Chapter 44

CHAPTER 44

J ackson

"Thanks mate." The last of the new signs for the gardens have been loaded into the van.

"Sorry again about you having to come over for them," the sign maker says. "My van will be back on the road on Monday."

"No worries." I need the signs for tomorrow—Sunday. We only have two weeks until we finally open to the public, and Keith has promised to come and help put them up.

"You've done a good job." I mean it. The signs are beautiful and well made.

"Well, we had good artwork to work with." The designs are Luca's. He's chosen a cherry blossom motif. The beauty of it struck him, and when I said that it was a symbol of survival, new beginnings, going forward, and love, he wanted to use it. He's adopted the cherry blossom for a tattoo as well—another of his designs. He has it inked onto his back, on his right side, in mirror of my own. The delicate pink blossoms against Luca's pale skin and dark features are stunning. I love to trace the pattern with my fingers, across his shoulders and down his back to his delicious butt. I need to stop there. It's a long drive back to Larchdown, and it'll feel even longer if I have to drive back uncomfortably aroused.

I close the doors and climb back into the van. It's late afternoon and I have a couple of hours' drive ahead of me, so I want to get on my way.

As I get closer to home, I notice black clouds amassing on the horizon, right over Larchdown Valley. I'm not aware of a storm forecast, but the weather can change quickly sometimes. The wind has slowly been growing stronger as I head east. The sky goes dark, and I hear a rumble of thunder. It gathers into a crescendo of noise, just before a jagged spurt of lightning flashes. A minute or two later, the rain falls. It looks like it's in sheets, and the wind lashes it straight into the windscreen. I have to slow down as visibility reduces. I'm still ten minutes from home, but with the slower speed it's going to take me longer. The rain doesn't ease up. There are a few more lightning flashes and lots of thunder.

I reach the village—it's dark. It looks like the lights might be out, possibly from the lightning. Now I feel anxious, eager to be at home, to make sure all is okay.

The house is also in darkness as I race up the drive. Jumping out of the van, I dash to the house. My t-shirt is soaked before I've got halfway to the front door.

"Luca!" I call, as soon as I'm through the door. I can hardly see anything. The storm seems to need to show some more anger, and a lightning flash is followed by a loud thunder crash. It sounds like the storm's overhead.

"Luca!" I frantically race from room to room looking for him, and when I can't find him on the ground floor, I head upstairs. After a few minutes I still can't find him, and I'm getting worried. He can't be outside, can he?

I head back down to the hallway.

"Luca!" Another lightning flash, and this time I see the cellar door's open—I hadn't noticed it the first time. I've only been down there once before, a few weeks ago, to fetch a bottle of wine. The door is under the stairs and easy to miss. But I also know that Luca never goes down to the cellar—it's too much of a bad memory.

"Luca?" I call, as I descend the stone steps. The temperature drops, and in my wet t-shirt I can feel how cold it is.

"Luca?" I call again. It's pitch black, even the low light of a storm-laden sky cannot light where there are no windows. I think I hear a noise—a slight scuff.

"Luca?" I try again. Then comes a sob. I need no more help, and I home in on the sound. I find Luca huddled on the floor. Another sob escapes him. I fear he's having a panic attack.

"Shhh, it's ok, I'm here." I touch him and he flinches. I know it's just a reaction, but it breaks my heart.

"It's okay, it's me," I say soothingly, and gather him in my arms. He puts his head against my chest.

He says nothing for a long while, and I just hold him tight.

"Jackson?" he whispers.

"Right here, baby." I say into his hair.

"You're wet."

I chuckle slightly, partly amused and a whole lot relieved. If he notices that, he might not be as bad as I first thought.

"It's raining—a lot." A thunder clap crashes overhead, but he doesn't flinch, so I don't think the storm is the issue. I need to get him out of the cellar.

"Put your arms around my neck." I scoop him up in my arms and climb the steps. I carry him to the lounge.

After placing him down on the sofa, I light some of the candles that we keep in the room, and fetch a couple more from the dining room. I also grab a blanket.

The candles are making the lounge seem quite cheery. I tuck the blanket round Luca and then slide onto the sofa, so his head is resting on my lap.

"Hey there," I say, when he opens his eyes to look at me. He looks so vulnerable and my heart constricts. There's nothing I want more than to keep him safe, and I wasn't here to do that today.

He manages a weak smile.

"What happened?" I ask.

"The lights went out. I thought it might be a fuse, so I wanted to see if it had tripped. The fuse box is in the cellar." Knowing how much Luca avoids the cellar, I think this was very brave of him.

"I had a torch, but then there was thunder and it made me jump. I dropped the torch, and it went out. I knelt down to find it again, but I couldn't, and then all I could think of was the last time—and then I couldn't move. I couldn't find the torch."

I see tears welling up in his eyes. I'm almost crying too.

"Shhh, nothing's going to happen to you. I'm here." Except I hadn't been here, and that burns across my chest.

He reaches for my hand and interlaces his fingers with mine.

"Thank you for saving me," he says. He looks exhausted.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner. You wouldn't have needed to go down to the cellar."

"I just wanted to help." I can see his point, and much as it pains me, I know I can't always protect him from life. I need to help him find his own strength.

"Another time, when the lights are back on, we'll go together and tackle those demons. I'll be with you every step of the way."

"Thank you. I'd like that," he manages.

"The lights are out in the village too, so I think a power line might have come down. We can use the gas for food though. How about some soup?"

He nods and I head off to the kitchen to fix us some food. By the time I return, he's sitting up and looking brighter.