Perhaps at one time, Chloe might have been able to claim innocence, but her relationship with Lloyd was progressing. It was a slow advance, but an advance nonetheless.
Shirley’s gaze suddenly snapped back to Chloe. “Milady,” she said, her expression serious, “are you perhaps not interested at all in...experiencing a more intimate side with him?”
“A more intimate side...”
Chloe didn’t have to think twice to understand the implication of Shirley’s question, her cheeks already flushing a vibrant apple pink—not when two certain others had already so graciously planted the seeds in her mind. I am interested, but...
Things were rarely so straightforward, or so Chloe thought. Both she and Lloyd—especially Lloyd—were rather passive on the matter. That was one thing. The other was that Chloe already found immense satisfaction in the current state of their bond. After years of enduring hardship, her vessel for joy was easily filled. Simply being with Lloyd, leading a peaceful life away from past abuse, was more than enough to fill her heart to the brim. Any more happiness, and I feel I might get struck by lightning, she mused.
But then, something flickered in her.
Struck by lightning?
It was a sense of disquiet that tickled and tugged away at the little bone in the back of her throat. But why do I feel that way? Why do I feel so apprehensive about wanting more? She sensed an answer forming, but then came an unbidden, overwhelming wave of blue-tinted thoughts, washing it all away.
Chloe was in Lloyd’s room, lying on his bed. Lloyd loomed above her, his presence as naked and raw as the day he was born. His gaze, always so intense, now fixed on her. In a swift, gentle motion, he took her cheek in his hand, large enough to make her completely still. Just relax, Chloe. I’ll take care of everything.
“Milady? Milady?”
Chloe inhaled sharply.
“You look like you’re about to burst...”
“I’m fine! I think!”
Chloe had it bad. Whatever she’d been imagining had left her hot and bothered. Her errant fantasies had kindled a fire within her, the embarrassment of acknowledging them burning fiercely. Recalling Shirley’s initial inquiry, she whispered, “I’m... I’m not quite sure about that yet, but...perhaps a kiss or two wouldn’t be so bad at this stage,” her voice growing quieter and quieter with every word.
As she clutched her cheeks, attempting to hide her inner turmoil, Shirley looked at her with a tender, knowing smile. “You are very fond of him, aren’t you, milady?”
Chloe gave a timid nod in response.
“Has he ever mentioned marriage to you?” Shirley inquired gently.
“I’m not sure...” Chloe’s face furrowed in thought.
Of course, there was that one thing he’d said to Lily in the hotel room, but that had been a bluff. A bluff that made her heart nearly jump out of her chest, but a bluff nonetheless.
“Milady, do you remember the story The Prince of My Dreams?”
Chloe repeated the title softly, trying to place it. At first, the memory seemed distant, almost forgotten.
“I suppose you wouldn’t. You were awfully young...”
As she noticed the slightest hint of disappointment crossing Shirley’s smile, Chloe’s memory suddenly clicked. Shirley’s narration replayed vividly in her head, like she’d delivered it just yesterday. And then, the princess and the prince got married, and the two lived happily ever after. The end.
“I remember!” she exclaimed. “The picture book with the prince with silver hair?”
“That’s the one!” Shirley confirmed with an enthusiastic nod.
The Prince of My Dreams was a picture book Shirley had read to a young Chloe many years ago. It told of a girl who met a silver-haired prince in her dreams, where every night, they embarked on adventures. Lost in this fantastical world, she overcame trial after trial with the prince’s aid, until one final adventure blurred the line between dreams and reality, which culminated in their meeting in the real world.
Chloe recited Shirley’s words from that day, her voice tinged with nostalgia. “A marriage is like a special promise. It’s when you find someone you love so much, someone you can’t imagine life without, and you promise to be with them always.”
Shirley held Chloe’s gaze with a steady, reassuring look. “If your feelings for him are as deep as I sense, milady, perhaps marriage is something you might consider.”
Her words were softly spoken, yet they resonated deeply within Chloe, finding a receptive place in her heart. “Right...” she murmured.
I love Lloyd. I love him from the bottom of my heart. She had never and would never be presented with a truth more self-evident—of that she was certain. If it wasn’t Lloyd by her side, it would be nobody. It was he who was in every variation of the future she could think of. Marriage was the natural endpoint of such a connection, wasn’t it? “You must be speaking from experience, Shirley?”
“I’m only a little ahead of you in this journey, milady. Not by much, really.”
“But I’m sure Kevin is wonderful to you?”
“He is, truly,” Shirley affirmed with a soft glow of happiness. “I’m so grateful to have him in my life.”
Hearing Shirley confirm her love for Kevin so confidently, Chloe felt a twinge of envy. Just from first impressions, Kevin seemed kind—like someone who would never raise their voice in anger. She imagined Shirley’s life to be filled with contentment and joy.
They both took a sip of their water. “Goodness, is that the time?” Shirley remarked, checking the clock. “We’ve been talking for quite a while.”
“Perhaps we should head back. Lloyd must be bored out of his mind.”
“Of course. After you, milady.”
As they rose to leave, Chloe expressed her gratitude. “I’m so glad we got to talk today, Shirley.”
“The pleasure is all mine, milady. It warms my heart to see you so well.”
With that, Shirley extended her hand towards Chloe, guiding her as she had in Chloe’s childhood. Chloe glanced at their hands, a smile playing on her lips. Was her hand always this small? Despite the passage of time and all they had experienced, their reunion felt like a cherished reminder of a bond that endured. Reunited by fate, they would indulge in this return to days past for as long as they would be allowed.