Light In The Darkness

Cole pulled out a barbeque at 6 o'clock and then several minutes later the smell of barbequing sausages hit my nose and I smiled. I hadn’t had a barbeque in years. I stood up and reached towards where I could see his shine. "Cole?" I asked as I took a step forward. Cole's hand then closed around mine and he pulled me against him.
"You're so beautiful," he whispered against my skin. I smiled. "The sun is making your hair shine and sparkle." Cole ran his fingers through my hair and shivers ran through me.
"Cole," I whispered, my eyes already closed.
"Yes," he whispered back and I could feel his lips hovering over mine.
"Kiss me," I whispered, my voice barely audible. But Cole heard me and lowered his lips tenderly to mine. I melted into him, every limb liquidising under his touch.

Cole pulled away several minutes later and swore. "Shit, the sausages have burnt." I laughed.
"I don’t mind, I like black sausages," I smiled and Cole laughed softly. "My dad always burnt them. He wasn’t a good cook." Cole laughed again, more loudly this time and then sat next to me.
"Ketchup?" he asked and I smiled and nodded. I heard a squirting noise and then a warm, smooth roll was put into my hand.
"Thank you," I smiled.
"No problem," Cole said. "There is salad in front of you and slightly to the right. I didn't bring out any plates, so just use your fingers." I laughed and he wrapped his arm around my waist and held me to him. We were silent as we ate and Cole suddenly laughed. I turned towards him, frowning slightly. "Pacca just jumped into a pile of leaves. He's covered." I smiled at the image and wished, again, that I could see the real thing.

When we finished eating, we didn't move from the garden. Cole pulled me into his lap and I leant against his chest. He cleared his throat quietly but before he could say what I knew he was going to say, I interrupted him. "Ok," I said and took a deep breath. "I...I am completely blind. I can't see anything. Except you," I paused and tried to think of how to describe it. "But...it's not really you. It's like a silver light. I've never met anyone else, but you...I can see a...glow. That's how I recognised you, how I saw you in the street. You shine." There was a silence and I wondered if I had freaked Cole out. "Cole?" I whispered, looking towards him. I felt him touch my cheeks softly and then he pulled my glasses off. I hid my eyes and looked down, but Cole didn't let me and put his fingers under my chin and raised my head. I looked back towards him.
"Look up slightly and right a bit," he whispered and I did. "Stop," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "You're looking into my eyes." I kept my eyes fixed where they were, desperately wishing for my eyes to work. However, my eyes shut as soon as I felt Cole's lips on mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he held me to him tightly. He cupped the back of my head as he deepened the kiss and I got completely lost in his touch.

Cole pulled back and stroked my cheek softly. "I glow?" he asked and I laughed and nodded.
"Silver, you have since I first met you," I smiled.
"Why do you think that is?" he asked softly and I shook my head.
"I don’t know, it's never happened before," I said. "But I'm glad it did. I'm glad you stand out in the darkness. I need something to." I felt Cole's fingertips brushing hair out of my face.
"I'm glad, too," he said softly. "It..." he paused unsurely and I squeezed his hand and he continued. "It makes it...this...feel more...special." I grinned as thrills ran through my heart.
"It does," I whispered. "It makes you feel more special." Cole's arms tightened around me and he kissed me shoulder.

Suddenly, Cole sighed. "What's wrong?" I asked as I turned round towards him.
"I can't see Pacca. I don’t mind him running around the garden, but while he's little I want him in sight," he said. I smiled and nodded and got off his lap so he could stand up and go in search. He took my hand and pulled me up as well and together we walked down the garden, which seemed to go on forever.
"How big is this place?" I asked but Cole didn't reply. "Where are we? Where do you live?"
"Valley road," he said and I stopped walking for a second.
"But...these houses are huge, millions of pounds," I said as we continued walking.
"When my father died, he left me everything," he said. "He was a lawyer in London. A good one. He left me quite a trust fund."
"Not that I mind at all," I said softly. "But why move here? You could have gone anywhere. Why Peacehaven?"
"Why not?" he shrugged and I had to agree. It was a nice enough place. "I don’t want to use the money just because I have it. Only if I need to." I nodded.
"I'm glad you came here," I said softly and Cole moved his hand to my waist and held me to him tightly.
"Me, too," he said softly but sincerely. I felt my heart soar and I smiled.

Cole finally spotted Pacca knawing on a small stick at the end of the large garden and picked him up and brought him back with us. We went inside and into the living room, where Pacca was deposited. Cole led me to the sofa and held me against him again. "I always wanted a puppy," I said softly as I listened to Pacca jumping around. "But my mum was allergic."
"Maybe if you're lucky, I'll share Pacca with you," Cole said as he nuzzled my neck. I turned to him and studied his shine. He really was amazing. Few people accepted me, but Cole treated me amazingly, but with just enough care that it didn't make me feel babied or ashamed. I smiled and then lifted my hands to his face. I felt his lips and judged where they were in relation to mine and then I moved forward and pressed my lips to his.

