Setting her luggage in the cab behind me, I get in and reach over to fasten her belt. “Shouldn’t I move to my side?”
“No. I like you where you are.”
“Good,” she sighs as she rests her head on my shoulder. Well, my bicep since I’m still quite a bit taller than her while sitting. “I like where I am, too.”
“I’m sorry about all that,” I apologize, thankful she’s coming home with me but hating that the reason for it.
She doesn’t make light of it by saying it’s okay, which I’m glad for because we both know it’s not. It’s an invasion of her privacy. “Sure seems like the paparazzi is determined to get us together.” We laugh, and I’m pleased that she’s able to joke about it despite the tension and fear lingering on her face and in her eyes.
“I wish I could’ve seen your place.”
“Another time,” she promises. Like when we pack up all her belongings and officially move her in with me.
“What made you become a paramedical tattoo artist?”
“Are you trying to distract me?”
“Is it working?”
“Yeah.”
“Then yes, I am.”
“I actually started as a tattoo artist, then trained to transition to paramedical after meeting a few clients that wanted to cover scars.” She pauses, like she’s deciding whether to continue and expose this piece of herself. I wait, needing her tochooseto. “They wanted to take something forced upon them and make it theirs. Make it beautiful. And I wanted to be able to give them that.”
This woman. Completely lacking tact, I blurt out, “I want to make this work.” I probably should’ve eased into that, but the hell with it. It’s true no matter how I phrase it.
Lily pauses, absorbing my words, and whisper, “Me, too.” Reaching for her, I stop when she raises a hand. “We do need to talk, though.”
I sigh, as if put out. “Fine, if you want to be logical.” She grins, her body relaxing but her tone still a bit tight. “I have a job, one I’ve only recently started, but I really like it. Getting hired by Midland Medical was a dream come true. On top of the actual work they pay me to do, I also signed up to volunteer with the in and outpatient children they treat.” I can see how much this means to her and I hope she knows I fully support her in whatever she does. Except leaving me. Or not giving us a real chance. “As you know, Mid Med,” I grin at her already using the shorthand name Midland natives use, “is a non-profit and, therefore, depends on donations and public funding” This is not the time to inform her I’ve done the latter and all employed under the All Decked Out umbrella assist with the latter by holding fundraising events that include auctioning sports memorabilia. I’ll share that with her later, after we’re more settled into whatever we’re becoming. “I don’t permanently mark the children, of course, but their parents or guardians do grant me permission to do so temporarily. The reason is not to teach them to hide their scars, to feel shame because of them, but to embrace them and make them, make themselves,into what and who they want to be. Neither their illness nor injuries define them. They may change them, help shape them, but they’re only a part of them.” She’s very passionate about what she does. Her eyes light up when she discusses her work, making them almost glow and I am spellbound by it. “I wanted to explain that before telling you the spokesperson for the Board of Directors contacted me this morning.”
It doesn’t take a calculator to add one and one to make two and know, “That doesn’t sound good.”
“Ms. Kramer congratulated me on our engagement. She gently reminded me, under the guise of what could’ve been legitimate concern—” for Lily or her this Ms. Kramer’s employer? “—that a lot of eyes would now be on me, on us, and to remind that while my personal life is just that, it can also reflect on those I’m connected to.”
“Perception is everything, especially when the opinions of others can impact their generosity.” I want to be upset on Lily’s behalf, but I can also understand where Ms. Kramer is coming from. A lot of people rely on Mid Med and Mid Med relies on a lot of people.
“It’s as if you were there,” she states, a hint of a smile letting me know that she’s doing the best she can with this situation. “And if it comes out that we aren’t getting married, yet that kiss is there for everyone to see… It could reflect on my character and make the hospital question whether I’m the right fit.”
“They’re watching how this plays out and will step in should they deem it necessary.” Lily nods.
“Which means…” Lily is being cautious now, scared of what she can lose if this goes wrong, and trying to figure out a way to ensure it doesn’t.
Seeing only one option and trying like hell to not appear too giddy to suggest it, I take a breath. It gives me the chance to mentally run through the situation and make sure I’m notmissing other plans of action we can take. I’m relieved to admit there are none.
“Which means we should get married.”
Lily doesn’t respond verbally, but she does agree and, I have to admit, I love how she communicates.
Her lips press to mine and I eagerly accept the invitation to explore, to claim. When she presses her left hand to my chest, the band of the ring settling directly over my heart, I know she’s it for me.
I had an inkling before, the moment I saw her to be specific, but how right she feels in my arms, how much I want to protect her, cherish her, solidifies it.
Lily is my future.
I can only hope I’m hers.
**Lily**
