Twelve Days of Xanthus

Days drifted by and Xan remained unresponsive though his wounds healed. Davin came by every day after his shift at the hospital. He’d told her more than once, healing with no sign of a sickness was a good thing but the words did nothing to reassure her.

Violet was seated at the kitchen table when she heard the moan. Up from her chair in a flash, she ran to the guest room Xan occupied. She swung open the door and cried out in joy.

“Thank God!” Violet rushed over, sat beside him on the bed, and leaned down to look into his eyes. She stroked his hair away from his face and placed her lips on his for one brief moment.

“I thought I’d lost you.”

He managed a rakish grin.

“Never. What happened? Did you do this?” His hand shook as he lifted it and gesture toward his body and the fluid IV Davin had set up.

“My brother Davin is a doctor. I called him after Kala left. He’s been coming by to check on you.”

“I am in his debt.”

“We both are. How do you feel?”

“Good. My body went into a sort of hibernation. It’s how we heal ourselves from fatal injuries.”

“When I thought you weren’t going to make it all I could think about was the time we lost together, and the fact that I never got to tell you…I love you.”

Xan’s eyes grew round as saucers.

Violet placed a finger on his lips.

“Now, I don’t want you to feel you have to say it back. I just needed to be sure you knew.”

“I have come to love you, too, Violet.”

His words washed over her like a balm, soothing all past hurts and restoring faith.

“I’ve waited thirty-five years to find you, but to be fair you did have a long way to travel.”

Happiness enveloped the couple as they basked in the bliss of being together. There would be challenges and misunderstandings in the future. But after the storm they’d weathered together, each was confident they could overcome anything. As the sun set in the horizon Violet made her way out on the porch and gave thanks to the Northern Lights who’d granted her wish.