Children of Toil ✔

Chapter Twenty-Four

Lucan didn't go straight back to the house. He went for a walk in the scrub to release his anger. He didn't want to put that onto Meggy. It wasn't her fault. He wanted to return to her a free man. A man without any burden, and then they could talk. He'd tell her how he felt and hoped she felt the same, then he'd set Jacko straight and his life would be complete.

*

When he entered the house Meggy was giving the boys some milk and biscuits. Lucan sat down quietly at the table; his eyes met hers. She frowned so he smiled to let her know he was all right.

"What's that on ya face, Da?" Covey pointed at Lucan's cheek.

Touching his hand to his face, Lucan said, "It's nothing, lad. Just caught me face on a branch in the scrub."

Covey wiped his milk-stained mouth with the back of his hand. "Oh... did it hurt?"

"Yeah, it hurt, but not anymore."

"You is always getting hurt, Da."

Lucan flung his head back and laughed. "Yeah, you got that right, boy. I've had a bad run."

Meggy put a cup of tea in front of Lucan and sat down with her own.

"You finished, Covey?" Lucan asked as he took a sip of the hot tea. Covey nodded so Lucan said, "Will you take Riley to the sandbox, Da needs to talk to Meggy?"

Covey climbed down from his chair and tugged at Riley's arm. "Come on, laddie," he said.

Lucan and Meggy smiled. Covey looked at them. "Ya not fighting anymore are ya? I was just playing around this morning and I won't do it again."

Rubbing the top of Covey's head, Lucan said, "We're not fighting, lad, just need to talk. Go on now."

Lucan took hold of her hand. "Meggy," he said. "I've finished it with Lillian." She gasped and was about to speak but he held his hand up. "Let me finish. It was never going to work, her and me."

Lucan talked for a long time. He fiddled with her fingers while he spoke, told her about Lillian beating Covey, her teaching him to read and wanting to change him. He said, "So I went to Cairns to sort me head. To work out if I really loved her." He smiled. "Then I saw you, Meggy. I've not thought of her since. Only to try to figure out how to tell her it was finished."

"But I walked in on you, Lucan... that day."

"It wasn't what you think. I was washing and I tried to tell her. She wanted me to kiss her. She came close and asked me but I wasn't going to. I was trying to tell her it was finished but you came around the corner and well you know the rest."

"But you were angry. You were angry with me," Meggy insisted.

"No... no, I wasn't. I was angry with myself for letting her control the situation... control me. She could always put me aside and I let her. I was angry because I should have hauled her away and told her but for some reason, I didn't want to hurt her and was trying to tell her as gentle as I could. I'm sorry if I made you think it was your fault." He reached out and touched the side of her face with his hand. "I need to know how you feel about Jacko?"

Meggy screwed up her face. "Jacko?"

"He's been paying you some attention if you recall. Is it him that ya want to go on with?"

Bursting into laughter, Meggy shook her head. "You're one daft man, Lucan Hayes. Daft and blind, with no awareness." She leaned over the table, put her hand on his cheek and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Would I have let you love me like I did if I didn't want you?" Then as if she had been pushed backwards, she sat down abruptly and looked at him stunned. "You think. You think I let you do that because of what I am... not because you think I could love you like a normal woman."

"No!" Lucan shook his head. "No, Meggy, that's not it. I took you there. It was me. I wanted you so much. You made me so happy that you accepted me. I just..."

He stopped talking and stood up from his chair, swung her to face him and crouched down in front of her. He put his hand on the side of her head. "Don't think like that, Meggy. Don't turn it into something that it's not. I'm sick of the misunderstandings. I love you and I want you. I just need to know if you feel the same. If you want me, and then we can move on together."

Meggy cried. Tears streamed down her face. A lump burnt in her throat. He said he loved her. This man, who she loved so deeply, said he loved her. She Meg-Anne Dunn was loved by a man. A man who didn't judge her. A man who accepted her for who she was. For what she was.

Grabbing hold of her, Lucan lifted her up and carried her to his bedroom. He kicked the door closed, laid her on his bed, and then sat on the edge, looked down at her, wiped the tears away from her face and pushed her hair behind her ear. "You're so beautiful, Meggy. Happy and easy to get along with. You're everything I want. I never thought there'd be another after Kat. Do you want me, Meg? Me and my lads. I need you to tell me."

She gulped back her tears and took him in her arms. "Yes, Lucan."

He laid his head on her chest and held her. After a moment Lucan kissed her mouth and caressed her. Meggy's bare skin was like a flame to him, burning every essence within him. She was his and no one else's. He would protect her with his life. His need was so immediate that he couldn't control it. Lucan shuddered at the feel of her warm silky skin. "Meg..." he whispered.

She wrapped her arms and legs around him so he would never leave her.

They are finally together forever.  We hope... ♥

Photo taken from Pinterest.