Burning Out

79- home

Song- Right Down the Line by Gerry Rafferty

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Our house is stunning.

It looks like a beautiful piece of architecture that should have been built a couple hundred years in the past and situated in the south of France. And while I'm sure it was actually built a couple of hundred years in the past, it definitely isn't in the south of France.

It is, however, in a likely next best location. The town is quaint and idyllic. Our garden is huge, a long plane of the greenest grass only infiltrated with naturally growing flowers bursting with all kinds of colours. The patio outside is traced with a fine line of lilacs which makes me wonder if that was the tipping point for Leo– if those flowers made the decision for him. I like to think they did.

Old stone and a slate roof. The rich sun creates a whole new world of beauty as it begins to set. The plants that climb up the outside walls shine deeper greens and the white rimmed windows glisten under the shimmer.

As for the interior, it's truly breathtaking. A pair of timeless doors, the perimeters of the panels of glass being the same white wood as the windows, open into a wide foyer area. A floor that echoes with the tap of a heel and large windows that span the place with light.

A large circular staircase spirals up to the first floor; leaving the rooms of the kitchen and lounge and all of the other gorgeous areas beneath.

Up here there's a long hallway that leads to the master bedroom at the very end with the others sprouting off as you walk along the shiny floor.

Our bedroom is just as would be assumed. Neat, elegant and impossibly beautiful.

So now just as I close the doors behind me, fiddling with my earring in one ear, I can't quite believe where I have found myself ending up.

We only just arrived at our house late last night after travelling back from London after the meal with Leah and Becky. It went well, there was a lot of conversation about how the fuck everything happened and just general catching up. For the most part– aside from the occasional crude remark– Leonardo was on his best behaviour. We made arrangements for them to come over here next Monday and hugged them goodbye.

And now he and I are going out for a meal. It's to celebrate his last job being tomorrow. Leonardo said it's a well known place around his local area– apparently it's the best restaurant near to where we now live. I have a feeling we're about to become loyal customers.

As for Mia and Leo's mother, we haven't yet seen them. We're set to meet Mia the day after tomorrow, I think we're going to take her walking down the local flower garden. Leo's promised I will meet his mother. I'm aware there are some uncomfortable feelings but I know there's nothing severely bad about their relationship so I'm actually quite looking forward to meeting her.

I smooth my hands down my dress as I begin to walk down the stairs. It's mid-thigh and a silky white and I found it in the wardrobe when I began to unload my luggage. A note was attached and, of course, it was scrawled in Leonardo's gorgeously messy hand-writing.

I lift my vision from my heels as they lightly clatter along the stone steps and find my gaze locking with a pair of warm grey eyes. And to think they used to look at me with a coldness and hatred. Now they look at me with love. Undeniable, incredible, heart-warming love.

I smile at him to the point that my cheeks sting with a welcomed pain. He smiles back. Just as widely.

With his hand outstretched, he helps me from the last step and instantly places his palm along my jaw, staring down at me with a look that wraps its arms around my shoulders and holds me in a comforting hug for eternity, sheltering me from the storms and protecting me from the danger.