“If you’re referring to that cocksucker, Tompkins, then I agree wholeheartedly—he wasn’t fit to even share air in a room with you.”

I laughed softly. “I know. Dad would never have let Denny in the door to look at me, let alone take me on a date.”

“Your dad was a wise man,” Neil said wryly.

“I was I in a fair bit in shock back at the pub when you were defending me. I couldn’t work out why you would be so interested…in me.” My voice trailed off into the night time silence.

Neil’s response was to roll me onto my back and kiss me with deep probing strokes of his tongue, almost harsh and desperate in his method to convince me I was worthy. “Have you worked it out now?”

“Not really,” I answered truthfully, “but I am so grateful you know.”

“Let me show you something.” He slid open the bedside table and brought out a small object. “Hold out your hand, please.”

I did, and felt him slip a bracelet onto my wrist.

“You kept it all these years?” I asked, feeling like more tears might pour from me if he kept going with the gestures. I held my wrist up so I could get a better look in the poor light. The bracelet I’d handmade for Neil as a good luck charm to keep him safe in the war looked a little battle worn but it was still intact, still with the two owls and the infinity charms I’d put onto it.

“Yes, I kept it all these years. You made it for me. Hell, I wore it as often as I was allowed. It goes everywhere with me.”

I could see the evidence of that easily from the texture and colour of the leather. I brought it to my nose for a sniff. I could smell Neil’s scent on this small scrap of leather knots and brass charms, and knew it had lain against his skin.

“I still have mine too,” I said.

He drew me close into the curve of his arm and rubbed the back of my neck with his fingers. “You know that I think of your brother and mum as family more than my own?”

“They love you, Neil.”

Again I could hear the ache in his voice. Neil didn’t speak of his shitty family life, or how he’d been virtually on his own from far too young of an age. He wasn’t a complainer, so for him to bring it up in a conversation with me felt monumental.

“I love them too. And you all love me back, Cherry. I don’t need anything more.”

As I lay in the cradle of his arms, I looked up at the ceiling of his bedroom flat and thought about how happy I was in this moment, being cuddled in the bed with Neil and enjoying his soft caresses and slow kisses. Neil and me together.

“Oh my God, we have to tell them about us!”

He laughed. “We can do it tomorrow.”

“Okay then. We will. I can’t wait to see Mum’s reaction.”

“I’m more worried about Ian.” He cupped a hand over his cock. “I’d like to keep this intact.”

It was my turn to laugh at him this time. “I think your prized possession is safe enough.”

“Thank bloody hell.”

“Neil, you’re forgetting the facts.”

“Oh?” He raised a brow at me.

“Yeah, that fact that the Morrison clan claimed you long ago, and we’re never giving you back.”

He liked that. And kissed me for a long time afterward just to show me how much he liked it.

Later we had an opportunity to talk a little about the others who’d come before. That part wasn’t so nice, but needed to be discussed and I’m glad we did. I didn’t want him under any illusions that I was an untouched virgin. I’d been with a few guys, and most recently Denny Tompkins, and felt he should know the truth. I saw the tightening of Neil’s jaw as I got that off my chest, but still knew it had to be shared. He needed to know. My Denny was his Cora.

My only consolation was that Neil despised my former boyfriends just as much as I’d loathed him with Cora, and others over the years. I hated that bitch.

The most important aspect in all of this though, was how much we wanted to be together and needed what only the other could give to each of us. Now that we’d had a taste of how it could be, no other would ever do. For me, it was Neil…or nobody. He loved me in spite of my past and I felt the same for him.

We held onto each other our first night together, whispering in the dark, sharing our dreams and unburdening our demons. With Neil’s arms around me, I drifted off to sleep peacefully. This time the scent of him was real when I breathed him in.

So much hope was riding on the future back then. I didn’t imagine anything could take him away from me after such a hard-won victory.

Life wouldn’t be so unfair to Elaina Morrison after all I’d already endured.

His love was something I never questioned on my part and I did have it. I can look back now, and say with complete conviction, that I definitely had Neil’s love.

I had it for a short time.

Far, far too short a time.

I had Neil’s love until fate swiped it away and took from me…again…until I was lost once more. Alone. Once more.

Part Two

Neil

Drifting on a sea of forgotten teardrops, on a lifeboat sailing for your love.

Jimi Hendrix, Drifting~

8

That month with Elaina was the happiest time I could ever remember. I don’t have many memories where I was truly happy. I lived for the day and got along the best I could. It’s always been my way. But the time with her trumped everything else I’d known up to that point.

I’d known longing. Hell, I’d been longing for Elaina since forever so it didn’t feel any different. I just had to wait on her for a time, and then…I got to be the luckiest man in the world when everything came together for us. I finally got my chance to tell her what she meant to me.

I had my girl now and she loved me too. We were together and we had forever to stay that way.

There were many things to learn about each other, despite the comfort of being with a person you’d known for ages, and yet, there were still mysteries. I could spend my life discovering her and never grow tired of the journey. This I knew.

The first person we told about us was Elaina’s mum. Well, finally the two of you have sorted out what the rest of us have known from the very beginning. That was the first thing out of her mouth, along with a shriek and hugs all around.

It was a wonderful thing having a family that wanted you.