“You ready to go home?”
Bill makes an enthusiastic toss of his head that’s almost a nod, and I pull the gun out again so I have it ready for danger.
“Teresa! Teresa!”
The voice is loud but from a distance. I aim my lantern farther into the dark, searching for the source of it even though I already instinctively know who it is.
“Teresa!” He must be shouting at the top of his lungs.
Mason.
“I’m here,” I call out, waving the light around in the direction of his voice.
“Teresa!”
I finally see him. His body is illuminated faintly by the light of my lantern and approaching at a dead run. He’s reached me before I can even catch my breath or figure out what’s happening.
“Teresa,” he gasps, jerking to a stop right in front of me and leaning over slightly as he sucks in air. Bill is doing a happy twirl at Mason’s unexpected appearance. “Don’t leave! Please don’t leave me!”
“W-what?”
“Don’t leave.” He’s still gasping. He must have sprinted all the way here from the farm. “I’m sorry. I was trying to be good. Trying to do what’s best for you instead of what’s best for me. But I’m fucking tired of being good. Only working hard and doing my duty. I can’t do it anymore. I want you. I need you. I don’t want to live without you. And maybe it’s selfish, but I don’t think it really is. Because… because…”
He inhales with a loud rasp and rubs his forehead with the back of his hand. “Because I love you.I’mthe one who loves you. And, yeah, I’ve had a lot to learn, and I’ve messed up a lot, but I know better now. I can do better. You’ve been happy with me here. And I’ll do anything in my power to make you even happier. I’ll doanything. Just please don’t fucking leave.”
My mouth drops open. My heart might have just exploded in my chest. I cover it with one hand on my breast. The other is trying to hold the lantern still so wecan see but not doing a good job. The light is shaking as much as I am. “You do?” I manage to get out.
Mason blinks in the wobbling light. “I do what?”
“You love me?”
“Course I love you. I love you so much. More than I ever knew I was capable of. And I know you can do better. I know you deserve a better life than what you’ve got here with me. But maybe we can make it better. Or find it if it’s out there somewhere. I’ll help you. I’ll go with you. With your sister or wherever else in the whole world you wanna go. I can’t leave tonight ’cause I gotta make sure the animals are all right, but give me a little time, and I’ll go with you. Just don’t leave.” He finally seems to have caught his breath and appears briefly surprised at his passionate outburst. “Please don’t leave,” he adds, hoarse and soft.
I try to respond, but my voice catches. All that comes out is a squeak.
He’s not asking me to do anything. To work or earn or perform or do everything right.
Justbe.
Be with him.
“Are they late?” he asks, looking around the dark landscape for the first time. “Isn’t it midnight yet?”
“Yes. It’s midnight now.” I’m washed by waves of shock and amusement and joy and deep affection, hitting me in succession. I really don’t know how much longer my knees will support me. “They already came and left.”
“What? They left?” He stiffens, glaring around in thedark with a different kind of tension. “Did they fucking leave you behind?”
“Why are you sayingfuckso much?”
“Oh. Sorry.” He gives me a sheepish look. “I’m kind of upset.”
“I know you are. But you don’t have to be upset. You’re my husband, and you’re going to stay that way.”
He blinks. Stares.
“They left because I told Annabelle I didn’t want to go with her after all.” I’m beaming up at Mason’s face now. His familiar, solid, beloved face.Mine. “I want what I have here. The village. The farm. Bill.” The dog sits at attention at the sound of his name. I lean down to scratch behind his ears. Then I smile up at Mason again. “And you.”
“Me?”
