Chapter Twenty-Seven #2
Like the rest of the flat, it was spotless, no dust marring any of the gleaming furniture.
Even the rug had been neatly swept, so that the pile all flowed in the same direction.
Most of the personal objects had been removed, but there was a small box at the bottom of the closet labeled “Precious Memories”, stuff that Pru had thought he might want to keep.
She did so much for me, our whole time together, and I took it for granted that she was supposed to. I have to apologize before we leave.
Ro popped into the doorway, seeming tentative. “This room was your mother’s?”
He nodded. Since he didn’t want to live in these memories, he stepped past her and drew Ro back into the living room, closing the door behind them.
There were a few loose ends for him to tie up here in Ash Valley.
He’d passed on Chantisse’s message to Dom, but he still needed to resign as second and talk to Sheyla’s family.
And then…what?
Well, he’d discuss it with Ro, because the only non-negotiable aspect was being with her. Whatever she wanted to do, he’d find some way to make it work.
“If you don’t mind, I need to talk to some people before I call it a day. I don’t like putting things off, so—”
“You don’t need to explain,” Ro said gently. “I’m not scared and I’m not a little kid. Is it okay if I get some food? I saw some restaurants on the way here.”
“That would be great.” He dug up his spare pay fob. “You can use this to buy anything you want or need. I’ll see you in a bit.”
As Slay left, he made a mental to-do list:
?????Apologize to Dom and resign as second
?????Apologize to Pru and thank her for everything
?????Try to make Sheyla’s family understand her feelings
Not necessarily in that order.
Slay stopped by Sheyla’s house first, after checking the flat and building number. Her parents were both out, but her youngest brother was home. That might be for the best.
“You’re back!” the boy said.
Hell, he didn’t even remember this kid’s name. Seemed like everybody knew Slay, though. Maybe once he had enjoyed being the center of attention, but these days he didn’t have a hole in the center of him anymore, craving affection from all angles.
To the best of his recollection, he repeated Sheyla’s message verbatim, down to the line about preferring a short time with Alastor to a lifetime with anyone else.
The boy listened with a serious expression and then finally said, “I’ll make them understand.
When we talk to her next, I’ll put her mind at ease, I promise. ”
“Thanks.”
Next, he headed for Pru and Dom’s place. She answered his knock quickly, her eyes widening as she stepped back to wave him in. “Did you have more to say?” she asked.
Standing in the center of the room, he processed the changes to the home she shared with Dom and her dad. It was more cluttered now, photos of the three of them here and there. Her dad looked better as did Dom; they’d both put on weight.
“Mostly, I want to apologize,” he said.
Pru stared, touching a hand to her chest. “…you do?”
Slay took a breath. “I’m not saying you did everything right, but I get it.
And I understand why you thought I’d decided you were expendable.
” He lifted a shoulder. “Just want to say that I’m sorry I didn’t treat you better when we were together and I regret keeping you in limbo for so long.
You were good to me, Pru. And I know what I lost when you went to Dom. I know what I’ve gained too.”
“Are you apologizing or bragging that you’ve moved on?” she asked, laughing.
He grinned. “Both?”
“Want some tea?” It was such a careful invitation but a sincere one.
Shaking his head, he answered, “I need to find Dom. I owe him an apology too.”
“Then…he’s probably at the security office trying to get a handle on the new chief. He misses Mags a lot, I think.”
“Thanks for cleaning my place,” he said, turning toward the door. “Because I know damn well it was you. In fact…thanks for everything.”
She regarded him with a faintly troubled expression. “You make it sound so final, like I’ll never see you again. Are you leaving soon?”
That depends on Ro. “Dunno. Maybe.”
As Slay reached for the door handle, Pru said in a wistful tone, “It was never me, was it? Not really.”
I definitely left scars on her heart.
Spinning, Slay faced her for one last truth.
“I did love you. But it was a careful, selfish sort of love. I wanted to have you and please my mother and I refused to take a side. Back then, I was a jar with the cap screwed tightly on, so nothing could get in or out. After I was taken, I learned that I’d been living all wrong.
The top of me got knocked off and I realized how empty I’d been. And then…I met Ro.”
“Wow,” Dom said, nearly knocking Slay down with the door as he strode in. “That was quite a speech, brother. I guess you’ve met the love of your life.”
“Oh hell.” He scraped a palm across his bristly jaw. “You heard all that?”
“You’ve become all introspective,” Dom teased.
“I hate you.” He narrowed his eyes, trying to make his pal think he was contemplating a punch. Not that he’d ever scrap with Dom again in anger.
Undeterred, Dom pulled Slay into a ferocious hug. “You love me.”
With a sigh, he admitted, “I do, yeah. Missed you too. And I’m sorry I made you fight me. That was…not the most mature move.”
“We’re good. We’ll always be good,’ Dom said.
Slay squared his shoulders, pleased with the segue. “I’m glad to hear that…because as of this moment, I’m resigning as your second.”