I help her fasten her mask ties, and she helps me with mine. When we step back into the muffled ballroom, something between us has shifted. An old bond, now reinforced, madestronger with this unspoken connection that was always there, but now is so much more.
“Do you want to get out of here?” I ask, my voice low, hoping she’ll say yes because I plan on having her again tonight. Before she can answer, an aggravating, familiar voice cuts across our precious bubble.
“Dr. Flores.” Bethany threads through the crowd towards us just as I tighten my hand around Dani’s. Her gaze drops to our joined fingers. Her eyes track the possessive way I clutch onto Dani, and in turn, the way she climbs me instinctively as she steps closer, placing her hand on my chest. The contact sparks something electric between us, and my body answers with a thrum of excitement.
“Oh,” Bethany steps closer, feigning surprise. “I didn’t know you came with someone.” She looks at me, then at Dani, not catching the hint. “Wait,” she says, “Daniella, is that you?” Her tone shifts to shock as she takes Dani in. “How do you know—” I cut her off before she can ramble on.
“Bethany, sorry. Let me introduce you to Dani.” I keep my hand on Dani’s, my grip deliberate.
Bethany straightens, forcing a smile. “Oh, I know who she is.” The flatness in her voice betrays irritation that has no business there. I’ve never given her a reason to think I’m interested in her. I tried to be civil and gave her a chance to redeem herself, but she couldn’t even manage that. By volunteering for a good cause, such as when I offered to take her to the charity house I commit my time to, which she also claims to support but perhaps only in name, as seen with tonight’s gala. If I never hear from her again, it would be too soon.
Dani steps forward, calm and steady, but I sense the undercurrent of her darkness, which I also feel within myself, yet not from her. This is new, and I'm beginning to feel fearful, but it’s not for me. It’s for Bethany. Dani’s gaze is dark andresolute. “Sorry, Bethany,” Dani says evenly, “but Victor and I go way back. I just moved back, so we’re actually together again.” Bethany freezes at her words, caught between disbelief and humiliation. Dani and I stand hand in hand, finally claiming what’s always been ours. She smiles at me, and I press a gentle kiss to the top of her head.
“Come on, angel,” I murmur, and we step away, leaving Bethany frozen, her mouth agape. “Let’s go home.”
THIRTY-ONE
DANI
We leave the gala without further goodbyes or apologies. There is nothing there for us. We stand at the entrance as Vic takes out his phone.
“Where to, baby?” he asks as I look at him, confused. He just chuckles, shaking his head while his fingers stroke the screen, before putting it away in his trousers. I look up at him questioningly. “We are going back to our place,” he says casually. And before I can ask anything else, the rideshare pulls up and he opens the door for me. He throws his arm around my shoulder as we sit closely, our bodies melded together. It feels so natural and so right. He sighs, placing his chin atop my head, and I snuggle in a little closer, breathing in his scent. Damn, this feels good. After having no one for so long, this feels like coming home. I have my friends, and my found family is in Houston, but this is different. Vic is my person.
The ride is over just as soon as my eyes are starting to close. “Come on, sleepy head,” he jests, “let’s get you to bed.” There’s a glint in his eye, and I’m here for it.
“Yes, please,” I counter, and the rideshare guy coughs, clearly picking up on our terrible attempt at hidden innuendos. I guess we really are that obvious. As he extends his hand, I take it inmine to step out of the car. I look at where he’s been living all this time, noticing how close it is to my place, and wondering if I even need to call it that anymore. A tall, high-rise building with sleek, modern designs awaits us as the concierge opens the door. He nods at us both in greeting as Vic and I walk hand in hand to his place. The elevator ride up is quick as I wrap my arms around his waist, pressing closer to him. He places his arm around my shoulder once again as if it’s always been there.
“This feels nice,” he says, and I purr in approval.
Once inside, I place my bag on the table, and he drops his keys down next to it. He takes my hand in his, leading me to his bedroom. There is a large bed in the center of the room, with minimal furnishings in neutral tones of black and grey. I walk toward his desk, which rests off to the side, and plop into the chair by the window that overlooks the city. I slip off my shoes and set them neatly together on the floor. I hear a drawer close, and turn my attention to the sound as Vic prowls toward me with a shirt in one hand. I look up at him, the shirt offered up with a smile. It’s one of his favorite bands, and it tugs at my heart to see that he still has it after all those years. I loved sleeping in his old punk rock band shirts. The fiend's skull is vanishing from the black cotton, but I stand stripping off my clothes and discarding them onto the floor, standing naked in front of him as he watches me pull the shirt over my head. It is just long enough to cover me, but if I bend over, all bets are off. He stands there, biting his lip as he removes the cuff link from his shirt and places it on the bedside table. It’s then that I see the picture.
