Sixty-Nine- Just let it all out

After a brief but very serious conversation with the man who was claiming to be Chloe's father, Nathaniel began his search for the lady who he prayed hadn't sojourned into the other side of the small, almost boring town.

Ignoring the repetitive appreciative glances some middle aged women who were having an evening walk gave him, Nathaniel began to take long strides down the road, his fingers already punching the dial button of his phone.

That was when he realized he didn't have her number.

At that moment, everything he had been surprisingly missing came to his notice. Sure, he told her the night before he wouldn't worry about her ability to handle a gun well, but with the entry of her father who she once told him she didn't have, he wondered what else she was hiding from him.

Nathaniel knew at the back of his mind that it was unlikely for her to give him a direct response to his simple yet somewhat complicated question. But he wanted to know regardless.

He didn't want to keep feeling like she was a person he wouldn't be able to trust. And Nathaniel certainly didn't mind opening up to her if she wanted him to.

Anything to clear any sketchiness that maybe lurking here and there.

Anything to make what they have going on work.

The tall man took a deep sigh and his tracks stopped and his eyes took a quick scan of his surroundings. There was really no hiding place in sight and his earlier prayer could not help but be repeated.

The town really didn't span past a certain perimeter.

Anything away from that perimeter would lead one to a thick forest, according to sentences he picked randomly during his seldom visit to the town whenever he needed to clear his head.

Without wasting a second more, his legs picked a faster pace and with his sense of protection growing, he searched for the dark haired beauty as far as he could with his sharp eyes.

After another unsuccessful round of peeking through small fences and taking tours around the small shops, Nathaniel was about to call Sebastian to come help when he realized there was one particular place he was yet to check.

It was the only thing he liked about the town. It was an old bakery shop which recently expanded to become a small bookstore slash café. And it was the only building one sees at the end of the long, downhill road.

Built with red bricks which were arranged in a spectacular way as well as decorated with interesting things that made the place look less boring, the building was already giving off the regular bakery scent which reminded Nathaniel to make sure to buy a cake for Chloe.

Taking a deep breath in as he really hoped she was behind the low wooden doors whose hinges were quite flexible, Nathaniel adjusted his hair which he could tell, without looking, had been shifted by gentle air around.

Soon, his feet walked him past the entrance and with swift yet precise browsing, he checked for the woman whose disappearance was already making him freak out a little somewhere within him.

When his eyes landed on the far left end of the rectangular shaped room, Nathaniel's heart skipped a little in excitement as he knew without doubt that the woman who was facing the wall in front of her while she played recklessly with her hair was Chloe.

Nathaniel, who already determined to not show his excitement, gathered himself and with his majestic gait, he approached the unaware woman.

"Do you realize you can be stupid at times?" he asked her sternly as he found his stance just beside the small, oval, a little chipped table which had two servings of cake on it.

Chloe's shoulders sagged as she let out a breath with such intensity, you'd think she had been holding it for a long, long time.

"You found me," she said.

"You don't sound excited about that," Nathaniel returned the dryness in her voice.

Before she gave a reply to his accusation, she reached for the fork beside the white plate which carried the little weight of the chocolate cake that had been waiting for some touch.

After stabbing a section of the loaf cake, Chloe brought the fork closer to her face and she observed the delicacy with a blank look on her face.

When Nathaniel realized there would be no room for him to rush her out of the shop, he made a wheezing sound which was followed by a scarping sound from the iron chair opposite Chloe's.

Another sigh came from Chloe who pushed the second plate towards Nathaniel after then, took a bite of the cake in her hold.

A once over at the plate and Nathaniel said, "I spoke to the man who calls himself your... father."

If her curiosity was roused by his reluctance, she didn't show. Instead, with the same blankness still present she asked, "What kind of pity tale did he tell you?"

She spun her head a bit before locking eyes with Nathaniel who was doing his best to look as calm as possible.

"He said he regrets leaving you behind. Is that why you don't consider your parents alive? Because he abandoned you?"

Chloe scoffed and a closer look at her face broke Nathaniel's heart. He has seen her being serious and silly but the sad look was a new one and it really put a strain on his heart.

He wanted to reach out to her but he knew it was finally time to hear a bit of her story and if she was willing to tell him, he definitely wanted to hear all of it.

"Are you going to lecture me about how terrible my way of thinking is?" she asked him with an somewhat harsh tone.

