Fifty-Six

Melina tried to pour all her love and care into the kiss. She wanted Henry to understand that it wasn’t only him who came to that conclusion. Her heart was light and cheerful, and she looked forward to the chance of a future with him. All the tension in the room from before dissipated, and their attention narrowed on each other and the beautiful moment they were living.

His left hand laced Melina’s waist, bringing her closer to him, to the warmth of his body as she circled his neck, careful this time not to touch the cut in his head. She didn’t let the kiss get wild. She wanted to take her time and savor Henry and all the amazing feelings washing over her. He held her tight to him as if she would vanish any minute, as if he was dreaming, but she was about to show him how real all this was.

Henry hadn’t realised yet what was going on at that moment. His Kitty Kat was the one in charge, while he was living a mental fuzziness. Soft lips struck him, captured his rougher ones in a gentle caress, nudging them open. Her tongue took him in a hot and tender possession, making his mind spiral out of control and his pulse race in his veins. She kissed him with such intimacy and passion he didn’t think he’d survive her assault.

Frustration hit him since he couldn’t do much, so he just delivered himself into her care and the intensity of their emotions. Her moans were like a lullaby to his ears, mixing with his own, the only sounds in the room as she deepened the kiss. She was making love to his mouth, and she was taking her time, enjoying every feeling and grunt she extracted from him. His stomach fluttered and his heart swelled with all the love trapped there for so many years.

Melina was on top of him, more on the left side. The comforting softness of her body molded to him. He moved his leg over hers, locking her in place, and she could feel how hard he was beneath her. Taking large, deep breaths, Henry broke the kiss, resting his forehead on hers, and cursed. He needed more than that. She chuckled, cupping his left cheek.

“Don’t get frustrated, babe. I’ll take care of you as soon as you’re up to it.” Melina caressed his face, raking her nails on his short beard. “I love you so much, Henry. It hurts me when you refer to yourself as a monster. Promise me, it’ll never happen again.” She had a choked voice and a frown, waiting for his answer.

“It won’t.” He didn’t know what else to say since he was still dazed and suddenly overtaken by drowsiness. It was getting hard to focus, and his thoughts were nowhere to be found.

Melina noticed the change in him. The medicine was kicking in and all the last hour, crazy emotions tired him enough to make him slip into unconsciousness. He’d sleep for at least the next six hours, giving his body time to heal. Melina didn’t sleep right away, observing him, and for the first time, his face didn’t show strain while he slept. He had fallen asleep in peace.

***

One could say a tornado swept through the living room. Eve, three cats and some toys were part of the chaos. Eli had fallen for Eve’s charms, and he got himself on the floor playing tea party with the little girl, some dolls and Chops. Who could imagine the big guy had a mushy side. He kept an eye on them in the house. Darryl was outside while Josh was at Yiayiá’s place. Melina got busy in the kitchen preparing breakfast for everyone, but a distressed and rough scream made her drop whatever she was doing and bolt out of the kitchen.

“Daddy!” Evangeline yelled, getting up to follow her mother.

“Muffin, you stay here with Eli. Mommy will check on daddy, once he’s fine I’ll call you, and you can take care of him.” Melina stared at Eli, who nodded at her, holding Eve’s little hand. And she disappeared through the door.

Henry sweated profusely, his hair plastered on his forehead. Melina had immobilized his right arm, and he was on his left side, his face tucked into the pillow as he whimpered in pain. She dashed to the bathroom and soaked a wash towel with cold water, squeezing it and going back to him. His face was contorted in pain, and it wasn’t from the wound.

Another scream, and Eve joined him from the living room. Melina said a little prayer, hoping Eli could hold her there. Rubbing the cold cloth on his face helped to calm him down a little, but only enough until it started again.

This wasn’t right. He didn’t like to show this side of him, and the only times she had the chance to see how much her brat of a man was a lonely and troubled person was when he couldn’t help himself, when he wasn’t aware of it, and it made her heart turn over, and the heavy sorrow squash her chest.

She hoped that after last night, things would drastically change between them and he’d learn to trust her. Before he made another sound, and put Eve in a tantrum fit, Melina slid into bed, gathering him in her arms, trying to soothe him. She kissed all over his face, then he rested his head in the crook of her neck.

“Wake up, babe. I’m here with you. Wake up.”

“It burns…” He choked. “They won't stop, and I won’t hold it much longer… Oh God!”

“Henry, open your eyes. Look at me.” Melina’s eyes stung with tears, and she wasn’t successful to blink them away.

She’d never imagined being in this position. Being the one there for him as so many times he did for her, and she didn’t even know. He’s always portrayed himself as the controlling dominant, the collected one, but it doesn’t matter how much he held inside, because in the end the volcano would erupt, throwing his emotions in the air. All the hurt would spurt and flow down the mountain, burning everything in its path, and wanting or not, he would have to deal with the aftermath, with all the damage it caused only to him.

“It’s only a bad dream, made worse by the pain on your shoulder. Please, let me see those pools of honey, Charming.” Melina whispered into his ear.

She held him so tight there wasn’t an inch of his body that it didn’t touch hers. His eyes snapped open, bright, watery, a turmoil of emotions swirling in them. He stared at her, but still not there, lost somewhere, if she could guess he lost himself in the past. Maybe their talk triggered the nightmare, and it was the last thing she wished for.

“It hurts…” he hissed. “They burn me over and over.” His breathing was jerky, as if he was holding himself together not to scream as the pain washed over him.

“Who’s burning you?” Maybe the effects of the antibiotics and the painkillers were making him high. He was so entrenched in the dream, as if he was reliving his ordeal and the pain from his wound linking to the pain from the past. It was the only explanation Melina could come up with.

“Franco’s men.” Henry stiffened, and chills crawled all over his skin as he stopped breathing for a few seconds. “I went against the big boss…” He gritted out.

“Why did you do it?” But she wasn’t prepared to listen to his confession.

“Melina… The bastard!” Anger rose in him, and he got agitated, struggling in her hold. “He wanted to kidnap her again.” Henry made a sudden move, and Melina flew to the floor, knocking the air out of her.

Melina felt like a punch into her stomach, and for a few seconds, she didn’t find air to fill her lungs. So that was the big secret tormenting him? What else was he hiding from her? Her mouth hung open, and she stared at him as if he had grown two heads. The loud thundering in her ears was her own heart speeding up like a freight train. If he feared she’d feel gratitude for this, he couldn’t have been so wrong. Guilt and Shame swamped her at an alarming rate.

“She’s safe now!” He mumbled, bringing Melina back into reality.

She closed her eyes and pulled an extensive amount of air into her system, exhaling and opening her eyes. Standing up, Melina snatched the cloth, marching to the bathroom and soaking with cold water. It was time to bring him back. Enough of this ordeal, and she’d change his meds.

The glassy look in his eyes disappeared as soon as Melina splashed the water over his face, the coolness bringing him back to the present. Henry sat up straight, staring at her, confused, and she sat beside him, palming his face.

“What happened?”

“It was just a bad dream. I’m here now, you’ll be okay. I promise.” She caressed him and combed his sweaty hair out of his face. “Do you think you can get up? I help you to the bathroom, you need a shower. There’s a little nurse terribly worried about her daddy.” She winked at him with a sad smile on her lips as he nodded, still struggling with the haze in his mind.