We ate, we chatted about Dylan, Luke’s work, my family, and my career as a librarian. Luke finished his beer and had a small glass of the wine he’d ordered. I put the lemon drop aside and finished the bottle of wine off. It was delicious, and I was so keyed up that I let myself go. I let myself enjoy a fantasy dinner in a beautiful place with this beautiful man who loved me so much. I had an odd sense of freedom—like everything that had been happening wasn’t real, and I could just float above the earth, over this beautiful river sparkling with moonlight and candles and have a moment of peace.

After dinner, I sat next to Luke, wrapped in his arms on the tiny couch in the corner of the dining room. We gazed out at the river and ate dessert. He turned me in his arms and kissed me. I let him in. I always let him in. I knew I always would, and I hoped he would return the favor.

17

Lily

After our date, Luke pulled up to the curb at Gram’s house. I would be staying with my parents and Luke was going to help me pack a few of my things before he took me there. Right away I could tell something was wrong.

I turned to Luke. “The porch light should be on. It’s on a timer.” The front of the house was pitch dark, the house was set far back from the curb, and the trees kept it shaded from the streetlights.

“Stay here, call your dad,” he commanded and exited the truck. He started up the dark front path to my door, I took out my cell to make the call and stayed put, trying not to panic. He turned around after he got halfway up the path. “The door is wide open. We’ll stay out here and wait,” he said as he climbed back into the truck and locked the doors.

“He’s on his way. He said to wait in the truck.”

“You should stay with me instead of your parents,” he declared.

“I can’t stay with you. We don’t even know what happened. It could just be a random robber, or the door could have blown open or something.” I knew that was ridiculous after everything that had happened, but I didn’t want to leave my happy, loved-up, somewhat drunken bubble and hit reality.

“We both know it’s not random, Lily. You know you are in danger. I won’t let anything or anyone hurt you or the kids,” he said, and I could tell his meaning was double. He wouldn’t hurt us either. The intensity in his eyes was a promise.