Chapter 42

Raylon

As I spoke, I hoped this little man would not want to fight. I could barely stand.

Walking the short distance from where the Fuls placed me, in a dark alley around the corner from Connie, took a great deal of effort. But I couldn’t wait any longer.

I wanted to wait, to get my strength back and to go to her as the strong man she remembered.

But when I saw this man laying his hands all over her and heard her tell him to leave her alone, I had to move.

As soon as I spoke, all three of them turned to look at me. The man on his knees stared at my face with wide eyes and fear.

I met Connie’s wide eyes. Her mouth hung open and her body was frozen.

“Hello, my love,” I said in a weak voice.

I wanted so badly for her to leap into my arms, to hold her to me and to kiss her again.

Instead, I watched as Connie raised her hand and poked me in the chest with one finger.

I frowned at her as she gasped and stepped back to her friend.

“Hey Con,” the white-haired woman said. “What’s going on?”

Connie turned to her. “Do you see a man standing there?” she asked, pointing at me.

The other woman frowned then glanced at me for a moment. “Um, yeah.”

“What does he look like?” Connie asked, not looking at me.

“You serious, Con? You sound a bit crazy.”

“Please, just tell me.”

The woman shifted for a moment, then ran her eyes over me.

“Okay, well, he’s about six-four, maybe six-five. Dark hair, well built. He has three scars on his face.”

I lowered my head at her words, contemplating putting my mask back on.

“Are you sure?” Connie asked with a hitch in her voice. She still didn’t look at me.

“Yeah, Con. What’s going on? Who is he?”

I waited, feeling like I may fall, as my head began to swim from the weakness in my body.

She turned to me then. “Raylon?” she whispered in the softest of voice. I could see in her eyes the emotions she was holding back.

I nodded and I stumbled back to stop from falling. I felt arms catch me again, and at Connie’s gasp, I smiled.

“Rein!” she called out, then came running over to me. They both helped me to sit down on a wooden bench by the street.

Rein moved away quickly, but still stood within striking distance if anyone tried to hurt me.

“Is it really you, Raylon?” she asked, taking my hand into her shaking one.

“Yes,” I turned so I could look at her.

“What are you doing here?”

I frowned. “I came here for you. My life is empty with you not in it.”

She smiled, but I watched a tear fall from her eyes.

“Am I too late?” I asked.

She shook her head. “No. You’re right on time,” she said with a sob and wrapped her arms around my neck.

I held her to me, my arms feeling like boulders to lift, but I pushed through it. My mind relaxed, my body fell calm, and as the scent of her filled my nose, I let out a long, relieved sigh.

Connie pulled out of the embrace and placed her palms on my cheeks, looking into my eyes. There were still tears in them.

“Why are you crying?” I asked, worried that my presence here was not welcome.

“Happy tears,” she said and kissed me.

I broke the kiss with great reluctance to catch my breath.

“Are you okay?” she asked as I swayed in the seat.

I nodded. “My body is still weak from stasis. I will be all right. I just need a few days to recover.”

Connie called her white-haired friend over, saying, “Ash, can you get us a taxi, please?”

The woman nodded, and as I looked at her, I felt that her features reminded me of someone from my home. I couldn’t place it though.

The woman nodded and with one last look at me and Rein, she pulled out a device like the one Connie had used in the market and placed it to her ear.

I turned back to Connie. “I feared you had forgotten me.”

“That could never happen,” she said, placing a kiss on my fingers. “I’ve thought about you every day. You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t say goodbye. I was a coward.”

“No, you weren’t. To be honest, if I had seen you before I left, I never would have gone. And I had to. My mother was very sick, and she needed me.”

“Is she better now?”

Connie’s eyes fell away from mine, and she shook her head. “No. She died a few months ago.”

“I am so sorry.”

“Con,” the woman called Ash said. “Taxi’s here.”

Connie nodded and stood. “Rein, help me get him into the car, please.”

Rein nodded to her but hesitated as he approached me.

“It’s all right, Rein. I need the assistance.”

They helped me get into the small, box-shaped shuttle on wheels, and when the door closed, Rein almost took the pilot’s head off from fright when he asked, “Where to?”

Connie spoke to him, and we began to move. It felt strange and very bumpy moving on the surface of a black line like this.

Other, similar shuttles moved on the other side of the black line. As it weaved around buildings and stopped at red lights, I shook my head at the peculiarity of her world.

We finally came to a stop, and I watched Connie hand the pilot a piece of paper. In return, he gave her two silver coins.

We climbed out and when the doors closed, the little box moved away.

I held on to Rein as Connie went to a door, and using a small silver stick, she opened it and helped me inside.

The stairs felt like a mountain as we climbed them one after another. At the top, she opened another door and turned on a light.

She led us in and to a large brown seat in the center of the room. I sat and nodded my thanks to Rein.

He again moved away and took his place by the door. I could see his eyes moving around the small space with curiosity.

Connie asked, “Can I get you something? A drink, or some food?”

“No, thank you. I just need to rest.” She nodded and smiled. “Then let’s go to bed,” she said, and I gasped at her words.

She helped me stand and led me to another room. Inside stood a large bed, with a soft gray-and-white cover, and I could smell her sweet scent in the air.

I sat down on the edge, feeling somewhat nervous now, and watched her fuss over picking discarded items of clothing off the floor.

“Connie,” I said and held out my hand to her.

She stopped and looked at me. The clothes in her arms fell to the floor, and she came to me, took my hand, and sat down on my lap as our lips met again.

I felt her push me back, and I lay down, with her on top of me as the kiss grew more intense.