Author's note: Try listening to track No. 9 from " The New World" Soundtrack by James Horner called "Rolfe Proposes" While reading this chapter.
The light of the day was all but gone now.
The tall chestnut and elm trees further snubbed out the waning glory of the sun.
A gentle breeze rustled through their green leaves, carrying away with it a soft scent.
The breeze swirled around until it sought out the lone person quietly walking down the soft dirt trail that cut through the long thicket.
As he walked down the wooded trail that led to home, Shawn took in a deep breath through his nostrils and exhaled with a sigh.
The mild scent of chestnut and elm chased away the lingering pungency of salty ocean brine from Shawn's senses. The dirt was soft but firm under the soles of his boots as he walked down the trail.
Now, one might wonder if it were such a good idea to be walking down a wooded trail with night fast approaching whilst being three and a half months pregnant and all alone.
But for Shawn, he knew that any moment now, things would not be so dark or so lonely a trek.
Literally.
Shawn only had to walk a few more steps before the encroaching darkness was chased away by soft, golden light.
The young man felt whatever negativity concerning the past and his current condition instantly evaporate from him like morning dew against a summer sun and he paused to take in the sight that seemed to come straight out of a wonderful dream.
The dirt path made a smooth, straight line that stretched out and led towards a distant structure at the very end.
On either side of the path stood oak trees planted in neat rows perfectly parallel to the path and equally spaced apart from each other.
The source of the golden light resided in each of these trees.
Hanging from a chain on one of the lower branches of each tree was a gorgeous lantern made of clear glass and made to look rusty metal shaped like a Moroccan star.
Shawn being Shawn, he'd only had to walk this path once to get everything down.
Ten lanterns hung to each tree that hugged the edge of the path making it a grand total of twenty lights to guide the way to home.
Now, this took care of the issue of darkness but the issue of long lonely walk had not yet been rectified.
But, as he walked Shawn knew that it would be soon enough.
He'd just walked passed the first six lanterns when a loud, foreign noise broke through the quietness of the wooded path.
" WOOF!"
Shawn looked further down the trail and felt a small, affectionate smiles spread across his face as he spotted his unofficial " Body Guard" fast approaching from further down the trail.
Large paws flew over the dirt, sending some loose bit flying as a big German Shepherd dog ran fast towards Shawn.
The light from the lanterns bounced off of the dog's long, completely snow white fur, making the animal seem to glow with an almost ethereal light as he gracefully glided past.
Any passerby could have mistaken the beautiful dog for a large white wolf had it not been for the one and a half inch wide black leather collar with a neat row of small, blunt tipped steel spikes gracing it's center and two rows of flat studs flanking it on either side.
A matching pet bracelet graced the dog's right front leg
There was a gap in the metals where the collar rested on the back of the dog's neck.
A flat metal plate with the dog's name etched into it rested there.
The dog slowed his canter to a trot until he stopped at Shawn's feet.
Man and beast stood facing each other, Shawn softly smiling down at the dog, the dog looking back up at his while panting softly.
It was the dog who spoke first.
" Wuff." Barked the dog softly, his full white tail lightly wagging behind him as he stared at his human friend.
" Hey Titan, come to bring me home?" Asked Shawn, his smile turning into a small grin as he watched the dog now known as Titan perked up at the sound of his voice and stamped his right paw lightly over the ground.
Shawn carefully lowered himself onto one knee and reached out to Titan, his hands seeking out the beautiful dog's pointed ears.
Titan let out a small yip and wagged his tail hard in approval as Shawn's fingers scratched at the furry spot behind his ears.
He always loved it whenever Shawn did that.
After a few good moments of enjoying the attention, Titan pressed his velvety muzzle to Shawn's wrist and lightly licked the swatch of pale skin before he pulled away from Shawn's touch.
After all, it was nearly dark out now and he did have a job to do.
Titan barked twice more before turning around and looked expectantly over his shoulder at Shawn with his pale blue eyes.
" Yeah Yeah, I'm coming Buddy, I'm comin'." Sighed Shawn before he slowly rose to his feet and started walking once again, one of his hands coming up to rest over stomach, more specifically the protruding bump hidden under his baggy shirt as he did so.
Titan's ears twitched once before he lightly trotted off after Shawn.
Once he had reached his human friend, the big white dog slowed his gate to match Shawn's so that they were now walking side by side.
Together they walked down the lantern lit path.
In the months since he'd arrived here, Shawn could always count of the lantern path and the big white dog to chase away the memories, and the constant reminders of the dark blue eyes that haunted him every single day.
