Chapter 38

Healing the Soul

One Month Later

Chelsea’s external wounds were healed but her heart refused to mend. Being around her family, although comforting, did little to alleviate her sorrow or shift her loneliness, so she simply withdrew. Try as she might she could not forget about Lucas. She told herself over and over that she was being ridiculous, juvenile and simply pathetic but her heart wasn’t willing to listen. Was this what it was like to give up on life?

Charlotte took her out and encouraged her to date, which Chelsea politely refused to do. Her ever-changing moods, from melancholy to anger and loneliness and back to melancholy, started to worry her family. The only company she kept was a leather bound book. Even though it was painful, she couldn’t control the urge to read it. She wanted to stop torturing herself but did it nevertheless. Having read it several times through, she’d come to understand the man who broke her heart better than she knew herself.

When she put Bloom on the market and urged her parents to do the same with the house, they did so reluctantly. Her Pa tried to coax her back into life and Charlotte advised her daily that there were plenty of fish in the sea. Chelsea only wanted one fish. Pathetic.

* * *

Maggie began to grow tired of her partner’s impossible mood swings. He growled at everyone and was abrasive with her. She couldn’t remember ever seeing him behave this way.

When they first became partners, he was insensitive and apathetic and, for a short time, she’d managed to entice him out of this, albeit only slightly. Over the years he had softened a little but after he'd met Chelsea, the real Lucas had resurfaced.

She'd had many conversations over the past month with Carrie, who reinforced Maggie’s belief that Lucas had changed for the better during his week with Chelsea. She told Maggie how he reminded her of the seventeen year old Lucas, the sweet young man who disappeared when they lost their parents. Chelsea had relit Lucas’s soul, which had turned dark once again. Maggie and Carrie were at a loss.

* * *

Lucas woke up with a hangover, again. This, he discovered, was the only way to cease the images haunting him day and night. Every dark haired girl on the street during the day caused his heart to leap. At night, in his dreams, he relived every moment of their time together. There was no escape.

He opened one eye cautiously and was relieved to find he was alone. He had come close many times over the past weeks, in his drunken haze, to bringing home another nameless girl. This is how he used to fill his empty days, before Chelsea, when his heart was a shadow. Meaningless nights with just any girl would do nothing to ease the oppressing loneliness he lived with now that she was gone.

Last night was still blurry in his mind as he tried to recall through the fog what had occurred. He remembered attempting to pick up a brunette in the bar. He was now, in the cold light of day, thankful he hadn’t. His self-loathing was appeased only slightly, by the fact that he hadn’t used some poor girl to mollify his emptiness, albeit for one night. He knew though, even if he hadn’t been alone, he would still have been lonely.

This morning, for this very reason, he decided enough was enough.

He was still crazy in love with Chelsea Summerville and it was time to have her in his life again, where she belonged. He no longer desired to wake up alone and without her.

* * *

Two Weeks Later

The drive to her parents' house was scenic and relaxing, though it didn’t calm his ragged heart from beating uncontrollably.

What if she doesn’t want me back in her life?

Three anxious hours later, he drove up the sweeping driveway and stared in awe at the majestic house. Immediately catching the eye were stone pillared balconies jutting from upstairs rooms, while the front alcove leading to a set of double doors looked a little magical. His notions were so fanciful and everything appeared different to him now.

The beautiful, vast gardens, sprinkled with the various colours of summer, brought memories flooding back to a time when they lay whispering to each other in the wee hours. He remembered every little detail now, as though it was yesterday, when she’d recounted stories from her life in Tidwell. Her beautiful face had lit up and her eyes had grown wide and vivacious as she’d spoken about her first love, flowers.

His knock was answered by Charlotte and her first reaction was to scowl before bursting into a beaming smile. He knew the large two story house contained two wings separated by a sweeping staircase through the middle, but a quick glance over Charlotte’s shoulder revealed that Chelsea had understated the house’s size and appearance.

“It’s about time you showed up. Chelsea is sulking upstairs.”

Chelsea sat on a small love seat by a large inviting window providing a view of the lovely gardens below. She was hugging her knees to her chest and her face was turned away towards the window. Beside her on the seat sat his journal and his heart beat frantically in hope. He cleared his throat.

* * *

Chelsea stared out into the garden, unseeing. Someone had purchased both Bloom and her house. Her life in the city was over. Now that it was done, she felt sadder than before. Her parents advised her both properties were purchased through an agent and they were unaware who the buyer actually was. That chapter of her life was now over but she still couldn’t close the book. What was she going to do now?

A familiar throat clearing jolted her from her reverie and for a moment she thought she’d imagined it. She turned slowly to find Lucas perched on the foot of her bed, gazing at her, his face guarded and his eyes amber. Her heart leapt.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“I want you to come back to the city.”

“Why?”

“Because I do.”

“Why? Besides, I can’t. I've sold Bloom and the house.”

“I know. I bought them both.”

“What? Why?”

“My parents left me some money, which was more than enough to purchase the shop and house. I want you to come home.”

“Why?”

“Because...”

“Because what, Lucas?”

“Because ... I’m in love with you. I was from the moment I saw you.”

He stood up and strode the short distance across the room. He lifted her up from the seat and drew her in close to him. A wave of emotions coursed through her as she studied his expression. His crooked smile sent her heart into a flurry and his eyes were full of love. His hand came to her face and he ran a fingertip down her cheek and stopped at her chin.

“Can you forgive me?” he asked in a broken voice.

She nodded, unable to speak.

His lips sought hers, lovingly, hungrily. She wrapped her legs around his waist and returned his kiss with vigour, the long lonely weeks pouring from her lips to his. He pulled back to stare into her eyes and saw he was still there.

“I love you too.” She smiled with delight.

“Please come home with me.”

“If you promise you won’t ever leave me again.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” he said and kissed her again.