Your support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)
OP
OP
QuirkyQuill
Pure Imagination
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2024
Cassie wrapped her hands around the warm mug, trying to find comfort in the familiar. These mornings at Adrian's had quickly become routine. It felt so natural every morning to wake up and share a cup of coffee and a quiet hug with him before they moved onto the business of their days. How a week could feel like a lifetime was beyond her current ability to rationalize, but Cassie didn't even want to try. It was Adrian. They had fallen into each other so quickly after what felt like a lifetime of waiting. As fitful as her sleep was, she knew she wouldn't have slept at all if it hadn't been for Adrian's steady heartbeat and protective arms.
She stared blindly at the counter top, the last twenty-four hours replaying in her mind like some slow motion horror movie. Adrian was so quiet and her thoughts so far from where she sat, she didn't realize he was awake until he walked further into the kitchen.
The moment he walked by her and didn't touch her, Cassie knew something was off. A feeling of dread began to snake its way in her stomach. Looking up, her eyes studied his face, and she saw the same exhaustion on his face she knew was reflected in hers.
“Good morning,” she responded tentatively. This wasn't right. She wanted to chalk it up to him being tired, but they’d always had a tendency to drift closer to each other during times of stress. Not the other way around. Looking at him across the island, there wasn't anything about him that looked approachable in the way he always did.
When he spoke, she was momentarily confused, and it showed on her face. It took her longer than it probably should have to fit the puzzle pieces of his question to the physical distance he'd created. Her addled brain did put them together and she realized he was upset with her. Her confusion dissipated into a softer look.
“There wasn't anything to really tell until a couple days ago.” Speaking quietly, Cassie's hazel eyes remained steady on his. “You’ve heard us mention him from time to time. He’s been a thorn in my social media side for a couple years, but he's never given me any reason to think he was anything but a troll until a couple days ago. I get a lot of inappropriate messages on social media by a lot of people, but this was the first time anyone had ever directly threatened me. I let the network know and they started to pursue it on my behalf.” Her eyes dropped to her fingers resting on her mug, her stomach growing tight. Swallowing thickly, she looked back up at him, the strain back on her face. When she spoke, she took great care to remain calm.
“Yesterday morning before Meg and I left the house, he had flowers delivered with a really lewd note. It changed everything. He went from maybe being a threat to undoubtedly being a threat. The network made sure I had security with me any time I wasn't in a restricted area at the stadium. When everyone stormed the field, I just reacted like I have always reacted in that situation because it honestly slipped my mind in the excitement of the game and then the chaos.” Cassie sat up straight before standing to her feet. Walking around the island, she stopped to the side of him. Reaching out, she turned his face to her, her hands resting on both sides of his face.
“I thought waiting to tell you was the right decision.” Her voice hitched slightly as she felt the prickle of hot tears sting her eyes. She took a deep breath to steady herself, her thumbs rubbing against his skin. “I didn't want to do anything that would add to your stress or distract you from the team Friday or yesterday. You have worked so unbelievably hard this season, and you deserved to enjoy it with them.
You have built this incredible family, Adrian.” A small smile appeared on her face, despite the tears in her eyes as she sniffed, but it quickly faded. “I knew those young men were going to show up with every part of them focused on you and each other. I couldn't be the reason that you were unable to do the same for them. I planned to tell you last night after everything was over. I never could have imagined last night would turn out the way it did.” That image flashed before her eyes again, and she quickly worked to push it down.
“I'm so sorry if that was the wrong decision. If it was, it was a wrong decision made with the best of intentions.”
She stared blindly at the counter top, the last twenty-four hours replaying in her mind like some slow motion horror movie. Adrian was so quiet and her thoughts so far from where she sat, she didn't realize he was awake until he walked further into the kitchen.
The moment he walked by her and didn't touch her, Cassie knew something was off. A feeling of dread began to snake its way in her stomach. Looking up, her eyes studied his face, and she saw the same exhaustion on his face she knew was reflected in hers.
“Good morning,” she responded tentatively. This wasn't right. She wanted to chalk it up to him being tired, but they’d always had a tendency to drift closer to each other during times of stress. Not the other way around. Looking at him across the island, there wasn't anything about him that looked approachable in the way he always did.
When he spoke, she was momentarily confused, and it showed on her face. It took her longer than it probably should have to fit the puzzle pieces of his question to the physical distance he'd created. Her addled brain did put them together and she realized he was upset with her. Her confusion dissipated into a softer look.
“There wasn't anything to really tell until a couple days ago.” Speaking quietly, Cassie's hazel eyes remained steady on his. “You’ve heard us mention him from time to time. He’s been a thorn in my social media side for a couple years, but he's never given me any reason to think he was anything but a troll until a couple days ago. I get a lot of inappropriate messages on social media by a lot of people, but this was the first time anyone had ever directly threatened me. I let the network know and they started to pursue it on my behalf.” Her eyes dropped to her fingers resting on her mug, her stomach growing tight. Swallowing thickly, she looked back up at him, the strain back on her face. When she spoke, she took great care to remain calm.
“Yesterday morning before Meg and I left the house, he had flowers delivered with a really lewd note. It changed everything. He went from maybe being a threat to undoubtedly being a threat. The network made sure I had security with me any time I wasn't in a restricted area at the stadium. When everyone stormed the field, I just reacted like I have always reacted in that situation because it honestly slipped my mind in the excitement of the game and then the chaos.” Cassie sat up straight before standing to her feet. Walking around the island, she stopped to the side of him. Reaching out, she turned his face to her, her hands resting on both sides of his face.
“I thought waiting to tell you was the right decision.” Her voice hitched slightly as she felt the prickle of hot tears sting her eyes. She took a deep breath to steady herself, her thumbs rubbing against his skin. “I didn't want to do anything that would add to your stress or distract you from the team Friday or yesterday. You have worked so unbelievably hard this season, and you deserved to enjoy it with them.
You have built this incredible family, Adrian.” A small smile appeared on her face, despite the tears in her eyes as she sniffed, but it quickly faded. “I knew those young men were going to show up with every part of them focused on you and each other. I couldn't be the reason that you were unable to do the same for them. I planned to tell you last night after everything was over. I never could have imagined last night would turn out the way it did.” That image flashed before her eyes again, and she quickly worked to push it down.
“I'm so sorry if that was the wrong decision. If it was, it was a wrong decision made with the best of intentions.”