For a little while at least.
They were just about halfway through when Shawn felt a small pang resonate through him, emanating from his stomach no less.
" Looks like baby's hungry." Thought Shawn with a small smile before he quickened his pace a little.
Baby wasn't the only one looking forward dinner now.
Titan trotted after his human friend as they reached the end of the path, and the home that was waiting for them there.
Shawn halted in his pseudo power walking as he stood in the center of the smooth pewter stone road that served as the means of both entrance and exit to all arriving or departing guests to the Inn
There before him stood, The Silver Seahorse Inn.
It may have been called an Bed & Breakfast Inn but, the place itself was more like a mansion.
The Silver Seahorse Inn stood tall and proud, a cream colored building with dark gray roofing that seemed to have been literally pulled out of classical colonial times.
Complete with two domed tower like parts located at opposite corners of the main building
( For a visual of the actual place referenced for The Silver Sea horse Inn go to and type it "Mansion of Mr. Lim Lean Teng". It should be the first image of a building. In this verse the place is just a little bit bigger than that and with more front steps and a second rounded tower like structure located across from the one in the front.)
At the place where the dark pewter colored rock road straightened from a curve and let to one of the small parking lots stood two beautiful bronze seahorse statues flanking either side of the pewter way atop smooth black marble bases.
Standing guard and the first to welcome all who came to stay at the Inn.
A small whine from an eager looking Titan and another pang of hunger shook Shawn out of his gazing.
" Alright, alright hold your horses the both of you." Said Shawn, both to his four legged companion and to his precious little passenger as he resumed walking.
Now as he walked, the sweet scent of the Violet Carson roses and jasmine flower bushes planted along the entire length of the pewter way's sides filled his nostrils.
It was heavenly yes, but it also made Shawn all the more wanting to enjoy dinner.
Rubbing a hand over his stomach, Shawn and Titan made quick work of crossing the pewter way and the Inn's front steps.
Inside The Silver Seahorse Inn, bright sea green eyes looked up from the papers strewn over the counter their owner had been reading when the sound of the beveled glass paneled front doors being opened filled the air.
The owner of the sea green eyes smiled as she caught sight of the young man with spiky brown hair and the big white German shepherd entering the establishment.
" Hey Kenny D." Said Shawn with a small grin as he made his way over to the front desk. Titan trotted off towards the deep red carpeted grand staircase with a small bark and disappeared up the steps.
" Hey Shawn. Did you enjoy your walk daily walk to and from the sea cliff?" Asked Kendra Grey, the raven haired woman standing behind the Inn's reception counter.
Her Inn.
" Yes, very much so Thank you." Said Shawn with a smile before he spoke again.
" Is dinner ready?" He asked.
" That depends, who wants to know?" Countered Kendra with a quirk of one perfectly shaped eyebrow and a tiny smirk as she eyes her very good friend.
" Baby wants to know." Sighed Shawn with a tiny chuckle as his hands came up to tenderly cradle his stomach.
He watched as a grin of absolute delight spread across Kendra's pale caramel face. It always made her radiate with joy at the mere mention of his little one.
" Well baby should know that dinner is just about ready to be served. Therefore I suggest that Baby and Daddy head upstairs and wash up. And, I also guarantee that both Baby and daddy are gonna love tonight's special dessert." Grinned Kendra.
" Oh really, what's for dessert. Do tell." Asked Shawn with exaggerated excitement, feeling thousands of miles better than when he'd been sitting on the boulder staring out at the ocean and the sunset.
" Baked pineapple pudding with whipped cream and your choice of ice cream." Replied Kendra.
She felt her delight grow a level higher as she watched Shawn's face literally light up at her words.
" Well, you got my mouth all but drippin' now." Laughed Shawn.
" Just don't get any of it on my carpets. Now go on and get washed up cause our beloved Chef Brandon plans on fattening you up quite a bit tonight." Chuckled Kendra before she motioned for Shawn to hustle.
With a small bow and a smile still plastered on his face, Shawn hurried off towards the small elevator hidden behind the grand staircase.
When he'd first arrived here heart broken and alone, Kendra had given him the simple room for one person to stay in, like he'd asked for.
But, the day he'd found out that he was with child, Kendra had immediately ordered him and all his things up to the most private suite of the entire mansion located at the very top of the second domed tower.
Accessible only by the private elevator.
Shawn had tried to protest, saying that he would leave all together and not impose but, the second the words had left his mouth, Kendra had nearly blown her top.
