Tell her why. Tell her about O’Malley,my roaringconscience demands. You owe her that after all she’s trusted you with. Maybe she can handle this. Maybe she won’t run.But maybe she will. Dee’s self-protective instincts have been honed since childhood.
I look into her pretty eyes awaiting my response. As wrong as it is to lie to her by omission, I stuff down the guilt with the rationalization that I have plans in place to handle O’Malley.
If keeping that to myself makes me a selfish bastard, then fine. I love her too much to let anything get in the way this time. So I give her a partial truth. “I’d rather wile away the day making love.”
“Hm…shopping for a desk or making love with you. Let’s see,” she ponders, but the gleam in her eye tells me there’s no contest.
“I’m going to feed you lunch first, and then we’ll work on christening every room in the house.”
She reaches up and kisses me with her heart. “You asked how you can help. You’re already doing it.”
“How?”
“By desiring and loving me as I am. By encouraging me to accept myself. That’s the very best therapy, Mick.”
I hold her close for a little while longer, letting her words soothe my soul.
I walked into her office more than a week ago, intent on helping Dwayde, and I ended up with much more than I had bargained for.
I found a world again where love shines and kisses taste like honey. A place where the jagged edges become smooth, old wounds heal, and scars fade into nothingness.
Where fresh starts begin like a sunrise.
The ghosts of the past have all been silenced.
And it’s quiet and peaceful.
At least for now…
