Your reviews are so lovely and enthusiastic that I have delayed thoughts of an epilogue and am ploughing on with what might be two or three short chapters before it! So blame yourselves, is all I can say.
The light shines through the gap in the curtains and a shaft of sunlight falls across Harry's sleeping face. Ruth is entranced. She knows that everything has changed. She knows that Harry will never be as he was before. He will never frighten her the way he has before and therefore she will never run from him. They are not a complication of circumstance, an accident of history, they are not bound by decisions past, they are but Ruth and Harry. And Ruth wonders at how simple it is.
He utters a quiet, deep moan and turns his head to the pillow. His eyes open and Ruth smiles at him and then she watches as his eyes focus and a broad, eager smile spreads across his face.
"Made do with me then, Ruth?'
"Oh yes, Harry, you made do very well."
"Jim not available?"
"Apparently not. Seems he only appears when I'm to be taken advantage of."
"In that case he's here right now," and he rolls over pinning her to the bed.
"Harry, can we just forget Jim?"
"No. He brought you to me."
"No you brought me to you, only surreptitiously."
"Ruth, if we were in a darkened room again and there were several men in there, do you think you would be able to pick me out."
She looks to the ceiling and seemingly considers for a very long time.
"Ruth?"
"I'm thinking."
"Well, it's taking a very long time."
"I'm not sure."
"Oh," he says a little disappointed.
"Let me just remind myself," she says and shuts her eyes and lets her hands roam and roam well.
She cannot see him but she knows he is smiling.