He nods once, then follows Yury out.
The door closes behind them, and I'm alone with Florrie again.
I look at her; her eyes are red-rimmed but dry. "You okay?"
She nods. Barely.
“It’s late,” I say. “Let me show you where you can sleep.”
We walk in silence, her following me up the stairs and onto the large square landing where I point to each room and tell her what they are. Finally, I head into the master bedroom. The space is clean and tidy, a large bed dominates one wall, a picture window on the other. I pull the curtains closed against thedarkness of the early morning hour as she inches her way into the room.
"I can sleep on the couch," I offer.
She blinks. "What?"
"The couch. Downstairs. I'll sleep there tonight."
"This is your house. Your bedroom."
"And you've had a traumatic night." I lean against the doorframe, keeping my distance. "I'm not going to make it worse by forcing proximity you're not ready for."
She stares at me like I've grown a second head.
"You said..." She swallows. "Earlier, you said you wanted me pregnant. That this was real."
"It is real."
"Then why—"
"Because you're not ready." I push off the doorframe. "When I take you to bed, Florrie, it won't be because you're too scared or shocked to say no. It will be because you want me there."
Her breath catches.
I move past her to the closet, pulling out a T-shirt and sweatpants. "These will be too big, but they're clean. Bathroom is through there." I point to the en-suite. "Take your time. I'll be downstairs if you need anything."
I'm halfway to the door when her voice stops me.
"Leon?"
I turn back.
She's clutching the clothes I gave her, her expression uncertain. "Thank you. For... for everything. For not..." She trails off.
"For not what?"
"For not being like Brad."
I don't know who Brad is. But judging by the look on her face when she says the name, I don't need to.
"Get some sleep, Florrie," I say quietly. "Tomorrow is going to be a long day."
I close the door behind me and head downstairs.
Tomorrow, she meets the family.
Tomorrow, this becomes real in a way that can't be undone.
Tomorrow, I start the process of making Florrie Cassel into Florrie Dubovicha.
