Everywhere, All At Once

Chapter 25 - Band-Aids and Bullet Holes

Damnit.

 Had she freaked him out completely? Oh, God. She'd freaked herself out completely, so how was she supposed to be able to talk him down?

Kenna stood to follow Aaron into the room, to apologize, to tell him she was not a Stage Five Clinger, and - and she didn't know what else, but whatever would make him feel better about what she'd said, when he came back out of the room holding something in his hand.

"What are you doing?" She asked, breathless.

Aaron took a deep breath. "I, well - I have one more gift for you for your birthday. I was going to wait until our last night here but... This feels like the right time."

Kenna stopped breathing altogether.

Taking her hand, he led her over to the bed and sat on the edge, placing the smallish black velvet pouch he held on the bed beside them.

"Okay, before I give it to you," he said, taking her hands in his which were clammy and a little clumsy, "I just want to say a few things, and I just want you to listen, okay?"

Her heart was in her throat, her hands beginning to shake, hard, but he squeezed them between his own, steadying her.

"Aaron," she began to say, but he pressed a finger gently to her lips.

"Just listen," he said again and she nodded.

He took a deep, deep breath. Then another, blowing them out slowly, trying to get his nerves in check, too, and it only served to unnerve Kenna more.

"You..." He began, and blew out another breath. "You came back into my life when I had no one." He blew out yet another breath. "God, why is this so hard?"

"Take your time," she said softly, trying to somehow be strong for him when she was damn near quaking.

He looked into her eyes, searching, and said, "You were a friend to me. You were a friend to my kids, especially Fiona. And then I finally smartened up and made you mine, and I just... We're so lucky."

Kenna began to shake her head, but he kept talking. "We are so blessed to have you in our lives, Kenna. And," he swallowed, "you were a light in the darkness for us. You still are."

Kenna's eyes watered and her bottom lip trembled.

"Don't cry," he begged, cupping her cheek and brushing a stray tear from her face with the pad of his thumb. "Here."

He reached over to the bag he'd brought in and pulled out a long, skinny, black velvet box, something that probably held a necklace or a bracelet or a watch. Or a keychain. Kenna didn't want to get her hopes up, so she made herself picture a keychain. He opened the box and held it out to her, and Kenna gasped a little, eyes watering almost instantly again.

The box held a necklace after all, a golden one with a long thin chain and gorgeous pendant about the size of her thumb in the shape of a sun with the her birthstone in the center.

"Oh my goodness," she whispered. "Aaron, it's beautiful."

"It reminded me of you," he said, fumbling to free it from the box. "The sun, the light in the darkness... You know? It actually sounds really stupid when I say it out loud."

"No," she half-sobbed. "No, it's perfect."

"Turn around," he said, and she turned, lifting her hair from her shoulders as he clasped the chain around her neck.

Sniffling, she whirled back and launched herself into his arms, nearly knocking him over, but he held her tightly.

"I don't even know what to say," she said into his shoulder trying to keep from falling apart.