“Shall I make us some coffee?” Lilly suggested.
“No. Well, maybe later, I need to tell you and coffee will only delay things. Then there is a possibility that I will back out or we will get interrupted,” Elijah babbled.
Lilly took his hand in hers and took them through to the morning room. She sat down on the sofa and left Elijah standing. He seemed lost for a moment and she didn’t want to push him. She would wait as long as he wanted her to. Elijah moved across the room to Elizabeth’s painting and fiddled with the pendant, turning it repeatedly in his hand. It felt heavy to him, not the delicate thing he thought it would be.
“You haven’t met my parents, but you will at the wedding, they are the most amazing parents I could wish for. I didn’t meet them until I was five years old. Jack and my parents are my adopted family. Jack is not their child either, we were adopted at the same time. My adopted father had an accident that meant that he was sterile, and couldn’t have children. My adopted mum loved him anyway and was thrilled that he would adopt children and that was when Jack and I found our new home. Jack and I are not blood-related either,” Elijah said.
Lilly was perfectly still on the sofa, watching Elijah stare out of the window. He had his hands in his pockets and seemed lost in thought.
“I remember meeting them,” he said and laughed humourlessly. “I was so confused. My birth mother was there one day and gone the next. She took her own life, not wanting to live anymore, I never did find out why. Then I was taken to my new home and never looked back. I don’t remember too much of the first five years of my life, who does?” Elijah said.
Elijah moved to sit next to Lilly, took her hand in his and held on tight. He shifted so that he could see her whole face. He braced himself for the next part.
“Growing up with Jack and two loving parents, I wanted the same for my life, I wanted to fall in love and have children of my own,” Elijah said.
“There’s nothing wrong with that Elijah, what is it that is so difficult to tell me, are you ill?” Lilly asked.
“No, sweetheart, I’m not ill. To make sure I got my wish, I waited for the right woman to share my life with. That’s you Lilly, I want to spend my life with you,” Elijah said.
“I want to spend my life with you too Elijah but I still don’t understand.” Lilly said.
Elijah took a deep breath and let it out through his nose, it was now or never.
“I’m an old-fashioned kind of guy and didn’t want to risk starting a family with anyone other than the one I loved more than anything. To make sure that didn’t happen, I didn’t have sex,” Elijah said and waited for a reaction from Lilly.
“You’re a virgin?” Lilly whispered and grinned up at Elijah.
“Yeah, I’m a virgin, I’ve never had sex before,” Elijah confessed.
“But what about what we have done so far, you are pretty talented Elijah.”
“I never said that I’d not been with women, I wasn’t a monk, just wasn’t willing to go all the way with anyone, that is until I met you. We kept on being interrupted. I took that as a sign and when there was no chance of being interrupted and you asked me to make love to you I panicked. It was too much pressure,” Elijah said.
“I’m sorry that I put you in such a position, you should’ve told me earlier Elijah, I would’ve understood. Is that why your brother remarked about the gift?” Lilly asked.
“I feel a little foolish though, a grown man not having had sex, but I wanted what my parents have. I feel ridiculous at calling it a gift but it is to me,” Elijah said.
“Can I ask you something about your parents, your adopted parents?” Lilly asked.
“Of course, ask away, I need a little distraction,” Elijah said.
Lilly pecked his lips several times until he started to respond, he kissed her back slowly and with a dark intensity that took her breath away. She’d managed to distract him and pulled out of his kiss.
“Did you know that my parents and your parents went to school with each other?”
“Yeah, I found out recently, it really spooked me that this is such a small world. I think my dad and your mum had a thing when they were younger, but it didn’t last. I was worried for a short time that we were related but then remembered that Dad’s condition was from a small child. Mickey set me straight on that one, but there’s a buried secret there that he hasn’t uncovered yet.”
“Thank God for that as I was getting worried too, I was at my parent’s place this afternoon and my Aunt Jane was there. She also went to school with your parents and Aunt Jane and my mum had a weird conversation that they were clearly speaking about a past bitterness,” Lilly said.
“Interesting that your Aunt is here, she’s coming to the wedding isn’t she?” Elijah said.
“Maybe, she said that she might not as she doesn’t want to open old wounds, there seems to be some hurt buried in the past that maybe should stay there.”
“Probably. Now, Lillian Harrison, are you ready to pop my cherry?” Elijah asked with a serious tone reserved for judges.
Lilly’s head whipped around to face Elijah, she felt thrilled that she would be the one. The honour of taking someone’s virginity was a daunting prospect, she thought she would let him down. She didn’t know anyone who had a really good experience for first time sex. Jumping up from the sofa, she went to Elizabeth’s picture and silently asked for the courage.
Turning around on the spot, she grabbed the edge of her jumper, took it off, and nodded towards Elijah in silent agreement. She was impatient to get the first time over with, to concentrate on the second time. But, this wasn’t her choice or pace, it was Elijah’s, she would take his lead.
