CHAPTER 27
When Lucy woke up, she thought that she was dreaming.I must be…
She had no idea where she was. Her body was so weak that she could barely move. And her eyes… as she slowly opened them, the soft light in the room burned, and her eyelids were heavy, refusing to open all the way.
For a moment, she simply lay there.
It took her a sometime to understand where she was… her bedroom, she came to realize. Her thoughts were clouded, she could not remember how she had come to be here, again that sense that she was dreaming.
That was when she heard… she was not sure.
She lay perfectly still. She listened. It sounded like someone was giggling, light footsteps, a gasp, and then deep laughter. It camefrom just beyond her bed, on the floor below where she could see. Lucy grimaced as she slowly pushed herself up, trying to see what was the cause of the noise.
Once again, had she not known any better, she would have sworn that she was stuck in a dream.
What is this I see…
It was unlike anything she could have ever imagined. Even in her wildest dreams, such a scene would have been unfathomable. Perhaps that was how she knew that she was not dreaming? Because she never could have come up with something like this.
She saw Marcus first. He sat on the ground, his legs spread before him, his back to her, and his focus on something in front of him. It took her a moment to see it, not sure what could have possibly captured his interest like this. And that he was laughing…who is this man and what has he done with my husband?
That was when she saw James. He crawled between Marcus’ legs. He climbed over them. Marcus lifted him into the air, spun him about, placed him down, and James took off again.
Lucy gaped openly. She stared blankly. She tried to unpack whatever this was. Still tired. Still confused about what had happened. All of that took a back seat as she observed a scene that made her heart soar and her smile grow beyond comprehension.
Suddenly, James stopped crawling. On the floor, facing Marcus, he looked up and found Lucy watching. A smile took his little face, he made a sound of joyous laughter, and he even pointed.
“What is it…” Marcus turned and his eyes widened. “Lucy!”
He was up and on his feet, about to rush to her, only to remember James. He bent down and lifted James into his arms without any sense of awkwardness or reservation. Why, it looked like a most natural thing.
“You’re awake!” He swept toward her.
“And just in time,” she said with a grin.
He fell onto the bed right beside her, James still in his arms. James reached for her, but Marcus held him tight. Marcus’ eyes searched her, she saw his worry and his fear, just as she saw his relief.
“I did not know… I thought…” He stammered and stuttered.
“What is this?” Lucy looked between Marcus and James. “How long was I sleeping for? Years, maybe?”
Marcus smiled. “Too long, Lucy. We did not know if you would ever wake. Or if you would… if you might…” James squirmed in his arms.
“Here…” She reached out and lifted James free. She was still so weak, he was heavier than she remembered but feeling him in her arms gave Lucy strength.
Marcus exhaled. “I thought I lost you.”
“And would that have upset you?”
“Lucy…” He grimaced with shame. “I never… what I said… and did…” He looked away. “It should not have taken something like this happening for me to realize how much I care for you. Truthfully, I am ashamed that it did. But now that it has, I know one thing to be true.”
“Which is?”
“How wrong I was,” he said. “About everything. I…” He reached out and took her spare hand, as the other clutched James to her chest. “I have been a fool, Lucy. A damn idiot for the way I acted. You might not want to believe me, you might never want to trust me again but know that I speak the truth.”
“You have said as much before.”
He winced. “This time, I will do whatever it takes to prove it to you. As long as it takes. I don’t expect you to forgive me right away. I do not deserve it. But I want you to know that I am here for you and James. Today. Tomorrow… forever.” He met her eyes, he held them, and determination burned hot and true.
