After picking out a car, Monk followed Natalie back to the police station where he wanted to show off his new wheels to the Captain. Initially, he had wanted a simple and bland brown colored car saying brown was such a sensible color; but, Natalie talked him into something else given that this car represented the new and improved Adrian Monk. She loved the red metallic color because it reminded her of Dorothy's slippers in the Wizard of Oz, a story that she and Julie watched once a year. However, since his unfortunate experience with going off of a medically induced 'deep end' as The Monk - in which he had purchased a red Ford Mustang, that he lost a lot of money when he returned it on due to the simple depreciation of driving it off the lot, Adrian wanted something more reserved and settled on the Midnight Blue RAV4 with all of the safety features and, at Natalie's urging, with a spoiler on the back.
Upon pulling into the parking lot, he was extra careful with how he parked his sparkly new wheels and Natalie was her usual patient self, standing on the sidewalk and watching him park. Once he had finally arranged things to his own satisfaction, he got out of the car, checked the doors and then offered her his arm. They walked arm in arm from the far end of the lot up to the front door chatting and laughing about his purchase. Monk told her about how it drove and how the air conditioner worked and how when he came to a stop the vehicle was so incredibly quiet that he thought a time or two that it had completely quit. But, all conversation came to an end when they rounded the corner and ran face to face into Steven Albright.
"Steven!" Natalie said, letting go of Monk's arm and guiltily dropping her eyes.
Adrian watched, touching his fingertips together, as she walked up to Steven and gave him a side hug. But a hug was not what Steven wanted. Instead, before she could step away from him, he pulled her back to him for a short but somewhat fiery kiss. Monk rolled his neck at the public display but regained his composure by the time that Albright released her from his grip but maintained his hand on her body. Meanwhile, Natalie's own uneasy facial expression said tons. About what, Monk wasn't exactly sure.
"I figured you two would be coming back here before heading home so I thought I'd stop by and surprise you." He stated as he kept his arm around Natalie's waist. "Were my eyes fooling me or was that a new car that I saw you drive in with?" he asked.
Monk nodded uncomfortably, but Natalie took over the conversation, enthusiastically explaining to Steven about how Adrian had gotten his driver's license and how they had gone out together and picked out just the right car for him.
"Well, that's great!" Steven responded, wrapping his arm around Natalie's waist, tighter. "Outstanding, actually. Congratulations."
"Thank you." Monk replied, politely.
"Now, Natalie won't have to worry about hanging around here to take care of you and she can come join me this weekend at my niece's graduation up in Portland." He replied.
"Portland?" Natalie said, nervously looking between the two men. "Steven, I…"
"I…I don't think so." Monk replied, rubbing his hands together. "Monday is National Trash Collector's Day and Natalie agreed to come over to my place to help me make some cupcakes."
"You can do that on your own." Steven said, dismissively . "Come on, don't you remember, Nat? We were invited to go a couple of months ago. Don't worry. You will fit right in, sweetheart! Amy has been wanting to meet you forever. It'll be tremendous."
"I…"
"Steven, that's all well and good but you can't just spring something like this on Natalie. You know she does have a life…outside of you." Monk replied.
"Funny. I was just telling her something similar...but not about me." he said, raising one eyebrow towards Monk. He turned back to Natalie. "Come on baby. You've got to go. Amy will be so disappointed if you don't. We can stay right there at her house too. I'm sure she has a spare room she can put us up in."
"But Steven…" she said, disturbed. "I…we're not…um…"
"Natalie. Come on. Don't say no!" he responded. "You never get a weekend off. I mean I know Mr. Monk is a great guy, but even he would have to admit that it's sometimes good to take a break from him. Isn't that right, Adrian?"
Monk looked sternly at Steven and then over at Natalie who appeared nervous. Unsure if she looked that way because she was afraid he would be mad or because she didn't want to go, he left it up to her. "If she wants to go, I won't stop her. She does deserve a vacation."
Natalie winced, making an excuse as to why she couldn't go. "Adria-um Mr. Monk, I really don't want to inconvenience you on such short notice. I can take a vacation some other time. It really isn't a problem."
But Monk missed her cue. "No, Natalie. Steven is right. You deserve to be happy. It's not fair of me to call on you to give up private time where you can meet with other friends and enjoy yourself. I want you to go. I'll be fine."
She sighed. "Are you sure?"
