Rune threaded his hand through mine and said, “Let’s go rest before tonight.”
“Rune,” I tried to argue, to talk about this more, but Rune swung around and quietly said, “Poppymin, please. No more.” I could hear the strain in his voice. “New York was our dream. There’s no New York without you. So please…” He trailed off, then sadly whispered, “Stop.”
Not wishing to see him so broken, I nodded. Rune kissed my forehead. This kiss was soft. It was thankful.
We left the exhibition, and Rune hailed a cab. In minutes we were en route back to the hotel. As soon as we got into the suite, Rune lay down with me in his arms.
He didn’t speak as I drifted to sleep. I fell asleep with the image of Esther in my mind, wondering how her husband had healed after she had returned home.
Wondered if he had even healed at all.
*
“Poppymin?”
Rune’s soft voice called me from sleep. I blinked into the darkness of the room, only to feel Rune’s gentle finger running down my cheek.
“Hey, baby,” he said quietly, when I rolled over to face him. Reaching out, I turned on the lamp. When the light flickered on, I focused on Rune.
A smile tugged on my lips. He wore a tight white t-shirt under a brown blazer. His black skinny jeans were on his legs, familiar black suede boots on his feet. I tugged on the lapels of his blazer. “You’re looking real smart, baby.”
Rune’s lips molded into a half-smile. He leaned forward and took my mouth gently with his. When he pulled back, I noticed his hair was freshly washed and dried. And unlike every other day, today he’d run a comb through it, the golden strands feeling silky between my fingers.
“How’re you feeling?” he asked. I stretched out my arms and legs.
“A little tired and sore from all the walking, but I’m okay.”
Rune’s forehead lined with worry. “You sure? We don’t have to go tonight if you’re not feeling up to it.”
Shuffling further forward on my pillow, I stopped just an inch before Rune’s face and said, “Nothing could keep me from tonight.” I ran my hand down his soft brown blazer. “Especially with you looking all spiffed up. I have no idea what you have planned, but if it got you out of your leather jacket, it must be something real special.”
“I think so,” Rune replied after a pregnant pause.
“Then I’m definitely fine,” I said confidently, allowing Rune to help me up to a sitting position when this simple task became too much of a struggle.
Remaining crouched down, Rune searched my face. “I love you, Poppymin.”
“I love you too, baby,” I replied. As I stood, with Rune’s help, I couldn’t help but flush. He was becoming more handsome with each passing day, but looking like this, he made my heart gallop in my chest.
“What should I wear?” I asked Rune. He led me to the living area of the suite. A lady was waiting in the center of the room, hair and makeup equipment spread out around her.
Astounded, I glanced up at Rune. He nervously pushed his hair from his face. “Your aunt organized it all.” He shrugged. “So you’d look perfect. Not that you don’t anyway.”
The lady in the room waved and tapped the seat in front of her. Rune lifted my hand to his mouth and kissed it. “Go, we have to leave in an hour.”
“What do I wear?” I asked, breathlessly.
“We have that organized too.” Rune led me to the seat and I sat down, briefly stopping to introduce myself to the stylist.
Rune moved to sit on the couch across the room. I was filled with happiness when he took his camera from its bag on the side table. I watched Rune raise the camera to his eye as Jayne, the stylist, began working on my hair. And for the next forty minutes, he captured those moments.
I couldn’t have been happier if I tried.
Jayne leaned down, checking my face, and, with a final brushstroke on my cheek, moved back and smiled. “There we go, girl. All done.” She stepped away and began packing her things. When she was finished, she kissed me on the cheek. “Have a good night, lady.”
“Thank you,” I replied and walked her to the door.
When I turned around, Rune was standing before me. He lifted his hand to my newly-curled hair. “Poppymin,” he rasped. “You look beautiful.”
I ducked my head. “Do I?”
Rune lifted his camera and snapped the button. Lowering it again, he nodded. “Perfect.”
Rune reached down for my hand and led me through to the bedroom. Hanging on the door was a black empire-waist dress. Low-heeled shoes rested on the plush carpeted floor.
“Rune,” I whispered as I ran my hand over the soft material. “It’s so pretty.”
Rune lifted the dress and placed it on the bed. “Get dressed, baby, then we have to go.”