The sharp intake of air must have caused Vic to stop undressing to see what’s upset me. He looks from me to the picture, his eyes softening. My hand covers my mouth as I hiccup. My emotions are all over the place, and when it comes to this man, I can’t help it. He evokes a multitude of feelings in me.
I walk over to him and move past, bending over to pick up the picture of us. It was one day after weeding in the backyard, where I was planting flowers, specifically peonies. Oh, how I loved pink peonies, and so we decided to plant them in abundance. The town had a garden sale that the senior club likes to host once a year. For a relatively low price, mainly from a group of friends growing them from seedlings or dividing them, you can get the plants at a very affordable price. For us, that was the only option since we were on a budget.
He had just cut me a bouquet of peonies, and I held them as we shared Jarritos soda. The hot sun was shining down on us, but as the late afternoon approached, just before sunset, it bathed us in a golden glow. We looked happy, content, and very much in love. I smile at the memory, my hand touching the photo as it holds on to those feelings in a single picture frame. I look up, but I don’t find him there. He comes out of his closet, dressed in grey sweatpants and no shirt. My mouth waters at the thought of having him again, and a smirk shows at the corner of his mouth as he walks toward me. He takes the picture from my hand and stares down at it, his eyes tracing over every inch of it before he places it back on his dresser.
“You kept it there?” I ask, and as he reaches into his drawer, he pulls out something I can’t quite make out from here. His large hand covers most of it.
“I kept a lot of things.” He turns toward me, and I stand there transfixed. “Here.” I look down at a velvet box sitting in his outstretched hand. I’m hesitant to open it because it can’t be what I think it is. I expected that to go so differently. As if reading my mind, Vic places it in mine and folds his fingers on top of it.
“It’s not an engagement ring, Dani.” He removes his hand, and I feel the loss of his warmth immediately, or maybe it’s thecold realization that I want one from him, even though I might not deserve it.
I hold it between my fingers and open it. Inside lies a white-gold band, its front set with a delicate half-band of diamonds intertwining with an infinity symbol. I pick it up and see that it says something inside. “When night comes,” I say aloud. Vic picks up the ring and places it on my left ring finger. I stare up at him, waiting for him to explain, because I don’t know what this all means.
He brings my hand to his lips. “This is a promise ring. I bought this for you when I came down to visit. I wanted to surprise you with it.” He stops, as if reliving that time. “I wanted to give you something tangible to hold onto, and remember that I want eternity with you.” He rubs his fingers along the band. I want to ask for more, but I know he is trying to get this all out and needs a moment after waiting so long to finally say it. “It says, ‘when night comes’ because it was always then that I was scared. Scared for my mom, scared for me, and scared of the monster I became after they died.” He shakes his head. “When the dark comes, you are my light.” I move into him.
I wish we’d have had that conversation. That, and he just needs to know that I never had anything with Brandon. “It’s always been you, Vic. You know that, right?” He nods, smiling, but it’s a sad one.
“I do, but I was in a bad place, and I missed you.” He shrugs. “Can you forgive me for thinking the worst of you?” He looks hopeful, as if he thinks I can do anything but love him.
“There’s nothing to forgive, Vic. I should be asking you to forgive me. I thought the same thing about you when I heard some woman pick up your phone.” Vic’s face looks murderous.
“I could have killed her for that. I never touched her.” He says with disgust. I wonder if he is joking, but that is the least of what I want to talk about.
“I also lied to you.” I swallow a lump forming in my throat.” He nods, bringing me into him. He rubs my back as I cry into his chest.
“Shh, baby,” he coos. “I understand why you did it, but I wish you had given me the choice. If you had told me, we could have worked it out.” He continues to rub my back. “I wish I could have been there for you. Like you were there for me.” I nod because I can’t speak. The words are stuck. “You got into Dartmouth, didn’t you, angel?” And I nod, crying harder. “My smart, beautiful angel,” he murmurs, and I melt into him more.