"Positive." He nodded, trying to sound self-assured. "And don't worry about me. I'll be good."
Knowing him as she did, she could tell that he was putting on but she didn't fight him, even though she really did not want to go.
Two days later, Natalie had gone North with Albright and Leland found himself listening to Monk bewail her absence in his living room.
"I'm losing her, Leland. She's going to leave. Why did I ever think it would be any different?"
"Now calm down, Monk. She's only gone for the weekend."
"Yes, but she's gone with him. You should have seen them, all cuddly and kissy. Right there in public!" he replied.
"Natalie was doing this?" Leland asked.
"She kissed him back." He replied. "I saw it, his lips were pressed against hers and…" he rolled his neck and shimmied in repulsion. "Now, they've gone up to meet his family and they're sharing a room together."
"They are?"
"Yes. At his sister's house. Does that tell you anything?" he asked.
Stottlemeyer was quiet for a moment. "You know for sure they are sharing a room?"
"Steven said they would be, and she didn't say otherwise." Monk replied. "So, that's it. I've waited too long. She's going to leave and I'm going to be alone."
Stottlemeyer thought for a moment. He heard what Monk was saying, but again reminded himself of what he had seen with his own two eyes. There had to be another explanation.
"Don't give up just yet." Stottlemeyer concluded.
"Haven't you been listening?" Monk asked.
"I have been. But, I also know what I know. I've seen her with Albright, and I know how she is with you. I just can't believe what you're saying is the full truth. Have you told her how you feel?"
"I took her out to lunch." He replied.
"But have you opened up to her about your feelings about her? That she's more than just your employee?"
"I've told her she's important to me."
"Yes, and so is Dr. Bell, but you don't feel about him the way you feel about her."
"I would hope not."
"Monk, you know what I'm talking about here. Have you even for a second intimated that there could be more between you than boss and employee? Or even, friend to friend?"
"Of course not. Do you want me to ruin everything?" he asked.
"No. I'm wanting you take some initiative."
"I am taking initiative. I bought a car to show her that I can be independent and she doesn't have to coddle me. I have tried to draw her in on things. I changed my wardrobe…a little."
"Fine. That's good. But those are externals. Have you actually talked to her and told her how you feel? Women aren't mind readers, you know."
Monk paused. "No. I haven't told her how I feel."
"Do you know how you feel?" he asked.
Monk paused even longer and did not answer.
"Let me put this to you another way. If Natalie married Albright, how would your life be different?"
"Have you heard something?" he asked, a hint of panic in his voice.
"No." Stottlemeyer answered with a smirk. "I have not. I'm asking a hypothetical. If you lost her to Albright, how would you feel?"
Monk looked down. "I'd feel like I'd lost my best friend."
"And?"
"And the one point of joy that I have in any given day. I'd feel hopeless and lost and like that is how I would always be." he replied, "Kind of like I do now, but worse."
"And why do you feel that way?" he asked. He waited as Monk drew his own thoughts slowly to the surface, unwilling to move forward until he said what he knew needed to be said. Finally, Adrian bowed his head, a tear escaping his eyes. He took the back of his hand and wiped it away and then wiped his nose and didn't even look for a wipe.
"Because I love her." He mumbled.
Stottlemeyer felt badly for his friend because he knew how difficult this conversation was, but he felt it was important to show Monk what was really at stake here – his heart and their future joy.
"What was that?" Leland asked.
"I love her!" Adrian said a little louder.
"Then you need to fight for her." Leland said. "And you need to fight for her with all you have because love's worth it. And, she's worth it."
"And, if she rejects me?"
"Then you'll be no worse off than you are right now – and you'll know. But, I think if you're honest…she won't reject you." He replied.
"How do you know?" he asked.
"Same way I knew about T.K." Leland replied. "I know true love when I see it. And, I see it in the two of you."
The weekend came to an end and much to Monk's delight, Natalie returned to San Francisco alone. Steven would be staying up with his sister for the next two weeks giving him the room and ability to try to fix what in his mind was heading down the wrong trajectory.
For her part, Natalie was happy to be back. It wasn't that she disliked Steven's family. They were in fact very nice to her and the sort of people she felt quite comfortable with. It's that they were his family and did not feel like her own. As welcoming as they were, Portland simply wasn't home. Home was San Francisco with her daughter and her often eccentric boss and best friend. Still, he had pushed her to go and so she went. But, while she was there she had spent much of her time thinking about her relationship with Adrian and her relationship with Steven.
