Three Little Birds

New Beginnings Pt. 1

I disengaged myself from Liz and Mykel and sat up. I leaned over and gently kissed her cheek.

"Thank you. For everything. You have no idea what you've done for me."

"You've done more than you know for me as well, Mattie, love."

I smiled gently at her teary tone and the palm she gently pressed to my cheek. I kissed it.

"We'll talk about that one day. But I'm exhausted." I looked at Mykel then. "Take me to bed?"

He nodded not saying anything. I knew where his mind was going. I hadn't responded to him earlier, and it sprouted seeds of doubt.

As Liz bid her goodnight, she handed Mykel something and he half smiled. As she closed her bedroom door, I interlaced our fingers and he led me upstairs.

"Do you want--"

"No." He looked surprised at my vehement interruption. I dragged him into my room and pulled him under the covers with me.

I kissed him then, long and hard and with all the passion I could muster. "I've lived without you once. I never want to do it again. I love you, too, Mykel. I'm so in love with you it terrifies me to my very core. But I know that I love you and I know that I need you, and I know that I don't ever want to be without you." I kissed him again, softly this time, feather light and full of both terror and promise. "I'll give you my heart, Mykel, if you promise not to break it. Its already so shattered as it is...I don't think it could handle anymore."

Mykel looked me in the eyes a moment before bringing his lips to mine.

"I give you this vow, here, tonight. I can't always promise things will be easy. But what I do swear to you Mattie, is that I'll spend my life proving to you how much you mean to me. I'll always try to make you as happy as you make me, though I don't know how I could.

"I'll try, though. Most importantly, Mattie, I love you. I'm in love with you. That means I'll never raise my hand at you in anger. I love you, but I don't own you, and I won't try and control you."

I scooted closer to him, nuzzling into his neck as his arm wound around me. "Just keep me safe. I never knew what safe could feel like until the first time I was in your arms."

He kissed my forehead and I could feel his lips smiling, and I fell asleep with his promise filling my heart.

It was four days later that Mykel came home later than normal, finding Liz and I bundled under an electric blanket on the back swing, huddled into one another, smoking a blunt.

"You maniacs. Why then hell are you out here?" There was a laugh in his question, his eyes bright.

"This is our spot," Liz said matter-of-fact, as if he should already know this.

"Well get inside, both of you, before you freeze."

"That's what the electric blanket is for, Mykel."

I smiled at her. "Come on, Liz. Let's go inside."

"Alright, so what are you so excited about?" Liz asked once we were all back in the house.

"The shop is done. I open next week!" Mykel's eyes sparkled with excitement and he bounced on the balls of his feet.

"That's fucking awesome!" Liz shouted, a smile spreading across her face in delight. "I'm so proud of you!"

Liz threw her arms around his neck and hugged him, squealing when he spun her around.

He set her down with an ornery glint and he laughed when she smacked him. "Asshat. I hate when you pick me up. So when can we see this mystery shop of yours?"