up and he grinds down on her. She is desperate for him to push into her but also just as desperate to make this moment last as long as she can as Austin continues to work on all the sensitive spots around her neck then he covers her lips with his as he pushes into her slowly. He keeps his thrusts slow, steady, and long, making her body shiver and shake as she whimpers. She can feel she is close so she wraps her arms around his head as he buries it into the small of her neck and lets out a soft strained and breathless whimper as she feels her orgasm explode and trickle through her veins as her back arches even more. She is quick to push Austin up so she can watch as his own orgasm takes hold as he looms over her like a giant, his back goes straight as he pushes his hips further into her, his shoulders doubling in size and his chest puffs out. His stomach muscles roll as he pushes in even deeper and his fingers dig into her soft skin on her thighs. His head tilts slightly, jaw going slack and his eyes squeezing shut then he falls over her and hides his face as he lets out a soft grunt as she wraps her arms around his head. "And that, my baby, is how you make love," he mumbles as she lets out a little giggle, keeping him close.