Love Me Crazy

16. My Stronghold

His eyes are like crystals...like diamonds.

They shine upon me and I am well.

They are like pools of water.

They heal my wounds.

His arms are like a fortress.

They protect my heart.

His embrace is like a bastion.

And he thus lives up to his name.

His smile is like the sun.

It warms and comforts my soul.

His face is smooth and tender.

It is like silk to my skin.

His heart is like stormy clouds.

It is fierce and strong.

Yet it is also like a blue sky.

It is wide and deep and ever-expanding in kindness and love.

Love...

That's how I feel.

I am in love...with him.

With everything that he is made up of...

So why then...how then...could he be murderer?

It's not plausible...not real.

How could he conceal such evil and malice in his soul?

How I ask?

Perhaps...perhaps now, the truth that seemed impossible to me would be set straight.

Maybe now, I would finally get to really know my love.

I was pressing my head farther and farther into his chest. It was so gentle...so warm. I never, ever wanted him to let me go.

But when he said, "You're in trouble", I knew our embrace would have to end.

I pulled away, my face sticky with tears. I looked into his eyes.

They were blank with urgency.

I glanced behind my shoulder. My mother and John were looking on with bamboozled expressions. Here I had been, all wrapped up and tangled in the arms of a guy they had never seen. Sure, I had mentioned Bastion before. But my parents never knew I had pretty much been his girlfriend a year and half ago. And they certainly didn't know that I had reunited with him in the past two months.

My mother inched forward.

I looked up to Bastion.

"Can they know?" I whispered.

He gazed on.

Then he turned back to me.

He shook his head.

I sighed and then revolved around to face my parents. My mother cocked her head to right, as if to say "Who the hell is this?" and John just observed me, still completely bewildered.

I had to think of a fib and quick.

"Mom...John...this is um...this is..." I murmured.

Oh come on. This was not the time to clam up!

"Matthew Bastion," Bastion said quickly and in a firm, polite voice, "Mary and I used to be on the school newspaper together. Um...Mary quit awhile ago, as you probably already know, and I just wanted to drop by and say hi. I...I really missed her. And-and I also have a few of her old articles to give to her. I'm sorry I came without notice."