@Copyright all rights reseved
-Written By: LovableMonster-
-Chapter 15: Awaiting The Future-
I exit Luca's room after a few hours of tending to his needs and comforting him when he wanted me. I lay myself down in a loveseat and sigh, my bangs sticking to my forehead with sweat. When I open my eyes I'm greeted by Mr. Keller who looks worse for wear. His clothing is covered in dirt and his hair is all over the place like his beard. He sits down in the opposite seat beside me and looks over at me. I knew he'd expect to be questioned and I have a lot of questions.
''So, you knew Luca's sister? What was she like?'' I ask, not remembering him ever bring up anything about a sister, maybe he has a brother as well. I don't know anything about Luca and his family, you'd think he tell me something at least.
Mr. Keller brushes his bony fingers through is gray hair and it only makes the hair oily. He stops after he acknowledges that it's not helping.
''She was a pretty thing, smart too. Her name was Alice and she was trying to become a doctor, which as you know is a hard position for females to get. Anyways, she was always making people happy, especially her brother. Although, one day...This woman came along and...Well...The funeral was a few days afterwards. Thankfully I caught the woman who killed his sister years ago, she was insane...She didn't tell me the reason she killed his sister before she shot herself in the head...I try not to think about that day Mrs. Bonastia.''
I try to stop my heart from racing and my head from spinning. I can't believe Luca never told me any of this! What was there to hide? I guess he just couldn't stand to tell anyone because it meant too much to him.
Mr. Keller drags a hand through his beard,'' Although, you probably know what happens next since you met his brother, right?'' He asks, raising an eyebrow.
I shake my head slowly.
Now he has a brother and I've met him?
Mr. Keller shakes his head in disgust; either in my lack of information about my husband or that my husband would keep these things from me. I beg Mr. Keller to tell me more.
''Luca's brother was Anthony Bonastia.''
I drive my fingers madly into my ears to clean them, I must've not heard that quite right. I put a hand to my chest to somehow calm my heart and it's speed. I look up at him and he's not smiling or joking, he's not even grinning like a cat. He continues, ignoring my panic attack.
Luca killed his own brother to save me.
Luca drove a sword right into his brother.
Luca is my knight who protects.
''His brother was going to kill you because you looked so much like the woman who killed his sister, but Luca wouldn't allow it. Now, I know you know the rest.''
Mr. Keller starts to pick at the loveseat like someone would when they were playing with their dinner. Mr. Keller has told me all of this, but his words seem fake, in a way. It's like he's rushing to get everything out for some reason. I'm not fazed by it I'm just concerned, like always. I put down the hand from my chest and sigh.
''He saved me.''
Mr. Keller nods and returns to stroking his beard through his fingers. I've never been one to like beards, a bit of a unshaven face is one thing. I try to process everything he's told me inside of my head but it's too much information too take in, especially being so important.
I try to change the subject off of Luca and it doesn't work, saying the first thing that comes to my mind really isn't helpful in this situation right now. I regret asking it as soon as the expression on Mr. Keller's face changes.
''Do you know why Luca looks like that?'' I ask, meaning his red eyes and stub of an arm. I just felt curious and I wanted to know badly ever since I met Luca.
Mr. Keller stops stroking his beard for a second and looks up at me with an expression I cannot read. I think he prefers it to be unread.
''I honestly don't know. I don't think anyone knows, not even his parents. I've had my theories but in the end they came up as failures. I've always pitied Luca in a way, because I know something caused him to look like that. I've always blamed his mother, but I've never had any proof. Don't ask Luca, because he doesn't know why he looks like that either.''
I close my eyes knowing that he wouldn't have an answer because nobody does. Luca is special, in a way where nobody else is the same. Nothing, without proof, can be explained for what he is or why he looks like he does, so I change the subject again.
''Is Luca going to be alright?'' I ask, getting my hopes up, especially for the baby. I put my hands to my stomach protectively. I could hear my voice cracking and breaking asking the question because I'm afraid of the answer.
Mr. Keller suddenly turns his head, eyes, and attention away from me. He doesn't want to answer the question, if he does, it will be a vague one. I can see him having a hard time thinking about my question, which must mean only one thing, I register it as soon as he tells me it, making my heart sink to my stomach.
''He's not going to make it Jessalyn, spend as much time as you can with him. We don't know how long he has but it's not long. You should be in there right now, not wasting precious time talking to me.''
I feel the tears return, but I refuse to cry in front of this man, I will try my best not to do it in front of my husband. I don't want him to see me cry and ask me what for. I don't want him to know what awaits him, I don't even want to know it. I wanted to have a husband and a family with him, I let my fingers run over my stomach.
God will never show me any mercy...
''Your right.''
I let my body take me to the bedroom where Luca is occupied in and I tap on the door a few times before entering. The sight of him laying in the bed makes the water works almost come out. I won't be able to survive the night, knowing he might die tomorrow. He already has the confused, worried look on his face he displays quite often around me.
''Jessalyn, what's wrong?'' He asks putting his arms out for me to run to. I don't hesitate in running to them, I want to be comforted by them and to never be released from them.
His warm, shaky breath runs down my back and I put my arms around his neck. I allow my fingers to dig into his blonde hair. He is surprised by my sudden need for him and he plants a kiss on my lips, which makes me only want more.
