Chapter Thirty-one
There wasn't a light on in the loft. The only thing that kept it from being pitch black was the light of a single black pillar candle. Shadows of light danced across his face as he heard the door open slowly. She thought she could sneak in.
"Olivia." he nearly whispered, but his tone was far from gentle.
This might be worse than I imagine, Livvie said to herself, her palms beginning to sweat. "Caleb."
"Where were you, Olivia?" he asked, his voice still cold.
"I umm - I just went for a walk."
Caleb rose from his place on the couch and he stood to face her. "Think a minute before you continue, my love. I suggest you answer me honestly. Where were you, Olivia?"
"In the park."
"With who?" he prodded.
"Abby." Livvie replied, meekly, lowering her eyes from his.
Caleb glowered at her. "Is there a reason you went off to meet her behind my back?"
"I wanted to find out what she wanted with you."
"What makes you think she wants anything with me?"
"Because she sent you a note asking to meet you." Livvie shot back, her temper beginning to flare.
"So - now you're snooping." Caleb replied, his voice still calm.
"I wouldn't have to snoop if you would just tell me what you're up to."
"Did you ask me, Olivia?"
"Yes." She replied, suddenly defensive.
"You asked if I was meeting Abby? If you did I don't recall that conversation."
"I asked if you've found the ring and you said no - but she has it - doesn't she?" Livvie nearly yelled.
Caleb walked over to Livvie, capturing her by the shoulders and holding her still. He stared directly in her eyes as he began, "Olivia - if you and I are going to share the power of the ring - I need to make something very clear to you. In all things regarding the ring - you need to be very specific. It can make all your dreams come true - but if you are not exact in your requests, they will be fulfilled in whatever way the forces see fit." He shook her a bit as he added. "Do you understand me?"
"Yes." She answered, tears welling up in her eyes.
"You'd better - because if you abuse the power we will have once the ring is back in my possession, you will have to deal with the consequences.
*************
"28 more hours." Alison whispered.
Rafe leaned across and lifted the clock off the nightstand, "and 26 minutes."
"That's all we have until we have to go back." Alison sighed as she snuggled closer. She couldn't believe that every night for the rest of her life she would get to fall asleep in his arms.
Rafe kissed the top of her head and drew her closer. "Yep. But, you know - we have a lot to do."
"We do. We're starting our family." Alison said with a smile, though something had been worrying her lately.
"Rafe?" she began again.
"Yeah?" he replied, his voice sounding sleepy.
"Are you sorry?" she asked softly.
Her words had his eyes opening wide as he brought her with him to sit up in bed. "What? Am I sorry for what? That I married you? Are you crazy?"
Alison looked down at her lap. "No. Rafe. Are you sorry this is all happening so fast? I mean - we just got married - in just about 6 months we'll be parents. With all that's happened to us we barely had anytime alone - just you and me. Now we have all this responsibility - what with the gym and the baby. I thought we'd have more time."
Rafe held Alison's face in his hands as he looked into her eyes. "Alison. Remember, all those months ago - before I was back here for good - when you talked about having a child together?"
Alison was still slightly embarrassed by that conversation. She'd been so naïve then. "Yes." She replied. "But Rafe - that was because I thought you were leaving and I wanted to keep a piece of you. It was impossible then."
"I know." He said, his fingers stroking her cheeks and toying with her hair. "But the fact that you even mentioned it - that astounded me. Now - it's happening. I couldn't be happier."
Alison looked at her husband, her voice serious, needing to hear him say it. She wanted him to be happy. She needed to know. "So the fact that in a month or two I'm going to get all fat and that in about five months you'll never get a good nights sleep again doesn't bother you at all?"
"Alison. You are always beautiful to me - whatever size you are and if the reason I can't sleep at night has your eyes and smile then I'll sleep when they're thirty."
"Or maybe not." She said smiling, as she leaned in to kiss him.
"Or maybe not." He replied with a grin.
The train rumbled off into the night and two of it's passengers were determined to make the most of the rest of their trip.