Steven had been with her for three years and had generally been courteous and doting towards her. Adrian, however, was an enigma. At times, she felt a certain chemistry between herself and him that led her to believe that he shared the amorous feelings that often dominated her mind when they were together. At other times, he seemed standoffish and distant – treating her not even as a pal, but as his subordinate or merely an employee. The constant back and forth often caused an internal turmoil within her that she never outwardly acknowledged, but a turmoil that was present just the same.
The way she got around it for years was to pretend it didn't exist or by telling herself that he was the ultimate unavailable man and she should just be satisfied with how things were and not set her sights on him because it would only end in heartbreak. Or, to paraphrase an old Bette Davis film, 'don't ask for the moon when you have the stars.'
But, then, he would do something adorable – one of a million little things he did on a regular basis, like give her that precious grin he got when he did something big like solving a violent crime that eluded everyone else or completely step out of his comfort zone in giving her daughter a pep talk when the guy she liked in college went for the other girl – and she'd fall in love with him all over again. It was heart wrenching and yet her love for him was like an elixir that washed away all common sense and left her longing for more.
But was it sustainable? That was the question that had plagued her mind the entire weekend. She considered her life and what it was that she wanted and she knew that while she very much wanted him, without a guarantee of ever getting him she ran the risk of ending up alone - something she was loathe to do. Steven was a decent man, strong, attractive, very much like her late husband Mitch by all outward appearances. If she settled down with him, she would have security, a man who loved her and perhaps another child which she always wanted with Mitch but never received. Perhaps, in time, she could even grow to love him like she had Mitch or like she did Adrian. But could she really be with him knowing how she felt about Monk? Was it fair to Steven to lead him on when she clearly was in love with another? She knew she had to decide. But how?
Coming into his apartment early Monday morning, she had determined to brave her nerves and talk with Adrian about where they stood. It was one of the greatest risks she had ever taken with him as she feared it could be the end of the most beautiful friendship she had ever had. But, she had to know. She couldn't continue as things were.
Surprisingly, when she let herself into the apartment, she found that all was quiet. She called for Monk but found that he wasn't at home. With no note and no indication that he wouldn't be there, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed his number, being surprised when she heard its ring sounding from the direction of the front door.
She turned around just in time to see Adrian as he stumbled through the entrance with two brown paper bags in both of his arms.
"There you are!" she said, rushing over to help him. "Here, let me take one."
"That's okay." He replied, a little out of breath. "You can get the door."
She complied with his request and then turned to follow him into the kitchen where he had just set the bags down on the island and was reaching for an apron under the counter.
"Good morning, Ms. Teeger." He stated with a pleasant smile on his face. "Did you enjoy your weekend?"
She had worried about what kind of mood he would be in after she had seemingly abandoned him for the weekend but he seemed to have done quite well, though that did little to put her at ease. Looking at him as he emptied the bag of various fruits and cheeses she tilted her head and replied. "Yes. It was nice. Steven's family are nice people."
"That's good." He replied, nonchalantly taking out a colander to put the fruit in so that he could wash it in the sink. "We could always stand to have more nice people in the world. Did you get some rest?"
Natalie peered over the island, watching with curiosity what he was doing. "Um. Yeah. I stayed with Steven's sister Amy while he bunked with some of his old college friends."
"Oh." Monk replied, raising his head just slightly but not looking her in the eyes. "So, you didn't stay together?"
"Um…no. We don't…I mean, we haven't…uh…no." she answered, unknowingly causing a smile to appear on Monk's face. "What do you have here? What's this all about?" she asked.
Adrian finished rinsing the fruit, dried it with some paper towels and began to chop it up.
"This is for our lunch."
"Oh? Are we going to the new office?" she asked with excitement.
"No. I'm having a few renovations made there and I don't want you to see it until I'm done." he responded as she looked at him and wondered. "Instead, I want to take you someplace else. Someplace I used to go before I met Trudy."
"Oh, really? Before Trudy?" she said, surprised. "Okay. Where are we going?"
He looked up at her and smiled. "Ah, my lady. That's just something for which you'll have to wait and see…"
"Is it for a case?" she asked.
"No. I told Leland we're taking the day off. There's just something I want to show you."
