Prescription for Miss Walker

After handing the letter to my father, I lay back, reminding myself how lucky I was to have him in my life. Despite not having a female role model in my life, I think I grew up semi-decent. I mean, it certainly wasn't his fault that I turned out this way.

That spot was reserved for Ben.

If he hadn't cheated on me, if he hadn't put me down constantly, if he hadn't broken me like this... I probably would have been a better person.

I didn't have many days left. Every breath now could be my last, I had to be careful with whatever truths I decided to spill.

And, like a damn fucking omen, Ash strode into the room, a fistful of papers in his hands. Was this something new he wanted me to sign?

I smiled softly, to which he returned brightly. For the first time ever, it reached his eyes.

"Hello, handsome devil, what brings you to my quarters?"

He chuckled, as he locked the door behind him, until it clicked. When he faced me again, he didn't hesitate to approach the bed, papers rolled up in his hands. I noticed that it had a blue front page. I didn't know many documents that looked that way.

Telling me to scoot, he was soon lying beside me, eyes of a summer storm looking me all over. No doubt falling on my injuries and thinking the worst thoughts.

His lips touched my temple. Soft, undemanding, I wished it to stay.

"When you're out of here again," His hand found mine, thumb grazing against my weary muscles. "I want to go out on that date. Except maybe this time, as well as taking some precautions, it should be somewhere nice. The countryside? A vineyard -- but no drinking for you."

I giggled. "How about Venice?"

"Done."

I rolled my eyes. Clearly, he wasn't understanding.

"Ash, I was joking."

"I wasn't."

I looked up at him again, examining him everywhere. There were no hints to say he was poking fun, his expression was entirely genuine. Mouth set, eyes trained and all for me... it was hard to believe what I was hearing, and seeing.

I sat up, making him budge a little. Until he was facing me directly.

"You really aren't." He shook his head and I felt my lips chap. "Why? What's the point?"

He grinned again, he'd been doing that a lot lately, especially with me.

"You're the point, Shira. I was going to wait, I didn't want to appear desperate, or impulsive. Because, in all actuality, I have thought about it a lot. And, I'm more convinced each time. I want you to have everything that I did, that you missed out on. Grand gestures, romantic trips, a place for you to look back on and relish. After all you have been through, I cannot stress how much you deserve it."

I swallowed. No, it couldn't be...

"Ash, I--"

"I made my decision. And maybe I did it long before now, but I was deluded into thinking I could make things work." He sucked in his cheeks, cheekbones daring to break out. "I pick you. I choose you."

That struck me. I mean, what was I supposed to do? Say thank you? I think not! There was no reasonable way to react to this.

He kissed me again, this time only just, on the hairline.

"Here. In case you need further proof, I want you to know how serious I am about this; about you." He smoothed out the collection of papers, which stated plainly what they were. I stared at him, eyes wide as saucers. I couldn't believe what I was witnessing.

A petition for divorce.

"I don't... I mean, I never..."

"Amy signed it this morning." Wow, I was dumbstruck. I honestly thought she'd never let him go. When I had dinner with them, it was written all over her face just how much she loved and trusted him.

"Did you...?" For some reason, I couldn't finish it.

"Yes. Although we cited irreconcilable differences, I told her about the affair. It's been the hardest thing I've ever had to do. To see the pain and betrayal in her eyes, it was devastating -- but I couldn't go one more day living a lie. I hadn't been in love with her for a while, it wasn't fair to string her along in any way. I was being selfish."

I gawked just a little while longer. No, not at the papers, either. That was obvious. They backed him up completely.

Instead, I was transfixed on his face, I couldn't move to anywhere else, wouldn't even dare to. I was entirely for his handsome, flawless and bright face. All for those lips that dared to give me another sun-stealing smile and those eyes that shined every time they rested upon me. They presented themselves to me, vulnerable for the first time in years -- at least that I knew of, anyway.

He was throwing himself at me, embracing me for who I was and what I wanted. As well as sticking true to himself, but I guess I never thought he'd ever go through with it.

I mean, after all these months, was it honestly a good thing to reveal to me now his intentions and what it meant for us?

Correction: what could've meant for us.

Don't get wrong, I was ecstatic. It just... it couldn't have been at a worse moment.

I wasn't going to pussy-foot around the matter, or deny where I was heading. One day, I knew it was going to happen. I was prepared.

"Why did you do this for me?" I breathed.

He blinked those long beautifully blond eyelashes at me, bemused. After a solid second, he then touched a hand to my swollen cheek, brushing softly, no doubt wishing this was all under different circumstances.

"Why else? You were right about me and I don't want to deny it anymore." He licked his lips, testing the atmosphere, his chest expanding. "I'm tired of trying to be a good man. I just want to be me for once."

My facial muscles were getting the best of me, as I wished to maintain a sweet manner. However, that was tossed right out of the window the moment his fingers brushed my cheek once more.

As he grinned at me, I came to a sudden realization. And maybe -- maybe, I'd known for a while. It had circulated in my head a lot, popping in and out whenever I had reason to be suspicious. Plus, there was that occasion we had sex in the trees by the park. I remembered it all too well.

Taking him in now, breathing in the same air as he did... I became all too aware. Things weren't as simple as they used to be. I didn't know when or how it changed, just that it had. For both of us.

As I was about to open my mouth and make verbal use out of it, he piped up again.

"And I'm never anything but the real me when I'm around you. You don't make me want to try when I know that I can just be. I just wish we had more time to explore that."

I squeezed his hand, rivalling our gazes. My heart skipped a beat.

"We did. I wouldn't take any of it back, either."

Grunting lowly, in agreement or not, I was frozen in place when his lips placed on mine. He was gentle, handling me as if I would break if treated any other way. And I inhaled and memorized the scent and taste of lemons. Back to the start, I would gladly go.

Despite the circumstances, and how I ended up in here, I was happy. It wasn't because of shallow reasons either, or through any means that benefitted me. I think it was because he was happy, too.

And, maybe I was turning into a hopeless romantic, but that was enough for me.