Chapter Thirty
I’d no sooner walked in the house, and my phone was ringing, so I didn’t go looking for Glory straight away like I really fucking wanted to, because this call might be important.
“Hey, Lissa, what’s up?”
“I literally just finished a call with Glory and Lenore, and wanted to check in with you. She’s probably going to reappear any second now, but I won’t keep you long. I just had some ideas that might help you both.”
Well, I was open to that. I wondered if Micro had been speaking to her, but I figured it wasn’t the kind of thing he’d do, even if he thought it could help. His support didn’t extend to enlisting a therapist for me.
“Just a sec,” I said to her as Glory appeared and my focus went right on her, where it belonged. Lissa was right though. If she had ideas that could help Glory, I’d be a dick not to listen.
I pushed the door to the office, not closing it fully since my mind was already half on the local restaurants, and where I might be able to get a table if she fancied eating out.
“Henley, I’m not about to tell you anything Glory tells me, however, you’ve both alluded to nightmares, and from the details she’s given me, I know she’s struggling to feel safe in her sleep. It occurs to me though, there is one place in your house where she seems to feel safest.”
Huh. Why the fuck didn’t I think of that? It was perfect.
“I’m such a twat. The sofa down there includes a sofabed. We could easily sleep down there. Thanks, that’s a great idea.”
She clearly wasn’t finished though, so I sat down in my leather chair and leaned back to listen.
“Your suggestion for her to connect with Rocket about her art is a great idea too. Has-Been is also an artist and tattooist, so I think it’d do her good to even just sit and talk art with them.
She’s open to it, but let her come to you about that.
I just wanted to say that I think you’ve got really good instincts, because getting her involved in the things she loved before is key right now, as is the idea of new hobbies and interests. ”
I was nodding even though she couldn’t see me, but this was all exactly the kind of stuff I could help her with. Hell, I’ll always buy her anything she needs to get her enjoying life again.
“I told her she can practice her tats on me. I’ll treasure them whether they’re perfect in her eyes or not.”
“That’s very kind and awfully risky of you,” she giggled in my ear, “it’s important not to pressure her though. Tattoos are going to be a subject with the potential to cause her distress because of the removal of hers.”
“That fucker insisted, didn’t he?” I had to force myself not to crush my phone with how my fists were clenching, because I knew it. I just fucking knew that bastard had tried to strip her of her identity in every way possible. Asshole.
“I can’t break confidences, Henley. I’m sure she’ll tell you more when she’s in a good place to do so, but don’t push her for information or answers. Don’t push her for decisions either. Right now, she’s trying to remember how to walk, before either of you can run.”
“Thanks, Lissa. I’m going to see if she wants to go out for dinner, so I’ll catch up with you in a few days if that’s okay? Thanks for all the help you’re giving her, and me.”
I headed back into the kitchen to hunt for Glory, and saw something that instantly stopped me in my tracks, as the familiar smells reached my nose, and I watched her merrily piling up a stack of pancakes.
She looked so fucking happy. She looked like she was in her element cooking, and making something we’d often had as evening snacks, because when you’re young, you don’t have the hangups that say it’s not a proper dinner. Fuck that.
“Tell me some of those are for me,” I practically begged, as I stepped up to the counter while her back was turned. The result was the next pancake slipping from the pan onto the floor, but the glare she shot me? Hot as hell. That was pure Glory.
“Oh damn, that one was yours,” she said, faking apology as she turned back to the cooker, and set the pan down.
“That’s what I deserve. Sweetheart, look at all this!
” She’d set out every possible syrup and topping she could find in my cupboards, and I’ll be honest, I’m a bit of a whore when it comes to sweet treats so there were a lot.
Golden syrup, maple, maple with date, agave nectar, etc… maybe I overshop sometimes.
“I… I know it’s not a proper-”
I slammed my hands over my ears.
“Can’t hear youuuuu. Not listening to the liessss!
” Was I singing the words, fuck yeah, and did it make her laugh?
Thank god it did. I think some of it was relief.
Clearly that fucker had judged everything she did or liked, but not me.
Hell no. I happened to love her decision making, especially if it involved pancakes.
“Help yourself, idiot.” She passed me a warmed plate, and gestured, but I made her dish hers up first, because she did all the damn work.
We stood at the breakfast bar to eat, which was weird when I had a perfectly good dining table, and stools to use at the counter here, but it just felt right for the moment.
“Glory, fucking hell,” I groaned, pouring another dollop of maple syrup, and sprinkling cinnamon on top, “these are amazing! You know the last time I had pancakes for dinner?”
She lifted an eyebrow as she slid a forkful of pancake and chocolate sauce into her mouth.
“I haven’t had them since you last made them. Not anywhere. It just wasn’t the same.”
I watched her finish her mouthful, setting down her knife and fork, but if she thought she was done, she was sorely mistaken. I dished up another onto her plate.
“You haven’t tried them with the ice cream yet,” I said, edging around her to get to the freezer.
“Ice cream?” She watched me lift out tubs of vanilla and bubblegum flavour, eyeing me suspiciously.
“What? It’s a guilty pleasure.” We both added a scoop of each to our latest pancake, which to be honest were getting cold at this point, but duh, ice cream is cold too.
“I’m sorry if you missed out on things because of me,” she said quietly, and I tutted at her.
