Whispers From Below

Chapter 23

My toes and fingers were numb in the morning, still bright red while eating breakfast I sat right in front of the fire shivering uncontrollably. "You good?"

Nodding "yeah I'll be okay."

His hand lowered in front of me with a mug of something steaming, taking it just to hold in my cold hands.

"You did beyond my expectations last night, most of the men that I do that can never make it to the surface I always have to yank them up."

Furrowing my brows "you teach people to swim that way always?"

He laughed taking a seat on the floor next to me "no, I am teaching them to endure water temperatures. It takes them days of doing it to even be able to break the surface, no one has ever made it back to the boat."

Wiggling my body side to side, holding my head up high "see women are better than men."

Chuckling "there are stories of women being able to withstand more pain than men, and the past almost year of training you I am believing it to be true. Hell even back in Kardama you were back on your feet in days and working within a few days. You are the best decision I have ever made, Little Dove."

He wrapped his arm around me, holding me against him and kissing my temple, "thank you Ryland, for being the father I have always needed."

Putting his chin on top of my head, "I am pretty sure by the world's standards I am the worst father that has existed."

Shrugging "well that's the world, not me. And for my standards you are just what I needed."

Ry had told Poppy that I was staying in today due to still thawing out, being in the bakery with the burning ovens kneading dough had me warming up in no time. "Aye, Lil someone's up front."

Bunter yelled at me from one of the booths, I walked around "and you can't do it yourself?"

Cyrus was there with a couple flowers, looking at him shockedly blinking. "Hey, I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

My face turned red, Bunter was staring the boy down. I grabbed his arm and went outside with him.

"Yeah I'm okay, I'm sorry about last night just something came up."

Putting his hand up shaking his head "there's no need to be sorry at all, Em told me. You do not deserve to be hurt, I am sorry on behalf of the whole male existence."

Chuckling and smiling, "well thank you."

He put his hand on my cheek brushing his thumb over, "you're covered in flour you know that."

"Yeah that's part of the job" I put my hand over his, he flinched and took his hand away to cover mine.

"you're freezing, you need to get inside before you catch a cold." Little did he know that was already happening from swimming in frozen water. Holding the flowers to me, a bunch of Christmas roses, bright white with yellow centers, he kissed my forehead "I will see you tomorrow."

My face plastered with a smile and covered in red getting back into the shop, "now that's a face I've never seen from you." Bunter chuckled, covering my face "shut up." Setting the flowers up at the front counter and heading into the back again.

That night I went to Em's place, it was just her and I. I laid on her bed as she wrapped clothes around herself showing me new things she bought.

After some twirling around she plopped down next to me. "Do you think Hudson and I are gonna get married?" She asked me hopeful, I giggled at her. "Probably Em, he'd be stupid to not marry you."