"No, I simply want to know how and why. And I want to soothe the pain his departure left you in after. "

Her lips fell apart slightly and Nathaniel smiled softly at her. As he reached out for her other hand which was being restless by tapping away at the wooden structure, he wore a even bigger smile.

Chloe then looked more relaxed.

"I can't help but hate him."

Another reassuring tap, he gave her hand before seating back.

" Both he and my mom left my brother and I when we still very young. You can imagine how tough things were."

Chloe wore a small frown as she looked ahead at the wall again.

"I can't even determine who had it rougher between my brother and I. But now that I think of it, it was probably him because he always had to take care of me no matter how inconvenient it was for him.

That's why... when he died-"

Nathaniel noticed her nose twitching as well as her eyes and he could tell without an instructional manual that she was fighting her tears. He wanted to tell her not to fight them, but he really knew it wasn't the time to talk.

So he waited till she continued.

"When he died, it really took a toll on me and it made me change a lot. His death, which was very... strange is the reason I am working as a maid for you guys. I..."

Chloe closed her eyes momentarily and as she did, the tears came falling and Nathaniel could feel every part of him losing a grip. He felt so weak as her breath shook, he felt shaken as her lips curled with sadness and he knew he couldn't take it anymore.

Grabbing her hand as he got up abruptly definitely swung her out of her little attempt of getting herself together.

"Let's go," he said sternly as she looked up at him questionably.

" Where?" She managed to ask.

"Somewhere where you'll have to feel better," he swiftly replied then took a few pound notes from his pocket which he slammed on top the table before he walked the both of them out of the place without any other explanation.

~

"A motel?" Chloe blinked at the small building whose brief description was carved not so artistically on a framed board with rotting iron edges.

"This is the only place we can rest. And I really don't want us to go back home tonight, so..."

He swung their intertwined hands towards the building.

"Let's just stay here, okay?"

Chloe actually didn't mind. She had actually been craving for a good place to lay down.

"It's fine. Let's go in."

Nathaniel gave a curt nod and soon, they were in the small reception, then, they were on their way to their designated room.

The room was nothing extravagant. A single bed in the middle of the room, a worn couch just few distances away from it, a very old looking rug, Chloe doubted she would get to go to dream land like she wanted.

"I guess we'll have to manage the bed," Nathaniel announced monotonously and Chloe gave nothing but a single nod.

"Do you want to freshen up?"

"Hmm..." Her shoulders lifted a bit as she glanced through the space they were in again.

"No. I'll just wait till we get back home."

"Alright then..." Nathaniel took few steps backwards so he was now holding her hand from quite a distance. Before she could ask him what he intended to do, he tugged at her hand and had her bumping hard into his chest with her back.

Without words, with duck-like steps, he began to walk the both of them towards the bed, his warmth doing a great job of making the saddened woman feel wanted.

When their feet were almost touching the end of the bed, Nathaniel released his hold and also, without warning, he carried her bridal style and walked to the side before laying her down as gently as possible.

A bit confused, Chloe watched him as he retraced his steps and walked towards the other side. But all the mini chaos within her soon died down when his body touched the bed which struggled to fit his stature.

When he was settled in a seemingly comfortable way, he pulled her closer into his chest, crossed one of his legs over her thighs and said, while ensuring that he was hugging her well, "This is it Chloe."

"Uh?"

"This is a moment I always look forward to." Nathaniel found a way to lock eyes with her.

" You and I alone, in each other's arms. This moment gives me peace." A finger of his had started to stroke her arm gently.

"I hope this moment brings you peace as well."

Chloe finally realized he was referring to her breakdown and after saying a simple, 'oh', she looked away and sighed.

Her father appearing suddenly brought back the past and its hardships. It reminded her of her brother and his unjust death. It reminded her of her shitty life.

"Chloe?" Nathaniel must have sensed her detour to a depressing topic, so he snapped her out of it, his finger still finding a way to introduce his electrifying touch.

Chloe took a loud gulp before locking eyes with his which awed her with how adventurous and gentle they looked.

"It is okay to cry. You are in my arms now, so it is fine."

"Is it?" He gave a short nod and her lips scrunched as her heart became heavy. She knew she wanted to cry but she feared she would flood the place. There were so many issues to be sad about.

"Don't think baby girl, just let it all out," his raspy voice managed to sound so soft, it penetrated her walls and soon, her stubbornness fell apart.

And the tears came and to hide them, she buried her head in Nathaniel's chest and the man didn't complain, he welcomed the incoming flood with open arms.