“Not why I said it. I’m just saying that I’m loving having you back, because this? I’d never do this. It wouldn’t even occur to me, and it fucking should.”
She licked ice cream from her knife, and I forcibly held back the groan that threatened to escape as I watched her tongue move. Jesus, don’t be a perv right now. That’s not what she needs.
I cleared my throat, wishing it was that easy to clean the filthy thoughts from my brain at the same time.
“Uh… what did you think of the ice cream?”
She took another mouthful of just bubblegum ice cream, and smiled with pleasure.
“I can see why you love it. I see a lot of it in my future, and speaking of that,” she set her spoon down, “I know I’m taking a while to get back to who I was, but I’m not giving up. I’m not letting him win.”
“There’s no such thing as too long, Glory. I’m just glad you’re here, especially since you make really good pancakes.” I snagged another, this time adding vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce.
She set her plate aside, but at least she’d eaten about half the stack of pancakes, so I couldn’t push her to eat more.
“Glory-”
“You also said I could speak to Rocket about art. I think I want to. I’d like to start up again, but I don’t even know where to start. It’s been too long.”
I took a deep breath. Time to admit I’ve been fucking plotting behind her back.
“Actually, there’s something I wanted to show you, in the garage.”
We were done with the food, so we both got up and headed across the hallway to the garage, and I tapped in the code to the door, voicing it out loud to her as I did.
It was coded from both sides, because I had a thing about security.
Getting into one part of the house shouldn’t be a gateway to the rest. Maybe I’ve just watched too many Criminal Minds episodes or something.
“Okay, so don’t get mad, but…”
Glory
Idon’t know what I’d expected, thinking at first that he was going to show me his motorcycles, or the car, or something, but it wasn’t that.
As he flicked on the lights over the corner area of the garage, I could see what he’d been doing.
I didn’t know when he’d done it, but he’d clearly planned ahead. Always thinking of me.
The lights were daylight bright, and illuminating a large desk area, with shelving, and easels, and my god…
“Is that an airbrush I see?”
He nodded, looking like a shy little boy as he dragged his hand through his hair.
“I thought you might want to try it, but if you don’t like it, that’s fine too. Or if you just want to do something else, I can get whatever you need, but I thought you might want to have some fun out here, or get back to business stuff, or I thought-”
“Shush. You’re babbling again. I love it, thank you so much! I’ve never used one, but I’ve always wanted to.”
He gestured for me to go check it out, but I was already moving.
It was everything I could have wished for, but much pricier kit than I would have been able to afford.
I wasn’t actually sure what I could afford at all now, because Sean had made sure that I was reliant on him for money, and now he was gone.
I wondered what had happened to his assets, but then again, I didn’t want or need his money.
What I needed was this new start. This new start with Henley.
“There’s an airbrush, and a spray gun for larger stuff like bike tanks. Oh, and you can use different paints and inks, so you can work on paper, metal, fabric or whatever. I don’t know what any of it really does, but there’s online videos and things. I uh…”
He pulled out a drawer at the side of the desk, and lifted up what I realised was a touchscreen surface, with a built in stand. “You can watch them as you work, and… if there’s other stuff, you can just tell me and I’ll make it happen.”
I turned and threw myself into his arms, giggling as he staggered a step before he caught our weight and his balance again.
“Whoa!”
“Thank you thank you thank you! I’ll pay you back as soon as I get something set up to earn from!”
He shook his head, kissing my forehead.
“Don’t worry about that. I’m not going to miss the money, but I don’t want you to worry about stuff like that. You’re covered, okay? Just enjoy. Find your passions again, and create. Live. I just want to be a part of it. I’m selfish that way.”
“You could never be selfish. You’re completely selfless, and I’m so lucky that you were still here for me after all this time.”
“Always. Fucking. Here for you,” he practically growled, kissing my nose and turning me back to the desk setup.
“So when you’re ready, I can arrange for you to hang with Rocket and Has to talk art if you want, or help you learn how to use the different kits. Only if you want.”
I nodded, my eyes taking in every detail of my new workspace, including the heater set up under the desk, because he knows I’m always cold.
He’d really thought of everything. There was even an extraction system rigged up for fumes, just like I’d seen in garages and posh workshops.
He just kept giving me back the pieces of my life that I’d lost, and it didn’t end there.
After I’d had a nose around, and declared that I’d start tomorrow when I’d had time to do some thinking about what to work on first, he announced that tonight would be movie night, and then proceeded to run up and down the stairs to the panic room, with armfuls of stuff, while he told me to wait.
I spent that time making hot chocolate for us, because that’s the perfect movie drink, and when he called me downstairs, I realised what he’d been up to.
That amazing sofa setup in the TV area was now a bed.
With our pillows and bedding, and he was standing by it, looking sheepish once more, waiting for me.
“This is perfect! We’re sleeping here?”
He nodded. “Is that okay? We can watch things until we fall asleep, and you’ll hopefully feel even safer in here, where nobody could ever get to you, living or dead.”
Did I have to go through hell just for me to appreciate heaven when I found it, or was this always what was waiting for me, and I suffered hell for no damn reason?
I had no idea, but I was taking what was offered, because it was him.
Henley. The friend who’d always been the man of my dreams, and maybe it was time for him to return to those too.