well.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You have a lifetime ahead of you. I want to watch my girl marry the man she loves and hold my grandchildren. I want to know Maggie will be okay, that I can leave this world without worry. I want those memories so much. Damned cancer. It hurts you to be here with me, to help Maggie with things around the house, because of your empathy.”
“Yes. I feel your pain as if it were mine.”
“Then why do you put yourself through the hell?”
“Because I want to help you and because I love Rhia. I didn’t come here to cause you more distress.”
“Speak your piece then.”
“I want to ask for your blessing to marry Rhiannon when she’s ready. I don’t know when that day will come, but I want to know we have your blessing.”
“You want to marry my daughter? You want to get married?” His grin was both pleased and wary.
“More than I want my next breath. I’d like your promise to keep this between us for now.”
John was silent for a moment, then smiled. “She’ll be a beautiful bride, and if you are what my baby girl wants, then you have my blessing and my sympathy. Lord, I love that child, but she’s a feisty one.”
* * * *
Seeing Skye didn’t need any help to carry in the heavy iron frame and rails, Rhiannon immediately set about unpacking the boxes of clothes and treasures she’d taken from home, thinking about her dorm room at university as she’d put them away. She had carried just enough with her then to manage the homesickness, leaving the rest behind to ground her at home.
Skye called to her from the bedroom. “Rhia, got any tools up here?”
She pulled a small box with different sockets out from under the bathroom sink and walked back into the open space that served as both a bedroom and living area. The room had once been used as attic storage, but had been renovated as an apartment meant for a single person.
“Will these work?” Rhiannon handed him the kit.
“Hmm. Maybe. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. So, what did you and Da talk about after I left?”
“Things. You and I. The weather. Hey, would you hold this up for a second?”
She held the rail steady while he fastened the bolts connecting it the headboard. “Skye. You’re holding out on me.”
“He asked me if it hurt to be around him, if I could feel his pain because of my gift. He wanted to know how much time he has left, if I could see when he would pass.”
“I’m sorry. He shouldn’t have done that.”
“Don’t be. I’d like to think when my time comes, I could face it head on. He’s leaving someone special behind.” He brushed a loose curl out of her eyes, his touch light.
“Do you know how long he…” She couldn’t stop the tears, didn’t want to. Tired of hiding the fear and worry, here with him she didn’t have to hide.
“I don’t want to tell you, Rhia. I know you are hurting. I feel your grief as strong as his pain. You think it will be easier to know, but it won’t. Knowing won’t change anything. Come here.”
Rhia went into his arms and clung to him. “Please. If you can tell me, I have to know.”
Skye sighed, cuddling her closer. “Soon. A couple of weeks. It feels like the pain is attacking every part of me when I’m near him.” When her legs gave out, Skye sank to the floor with her, pulling her into his lap.
She sobbed into his shoulder. “I’m not ready to let him go. It’s not right. Not fair. Why? Why, Skye?”
“I don’t know. I just don’t know. I wish I could take your pain away.”
“Just hold me for a bit. Will you?”
“We talked about one other thing, love.” Skye’s hand stroked her hair as though he were comforting a child. “I told your Da how much I love you, how important you are to me.”
“I’m glad of that. What did he say?”
“That I’m a rake who is too old to debauch his princess.”
Rhia laughed at that. “Oh, he did not!”
“He did sort of, but I changed his mind.”
“Oh really? And
“That’s easy for you to say. You have a lifetime ahead of you. I want to watch my girl marry the man she loves and hold my grandchildren. I want to know Maggie will be okay, that I can leave this world without worry. I want those memories so much. Damned cancer. It hurts you to be here with me, to help Maggie with things around the house, because of your empathy.”
“Yes. I feel your pain as if it were mine.”
“Then why do you put yourself through the hell?”
“Because I want to help you and because I love Rhia. I didn’t come here to cause you more distress.”
“Speak your piece then.”
“I want to ask for your blessing to marry Rhiannon when she’s ready. I don’t know when that day will come, but I want to know we have your blessing.”
“You want to marry my daughter? You want to get married?” His grin was both pleased and wary.
“More than I want my next breath. I’d like your promise to keep this between us for now.”
John was silent for a moment, then smiled. “She’ll be a beautiful bride, and if you are what my baby girl wants, then you have my blessing and my sympathy. Lord, I love that child, but she’s a feisty one.”
* * * *
Seeing Skye didn’t need any help to carry in the heavy iron frame and rails, Rhiannon immediately set about unpacking the boxes of clothes and treasures she’d taken from home, thinking about her dorm room at university as she’d put them away. She had carried just enough with her then to manage the homesickness, leaving the rest behind to ground her at home.
Skye called to her from the bedroom. “Rhia, got any tools up here?”
She pulled a small box with different sockets out from under the bathroom sink and walked back into the open space that served as both a bedroom and living area. The room had once been used as attic storage, but had been renovated as an apartment meant for a single person.
“Will these work?” Rhiannon handed him the kit.
“Hmm. Maybe. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. So, what did you and Da talk about after I left?”
“Things. You and I. The weather. Hey, would you hold this up for a second?”
She held the rail steady while he fastened the bolts connecting it the headboard. “Skye. You’re holding out on me.”
“He asked me if it hurt to be around him, if I could feel his pain because of my gift. He wanted to know how much time he has left, if I could see when he would pass.”
“I’m sorry. He shouldn’t have done that.”
“Don’t be. I’d like to think when my time comes, I could face it head on. He’s leaving someone special behind.” He brushed a loose curl out of her eyes, his touch light.
“Do you know how long he…” She couldn’t stop the tears, didn’t want to. Tired of hiding the fear and worry, here with him she didn’t have to hide.
“I don’t want to tell you, Rhia. I know you are hurting. I feel your grief as strong as his pain. You think it will be easier to know, but it won’t. Knowing won’t change anything. Come here.”
Rhia went into his arms and clung to him. “Please. If you can tell me, I have to know.”
Skye sighed, cuddling her closer. “Soon. A couple of weeks. It feels like the pain is attacking every part of me when I’m near him.” When her legs gave out, Skye sank to the floor with her, pulling her into his lap.
She sobbed into his shoulder. “I’m not ready to let him go. It’s not right. Not fair. Why? Why, Skye?”
“I don’t know. I just don’t know. I wish I could take your pain away.”
“Just hold me for a bit. Will you?”
“We talked about one other thing, love.” Skye’s hand stroked her hair as though he were comforting a child. “I told your Da how much I love you, how important you are to me.”
“I’m glad of that. What did he say?”
“That I’m a rake who is too old to debauch his princess.”
Rhia laughed at that. “Oh, he did not!”
“He did sort of, but I changed his mind.”
“Oh really? And
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