by Londyn Skye
Lily was still far too overcome with emotion to speak. She simply looked toward the carriage.
Despite how weak he had been feeling over the last few days, William suddenly rose from his seat with ease. Isabel followed suit. Two normally chatty individuals stood there utterly speechless when they saw the reason Lily was so overcome with emotion. William pushed his spectacles up higher on his face, just to be sure his illness was not causing him to hallucinate.
After being helped down from the carriage by Griff, James steadied himself on his cane, took hold of Lily’s hand, and made his way toward the porch. Griff walked up beside James, patted him gently on the back, then looked up at William. “Picked up this scraggly drifter on the way back home. Figured you wouldn’t mind lettin’ ’em stay a while,” he joked.
James gazed up at the two people standing there awestruck. “William … Isabel,” he said, turning to greet each of them.
Finally convinced that he was not hallucinating, William blinked and tears cascaded down his wrinkled cheeks. Isabel put her hand over her mouth and began crying too.
James slowly limped his way up the porch steps, approached William, and extended his hand for him to shake. William bypassed his hand and embraced him like a father would his son. “Welcome home, my boy.” He pulled back, held both of James’s shoulders and just gazed at him in disbelief. “If this is a dream, I pray I do not wake up.”
“You and me both,” James replied.
Over William’s shoulder, James glanced at Isabel. By the way she was standing quietly off to the side alone, he was certain that her deceased brother was weighing heavily on her heart. By now, he assumed that Elijah’s remains were buried near his parents at the family plot there on Werthington Estate. His assumptions were accurate. Isabel’s posture, tears, and facial expressions easily gave away how her emotions were swinging back and forth between gratefulness and devastation. She was subtly glancing at everyone on that porch, only to be met with the reality that her mother and father were not there as they should have been … and now neither was her brother. Despite his mistakes, Elijah was all she had left. Everyone else’s sons and brothers had made it back from a horrific war, but she had no brother to hug, nor a mother and father to comfort her over that fact. She was now fighting to express gratefulness for everyone else’s happiness, but James could easily see that devastation over her losses was currently winning her emotional battle.
James limped over to Isabel, looked her in the eyes, and gently placed his hand on her face. The warmth of his empathetic touch caused her to immediately break down into heavy sobs. James laid his cane down and hugged her for the longest time. “I’m so sorry about your brotha’, Isabel … so incredibly sorry,” he reiterated, feeling genuinely saddened by the fact that she had not a single member of her family left. James pulled back to look at her. “With the last few breaths he could muster, your brotha’ laid in my arms and told me to tell you that he loved you.”
Isabel lowered her head when another rush of tears surged from her eyes.
“He also asked me to take care ‘a you,” James continued. “I wouldn’t be standin’ here conveyin’ that message to you if it wasn’t for him. He died protectin’ me, Isabel. I owe my very life to your brotha’s sacrifice. He’s a hero in my eyes.” James gently touched her face again. “So, I vow to you, I’ll spend the rest ‘a my life honorin’ his wishes.”
Isabel’s sobs erupted again.
“I know I’ll neva’ replace Elijah … and I’m not nearly as handsome,” he joked, managing to pull a hint of laughter through Isabel’s sobs. “But from now until the end ‘a my days, I’ll be as much of a big brotha’ to you as humanly possible.”
Feeling as though a thank you would never suffice, Isabel threw her arms around James and hugged him as tightly as she could, her tears soaking his shoulder as she wept. Emerson approached Isabel and handed her his handkerchief. After patting her eyes with it, she took hold of James and Emerson’s hands and then looked over at Wilson. “I guess now I have three pesky brotha’s again,” she said, managing to let a hint of humor shine through her pain. Her adoptive brothers all smiled in return.
William took a quiet moment to let his eyes linger on everyone standing there on the porch. His chest suddenly swelled with pride. “Every one of you has made every second of my life worth living. Whenever God sees fit to bring me home, I want all of you to know that I’ll be ascending into the heavens with a heart that stopped beating completely at peace.”
