Ephemeral and Fleeting

Dixon approached. He took his cape and draped it over her shoulders, then took her hand. “I wish I could take on that burden, but to date, Lucy’s found nothing that would work.” He sighed. “Aren’t there any other options for us?”

“Lucy says the others would be even more dangerous to my health—with the possible exception of using a cassus tincture, but . . .” Pausing, she pulled the cape more tightly around her shoulders.

“But what? Maybe we should try that for a time.”

She bit her lip and shook her head. “I’m sorry. I just . . . can’t bring myself to do it.”

“Why?”

She wrung her hands. “Because Lucy says she doesn’t know if it prevents pregnancy, or if it actually acts as an abortifacient.” She held his gaze. “I— I can’t do that.”

With his thumb, Dixon wiped away a tear slipping down her cheek. Then he gathered her in his arms and kissed the top of her head. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I understand. Truly, I do.”

He pulled back, then tipped her chin up, forcing her to look at him. “The truth is that I have all I’ve ever needed. I’d love for us to have a child, but if it’s not to be, then at least I’ll get to spend my days knowing that I got the one thing that was the most important to me.” Drawing her closer again, he said, “I got you.” Again, he kissed the top of her head.

“You know, when I thought I couldn’t be with you all those years ago, when you nearly sent me away—I thought my heart would break. Then, when you were injured and didn’t even know who I was, I thought I’d lost you all over again.”

Once again, he pulled back to look at her.

Her eyes met his.

“Truly, Mara, all I need is you.”