Natalie smiled but asked no more.
Twenty minutes later they were on the road with Adrian driving them in his new car and Natalie enjoying the fresh feeling of the California breeze and sunshine coming in through his moonroof and opened windows. It was a lovely day, the kind of day which warmed the soul and brightened even the foulest of moods and it was made all the better by the ease of the company they kept. He drove them across Golden Gate Bridge and into Marin County where he grew up. From there, he went North along the coastline about an hour away until they reached a four-way stop.
"Okay." He said, reaching into the glove compartment and pulling out a blindfold. "I need you to put this on."
Natalie looked amused. "A blindfold? Why do I need a blindfold? Are we on a secret mission?" she asked.
Monk smiled. "Of sorts. Just put it on. I want to surprise you."
Playing along, she put the blindfold on and felt the vehicle lurch to the right before driving another minute and a half and coming to a stop. She heard the turn signal switch on and then felt the SUV turn left before climbing up a hill. The warm sunlight turned to cooler shade as she immediately felt the presence of trees and the paved road became bumpier until she felt them reach a clearing, at which point she felt the car come to a stop and heard the ignition switch off.
"Stay there, and keep the blindfold on." He stated, and she heard him slip out of the car and shut the door. The hatch opened and she heard him removing some items from the back and in a couple of minutes heard the hatch door shut and her passenger's side door open. His hand reached nside the car taking hers.
She began to join him but stopped for a moment in order to unbuckle her safety belt, then she felt for his hand which he readily provided, and stepped out of the car with a curious grin on her face as he moved her forward away from the door. Hearing the door shut she soon felt his left hand reach behind her and its warmth resting on her waist as he led her awkwardly across the field and the green grass brushed against her feet. When they came to a stop, he stood directly behind her, his hand now resting just above her hipbone, and he told her to stand still as he reached up from behind and removed her blindfold. There in front of her was a beautiful scene from which one could see for seemingly hundreds of miles. Mountains were seen in the distance on the left and an ocean view in front and the tiny dots of vineyards and farms blanketed the landscape below. It was spectacular to say the least and the last place that she would have expected him to be taking her.
"Oh, Adrian!" she gasped, clasping her hands to her face as she viewed the splendor before her. "Oh, my…it's beautiful!"
He stayed silent but swelled with pride as she took it all in, then released her hand and quickly moved back to the side where she saw that he had set up a couple of lawn chairs and a table upon which he had set the basket of food. Next to the table was another table on which was placed a phonograph record player.
"It's not Pasquale's but, I thought you would like it." He said as he turned on the record player and it played soft oldies music in the background. "It's been probably thirty years since I've been here, though I have thought about it often. It belonged to my grandfather, my father's father after they moved here from Pennsylvania. Uncle James inherited it after Pops died, and his son Jimmy owns it now. We used to come up here for family picnics and I'd drive up here when I got my first car. It was the place that I dreamed all of those dreams that you dream when you're young, that never seem happen and make all those plans that life says no to."
Natalie looked over at him as a reflective look graced his handsome features. He looked a thousand miles away, so she did what she normally did when he seemed to retreat into himself, coming behind him and placing her hand on his back and then leaning her head against his shoulder. "What kind of dreams?" she asked.
He looked over at her and smiled, then reached his arm around her and pulled her to his side, again facing forward. She was so surprised by this movement that she almost didn't hear what he said next; but, the subject matter quickly caught her attention and she regained focus.
"Oh, nothing outlandish. Dreams of love. Happiness." He said, softly, his hand absentmindedly stroking Natalie's arm. "You know, I remember there was this girl named Gina. Gina Sherman. She went to school at Marin High school and her family was good friends with my uncle's family. I never will forget bringing her up here. She sat right over there. I thought at the time that she was the one…but of course I was a kid."
"I didn't know you dated anyone before Trudy." She replied.
"Oh. I didn't. I mean there were a couple of times that my teachers tried to set me up with girls at school functions. There was Brenda Klotman. She had braces and her hair kept getting caught in them." He rolled his neck and made a disgusted face. "Then, there was Esther…Pendyke."
"What was wrong with her?" she asked.
"She hated my guts. No reason. Just hated me. Of course, I was hard to like, being me an all." He replied.
"Awe…now stop that. I'll bet you were as sweet then as you are now. You got Gina's attention."
"No. I didn't." he replied.
