Chapter 45 Part 45
Maggie
“What’s his problem?” Dylan asked.
“He mentioned a headache earlier,” Maggie said, and gave them a small smile.
Thomas gave her a look, one that said he didn’t believe her flimsy excuse. He didn’t say anything, and neither did she. Her appetite had left with Asher, so she pushed her food around.
Dakota gave a little whine, almost as if he was unsure if he should stay or follow Asher. She smiled sadly. The dog was one of a kind.
Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, accusations, and even understanding. Asher killed Malcolm Walters. It explained his absence, the bleach, and the burning shirt. She didn’t want to think about it, because in her mind, she was justifying his actions. He’d done it for her. He’d only been protecting her.
Asher had left his truck, with the keys inside, and Maggie fastened Melody in her car seat. The food had turned to a swirling mass of something she couldn’t stomach as she drove back to their house.
The house was dark, and Melody was asleep by the time Maggie parked Asher’s truck. Her heart hammered in her chest as she carried Melody inside the dark house.
She found Asher sitting on their bed, staring at the blank wall in front of him. He didn’t react when she switched the lamp on, and she knelt in front of him, clasping his hands in hers.
“Asher?” He seemed to be lost, his eyes unfocused, never wavering as he continued to stare at something.
When she squeezed his hands, she felt him stiffen. His eyes focused on her, and he seemed shocked to see her. “What?”
“Where were you just now?”
He shook his head, looking down. “Nowhere. What’s wrong?”
“Where were you, Asher?”
“I’m right here, Maggie.”
She shook her head as fear clouded her mind. “That morning, when I woke up at 3 a.m., and you were gone.”
“I couldn’t sleep. I went for a walk,” Asher said. She could see the lie in his eyes, and her hands were trembling with the realization that he could so easily lie to her.
“You were burning your shirt,” she said.
He nodded his head. “It was ruined.”
“Why? Why was it ruined, Asher?”
He pulled his hands away, and stood up, pacing the length of their bedroom. He seemed to be having an internal battle, and Maggie shifted from the floor to sit on the bed.
“Is Melody asleep?”
“Yes, she is,” Maggie said. “Why won’t you answer me?”
“You’re making a big deal out of nothing. The shirt was old, so I burned it. Is that a crime?” She could sense the anger in his tone. She didn’t want to argue with him, but she needed answers.
“I smelled bleach on you.”
Asher’s gaze pierced into her, and his eyes seemed to darken. “I went for a walk.”
“And tonight? Finn asked you one innocent question, and you couldn’t get out of there fast enough! What the hell is going on with you?”
“Just ask me what you want to ask me,” he said.
“Did you kill him? Malcolm Walters?”
Something changed in Asher’s eyes. She wasn’t sure what it was, but it was like a complete transformation as he looked at her. She could see emotions swirling in them, and she had the feeling that at any moment he was going to open up, and tell her the truth.
“No.”
Asher walked into the bathroom, and closed the door behind him. A moment later, she heard the shower and sighed. He wasn’t going to tell her anything, and maybe it was better that way.
She changed into pajamas and slid into bed. The room was dark by the time Asher was finished. He didn’t say anything as he got into bed and turned his back on her.
Maggie moved closer to him, wrapping her arm around his waist, and pressing her face against his back. “I love you, Asher, no matter what. I’m in this with you for the long haul.”
Asher didn’t say anything, but his hand clasped over hers, and gently squeezed it. That one little action meant more to her than a reciprocation of her love would have.
That night, Asher screamed out his anguish, and the only thing Maggie could do was to hold onto him tighter. He didn’t wake up from his nightmare, but he spoke in that strange language again. He’d told her it was Pashto, but it didn’t matter what language he spoke. That night, she could feel his guilt.
He’d killed many people in combat. He was the only man she knew that had the skills to kill a man. Especially that man; Malcolm Walters. She lay awake for a long time after Asher’s nightmare subsided. Would Sean come looking for Malcolm? Would he send someone else after her? Would he hurt Melody? He was a cruel and vindictive man, and she’d stolen from him.
In the early morning hours, just before the sun rose, Maggie made a decision. It didn’t really matter if Asher killed him or not. She wouldn’t ask him again, and if anyone else ever asked, she would tell them that he’d been at home, asleep.
The thought that Asher might hurt her never occurred to her. He was a man caught in the darkness of his own past, but she’d bet her life that he would never hurt her.
She pressed her face against his back again and inhaled. This was where she belonged. This was home, and it was safe. Asher was safe. She finally closed her eyes as the first rays of the sun peeked over the horizon in the distance, and a new day dawned. It was a day that would bring more questions, with even fewer answers.
As the sun rose higher, Maggie finally dreamed of the perfect wedding dress. She saw Melody in Asher’s arms, and all was right in the world again. Blood was spilled every day, but she didn’t care about the blood that Asher had spilled. That blood had bought her more time, more freedom, and perhaps, Sean would think twice before coming to Two Bear Meadow.
Dawn arrived slowly, like it did in winter, and the room gradually lightened. Asher shifted, and wrapped his arms around Maggie, her cheek now pressed against his chest.
“I love you too, Maggie, more than you realize,” Asher whispered.