To See You

Chapter 9

Zelda closed the door behind them as Boone turned around to look at her while still holding Eden who was giggling. Netty was smiling at them from where she stood at the window.

"Sorry, she got away from me," Netty said as she reached for her purse and rain jacket. "I'll get home now before it gets too late." She walked over to Zelda and hugged her then kiss Eden, who was still in Boone's arms. "Boone, it's good to see you again." She patted his arm.

Then the three of them watched as her small person left through the door, leaving an awkward silence between Boone and Zelda until Eden broke it.

"Tell me about my Dad!" Eden insisted as she looked at Boone.

"No, not tonight," Zelda said. "Boone will take you to your room and put you in bed, and then you will go to bed. It is two hours past your bedtime." Zelda moved towards the bedroom on the right, which was Eden's, and quickly fixed the covers as Boone followed her. When Zelda stepped back, Boone placed Eden in her bed and tucked the covers around her.

Eden reached up and hooked her arms around Boone's neck, pulling his forehead down to hers. "I think I'm going to like you," she whispered.

"I think I'm going to like you," Boone returned, before kissing her forehead. It was an instant connection, and she had only seen Eden feel that for one other person, Lucy.

"Will you come to my Halloween play?" Eden asked as her eyes grew droopy with fatigue.

"Sure," Boone agreed with a smile.

Eden's eyes flew open. "You promise! Uncle Zebadiah has promised to come too."

"I promise I will come to your Halloween play." Boone crossed his heart with his hand. Zelda felt a moment of fleeting panic about what would happen when he didn't show, but she would deal with that when it happened.

"Goodnight," Boone whispered.

"Goodnight," Eden said with a big yawn.

Boone stood and left the room, leaving Zelda to complete the tucking in process. "I like Boone, Mommy," Eden insisted again before she closed her eyes and fell asleep. Zelda smoothed her hair away from her face and studied her. She did look like Collin. It was something that Zelda had never admitted.

Zelda also refused to admit that she looked like her birth mother, Collins lover, Cara White.

Nobody had ever doubted that Zelda was Eden's mother. She hadn't seen anyone in the years before Eden had been born, so she had lost contact with everyone, too ashamed of her failed marriage and life to want to talk to them.

However, Boone had known Cara, she had gone to school with Zelda, and if she were to mention it, Zelda had little doubt that Boone would see the resemblance right away.

Zelda stood and walked towards the living room, closing the door behind her and gathering up her courage to face Boone. She seldom let her thoughts wander to the past, but when she did, it always left her in a fog of depression.

"This is an interesting living choice," Boone said with an amused smile as he looked around at the cracked plaster and peeling linoleum.

"It's not a choice, Boone," Zelda said in a short voice before she could stop herself.

He grew still while he watched her walk towards the couch and sit down, pulling off her wet shoes. "Tell me a secret, Zelda," he insisted.

"I'm broke, Boone." She stopped what she was doing and looked up at him. "I have just enough money to get by, but some months it's tight. Thank God, my great-grandmother left me this house. Otherwise, I would have nowhere to live." Zelda leaned her head back on the couch, exhausted and she felt it dip as Boone joined her.

"How is that possible?" Boone slowly asked, as if trying to figure it out as he spoke. "Your father and Collin must have left you something. If you had invested it properly-"

"Nothing, they left me nothing," Zelda said bitterly. "Collin left a trust for Eden. I get a monthly check to care for her needs. She will get the rest when she turns twenty-one. When I sold the house in L.A., the money went straight into Eden's trust." She took a deep breath. Part of her was relieved to share her troubles.

"My father was the same. He figured Collin had left me well-off, so his will stated that what I would have inherited gets divided between any children I have at the time of my death. He only left me a small monthly allowance. I didn't inherit a thing. His thoughts were that they would get it all in the end anyway, so he might as well cut out the middle man."

"How much do you get a month?" Boone asked, unconcerned that it was a rude question.

Zelda looked at him, debating if she should tell him or not. Thinking that if she was going to share she might as well share it all. "I get three thousand a month."

"You live off of thirty-six thousand a year?" Boone's eyes grew wide.

"It's enough, but barely. Plenty of people manage on less."Zelda felt defensive.

"Does Zebadiah know about this!" Boone demanded as he stood and started pacing.

"Of course not, why would he? It's none of his business." Zelda sat up watching Boone. "He's not to know, Boone. As soon as I graduate I'll find a job, and that will help. I would have found one already, but the school offered me free tuition if I was the face of their admission program. I figured it would be easier to get a job with a master's degree." She gave a cynical snort. "At least it's one benefit to having been Collin's wife." She couldn't hide the bitterness in her voice, and Boone looked at her sharply, reminding Zelda that she needed to guard her tongue.

Thankfully, other than his look, he ignored the comment and focused on their current topic.

"Is this place safe?" Boone asked, looking around the room.

Zelda surged to her feet. "Are you implying that I would allow Eden to live in unsafe conditions," she hissed as her fists balled in anger.

Boone looked at her, shocked at her outburst. "No!" he said. "I know you would never do that."

"Then why would you ask such a thing?"

"Because this place looks like it has seen better days, and according to what you're telling me, you might not have a choice." Boone let his gaze glance around the room.

"I had some money saved from the years I was looking after Father. I took those savings and had the roof, plumbing, and electrical fixed. It may not look pretty, but it is clean and safe," Zelda insisted, her hands still balled into fists. "And it's mine. No one can take it or Eden away from me." She fought tears as she said it.

Boone turned to look at her, studying her red face, tense shoulders, and balled fist. "What kind of hell have you been through, Zelda?" he asked softly.

The comment hit too close to home, and Zelda was about to lose what little control she had left. She knew it was a bad idea to let him into her home. Zelda walked over to the front door.

"I would like you to leave now." She opened it and waited, unable to look at him. When he didn't move, she felt the tears winning. "Please, leave," she choked out.

Zelda felt Boone approach, but instead of walking past her, he stopped in front of her and placed his hand under her chin, lifting it, forcing her to look at him. The tears were quietly running down her cheeks, and he wiped them away with his thumbs.

"You are an amazing woman, Zelda Abbott," he said just before his lips met hers in a fierce kiss. His hands held her face while his lips stole what was left of her soul.

When she opened her eyes, he was gone.