“None of that death talk, father,” Wilson replied, waving his hand dismissively. “You’ll get past whatever’s ailing you soon, and live to be a stubborn, ornery old centenarian!”
Everyone chuckled lightly.
“Well, even as a stubborn centenarian, I’m sure this day will still be filed away in my ornery old mind as one of the grandest days of my life.”
“I think that goes for all of us,” Isabel replied. “Which is why I think a grand dinna’ affair is certainly in orda’ to honor that fact. As an official way to welcome home my three brotha’s, I wanna cook a special meal for all of you tonight. Dinna’ will be served promptly at six!”
“Well, seein’ as how Lily’s probably gonna be, uh … preoccupied,” Griff said sarcastically, looking over at her and James. “I’ll give ya’ a hand in the kitchen.”
“You just wanna impress Ryla!” Isabel teased.
Griff winked at Ryla. “Damn right I do.”
“Well, I’ll take the help any way I can get it,” Isabel replied.
“Okay, I’ll warn ya’, though. I don’t know a thang about cookin’! But I’ve certainly mastered the art of doin’ whateva’ the hell a woman tells me to do … my three daughta’s damn sho’ made sure ‘a that!” Griff said, igniting much-needed laughter as always.
“Whateva’ a woman wants?” Ryla looked Griff up and down. “That’s definitely my kind ‘a man!” she said, further prompting the laughter as everyone headed into the house.
Isabel turned to William. “You want help gettin’ back to bed,” she asked him.
William shook his head. “I definitely need to rest up to have the strength for your impromptu grand dinner affair this evening. But you go on and start on your masterpiece. I’ll get myself back to bed just fine.”
“You sure?”
“I’m sure.” He turned to look at James. “I suddenly feel much stronger.”
“Alright then,” Isabel smiled.
“Rest well, William,” James said.
“I certainly will now.” He touched James on the shoulder and smiled. “I’m so happy to have you back safe, Lieutenant Adams.”
“Thank you, William. I’m happy to be back.”
“I know you two have lots of catching up to do, so I’ll leave you to it.”
“Call on me if you need me,” Isabel replied, kissing William on the cheek.
“Will do, sweetheart.”
Lily kissed William on the cheek as well before he slowly departed back to his room with Wilson and Emerson by his side.
As William walked away, James caught sight of Griff holding Ryla’s hand as they headed to the kitchen. “Very unique couple,” James commented.
“That’s puttin’ it mildly,” Lily smiled. “But once you get to know Ryla, you’ll realize they’re a match made in heaven.”
James shrugged. “They say there’s somebody for everybody. Guess they certainly prove that’s true.”
“Boy do they!”
James peered inside the double doors and could not help but notice how slowly William was walking. “Is William okay?”
“He will be. I refuse to believe otha’wise.”
Before entering the house, James exhaled, took Lily by the hand, and steadied himself on his cane. Hand in hand, they then stepped inside the double doors to a home that was once like their own private Paradise. They had entered William’s home feeling a great deal of apprehension back in 1859, both for very different reasons. This time, however, the reas
on for their apprehension was mutual. James suddenly paused in the foyer and looked around the massive mansion. It had been rebuilt relatively the same, yet he felt it was so different.
“You okay?” Lily asked him.
“I guess I’m just surprised that William finally found the strength to come back here. It’s hard for me to walk in these doors without it triggerin’ horrendous memories. I can’t imagine how he must’ve felt.”
“We’ve only been here a little ova’ a week. Afta’ the Ghost Rida’s caused such tremendous loss here, he did admit that it was excruciatingly painful to set foot back in this place. But he suddenly couldn’t stand for them to have that sort ‘a victory ova’ him. He said they may have burned all his treasures … but not all the wonderful memories in his mind that made this place home. He thinks our heavenly family will be lookin’ down on us with a great amount ‘a pride, watchin’ us prove that the darkness of trauma from the past does not have to keep us from shinin’ now and in the future. So, he said he now refuses to let all the ugliness from the past trump all the wonderful things that have occurred here. He wants us to go about addin’ to the amazin’ memories our family left imprinted on our minds. He feels it’s the best way to prevail ova’ the cowardly demons that were hell-bent on destroyin’ our spirits.”