As we finally pulled away I couldn’t help but grin. I turned in his arms and put my back to his chest and closed my eyes, revelling in the feel of his surrounding me. He kissed my shoulder and my neck softly and I smiled. We sat there, just in each other's arms, for what felt like an eternity. And I couldn’t have moved if someone had paid me a million pounds.

I spent most of the following weeks with Cole and Pacca. I found myself becoming more and more comfortable with them and had no problem with Cole seeing my eyes anymore. I even willingly took my glasses of when I got to his house. And I think he knew it. I think he was pleased I was comfortable around him, and happy to be myself. Just the fact that being myself pleased him sent thrills to my heart. "Do you wanna go for a walk in the park?" he asked one afternoon. I was lying on the sofa with my head in his lap and he was stroking my hair softly and I had never been so relaxed. "Or you could just stay there if you want." I smiled and sat up.
"A walk is good," I smiled.
"We can take Pacca," Cole said and I smiled. Pacca was now nearly a year old and growing quickly. Cole and I had managed to train him to 'come' but that was about it.
"Sounds great," I smiled and stood up. I heard Cole chuckle slightly as he stood as well. I was about to turn away but Cole caught my face between his warm hands. I looked up slightly, to where I learned his face was.
"You're so beautiful," he whispered and I smiled and blushed.
"Thank you," I whispered. He kissed me tenderly, his fingertips gently stroking my hair. I wished I could see him to return the compliment. He pulled back and I whispered the only compliment I had, "I like your voice." I heard Cole laugh softly and I smiled. "And your laugh." I could feel Cole's eyes on me and I turned towards him again.
"I love the way you say my name when you can't find me," he said softly and my heart suddenly started racing.
"I love the way you hold me when I find you," I whispered and took a hesitant step forward, closer to him.
"I love you," he whispered and my heart skipped a beat. I stopped breathing for a second and then expelled it as a smile lit my face.
"I love you," I whispered back and then Cole's lips were on mine, softly and tenderly and full of love. I wrapped my arms around him and held him to me as he deepened the kiss.

He pulled away after a long, passionate kiss and stroked my cheek. "Still on for a walk?" he asked, his voice raspy and I grinned and nodded. "Great."
"I'm...a bit disorientated," I said as I frowned and tried to think which way I was facing. Cole laughed gently and kissed my cheek.
"You're facing the windows," he said and I nodded. I now knew my way around Cole's house well enough to walk through it without walking into things. While he went to find Pacca, I turned and bent down to pick up my stick which was lying on the floor next to the sofa where we had been lying. I couldn’t help grinning as I thought over the last few minutes. He loved me, despite me not being able to see...he loved me. I put my glasses on and smiled and shook my head. "You're so beautiful," a voice behind me said and I turned towards Cole.
"How long have you been standing there?" I asked, a small smile on my lips.
"I haven’t left the room yet," he said and I blushed slightly. I reached my hand out in front of me and he took it in his. I moved to stand in front of him and he hugged me into his chest. I put my arms around him and then under his shirt, gently stroking the smooth, warm skin of his back. Cole knotted his fingers in my hair and pressed me against him tighter.

A short time later, a small, furry animal wedged itself between our legs and sat on our feet. I pulled away from Cole and laughed. Cole laughed as well and picked up the little dog. Cole held Pacca between our two bodies and he licked our faces. I scratched him behind the ears and after a while Cole put him down and went in search of a leash. Pacca started getting excited, anticipating the walk he was about to have. I smiled at the noises of him running around the house, following Cole with short, excited woofs. I walked into the hall and when Cole came to me and took my hand in his, I smiled again. He loved me.

We walked to the park and Pacca was pulling hard on his lead the whole time. Cole had a firm hold on him though, and when we got to a field, Cole let Pacca off the lead. Cole then took my hand and we went and sat on a bench. "Lauren," Cole said softly, after a short silence. "Can I ask you a question?" I knew by the tone of his voice that it was serious and turned towards him. Despite the sun beating down on us, his shine didn't diminish.
"What is it?" I asked him.
"I've...wanted to ask for a while, but I didn't know...you might not...I don’t want..." He stopped talking with a frustrated sigh. I knew what he wanted to ask me.
"I haven’t always been blind," I told him and I felt him turn to me, his eyes intense as he looked at me. I turned to him. "That is what you wanted to know?" There was a slight pause before he spoke.
"Yes," he said softly and I nodded. "I'm sorry, I just...I want to know everything about you. I was curious when I first met you, and I haven’t been able to stop wondering. You don’t have to talk to me if you don’t want to." I smiled slightly.
"I think you're the only person I'm comfortable telling," I said as I looked down. I took a deep breath before I started.