Between the Perennial Blooms || Paul Lahote

Thirty Seven | Forget Me Not

"1. You must let the pain visit.
2. You must allow it to teach you.
3. You must not allow it to overstay."
—Ijeoma Umebinyuo | three routes to healing

   • • • 

The Imprint pair had been slow to say their goodbyes after the last embers of the fire died down to naught but the gray ash it left behind. Bailey had wanted to stay and converse with the wolf pack she hadn't seen in so many days — inquire to Jared about his new Imprint Kim, further get to know Seth and his exuberant personality, make a new friend out of Leah if she replied enough to allow it, and speak with Quil if only to double check that they still stood on level ground. She had wanted to stay — immerse herself in the second family she had never imagined she would be lucky enough to gain — and after observing Jacob and Bella make their way out of the circle and into the trees with parting kisses to her head as a goodbye, she felt more than saw the many eyes looking to her for acknowledgement. They each wanted to have their moment to speak with her — some more so than others if the wide smile on Emily's face and the imploring glint in Kim's eyes proved any indication to go by — and Bailey, being the sweet, compliant girl she was, found herself more than flattered to grant it to them.

In the beginning, Paul had been reluctant to release her from his grip. I haven't seen you in days either, he'd pouted like the petulant child his overgrown, muscular stature so often hid deep inside. Then he'd continued to pout and whine and grumble aggravatingly beneath his breath until Bailey finally promised to spend the night with him just as she had so many times before. Go ahead then, he'd grinned, seemingly placated by her compromise as he settled more comfortably on his wooden perch. Shortly after though, his smile morphed into a smirk and he leaned forward to press his hot lips hard against her ear. Just know that after we leave here tonight, I'm having you all to myself. Then after nipping sharply at her earlobe and swinging his hand in a firm swat to her butt in his version of a parting gift, he quickly sent her on her way.

Two hours and many conversations later however, Paul had reached the max on his capacity for patience. With a grunt, he stood from his seat beside Jared and, having never truly taken his eyes off the sweet sight of his little Imprint before him, he ambled his way over in her direction.

"It's a quarter past midnight, baby," he came up to whisper against her ear as Bailey helped clean the folding table set up off to the side that had once housed the food and paper goods the pack had quickly devoured as per Sue's polite request. His arms snuck forward to wrap around Bailey's waist and he pressed a quick kiss to the side of her head as she threw the last of the hamburger and hot dog wrappers in the black trash bag at her side. "And I'd say you've visited with everyone here at least twice since the fire died down, so I think it's only fair that I cash in my turn now."

"Oh..." Bailey whispered while she melted into his embrace. Seeing the opportunity for what it was, Paul wasted no time in ducking down to pepper wet kisses down the exposed part of her neck after he'd tugged off her scarf with one hand and tucked it into her coat pocket with the other. "W-Well I just need to finish helping Sue clean up real quick and then we can-"

"Oh don't worry about me," Sue piped up from across the way. Her hands worked quick as she finished loading the last of the bottles of ketchup and various other condiments into a cardboard box at her feet. "You go ahead, sweetheart. I can take care of the rest myself."

"But- I mean- are you su-"

"Little Wrenning-bird," Sue interrupted, an exasperated smile adorning her thin lips as she did. "Go."

Then after sharing round after round of mutual words of parting and many a tight hug goodbye, Bailey followed Paul away from the dead bonfire and out into the chilly night.