“William and his damn wise words. Always givin’ the sort ‘a wisdom worth livin’ by. That man neva’ ceases to stop inspirin’ me.” James turned and placed his hand on Lily’s face. “And neitha’ do you,” he whispered as he gazed lovingly at her.
Lily closed her eyes and melted into his touch. “What do you say we follow William’s wise advice and go start fillin’ this house with more beautiful memories,” she said in a sensual tone that James had desperately missed.
“My God, I would love that,” he breathlessly replied, a certain part of him instantly reacting with extreme excitement.
“So would I,” Lily whispered, tenderly kissing him on the lips. “Will it be easier for you to stay in a room on this floor?” she asked, considering his injured leg.
“Maybe, but I much prefer makin’ memories with you in our old room.”
“Okay,” Lily smiled, sliding her hand into his.
Hand in hand, James and Lily made their way upstairs. Every step was grueling for James. He needed a moment to let the pain in his leg subside halfway up. Lily waited patiently by his side, while encouraging him to push further. It seemed a metaphor for the uphill battle they had both prepared themselves to fight as they rode quietly in the carriage together. The pain of the ascent made James’s limp more pronounced after he reached the top. Lily put her arm around his waist to help him to the bed. He collapsed on the mattress, breathing hard and sweating. The excruciating look on his face instantly made Lily’s eyes well with tears. “I’ll get you some medicine and run you a bath with Epsom salt. It’ll help with the pain.”
“Thank you,” James replied, trying to catch his breath.
Lily returned quickly with the medication and a glass of water and gave it to James. She sat on the edge of the bed and placed his empty cup on the nightstand after he swallowed the pills. She then turned and gazed at her man. “Relax for now,” she smiled, playing with a tendril of his long hair. “I’ll go fix your bath.” She kissed him softly on the lips before getting up to do so.
When Lily was finished fixing the soothing bubble bath, she sat back down on the bed again. She quietly gazed at James as she ran her hands through his hair and beard.
“This face ‘a mine’s been itchin’ to escape this bushy thing for years … literally,” he joked, scratching his jaw.
Lily laughed lightly. “I’ll shave it for you, if you want.” She played with a tendril of his locks again. “But the long hair stays.”
“You like it?”
“I love it,” she smiled. “Just as much as the man unda’neath.”
James closed his eyes and kissed her hand.
“I sorta missed you all these years, ya’ know,” Lily said, gazing lovingly at him.
“Did you now?” James smiled, reciprocating the loving gaze.
“Just a little,” she teased.
“What did you miss?”
“The way you always ran your hands through these locks when you were worried,” she said, stroking his hair. “The way you always slid your hands into your pockets when you were nervous. The fact that you always seemed to know when I’s in dire need of a hug. The way you used to gaze at me in a crowded room, remindin’ me with your eyes how much you loved me. I missed your strong arms wrapped around me, keepin’ me warm at night.” She interlocked their fingers. “I missed the way these strong hands managed to caress my skin so tenderly. I missed the feelin’ of your lips against mine, and the passionate way you always kissed me.” Her eyes briefly fluttered closed. “And Lord knows, I desperately missed the feelin’ of you inside ‘a me,” she said as a tear slid down her cheek. “I missed absolutely and utterly everything about you, Lieutenant Adams,” she whispered, touching the name stitched on his coat.
