Once again Cindy was receiving citations on the news and in person. Once again calls were coming in for her from all over the world.
“The detective’s partner Mattheus also risked his life,” Cindy added, as reporters thronged around her. “Mattheus arrived just in the nick of time, and rescued us all. Thanks to him, Kate’s uncle Carl is in hospital, recovering and doing well.”
“It was nothing,” Mattheus responded to the reporters, shrugging it off.
After rescuing Carl, Mattheus had refused to leave Cindy’s side. And, there was no way he wanted any praise in this matter. Mattheus told Cindy that he could never forgive himself for not being there with her. What happened was his fault entirely. He should have listened to her carefully, he’d been selfish, arrogant. He wasn’t a good partner to her any longer.
Although Cindy agreed, she said nothing. After all, he’d finally shown up. His strength re-appeared. It was always there inside him, waiting.
“Are we done?” asked Mattheus lamely.
“I don’t know,” Cindy replied. “We need to work on our relationship. And we can’t do it alone.”
“Are you talking about therapy?” asked Mattheus, looking as though he’d bitten into a very sour lemon.
Cindy laughed and he hugged her.
“Couples therapy is not the worst idea in the world,” said Cindy. “Better people than us have been through it.”
“I thought a good vacation would help straighten things out,” Mattheus responded.
“A vacation is one thing,” said Cindy slowly, “talking out our differences with someone who can help us is something else.”
Mattheus shivered a second and pulled Cindy closer to him. “I’ll do anything you ask,” he said slowly, putting his face down in her hair. “I love you and don’t want to lose you. I would die if anything happened to you. And I almost let it happen.”
Cindy closed her eyes then as he held her close. The feelings between them were strong and powerful. But they came in waves and then receded.
“I’ll do anything you ask, anything,” Mattheus repeated.
“I don’t want to lose you either, Mattheus,” said Cindy, “but I don’t really have you, the way we are now.”
“Well said,” said Mattheus softly. “You find someone to help us, and I’ll go for it.”
The phone rang then shrilly. As Cindy put her hand on it to pick it up, Mattheus stopped her.
“No calls now, no new cases. Give us some time first to work things out,” he said. “At least a month together before we go back to work.”
“A month?” said Cindy.
“You can’t deny there’s something strong between us,” said Mattheus.
“I don’t deny it,” said Cindy. “I never did.”
“It’s special, it’s precious, it’s hard to find. Let’s take a month to decide if we’ve got what it takes to make our relationship work. Then we can even set a date to get married,” Mattheus added lovingly. “I even bought the ring.”
Cindy was shocked to hear that.
“You told me to wait for a happier time to give it to you,” he murmured.
“That’s the surprise you had for me?” asked Cindy unbelievingly.
“It’s still here in my pocket,” Mattheus grinned. “You want to see it?”
“Of course I want to see it,” said Cindy, “not this minute, but soon.”