“Do what?” My breaths almost come out even. “Run?”
“Yes.”
“I don't want to be your burden. I don't want your pity.”
He stares at me incredulously. “Why would you think that?”
“Why else would you ask me to come and stay with you? You feel sorry for me, I know it.”
I try to walk away, but he places both hands on my shoulders, staring directly into my eyes.
“I don't pity you. That's not it at all.”
“Then why?” I ask, confused. “Are you some kind of saint?”
He howls with laughter and his eyes are dark. “Hardly.” He releases my shoulders and I collapse onto the ground, lying back, looking up into the powder blue sky. Dr. Watson follows my lead and lies down next to me. “I told you earlier you remind me of myself. There was a point in my life where I would have given anything just to have someone. Someone who knew what I was going through. Someone to talk to. Someone who could ease the pain.”
“And how do you that I need someone?”
“I spoke to the police, Adelaide. And Oakhill. They were very forthcoming with information about your past. Especially when I told them I was doctor on the lookout for their escaped patient. I told them that they better fill me in so I knew what I'd be dealing with in case I happened upon you.” He rolls onto his side and props himself with his elbow. “I know, Adelaide.” He sighs. “I know everything.”
I close my eyes. I suspected that he might. “I'm sure you know some things, but you don't know everything.” He doesn't know about the inner turmoil I've struggled with since that day. He doesn't know that even though I should hate Daddy I don't and that there is a small little girl somewhere inside of me that wants and hopes for his love. I decide to be a little bold with what I say next. “I don't think I'd be able to handle watching you date all those random women either.” I blush and play with my fingers.
“You won't have to,” he says. “You're the first woman I've brought here.”
“What?” I'm baffled. If he's dated as much as he says he has I can't understand why I'm the first woman I've ever brought here. “Why? Why haven’t you ever brought a woman here?”
“Like I said before, I don't do relationships. I don't get attached. I don't want to get married or have children. The second I bring a woman to this house I know what will happen. They'll want me to commit to them. Plus, I don't want a woman to want me just because I have money. That's part of the reason I wanted to become a doctor, you know. I wanted to separate myself from my parents. I didn't want people to associate what I did for a living with them. I wanted to forge my own path. Have a career where I could make a difference. A career where I could save lives.”
His explanation still doesn't answer my question. “Then why me? Why bring me here?”
“I think you're like me in the sense that you want to be able to forge your path too. You just need a starting point.” He looks at me, his amber eyes filled with understanding. “Answer me honestly. How long do you think you would have lasted out there on your own with only the clothes on your back and the money in your pocket?”
“Honestly?” He nods. “I don't know.” I wish I did know. I wish I knew that I could make it on my own without his help because then I wouldn't have to be here with him at all. Being here with him is too tempting. It's too hard to just admire him without letting my feelings get involved because a huge part of me wants to break this man down.
Open him up.
Expose him to the world.
But I know he's had years to practice keeping himself hidden. He's had years on his own to shove the way he feels about things to the side.
Dr. Watson and I are a lot more alike than I originally thought. And maybe we just might be something good to one another. Maybe we just might be the missing puzzle pieces in each other’s lives.
“Dr. Watson,” I say. “I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you.”
“Adelaide.” He shakes his head and helps me to my feet. “You don't need to repay me. Soon you'll be able to stand on your own two feet and knowing I helped you get there will be repayment enough.”
All I can think as we walk back toward the sprawling mansion that I'll call my home for the time being is that when I first saw him and thought of him as my angel, I was right.
Chapter Twenty Two
~Before~
I keep telling myself that I’m all cried out.
But I don’t understand.
If I’m all cried out, why do the tears keep falling?