I tell myself that kissing him and doing all of these things to appreciate and love him will help us both realize what's to come and how to overpower it, but I know that it'll only make me worse. I ignore both thoughts and I just allow myself to kiss him, not caring about anything else in the world.
His lips are sweet, but cracked open with blood. His hands smooth out on my back and starts to rub me slowly. I can tell he's enjoying himself. The familiar warmth from kissing him shoots through my entire body. My tongue searches for his and I know this is not a very lady-like thing to do. People wouldn't approve, but they don't approve of monsters kissing anyways.
I finally find Luca's tongue and he kisses me with so much passion. My hands dig deeper into his hair and now I'm frantically pulling at it. I stop myself, because I know he's wounded and we can't do anything. It might hurt him even more.
When I pull back from him and his lips he looks up at me like I'm crazy. We both know we were enjoying that very much, besides you shouldn't have sex when you have a baby anyways. He lets his fingers trail on the scar by my lip and he whispers something to me.
''Can I paint you again?''
I put up a hand to his on my cheek and I look into his eyes which are displayed with so much love and affection. Mr. Keller had brought him some paints and a canvas, knowing his love of paint, earlier today for Luca. I nod slowly and as I go to unbutton my nightgown, knowing that he wants another nude one, his hands beat me to it. I can feel my face get warmer and a blush start to creep on my cheeks.
His fingers slowly unbutton each silver button slowly while he grazes me. He slowly removes my dress and puts it on the bed. He turns me around with my help and starts to untie my corset, letting his fingers trail up and down my skin as usual. The sensation makes me want him even more.
He pulls apart the strings after a while and I can finally breathe better again. Nothing is worse than wearing a wretched corset. He lets his fingers travel down my shoulders and then he removes his hands. I can tell it took a lot of willpower for him to not touch me further.
I get up and remove my own bloomers and his eyes scan over my body. He smiles like he always does and he asks me to bring him his canvas and paints after locking the door. I know nobody will come in here anyways, but just to be safe.
Luca props up the canvas in his lap and pulls out a paintbrush. His eyes look up at me, now they're filled to the brim with tears, but these tears are tears of joy unlike mine. He doesn't know what awaits him so I'll give him this time, my kisses, and this painting experience. I want him to do what he loves before...
I shake my head and I prop myself on the bed for the painting to begin.
----
After a few hours I'm exhausted and I lean to look at his painting when he says he's finally done. Luca is quick with paint and I help with set it up against the wall to dry. Not even bothering to put my clothes back on I scurry back in the bed and I feel Luca's hands press up against my stomach.
''I'm going to be a father.''
Luca says and I feel myself get even more sad. I let my fingers trail over to his face and I try to wipe away his tears. He brings me closer and I try not to lay against his wound. I don't want him to cause anymore pain. He hides the pain so well when I'm with him.
He kisses me on the forehead and I close my eyes, enjoying this moment while I have it. I suddenly feel something cold press against my forehead. It's the locket. I look up at Luca and he smiles,'' Annabella gave it back to me, she said she wanted it to go to her father.''
I love hearing Annabella call Luca her father, but maybe if she starts developing feelings of love towards him it will be even harder for her to say goodbye. Luca puts the locket around his neck and we both reach to grab each other's hands. His huge, aged hand from the paint, and my small, scarred hand from the accident find each other. We intertwine our fingers together and he sighs.
''Jessalyn, I love you.''
''I love you too Luca.''
He smiles and drops the locket to his chest. He looks up at me and then kisses me again, sending the warmth back through my body. I want to kiss him over and over again. I find myself biting into his lower lip and it starts to bleed even more. He ignores it and kisses me again, finding great pleasure. He brings me in for another embrace, placing our bare chests together. It makes me blush, but I don't mind because he just wants to have me closer.
''I'll always love you Jessalyn. Promise me if I die that you'll never forget your knight, alright?'' He smiles, if only he knew. I mean to say something but he silences me with his hand.
''Promise me you'll look after Annabella and our baby and don't let your grandparents near them. Promise me you won't do anything irrational. I don't want you to hurt yourself because of me...Also, I want you to have this.''
He puts his hands under the bed sheets and uncovers a few handwritten letters with dates on them, at first I'm confused. He finally tells me what they are for.
''I wrote those letters and I want you to read them when it's the right time. I wanted to do something special for you. When I die I want you to read that one first.'' He points to a large one with a red ribbon attached to it. Looking down at these letters, knowing that Luca knows the possibility of his death, it makes me want to cry, so I do.
''Luca, your not going do die...'' I say, trying to believe it myself.
He pulls me closer and wraps his arms around me as he tries to stroke me and calm me down. He kisses me on my eyelids, on my ears, on my nose, on my cheeks, even on my neck. He wants to kiss every inch of me so I let him.
Finally, he finds my lips, but he doesn't kiss them. Instead he whispers to me softly.
''You are the most beautiful woman I could ever ask for to be my wife...You know that right?'' He smiles, lifting up one of my hands to kiss it.
''But, that's not why I love you.''
He trails a finger at my lip scar again and drops it.
''I love you because you're the only one who would love this monster.''
(I need help on the title for this chapter!)