A Little Bit Married

My Red

We stayed that way for a few seconds that just seemed to drag on for eternity, the silence weighing heavily on my chest, my heart finding both warmth and guilt in his embrace.

Slowly, he brought his hand to gently pat my back, his head turning into my neck as he slowly kissed my neck, his other hand moving to gently cup the edge of my child.

"I know I am not in this alone, Angeline. I know you want me back. I know the things I see in your eyes are the exact ones you see in mine. I won't force you to bare yourself. You are young with a heart that was broken, and it would take time to fix you. For you to trust me. Thankfully, I am a patient man, and I don't mind loving you for both of us until you can meet me halfway."

My eyes closed as tears filled them, my hands wrapping tighter around him, a massive lump rising in my throat.

"Gray..."

He chuckled, pulling me in closer, his hand running down my hair. "I want to see you in red again. That is, if you want to be in red."

I nodded slowly. "I always want to be your red."

He laughed, sighing against me. "My red. I like it."

I sniffed, lqughter escaping me. "I came here ro comfort you and I ended up being the one in tears."

"I am here," he whispered, stroking my back lightly. "Always."

Of course, I knew. He didn't even have to say it. He has proven it way before he said those words. He had proven it way before he even needed to.

"Mummy?"

I pulled away to Kris, who was making his way to us, his little feet tapping against the glass floors, his eyes wide with glee.

I laughed as I let go of Gray and immediately pulled Kris into my arms, wrapping my hand around his frame. He didn't say anything else, and it seemed like he had just wanted the attention.

"Well. I better get him a nanny."

I laughed, lightly poking Gray's thigh. "You can't be jealous of a child."

"I am not," he said, slowly standing up. "He needs a nanny for when we need to go somewhere."

I doubted it, but his reason was very plausible too, so I simply nodded and turned to Kris, who was watching men with the most beautifully innocent eyes ever.

"One minute," Gray said as he leaned to kiss my forehead, then walked away, grabbing his phone with him.

I smiled, turning back to Kris, who now has a curious look in his eyes, like he wanted to ask me something.

"Are you okay, sweetie?"

He slowly pointed to his forehead. "I like it."

I chuckled. "Do you want me to kiss your forehead too?"

He immediately nodded, his finger still pointing towards his forehead. I smiled, then leaned to kiss his forehead.

His eyes closed momentarily, and he opened them as I pulled away, his eyes filled with wonder.

His eyes were absolutely worth it, and I kissed his cheeks and his forehead again. He immediately started to laugh, his eyes shiny with glee, his hands covering his mouth.

It felt so good seeing him this way. Happy. Beautiful. Just like a child.

It felt good knowing I had the chance to break the curse of the lack of love he had spent the first three years of his life in. It felt good watching him learn what love could be. How it would feel to be raised in a family with people who genuinely liked each other.

A knock came on the door, and I turned to it just as Gray slowly opened the door and stepped in. He had a smile in his eyes, and he walked in with a large paper bag.

"What is that?" I asked, straightening, the laughter in his eyes contagious.

"Just... baby stuff for Kris. My assistant is scouting for a nanny, too."

I broke into a big smile as Gray set the bag on the floor and let go of Kris, directing him towards Gray. He walked towards the bag, his eyes wide and curious, as Gray slowly brought everything out.

It would take a while for me to forget how Kris screamed at the first action figure Gray brought out of the bag, his hands covering his mouth.

"You like it?" I asked, leaning towards Kris.

He nodded and immediately covered the distance to Gray, hugging him tight. Gray held him too, his eyes holding mine, his smile big as he rubbed Kris' back.

"You will have so much more," Gray said in a whisper. "So much more."

Kris nodded, then released him and accepted the action figure. Before any of us could say a word, he was off running with it, screaming at the top of his voice, ignoring the injuries he had.

I turned to Gray, who gave a small sigh. "He has more medications, so can you go the bedroom for me while I stop him from injuring himself further?"

I stood up, dusting my dress. "Aren't you just the best dad?"

He leaned to my ear. "And the best husband too, sweetheart."

My cheeks reddened as he walked away, leaving me to burn in the flames of my own desire and forever be alight.

I absent mindedly walked towards the bedroom, my mind occupied with thoughts of Gray. With thoughts of a full, happy family.

I opened the door and stepped in, and right on the white bed sheets, was a wine red box with a card on it.

I laughed to myself, squatting right next to the door, tears filling my eyes rapidly. Now, it wasn't the dress I knew would be in that box. It wasn't the rose bouquet sitting next to it or the pretty words I knew he had immortalised in yet another letter.

It was the fact that I had walked into this place with a pain I had believed I would never be able to live down, only to feel like the happiest woman on earth after just this long.

It is that I hadn't immediately told him that I loved him too the moment he had told me he loved me.

It was that I had let my pride convince me that I could hold on a little longer.