Reyona's mirth was gone as fast as it came when she suddenly realised how close they were standing.
All that was left was for her to exhale heavily and the front of her clothes would brush against his.
Her heart did a silly jig at the way he was looking at her at that moment too.
Almost as if...
She stiffened and tried to pull back, but Maxwell said beneath his breath, "No, honey. You don't want to do that now. I think your sister would kill you if all this work resulted in nothing."
Amazingly, that managed to get another smile out of her, and she relaxed as Miss Macaulay came down the stairs with the others.
"That is better," Maxwell said as he turned his head to gaze adoringly at her face.
Then, unexpectedly, his hand curled behind her back, and he pulled her body flush against his!
*******
"How on earth did you even come up with all that?!" Reyona asked with laughter.
"Creative juices, baby. We've got loads of it. Never doubt that." Toria answered with glee as she pumped her feet up in the air.
"Yes, ma'am. I would never doubt that. Not after today, no. Next time I need an emergency planner, that role is all yours."
"You are going to pay though. No more free work. I can smell fortune in my future doing this. I will be in high demand soon," Toria said with a laugh.
Then she shook some cheese crisps out of the box in her hand.
She tossed them up and raised her head to grasp it with her mouth.
She crunched loudly as she laid her head back on Reyona's stomach.
"So, I guess today didn't turn out all bad after all," she said while chewing.
Reyona sighed as she said "Yeah, I guess you are right. Thank you for being there. I am sorry you couldn't go back today though."
"No, it is fine. I am sure Tara is doing fine on her own. She wouldn't miss me much."
"Tara." Reyona mused as she stretched her hand towards Toria and her sister shook some crisp in her hand. "That is her name?"
Toria nodded before she tossed another crisp in the air. She crunched and answered "Tara and Toria. It has a ring to it, doesn't it?"
"Is she doing okay now?" Reyona asked.
Toria's smile dimmed a bit as she said "He messed her up real good, Rey. But yeah, she is getting there. At least she is no longer blaming herself for everything he did. The work we had going on is helping, I think. He did some work on her, Rey. I have never seen a woman gaslighted so badly that she had totally lost her identity. I still can't believe I almost... Imagine if I had just bought her life-long sweat from her without knowing that the bastard was the one behind it all along. That would have been so cruel."
"It is not your fault, Toria. You had no idea." Reyona said as she stroked her sister's hair and pulled the messy strands off her face. "Some would say it is just business. I think there is a reason why you found out he was forcing her to sell though. You were meant to do something, and you are doing it. I am so proud of you, girl. I am sure Tara is very grateful too."
"Too grateful most times," Toria said with a deep sigh as she raised her head from where she was lying across the bed with her head on Reyona's stomach. She turned around to face Reyona and sat with her legs curled under her. "It is so sad to watch atimes. She is so careful about everything. Like she is afraid that this break she got would only be temporary in her life. I think she is still scared that he will come back despite the retraining order we got on him, and I don't know. She is… I don't think she trusts herself around him. She… I think I need to get her to meet Mum soon. If there is anyone who could whip anyone into a confident badass, it should be her."
Reyona smiled "Well, you got that right. Yeah, that might do her some good. Have you suggested therapy though? That should help her too. She was in there too long for some major damage not to have happened, you know."
"I know, right?" Toria said as she wearily stuffed her mouth with the crisps again. She crunched and said "I have suggested it, but she wouldn't hear of it. I think she believes it is meant for people who are having a breakdown or major mental issues or something. There must be one other thing that asshole drilled into her."
She sighed again, then waved her hand in the air suddenly. "Anyway, enough of dreary stuff. Let's talk about something juicy. What was your husband saying to you when we were leaving?"
"My husband?" Reyona said with a snort. "He is no such thing, and you know it," Reyona said as she moved her head from the headboard and eased downward. "Now if you will excuse me, I think I am going to sleep."
"Bah, bah, bah. No, you are not." Toria said, while wagging her finger at Reyona. Then she pulled at the cover that Reyona was trying to wrap herself up in. "That sounds so much like a denial compared to what happened today."
Reyona rolled her eyes as she turned to look at her. "What happened? Nothing. I helped with what he asked. I did my part and now it is done. Satisfied? Now, I have to sleep. On my bed. Go sleep in yours."
"Ooohh, now she is being aggressive. What is going on here? Definitely denial." Toria said, as if talking to herself as she flicked imaginary dirt off her fingernails.
Reyona ignored her as she pulled the covers up again and turned her back towards her.
Toria was far from done though.