'But didn't you just say that you brought her to this spot?" she asked.
"No. I brought her to my uncle's farm. My cousin Jimmy brought her to this spot. He's the one who ended up dating her. But…I thought about dating her. A lot. I guess I was just never daring enough. It's just as well. Gina later became a nun. If I would have dated her and she had made that decision, you know…that would have been kind of devastating to my ego. Date a Monk, become a nun."
Natalie snickered and Adrian looked over at her with a smile.
"Any other dreams?" she asked.
"Oh. Lots." He said. "I had my life mapped out at one point. I was going to get away from home and go to college, which I did. And then I was going to meet and marry the woman of my dreams, which…of course, I did with Trudy – but then it all fell apart. I got love, but it ended far too soon, kinda like it did for you and Mitch."
Natalie looked out at the landscape for a moment. "Yeah. But that's life sometimes. It's not fair."
"No, it's not. And, I've lamented that fact for far too long." He replied. "I got a call from Jimmy last night. Haven't heard from him, in decades really. He told me that he's putting the place up for sale. Wanted to know if I wanted to buy it. He's asking $750,000.00 for it. Of course, I told him it was too rich for my blood; but he invited me to come up here and take one last look at it before it goes on the market. I never got to take Trudy up here. But… I thought…maybe I'd bring you."
Natalie smiled, not knowing exactly what to say, touched that he was sharing this moment with her but also intrigued and confused at how much he continued to open himself up to her. She had been patient for many years, hoping that he'd get over Trudy, and had given up; now, it appeared that he was coming out of his shell and he was doing so for her.
"Adrian. Can I ask you a personal question?" she asked.
"Sure." He replied, looking her in the eyes.
"What would you have wanted to do with a girl up here if a girl that you liked ever agreed to come up here with you on a date?"
He looked down at the ground and smiled, releasing her from his grip then nervously rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. After a few moments he responded.
"If I were to bring the woman I love up here, I would want to somehow show her that while I still have a great many fears, that I am willing to work through them if she would be willing to be patient with me. Because, love is worth it. I think she's worth it." He replied, turning his head to the side and revealing eyes full of a devotion that melted Natalie's heart. "And then, I would want to show her all of the ways that I would try to make her happy…if she would just choose me."
Natalie was mesmerized by his gaze, looking for any sign that he meant her. "And then?" she asked, swallowing as she awaited his answer.
"And then…" he replied, stopping and tilting his ear to the music. He recognized Elvis Presley singing Can't Help Falling in Love With You, then he smiled. Taking a step away from her he extended his hand and answered softly, almost a whisper. "And then…I'd ask her to dance with me - again. And again…and again."
Natalie swallowed even as her heart sped up. Taking his hand she stepped across the grass in front of him and soon found her body nearly touching his as they swayed to the tune. His hand reached up and brushed some stray hair from her face and then returned to her waist. She felt as if she was in Heaven.
Wise men say
Only fools rush in
But I can't help falling in love with you
Shall I stay?
Would it be a sin
If I can't help falling in love with you?
Like a river flows
Surely to the sea
Darling, so it goes
Some things are meant to be
She choked back the emotion, her eyes fighting to suppress the tears that wish to overflow from the rims of her eyes. Here it was, happening again. Just like that night over dinner. There was no chance she was misinterpreting this. He was definitely signaling to her that he saw their relationship as more than employee and employer and more than just best friends. She had waited for so long.
Her breath caught as she felt him draw her closer and she held it. Feeling the warmth and tenderness of his body next to hers, holding her in a way that she never dreamt of, a tear fell down her cheek as she raised her hand to his shoulder and put her head on his chest. In the moment, there was no thought of anyone else, not Steven, not even Mitch. Only Adrian. She closed her eyes, and pulled him closer, then when she felt his face nuzzling into her hair, his warm breath on her neck, and his hand softly caressing her body in the tenderest of ways, it became more than she could stand. Overwhelmed by a dizzying euphoria, her knees gave out underneath her causing her to collapse in his arms.
When she opened her eyes, less than a minute later, she was no longer on her feet but suspended in the air with her head back on his chest and his strong arms carrying her to the open hatchback. With an unsteady glance around she surmised quickly what had happened. She had been so caught up in the moment that she forgot to breathe causing her to briefly lose consciousness. But, as she looked up at his worried face, she wondered how on earth she would explain that.
