Love Comes in Three

Chapter Fifty-Seven "Ice and Violets"

            Thomas glowered at me for a moment and when I didn't stand down he headed for the door, stopping at Leah, "Are you going to move or do I have to move you?" he snapped.

            Leah shrugged and moved beside me.  Thomas forcefully opened the door and headed for the hall.  We heard some exchange before Isaac reappeared in the doorway, "Is everything all right?"  he inquired looking at us.  I nodded and sank back into my chair.

            "Do you need me to follow him?" Leah offered.

            "Just make sure he leaves the house, I don't care after that," Isaac said giving her shoulder a squeeze.  "Thank you, Leah."  I watched him smile at her and she beamed back at him before she left the room. 

            I tried thinking of all my time here and the differences between them and trying to decide when it was Isaac and when it was Thomas.  Leah was far more comfortable around Isaac, even from the short time this evening, it was obvious that he cared about her . . . Thomas seemed only to care about Thomas.  "Penny for your thoughts," Isaac said kneeling beside me again.

            "I'm just trying to put it all together," I said clasping my forehead.  My mind was racing over everything that happened tonight, everything I saw . . . everything I heard.

            "Are you sure you are okay?  Did he hurt . . . "

            "It was just a kiss," I breathed shakily and then looking at him, "How many times have you kissed me?"

            His worry seemed to melt for a moment and a smile began to spread, "More than five but less than ten?"  I narrowed my eyes at him.  "The first time was in the hall . . . in front of Leah.  The second was day after your debut when I gave you the perfume, when Faith returned.  Then there was day of our picnic in the park . . . and when I left with Philip."

            "But that's only four."

            "After the picnic I kissed your cheeks, your nose and then your lips . . . that brings my count to seven."

            "But you're counting each one," I started to argue.

            "A kiss is a kiss," he smiled for a moment before lowering his head, "I only wish that mine were not marred by his."

            "But it was just," I stopped myself when he looked up at me again.  There was something in his eyes, he was troubled perhaps thinking about Thomas and how he acted with me. Isaac though, he remembered every kiss we shared, with fondness.  "There is no comparison," I smiled.  His smile widened easily when he saw that I spoke honestly and brought the palm of my hand to his lips.  "That's eight," I whispered.

            "I hope you know that I am sorry it happened like this, but maybe it was for the best," he sighed.

            "But didn't you want to tell me before?"  I was still baffled that I hadn't known for months.  That I hadn't even considered the possibility that . . . but how could I?

            "Desperately," he breathed as he moved closer, "I desperately wanted you to be mine . . . to love me . . . to say my name," he leaned his forehead against mine and I felt my eyelids fall and I concentrated on our nearness.

            "Why didn't you just tell me?  I would have understood," I argued.  Granted I couldn't be sure, I was still struggling now, even though I saw them side by side.