All You Wish For and All You Need

“Come sit outside with me,” Marcus whispered to Anne as she was about to walk into the dining room for lunch. He took her hand without waiting for a reply and she followed willingly out into the warm and sunny grounds.

They wandered down to the lake where they sat. Marcus removed his shoes and socks and dipped his feet into the water. Anne sidled closer to him and entwined her fingers with his. Marcus kissed her forehead and then wrapped his arm tightly around her.

“Anne,” his voice was soft and Anne shuddered delightfully to hear it so close to her ear. “What were you thinking when you saw me in the clearing with my parents?” he asked the question quickly, wanting it to be spoken before he could decide not to speak it at all. He had to know, almost needed to know, what she had thought.

Anne shifted uncomfortably. She hadn’t expected that question. “What did I think?” she whispered. Marcus nodded silently. Anne cleared her throat and looked out towards the lake. “I was scared Marcus. I didn’t want to accept the fact that they were your parents. Although it does make sense in a way.” She paused to look at his expression which, as usual in this kind of situation, was perfectly blank.

She looked back out towards the smooth surface of the lake. “But at the same time as being completely and utterly terrified for my life, I was completely and utterly fine, because I was with you. Once you were holding me, I no longer cared that your real parents are who they are. It didn’t matter as long as you were with me and I was with you.” She took a deep breath to try and control the emotion that was pouring out of her. “It still doesn’t matter Marcus. It never will.” Anne cleared her throat again as she could feel the tears building up in her eyes. “It will never ever matter Marcus as long as I am with you. Nothing matters except you.”

It was too hard now to fight back the tears and they gushed down her cheeks in torrents. Marcus was surprised and alarmed by this. He lifted Anne onto his lap and pressed her head against his chest. She cried quietly, her arms wrapped around his chest. She wasn’t entirely sure why she was crying, normally she didn’t cry very easily, but right now, there seemed to be no stopping it.

Marcus held her tightly to him and kissed the top of her head. “Don’t cry please,” he whispered almost inaudibly. He whispered it over and over again and soon Anne calmed down. He lifted her chin and gently kissed the tears away. Anne breathed deeply and inhaled his scent. She rested her forehead on his shoulder. Marcus kissed the top of her head and sighed deeply.

He felt sure that she meant what she said, that she was fine with everything. But this wasn’t the way he had pictured her telling him. She had been calm and happy in his dream, but now, in reality, she was crying even though she seemed certain of what she said.