There wasn't a light on in the loft. The only thing that kept it from being pitch black was the light of a single black pillar candle. Shadows of light danced across his face as he heard the door open slowly. She thought she could sneak in.
"Olivia." he nearly whispered, but his tone was far from gentle.
This might be worse than I imagine, Livvie said to herself, her palms beginning to sweat. "Caleb."
"Where were you, Olivia?" he asked, his voice still cold.
"I umm - I just went for a walk."
Caleb rose from his place on the couch and he stood to face her. "Think a minute before you continue, my love. I suggest you answer me honestly. Where were you, Olivia?"
"In the park."
"With who?" he prodded.
"Abby." Livvie replied, meekly, lowering her eyes from his.
Caleb glowered at her. "Is there a reason you went off to meet her behind my back?"
"I wanted to find out what she wanted with you."
"What makes you think she wants anything with me?"
"Because she sent you a note asking to meet you." Livvie shot back, her temper beginning to flare.
"So - now you're snooping." Caleb replied, his voice still calm.
"I wouldn't have to snoop if you would just tell me what you're up to."
"Did you ask me, Olivia?"
"Yes." She replied, suddenly defensive.
"You asked if I was meeting Abby? If you did I don't recall that conversation."
"I asked if you've found the ring and you said no - but she has it - doesn't she?" Livvie nearly yelled.
Caleb walked over to Livvie, capturing her by the shoulders and holding her still. He stared directly in her eyes as he began, "Olivia - if you and I are going to share the power of the ring - I need to make something very clear to you. In all things regarding the ring - you need to be very specific. It can make all your dreams come true - but if you are not exact in your requests, they will be fulfilled in whatever way the forces see fit." He shook her a bit as he added. "Do you understand me?"
"Yes." She answered, tears welling up in her eyes.
"You'd better - because if you abuse the power we will have once the ring is back in my possession, you will have to deal with the consequences.
*************
"28 more hours." Alison whispered.
Rafe leaned across and lifted the clock off the nightstand, "and 26 minutes."
"That's all we have until we have to go back." Alison sighed as she snuggled closer. She couldn't believe that every night for the rest of her life she would get to fall asleep in his arms.
Rafe kissed the top of her head and drew her closer. "Yep. But, you know - we have a lot to do."
"We do. We're starting our family." Alison said with a smile, though something had been worrying her lately.
"Rafe?" she began again.
"Yeah?" he replied, his voice sounding sleepy.
"Are you sorry?" she asked softly.
Her words had his eyes opening wide as he brought her with him to sit up in bed. "What? Am I sorry for what? That I married you? Are you crazy?"
Alison looked down at her lap. "No. Rafe. Are you sorry this is all happening so fast? I mean - we just got married - in just about 6 months we'll be parents. With all that's happened to us we barely had anytime alone - just you and me. Now we have all this responsibility - what with the gym and the baby. I thought we'd have more time."
Rafe held Alison's face in his hands as he looked into her eyes. "Alison. Remember, all those months ago - before I was back here for good - when you talked about having a child together?"
Alison was still slightly embarrassed by that conversation. She'd been so naïve then. "Yes." She replied. "But Rafe - that was because I thought you were leaving and I wanted to keep a piece of you. It was impossible then."
"I know." He said, his fingers stroking her cheeks and toying with her hair. "But the fact that you even mentioned it - that astounded me. Now - it's happening. I couldn't be happier."
Alison looked at her husband, her voice serious, needing to hear him say it. She wanted him to be happy. She needed to know. "So the fact that in a month or two I'm going to get all fat and that in about five months you'll never get a good nights sleep again doesn't bother you at all?"
"Alison. You are always beautiful to me - whatever size you are and if the reason I can't sleep at night has your eyes and smile then I'll sleep when they're thirty."
"Or maybe not." She said smiling, as she leaned in to kiss him.
"Or maybe not." He replied with a grin.
The train rumbled off into the night and two of it's passengers were determined to make the most of the rest of their trip.