Page 95 of Blossoms of the Heart
Like the fucking alien queen, except she was worse.
She’d had it in from me from day one. Always, she looked down on me. Down her fucking nose like I was shit she’d stepped in.
Maybe to her I was and it bothered me a lot, but tonight I needed to push that aside. Tonight was important. It was important that I saw Phoebe.
I watched on and thanked God a few minutes later when I saw the door open and she came out locking the door behind her.
Phoebe wasn’t with her.
Good.
I waited until Patrice walked down the pavement and disappeared down the garden path before I made my move. The door would be locked so I used the window in the sitting room and just hopped inside.
The scent of roses filled me. That and something else that was sweet. Like candy.
I made my way up the stairs to Phoebe’s room where I found her crying.
I wasn’t sure if the stomach cramps were an excuse or if she really was in pain so I rushed up to her.
“Phoebe are you okay?”
She got up so quickly she nearly bumped into me as I lowered to her.
“You’re here.” She looked at me in disbelief.
“I am.” I nodded and held her gaze as she searched my face. “Stomach cramps?”
Her cheeks flushed. “No, I’m okay.”
“Yeah, so why are you bawling your eyes out on your birthday?”
She looked away from me and another tear ran down her cheek.
“Phoebe.” I prodded.
“I can’t do it.”
“What’s that?” It was unfair to make her suffer when I knew what it was she couldn’t do. She’d wanted to tell me something now for the last two years and never did.
“Nothing.” She replied in a meek voice.
I stood up. Her eyes followed my every move.
“Phoebe Alyssa Walker, you’re eighteen years old. You’re a woman now. Am I supposed to wait until I’m an old man before you tell me this thing you’ve wanted to tell me for the last two years now?” I should tell her. Tell her how I felt. The way I said that though I hoped it was enough of a hint that I was trying to make it easier for her.
She sucked in a breath and held on to it.
God, I knew more than anyone that all manner of things happened when you went to college. I just graduated and it was like I’d lived a whole lifetime. The summers in between were the only thing that resembled some normalcy for me. I wasn’t a saint, but maybe I’d grown up a little over the last year.
What I did know though was this innocent being who had feelings for me would change.
She would grow up and have her pick of men who would chase her, and she might not even remember me when next summer came along. I doubted that I would have been able to just book leave just like that in the Marines. Dad was sometimes away for months.
I stretched out my hand to her and she took it and stood too. Her hands shook then trembled when I brought it up to my lips to kiss it. Her skin was so soft and smelled just like that candy scent I smelled downstairs.
“You get one more question as it’s your birthday. One question and a wish.”
She smiled even though tears still ran down her cheek. “Really? You would give me another question and a wish?”
