The Veils: a Love Story (special preview)

I hold her again, feeling Clara, smelling Clara. “Yeah, I know,” I whisper.

Clara takes hold of my hand. “You ok, Mr. Edmund?” She asks me. “Did something happen at work today?”

I shake my head a few times then chuckle. “Who are you?”

She looks me over with an inquisitive look. “I think you need to lie down and sleep.” She tugs at my hand. “I just put clean sheets on the bed and took the old duvet down from the closet, so you should feel all cozy.”

“No, really.” I grip her hand tighter as we enter the hallway. “Who are you?”

Clara turns back and looks up at me. “Edmund,” she says sternly, “let go of me.” She tries to jerk her hand away.

I latch tigher, gripping her hand hard. “Who. Are. You?” I repeat slowly, intensely. I inch in closer to her, yanking her so she’s right in front me.

“You’re hurting me!” Clara struggles harder. She looks up at me with wide green eyes. “Edmund? Edmund!” She screams. “Stop it!” Big fat tears come to her eyes. “You’re hurting me! Edmund!” 

I gasp, losing my breath, and release her. She stumbles back from me, tripping over her feet and falling down in the hallway. She’s crying, sniveling as she presses her back into the corner.

“Oh my god,” I whisper. “Oh my god, Clara! I’m so sorry!”

“Whatever happened at work, don’t take it out on me!” Clara screams at me. “That really hurt!” She looks up at me with a massive scowl on her face.

I kneel down in front of her. “I’m sorry, I really am. I don’t know what came over me.” I sit there for a moment while she cries. “I don’t have an excuse for why I did that.”

Clara wipes her face with the sleeves of her sweatshirt. “You scared me.”

“I know,” I whisper, fear bubbling up inside me as well. “I’m sorry.”

Clara huffs, wiping her eyes a final time. “Help me up.”

I stand and give her my hand. She tugs on my wrist to get up then looks into the bedroom. “You really want to make it up to me?” She asks.

I nod, unable to speak.

“Then-” a coy smile spreads across Clara’s face. She leads me into the bedroom and pulls me down on top of her in bed. She kisses me, pulling out a hunger in me. Everything feels, tastes, and smells like Clara. I have missed her for so long and so much, I fall into her easily, repeatedly. I take my time remembering every nook and cranny of her and how much I love her. I exhaust myself by burying everything in the memories I hold of her. It is all so strange being with her, knowing she is gone and yet in my arms at the same time. 

“For sure need to shave,” she teases as she lays her head on my chest. Her fingers trail down my stomach and back up. “That stubble hurt my thighs, you know?”

“Sorry,” I rub my hand up and down her back. “I guess I got carried away.”

Clara kisses my cheek. “I didn’t mind.” She nestles back down. “I don’t know about you, but I needed that.”

“Yeah,” I murmur, staring up at the uneven wobbling of the ceiling fan. The lights are still on, but dimmed. Clara never let me completely turn them off as she wanted to see me during all of it.