Page 75 of Aperture

I yawn and stretch and roll my neck from side to side, trying to ease some of the tension that has taken up permanent residence there over the past week.

Forcing myself to get out of bed, I use the bathroom and walk into the kitchen.

Wyatt and Milo wrestle around on the living room floor. I stop and smile, enjoying the scene. When I clear my throat a pair of blue eyes and a pair of brown eyes pop up to meet mine in surprise. They both look up at me like kids who got caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

“I’m sorry I woke you,” Wyatt says as he gets up.

He goes into the kitchen and opens three different cabinets before he finds my coffee cups. I watch him with amusement but don’t bother to offer any help. I’m too busy enjoying the view of him in my kitchen.

We haven’t talked about us at all, instead just spending the night wrapped up in each other. We will have that conversation in the future, but for now, I feel like we just need to be together.

Wyatt’s voice shakes me from my thoughts. “I woke up early and didn’t want to leave yet so I thought I’d make you some coffee.”

He walks over and hands me a cup, almost filled to the brim. It’s exactly the correct tan color, indicating that he added just the right amount of creamer.

“Thank you,” I tell him, holding it in both hands and savoring the smell as it hits my nostrils.

“I tried to call Theo this morning,” he says. “I need to talk to him.”

“Do you still think he had something to do with Sophia’s disappearance?” I ask.

He sighs. “I do, Millipede. I’m not sure how exactly, but he knows more than he’s letting on.”

“Do you think he left that picture in my house? I mean, why would he do that?”

“I don’t know,” he says. “Maybe to fuck with me?”

I nod my head. I know Wyatt has to see this thing through no matter what.

In the end, if Theo was involved, Wyatt will do what he has to do.

“When I called,” he explains, “it went straight to voicemail. He may have blocked me.”

“I can try to call if you want?” I ask tentatively. I don’t want to, but Theo isn’t doing himself any favors by avoiding these questions.

“No,” he shakes his head. “You are done with this.”

He sets his coffee cup down and walks over to me. “This has been hard enough on you the past few months,” he says, as he places a hand on my cheek.

I lean into his strong hand and turn my head to place a kiss on his palm.

“I have to go,” he tells me, before embracing me tightly.

“I know,” I reply, even though I don’t want him to go. I’m afraid that the connection we began building last night will be dismantled when he leaves. As if reading my mind he pulls my chin up to look into his eyes.

“I’m only going to work, Millipede. I’m not going anywhere else.”

Tears well up in my eyes at his words. “If you’ll have me, I’m never going anywhere again.”

My heart swells in my chest. I’ve wanted him to say these words for so long.

“I’ll have you,” I tell him, through a shaky voice. “I might just keep you forever.”

Chapter 34

After Wyatt left this morning, promising to come back after work today, I still felt unsettled. I couldn't focus on work so I did a little cleaning and then decided I’d go to the grocery store to pick up some food to make us a nice dinner tonight.

As soon as I left my house that familiar feeling of being watched creeped in. I looked up and down the street and didn’t see anything except for parked cars and a black truck that has been around a lot lately. Nothing looked particularly out of place. After I got home from shopping, I started to unload the groceries, not even sure what to make with the jumble of items I haphazardly purchased.