Literally.
She had stipulated that not only was he to stay in the private rooms, she wasn't going to accept any sort of payment from him.
But, not one to be deterred Shawn had insisted that he do something while his pregnancy still allowed it.
So, they'd reached a compromise in which Shawn stayed in the private suite but, he was allowed to work in the gardens and entertain guests with his amazing "Psychic' abilities during lunch or dinner.
He was naturally, a hit with everyone else.
Kendra had relented on the issue of repayment, in a manner.
She said that Shawn could repay her not with anything monetary but simply by actually living instead of just existing in his despair and having a beautiful baby in nine months time.
Shawn had agreed to the terms, though he found feeling alive again a bit hard to do at times.
Shawn shook himself of the past and focused instead on getting up to his room to wash up for a much desired meal. When he got there, he found that Titan was waiting ever faithfully by the door.
Apparently there was another way of accessing the private suite that only the white dog knew about.
Shawn came back downstairs in a fresh button up shirt and a rumbling stomach and made a B-line towards with Titan following closely in his wake.
Kendra had not been kidding when she'd said that her husband the Chef had plans of engorging him tonight.
Shawn didn't mind though, cause the food was all fantastic.
And Titan had agreed whole heartily with him on account of the small morsels Shawn would sneak to him when Kendra wasn't looking, where he sat on the floor by Shawn's chair.
And true to Kendra's word, the baked pineapple pudding with whipped cream and his choice of chocolate ice cream had simply been something sent to earth by the gods themselves.
When he swore that he couldn't eat another nibble more, Shawn excused himself and headed off to turn in for the night.
It was on the ride up the elevator that, despite the endorphins from being physically satiated, Shawn felt the emptiness in his heart slowly start to come back into his mind.
When the elevator door slid open with a small chime, Shawn slowly shuffled out of it and made his way down the small, hallway dimly lit by a small chandelier light hanging from the ceiling, at the end of which stood the doorway to the suite he'd been insisted upon to stay in.
Pulling out the small, silver key from his back jean's pocket, Shawn unlocked the white door painted a yellow hue by the light and first reached for the small panel where the light switches were.
With a deft flick of his wrist he switched off the light in the hallway and switched on the main light, illuminating the living room area.
Shawn made his way around the light colored sofas and couches, not really paying much attention to them as he made his way across to the bedroom doorway.
Once there at the threshold, Shawn reached out toward a second panel of light switches and flicked down only one of them, sending the living area into darkness once again before he stepped into his bedroom.
Light from outside dimly lit the room in a dark cerulean blue hue.
Shawn did his best to ignore this as he made his way over to the mahogany dresser and pulled open the top drawer.
He fished out an extra large t-shirt and tossed it onto the almost king-sized four poster bed.
With a sigh, Shawn began undressing, undoing the buttons of his shirt and sliding it off.
He felt a slight chill from the air as it hit his bare upper body as he tossed the button-up shirt onto the seat of a nearby chair.
He quickly grabbed up the t-shirt and donned it before setting to work on getting his shoes off.
It was simple enough now, he just had to carefully lift his feet up but he knew that in the not so distant future, the simple act of removing his shoes would become next to impossible, unless he were wearing flip-flops or loafers.
Once he'd gotten his boots off, Shawn undid the button and zipper of his jeans and slid them off. They too joined his dinner shirt, hanging from the back of the chair.
With a small sigh, Shawn languidly stretched his arms as far as he could, feeling muscles loosen and joints lightly crack.
Then he let his arms drop and got up for a second so he could pull back the bed's comforter and the sheets. He climbed in and let a tiny groan escape him as the feel of the soft mattress and the crisp sheets.
But, the feeling of pleasure quickly passed and Shawn found himself no longer feeling sated.
As he lay there on his side with the comforter all but cocooning him, Shawn found himself staring out the bedroom window.
It was nights like this that sleep didn't come very easily.
Here Shawn was, surrounded by a dark blue he couldn't walk away from.
Under the covers Shawn's right hand moved, snaking under the hem of his sleeping shirt so that his warm palm came to rest over the round curve of his three and a half month bump.
Laying there staring out into the blackness of the night, it was in that moment that Shawn felt something knew but equally painful resonate through his heart.
Yearning.
With sleep nowhere in sight, it was in the dark stillness that Shawn found himself once again thinking about a man with blue eyes.
The father of the baby thriving inside him.
The man who, despite everything that had happened... he stilled loved.