“You only had to say. If I’m inconveniencing you, well then I’ll go.” Esther looked over her shoulder at Merry. “When you’re ready. Goodbye, Audrey.” She left the room.
Merry lifted her hands in gesture of defeat. “Sorry, Aud. If you want me to apologise, I—”
“Don’t you dare.”
Merry grinned. “That train can’t come fast enough. Reece really did make you lunch. You’re as white as Caspar, you should lie down.”
She went after Esther and Audrey sagged into him. He steered her to a lounge chair and went to his knees in front of her.
“Mia, come out and say goodbye to Nanna,” she said weakly.
“No,” came from under the sheet. Then there was a series of animal noises, a lot of pig snorts.
Audrey shook her head. “I don’t have the energy to make her.”
“Do you want me to see—”
She touched his face again, shook her head. Merry and Esther were in the hallway, then on the front steps. Merry said, “Bye. Call you later,” and the door banged shut.
Audrey took a deep breath. “I want something else from you.”
He said, “Anything,” and would’ve taken it back. She didn’t need him being such a fucking great, wet sap.
“My lips are so dry.”
He moved to get her water at the same time as she leant forward. He caught her shoulders between his hands. “You need to lie down.”
“I remember, Reece.”
He studied her face. Her eyes were clear. Her headache had eased, but she still had the pins and needles and she was physically weak. It could’ve been so much worse, from death to loss of limb and permanent brain trauma.
“You saved my life.”
“I did what anyone would do.”
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“I want—”
“I’ll get you—” Water, she needed water.
“You.” She closed her eyes. “But I’m—” She was going to apologise for her appearance, or her health or shit, who cared, it wasn’t happening.
“—Perfect. You’re perfect.”
He put his hand to the back of her head as his pulse tripped and blood raced around his body at super speed. He brought their faces close and they kissed, and she sighed, winding her arms around his neck. Her lips were rough and broken and the kiss had no pressure behind it, no emergency to it, or power to make it last, and yet it was beautiful for all the life it did have and all the promise it could make.
She rested her cheek on his. “Will you stay with us tonight? I’m not okay to be alone yet. I told Merry, she and Joe should go home so the guest room is free again.” She straightened up and moved her hands to her lap. “I should’ve talked to you first.”
“I’m happy to stay.” He couldn’t have asked for a better outcome. “I’ll stay till you’re well enough, and you kick me out.”
“We need to talk.” Her voice shook. “I don’t know what this is, but I need you.”
Her words were like a song. He dug his fingers into his thighs to stop himself from mauling her. “You need to rest.”
He brought Audrey her sandwich and made fresh tea. She ate while Mia entertained them with random animal noises and the occasional stuffed toy ejected from the treehouse for unsatisfactory behaviour. She chastised the toys in Esther’s voice saying, “You’re too noisy,” and, “Sit still and behave yourself, young lady.” Audrey took that with amused resignation.
She slept the afternoon away and that night they ate dinner together for the first time since the fish and chips. Mia was silly with the attention from both of them, but Audrey, though looking less stressed, was never far off tears. Mia’s bath was a joint effort, then Audrey read her a story.