#73 Stay - Fanacht

A rush of air ruffled my shirt as an invisible force flung me backwards. There was no way to brace myself as my hands clung to a frame so tightly I thought it would meld to my chest. It was a long fall, the kind that I didn't think would ever end but the terror never grew old. Every time I felt myself getting used to the feeling of weightlessness gravity would jerk me to one side or another, reminding me of my powerlessness.

Eventually I worked up the strength to curl my head downwards glimpsing the painting I clasped so desperately. My mother's carefully painted eye's stared back at me.

Then I woke up.

It was 4:45am. We returned mere hours ago with a pact to get as much sleep as possible – Frankie included. Today was a big day, but I couldn't go back to sleep. Instead I found myself quietly tinkering about in the kitchen. I might as well make an early breakfast -maybe clear my head too.

I'd made my first batch of pancakes when Lyle appeared in the doorway. "Frankie says your being an inconsiderately loud host."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "Since when does he care so much about his sleep schedule?"

"You're right, he's probably been up since we got home." She smiled warily as her bare feet brought her to me.

She wrapped her arms around me in a warm hug. "You were really brave today." We rocked back and forth from foot to foot. "I apologized to Frankie for getting angry."

"Is all forgiven?" I half joked wanting to lighten the mood a little while also knowing that in the time I knew him Frankie took offense to very little - namely my lack of a chip cupboard.

"He's fine, the forgery he made would slip past the most meticulous critics." She paused as we leaned to the right. "I think I got upset because of what happened with my last job."

I recalled her story of the Monet and the woman who was killed by a rival party.

"I don't want any what ifs this time. Everything has to be under control - our control not Monroe's." She spoke with certainty and I hugged her tighter.

"Are you going to stay here after it's over?" I didn't plan on asking her - at least not tonight - but I couldn't help it. If she planned to leave after tomorrow I deserved to have some time to prepare myself. I'd grown attached to her.

I don't know how, but here I was in her arms as she waded into my thoughts. It seemed so natural, as if this was how it's always been. I knew it's wasn't - I knew there was a story, a trail of missteps and reconnections - but for the life of me I can't recall a single piece other than the feeling of contentment sitting in my chest.

"I'm not going anywhere May." Lyle's laugh cut through the quiet morning air. "Besides, Grace offered me a job, how the hell could I say not to that?"

"You're right she'd never forgive you." I smiled back at her.

We stood there for a moment soaking in the silence.

"I'm happy you're are here." I whispered the same sentiment I held the morning she appeared at the kitchen counter.

"I am too." She whispered back before enveloping my lips in a kiss.

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