He gently sat her down in the back of the car, steadying her with his arm, even as she leaned against him.
"Are you alright?" he asked with concern. "You…you passed out."
With a flushed face, she looked up at him still somewhat dazed but quickly regaining her strength.
"Yes. I'm fine." She replied, with a hint of embarrassment. "I don't know what happened to me."
Still holding her, he placed the back of his hand on her forehead and then his own. When that didn't satisfy him, he leaned down and used his cheek. She breathed in his clean scent.
"You don't feel hot." He replied. "Maybe, maybe you're just a little dehydrated." He took off his jacket and folded it into a neat square and assisted her. "Here, lay down right here and rest. I'll get you some water."
She laid down and watched as he nervously walked over to a cooler by the lawn chairs and retrieved a bottle of water. Opening it, he quickly walked back to the car and sat down inside the hatchback alongside her, once again supporting her with his arm as she reached up to take the water from his hand.
"No. Just rest." He stated, holding the bottle as she drank. When she drank a little, she raised her hand and placed it over his.
"I'm okay now. Really." She stated. "You don't have to worry."
Setting the water down on the bumper he pulled her close to himself.
"But, that's what I do." He stated, looking down at her beautiful eyes, and running the backs of his fingers along her cheeks. "Natalie…I…"
"I know." She stated, looking up at him. "I'm sorry to have scared you." She sat up, draping her arms around him and resting her cheek on his neck and her chin on his shoulder. There was only a moment's hesitation until she felt him pull her closer to him in a manner that said he never wanted to let her go.
He leaned his back against the side of the rear compartment of the car, and together they stayed that way for several minutes, each holding the other, him softly caressing her neck and shoulders as she relaxed against him, listening to the soothing sound of his breath. Finally, after many long moments, he sat up and when he did his cheek brushed against hers along the way. Their faces were now just inches apart and their eyes were each searching the other's. The atmosphere around them felt as electric as either had ever felt and they seemingly breathed as one as if on cue their lips parted. Adrian tilted his head ever so slightly causing Natalie's heart to race as she closed her eyes. He inched towards her and was just a second or two from connecting with her when they heard his cell phone ring.
"Dam, dam, damselflies!" Monk shouted, removing his arm from around his assistant and grasping his face. Natalie began to giggle.
He stood up to retrieve the phone. "This isn't funny!" he continued as she laughed even harder. "And, it's all your fault. I wanted a pager but no...she said get a cell phone...it'll bring you into twenty first century, she said. It'll be fun!" By now, she was holding her side so he deliberately kept it up. "Interrupt me one more time and I'm about to chug this thing into the next century is what I'm about to do. Where are you, phone?" Looking down, he found the phone inside his console then checked the display and sighed. "It's the Captain." He said with disappointment. "I…I'd better get it."
Natalie watched as Adrian paced back and forth across the green. She couldn't believe what had just happened. She was seconds away from kissing Adrian Monk, her best friend and the man she loved. As he stood there talking on the phone, one hand behind his neck, looking handsome in his button down shirt that was neatly tucked into his trousers, she wanted nothing more than to finish what they had started. She wondered if he felt the same way.
After another minute or so, he came back to her and told her that they were going to have to cut their afternoon short.
"That was the Captain." He explained. "He told me that he knew this was my day off and that he was sorry to interrupt; but, there's been a new development in the Steuben's case and he'd like me to come take a look."
"What's that?" she asked.
"It turns out Mrs. Steubens is the sister of Svetlana Yaroslav."
"The dead gymnast?" she asked. "That's strange."
"Yes. A little too strange. He said there is more but he wants to wait until he sees me to tell me." He replied. "Are you feeling better?"
"Absolutely." She smiled. "Thank you for taking care of me."
He smiled. "Natalie. You've taken such good care of me through the years, it is my joy to take care of you."
She smiled bashfully and lowered her head.
"Do you need any help? I can help you walk if you want to go sit in the passenger's seat."
"I'm all better now. Thank you." she replied.
"Okay, I'll quickly gather up our things and we will be on our way."
"I can help." She said, eager to help him put things away.
He quickly took her by the hands and blocked her from moving. Raising his hand towards her face, he curled his fingers inward and rested his hand under her chin even as his thumb brushed her chin next to her mouth.
"No. You just rest, my sweet Natalie." He replied "I will only be a moment."