One of James’s strong hands reached out and caressed Lily’s cheek. The feeling of his soft touch was indeed just as tender as she remembered; the sensation ignited more of her tears. James gently wiped them away as he pulled her in close to press his lips against hers, the way that he had missed too. After their lips parted, Lily began unbuttoning James’s uniform. Her tears then began christening his skin, as she unveiled a torso scattered in old wounds. Trying not to inflict any pain, she carefully removed his shirt, while gently kissing his chest and abdomen. Pain, however, was not remotely an issue. The warm feeling of Lily’s soft lips had already anesthetized his skin. An unexpected rush of intense pleasure then suddenly shot with force to every corner of James’s body, causing Lily’s name to roar through his vocal cords. As Lily was working to remove his pants, she had simultaneously wrapped her lips around his hardened flesh to distract him from any pain. Feeling the heat and moisture from her mouth after so many years nearly caused him to instantly succumb to the glorious sensations. When he was on the cusp of explosion, Lily slowly slid her lips off. She gently kissed the tip and then kissed her way down his inner thighs as she slid his pants all the way off. She then sat beside James on the bed and gently stroked his erection. “I’ll give you more of that lata’,” she whispered lustfully. James savagely grunted, his overly aroused mind unable to respond in any other way. Lily smiled seductively, her body igniting with warmth after seeing the sudden intense want in his eyes and hearing his breaths become more jagged.
Lily then helped James out of bed and moistened his lips with a passionate kiss. When she managed to pull her lips away, she helped James into a robe and handed him his cane. Hand in hand, they walked to the new bathroom that had been added to her room during the rebuild. She closed the door and turned around to look at the strapping man sitting before her. She walked over and touched his beard. The ruggedness of his looks actually turned her on even more. She almost hated to see the beard go. But at James’s request, she shaved him clean and trimmed just the dead ends of his long tresses. Ten years seem to fall from his age along with the hair on the floor. After soothing his face with aftershave, Lily stepped back and looked at James. A sensual moan escaped her when she touched his now smooth skin. The moisture suddenly pooling between her thighs proved she did not regret his decision to unveil the strikingly handsome face that was hidden behind his beard.
The beautiful sight of James suddenly ignited Lily’s desire to slowly remove her clothing, like that of a showgirl. Watching him watch her, she began unbuttoning her dress. James’s heart and breathing quickened in anticipation of seeing the only woman whose nude body was perfectly etched in his memory. He refused to blink, and his chest began to swell with emotion as Lily slowly unveiled every inch of her body. Like a blueprint in his mind, James remembered precisely where her neckline began to curve into her shoulder, and just how much her collar bone protruded. His mental map still knew the exact plumpness of her b
reasts, the nickel-size, dark color of her nipples, and the four abdominal muscles that slightly protruded underneath the firm skin of her belly. He knew the exact depth of her navel, the small birthmark on the left side of her hourglass hips, and the precise length of her long, toned legs. Every inch of Lily had etched in James’s mind as if he was the sculptor who had created such a masterpiece. It was for that reason that his chest had begun to swell with emotion. The faded gash above Lily’s right eyebrow, the cut mark that curved along the upper ridge of her lip, the circular scar just beneath her breast, the two light brown stripes across the right side of her torso, the two barely visible stretch marks on her lower abdomen, and the slight discoloration that looked like permanent bracelets around her wrists were all very subtle, faded, and old. However, to a man who had the map of Lily’s body photographed in his mind, her scars were huge … but only in the metaphorical sense. Those scars and stretch marks were a permanent reminder of a day that James felt he had astronomically failed as a husband and father. But more importantly, they were now a visual reminder of how fortunate James was that the woman he loved had survived his father’s barbarism. James mentally photographed each and every one of Lily’s new scars and quickly stored the new blueprint in the treasure vault of his mind. The fact that Lily stood before him now completely nude, scars and all, still willing to share her body with him, was proof of her unconditional love and her ability to forgive him. Those scars, therefore, enhanced the beauty of the masterpiece in James’s sights in a major way, and further justified the reason his heart set his beloved wife’s value at priceless.
James traced his finger along one of Lily’s subtle scars, then wrapped his arms around her waist and gently rested his head against her belly. His tears began moistening her skin when the cause of her scars began flashing in his mind.
“It’s okay,” Lily whispered, sensing what had stirred his tears. She lifted his head toward her. “It’s okay. It’s not your fault,” she reassured him again, looking him in the eyes as she caressed his face.
