“They were definitely that,” he smiled. “Stay there. I’ll help you out.”
I shook my head and watched as Simeon came around to my side. “I didn’t think lions behaved like this. I thought they just bit the lionesses and roared a lot.”
Simeon chuckled as he shut my door. “I could be that way if you wanted me to be.”
Nudging him in the arm, we walked towards my flat. “Behave yourself, Simeon.”
He bowed his head. “Sorry, my lady.”
“I think I can forgive you.” Simeon smiled as we walked up to my door.
“Well, it was a great evening, Cassie. I enjoyed your company.”
Funnily enough, so had I. “I enjoyed yours, too, Simeon. Thank you for coming with me.”
“Don’t sweat it.”
Silence rained upon us as we stared at one another. For some reason, it felt like that awkward moment on a date when the boy brings the girl back home. I didn’t want it feeling like that.
Sensing my unease, Simeon cleared his throat. “I better get home. I’m on early tomorrow.”
Grabbing my shoulders, he kissed my cheek. “It would be fun to do this again sometime, Cassie.”
Nodding, I smiled sweetly as I searched for my keys. “Take care, Simeon. I hope you sleep well.”
“Me?” he answered as he walked down the stairs. “I always sleep like a baby.”
Waving, he watched as I pulled the door open and let myself in. It wasn’t until I gave my final wave and shut the door that I breathed a huge sigh of relief. It was hard work being around Simeon. Not only because he looked so much like Stephen, but he resembled his cheekiness. He wasn’t as good at it as Stephen, though.
Sighing, I realised I had this sudden urge for hot chocolate. Pushing myself up from the door, I made my way into the kitchen.
Chapter 11
I was dreaming again. I had to have been. It was like my subconscious was taunting me. The door was there in all its glory. The laughter filled the air and I almost breathed it in like it was the sweetest scent on earth. How could children’s laugher fill me with such hope and desire at the same time? The noises just pulled at me from the inside out. I was dying to get inside that door, but I knew it wouldn’t be any use.
The laughter came again but, this time, I couldn’t stand it. I had to try one more time to get it open. I pushed, I pulled, I kicked, and I screamed, but nothing was getting that door open. Tears filled my eyes and rolled down my cheeks as I frantically banged on the door.
“Please, someone open the door for me. Please,” I pled in the hope that someone would listen to me.
No one answered, filling me with such anger and despair. I kicked and banged with everything I had, desperate to somehow make it open.
Suddenly, I had the feeling of the warmest arms around me. “Shh,” he whispered in my ear. “It’s okay, Cassie. I’m here.”
“Stephen?” I whimpered back. “I miss you so much.”
Gently, he rocked me in his arms and stroked my hair. “I know you do. I miss you, too. You’re my world, Cassie.”
Kissing my head, he turned me around to face him. My breath caught as I stared into the eyes of the man I loved.
“Listen to me, Cassie…,” he demanded. The tone of his voice gained my full attention.
“Stephen!” I shouted as I heard banging on my door. “Shit!” I cursed, pissed off.
The banging continued as I rose out of my bed. “I’m coming!” I shouted, heading for the door.
Once I peeked out, I saw Catherine. The minute I opened the door, I said, “Is everything okay?”
“Everything is just wonderful, Cassie. Lisa-Marie is awake and asking for you. In fact, she insisted I come down here and drag you over to the hospital myself.”
Feeling lighter than air, I hugged Catherine tightly. “I’m so happy. Come in for a moment while I put something on.”
I gathered a pair of jeans and a jumper, getting dressed in no time. My shoulder felt a little better this morning, which was a nice surprise. It made getting dressed a little bit easier.
The minute I was ready, I grabbed my bag and we headed to the hospital. “How does she seem?”
“Fine,” she said, keeping her eyes on the road. “She’s got some colour back in her cheeks. It’s really good to see.”
“I bet! I can’t wait to see her.”
“She knows you got shot, so she insisted I be there for you. She cares about you.”
“I know she does. Lisa-Marie means the world to me. The world wouldn’t be the same without her in it.” I carefully watched Catherine’s expression and saw a sudden change.
“I never showed how I felt in front of Lisa-Marie’s parents, but I was terrified of losing her. It’s only really been up until this morning that I haven’t been able to eat properly. We never got to, you know, the part where you say those words. To be honest with you, I don’t know whether we are quite there yet. I knew we had an instant connection when we first met, but I didn’t want to get carried away with it. Sometimes it’s easy to get swept away.”