He was coming inside me. I knew it and the romantic part of me welcomed it. This wasn’t what Nana had meant when she told me to get pregnant, but it felt right.
As soon as I moved, Tyton’s hold on me tightened to an iron grip. It felt so primeval and in my state of post-orgasmic bliss I pushed back against him like a nonverbal assurance that I was okay with his filling me up with his semen.
He leaned over me and kissed my spine with a deep sigh of satisfaction.
CHAPTER 26
Constant Stream of Letters
Tyton
Three weeks after my night with Devina, I sat against a tree in our garden with Lilo and Rocky lying next to me. The two Newfoundland puppies had been a gift from my dad to my mom now that she had no more children to fuss over, but I was the one who spent the most time with them and they were exhausted from running on our estate all morning.
In my hands were the latest chapters to the book and once I’d made my last comment, I picked up the letter Devina had attached this time and read it again.
Dearest Tyton,
Here are the last three chapters. I’ve included the scenes you wrote and I have to say that I loved Mark’s inner thoughts on his relationship with Deidra. I cried when he spoke about his desire for intimacy. To feel her and to be felt by her. To dare being naked, vulnerable, and flawed. To find acceptance and safety and to be a haven of love for her. It was so beautiful when he admitted that the intimacy that he had found with Deidra was better than what he had imagined it could ever be.
For Mark to be willing to live in the Motherlands in order to have a family is the most romantic thing ever and I think readers will love the dramatic ending to the book. I know I cried when I wrote it, so hopefully it will touch them as well.
This morning I woke up wondering if Mark’s thoughts about intimacy were your own. Were those your thoughts that night we spent together?
I wish I could see you again, but I stick by my decision that it’s better if we stay apart. Although often, when I’m in my bed trying to sleep, I come up with all sorts of crazy plots in my head to find a way for us to be together.
Part of me wants to ask you to come here, like Mark did in the book, but we’ve been over this so many times and the chance we took by you coming here the last time was reckless.
I couldn’t hide you in the house forever and once the authorities knew you were here, they would hand you back to King Jeremiah, who would kill you for breaking the law of never crossing the border.
Even if we could beg the authorities to let you stay, we wouldn’t be together. I guarantee that they would submit you to long-term evaluation in a closed facility.
I can’t bear the thought that you’d come to resent me in time for coming between you and your parents, siblings, nephews and nieces. You’re always so protective of me, but this time, I’m also protective of you.
May your day be filled with sunshine and good thoughts,
Love, Devina
With a sad smile, I trailed my fingers over the last two words,Love, Devina.
Is she saying that she loves me?
I wasn’t sure how much to put into it, but it was the first time she’d used the word love, and there had been a constant stream of letters going back and forth between us.
I had brought a pen and pad and wrote my answer to her while the puppies lay sleeping on the grass next to me.
Dear Devina,
We will see each other again and we will repeat that night. It’s all I think about!
I hate these last chapters of the book – simply because they are the last.
My only hope is that your editing phase will be long and keep you here. My life has come to revolve around our letters and the answer to your question is a big yes.
Being with you exceeded everything I’d ever envisioned intimacy could feel like.
Love, T
PS: I’m enclosing a flower from my garden. It’s called mountain phlox and is one of the wildflowers that grew in the meadow. For the rest of my life, at least once a day, I’ll close my eyes to remember you on that bed of flowers in the meadow. Also, Wilma sent you a letter that I’m passing on.
