AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A faint blush colored her cheeks, and Gator knew she was thinking about their passionate encounter earlier. He couldn’t help but feel the same way; the memory of their bodies entwined, their feelings finally allowed to surface, left him both exhilarated and at peace.
Sylvie walked over to the kitchen counter, the soft patter of her bare feet on the wooden floor punctuating the silence. She reached for a steaming mug of chicory coffee, wrapping her hands around it and taking a slow sip. Her eyes met Gator’s, and she smiled warmly. “This smells amazing, Gator. I haven’t had a true Cajun breakfast this good in ages.”
Gator grinned, his heart swelling with pride and affection. “Well, I figured, what better way to celebrate us finding our way back to each other,” he replied in a husky voice.
As he plated the omelet, topped with a generous sprinkle of sharp cheddar cheese, Gator couldn’t help but think about how lucky they were to have been reunited after all these years. He knew that life would inevitably throw more challenges their way, but as long as they were together, they could face anything.
Sylvie took a seat at the small kitchen table, her eyes never leaving Gator’s. “I still can’t believe we’re here, together like this. It feels like a dream,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Gator joined her at the table, placing the steaming plate of food before her. He reached out, gently squeezing her hand. “It’s no dream, Sylv. We were meant to be together, and nothing’s going to keep us apart now. And I intend to make the most of it.”
Sylvie’s eyes shone with unshed tears as she looked at Gator, the love between them palpable. “Me too,” she said.
They shared their meal, savoring each bite, but more than that, they savored the time spent in each other’s company…the simple pleasure of being together and of having been given another chance. Sylvie closed her eyes as she took another mouthful and thought, “Tourner la page.”
Indeed, Sylvie’s life had taken a turn, the page of her story flipping to reveal a new chapter. However, she remained unaware of the twists and turns that would unfold in the pages yet to come.
* * *
Gator watchedas Sylvie took another bite of the omelet, her eyes lighting up with pleasure. He couldn’t help but smile, the sight of her happiness warming him from the inside out. He cleared his throat, leaning back in his chair as he spoke.
“You know, Sylv, one of the things I’ve always loved most about you, apart from your incredible beauty, your warmth, and kindness... is your honesty,” he said, his voice filled with sincerity.
At his words, Sylvie’s expression shifted. Her eyes, moments ago filled with happiness, now welled up with tears. She abruptly pushed back her chair, the scrape of its legs against the floor jarring in the otherwise tranquil kitchen.
Gator watched, his heart sinking, as she walked to the door and stared out at the water, her shoulders shaking. He rose from his chair and followed her into the living room, concern etched into his features.
Sylvie slumped to the floor, her back against the wall, her face buried in her hands. Gator hesitated for a moment before crouching beside her, his heart aching with worry. “What’s wrong, Sylv? What did I do?” he asked, his voice gentle yet tinged with anxiety.
She looked up at him, her eyes red and swollen. “It’s just...” she began, her voice trembling. “You talk about my honesty, Gator, but there’s something I haven’t been honest about. Something I’ve been keeping from you. Something that happened.”
Gator’s stomach clenched, but he kept his expression open and supportive. He reached out, placing a reassuring hand on her arm. “Sylv, whatever it is, you can tell me. We can work through it together.”
Her breath hitched as she prepared to share her secret, the weight of her silence finally becoming too much to bear.
Her eyes were red-rimmed and swollen from crying again. The dim light cast a somber glow on her face, highlighting the trail of tears that had stained her cheeks.
He sat down beside her, leaving a little space between them, sensing she might need it. He didn’t want to pressure her; she’d had enough of that in her life already. The room was heavy with silence, punctuated only by the ragged sound of her breathing.
“Sylv,” Gator said gently, his voice soothing as it broke the quiet. “You need to tell me what happened. Everything.”
Sylvie wiped her tears with the back of her hand, taking a shuddering breath before beginning her story. “Marvin... he came there that morning, furious about seeing you at my place. He was drunk, and he... he tried to force himself on me.”
Gator clenched his fists, anger boiling within him. But he needed to remain calm for Sylvie’s sake, so he took a deep breath and urged her to continue.
“I didn’t want to kill him, Gator.” She sobbed. “I just... I had to do something to stop him.”
Her voice trembled as she explained how she had grabbed the baseball bat and swung it at Marvin in a desperate attempt to protect herself. She hadn’t intended to kill him, but the force of her swing had been enough to end his life.
“When Bruno said he saw someone else, I didn’t know what to say,” she admitted, tears streaming down her face. “And then I realized... by staying quiet, I wasn’t just protecting myself. I was protecting you, too.”
Gator’s heart ached as he listened to her confession. He knew she had acted in self-defense, but the law might not see it that way. And he understood why she had kept quiet – implicating herself would have dragged him into the mess as well.
He reached out to her, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Sylv, I believe you,” he said softly. “It’s OK.”
They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of her words settling between them. Gator knew that unless Bruno talked, the police would never know what had happened. And Bruno wouldn’t talk now, because he hadn’t talked then. Surely he would be in trouble too for the initial cover-up.
Gator told this to Sylvie, and she seemed to understand what he was saying.
