Uprising: A Collide Novel Part 22

We call them to start the line to fill their plates and I settle Lily in with a bowl.

Jeff hugs me sideways around my shoulders at the sink and tells me not to worry, they probably got hung up or a flat tire. Nothing they couldn't handle.

One hour and twenty eight minutes past.

Then, blessedly, I hear the familiar squeak of the trap door being lifted and race to the stairs from the kitchen. As soon as I turn the corner I see Merrick looking around. When he sees me, he grins and opens his arms to me. I jump up into them without hesitation and exhale all my worries and stress.

These stupid all day store run trips just kill me. I can't handle the stress of it and in fact, I'll be glad to be rid of them.

He kisses me forcefully. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that was still glad to see the other. He holds me up to him and I can hear the others behind me. I even hear some 'ahh's and 'finally's. I can't hide my worry, everyone knew I was freaking out. Then I hear something a little bit more annoying.

"Ahem."

We both part, reluctantly, but he still holds me up and we look over to see Jeff.

"Thank goodness you're back. I thought I was gonna have to tie Sherry to a chair to keep her from ruining the floor with her pacing," Jeff said smiling.

"My Sherry? Worried?" Merrick looked at me playfully and put my feet back to the floor. "Impossible." He kissed my nose. "Now, Jeff, if you'll excuse us. I have some business with my wife," he said, never taking his eyes from mine.

Then he grabbed my hand and began to tow me to our room amid all the people smiling and trying not to giggle at us.

"Business, huh?" Jeff said laughing. "Is that what they're calling it now?" he called after us but we didn't stop.

As soon as we entered our little room, his lips were on me. I was still upset and curious as to what made them so late but it would have to wait. And I wasn't complaining.

He was extremely eager. His hands were in my hair, where I loved them. His breathing was out of control in no time and his breath hot on my neck as he kissed my jaw and collarbone. That hadn't changed. His body temperature was still incredibly hot. One more reason we were so perfectly matched, because I was constantly cold.

Clothes flew away with incredible ease, lips and hands claiming skin, he urged me gently to be quiet as he sometimes has to do.

Afterwards, he silently continued to kiss and caress me as we laid on our sides, facing each other. Maybe he understood how scared I'd been and wanted to completely rea.s.sure and comfort me before we talked about it.

"I'm sorry we were so late," he finally said. "Cain ran into credit card trouble, but he handled it. Just took a little bit longer than normal. I'm sorry. I hate it when you worry."

"It's ok. I know sometimes things happen but I just can't stand not knowing what's happening with you out there. My mind runs wild with-"

"I know." He kissed the tip of my nose. "I'm sorry." He kissed my cheek. "I'll make sure that little jerk gets his act together for next time." My jaw. "Please forgive me." My forehead. "I missed you like crazy." Then he kissed that little spot behind my ear making me groan and giggle and bite my lip.

"It's ok, Merrick. You're forgiven." I laugh as he continues to kiss all sorts of places in his plea for forgiveness. "You're forgiven! I missed you, too. I always do. I'll be so glad when this is over. I'd rather you be a farmer than a shopper."

"Me too, but we need this right now. A couple more runs, that's all we need to help get things started good for us, that's all we can do really anyway. Then I'm home free and you won't be able to get rid of me."

"Good. I can't wait."

"Mmmm, I really missed you. Cain's not half as cute as you are," he said, skimming his fingers down my arm.

I laughed which I do a lot lately. Especially with Merrick. He's a pro at knowing exactly what to say to me in whatever situation. Whether I'm happy or sad or mad or worried. He still knows me completely.

"I hope not! So other than that, how'd it go?"

"Fine," he said quickly.

It was a one word lie. I froze.

Merrick just told me a flat out lie.

A Little Slice Of Heaven

Chapter 7 - Sherry.

Oh no. I swallowed hard. Merrick hadn't just flat out lied to me since we've been at the warehouse bas.e.m.e.nt. And it was all silly relationship stuff, never anything important. Should I call him on it? He knows I know.

"Fine?" I ask again softly.

"Yeah, fine," he said moving his hand to play with my fingers on my belly but not looking at me.

My heart flips in disappointment. He wouldn't lie unless it was something important. Something he really really didn't want me to know, for my own good. I bite my lip while I contemplate how to handle this but then he groans and puts his face down on my belly.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I can't do it. I can't lie to you," he said m.u.f.fled. He raised his head then and looked me in the eye. They were full of regret and something else. Fear. He thought I would be furious with him. "I'm so sorry, baby. I thought I could just say it was fine and you wouldn't question it but I knew you could tell. I was trying to protect you...but I shouldn't have to lie to do it. I'm sorry."

"What happened that you thought you had to lie about it?" I ask softly.

"Can you just trust me to handle it? It wasn't anything too terrible. I just don't want to worry you over it, ok? It's over."

"Now I am worried," I said and sat up.

He groaned again.

"Don't be, baby. You know me." He sat up too and framed my face with his hands. "I'm not gonna do anything stupid or reckless."

I continued to look at him, worry etched all my face. He spilled.

"Ok. Ok. There was a man. He questioned me. End result, I had to put him to sleep and we dropped him off somewhere to wake up later," he rushed through the words so fast I barely heard him.

"Who was he," I asked.

"One of the new human enforcers."

I gasp.

The enforcers were a human task force, not unlike police officers, who's main job and goal is Keeper and resistance hunting out and the new Taker laws enforcement. The new laws were put into place to keep people like us from cheating their system. No one in the stores without being checked behind the ear, no loitering in any parking lots, no home or small business deliveries of any kind, no television programming allowed but the local news. Ect.

"Merrick!" I pulled back in shock. "That's not a little thing. The enforcers answer directly to the Lighters and city officials. You could have been taken right then!"

"This is why I didn't want to tell you. We handled it. We'd done it once before-."

"You what!?" I covered my mouth with my hand in shock, then put it back down to my lap. "Once before? Merrick!"

I was so upset. All I could see were visions of Merrick being brought before the Lighters and being dismembered or worse, tortured slowly for information about the rest of us. Poking and prodding through his brain for thoughts of us and our whereabouts.

"Honey, listen," he sat up too and framed my shaking face with his hands once more. "There is nothing to worry about. Cain and I can handle ourselves against one human man. I won't ever do anything that will make it so I can't come home to see your pretty face again." He kissed me when I snorted, then became serious again. "I will always come back to you. Do you hear me? Always together, remember?"

"Merrick. I don't know what I'd do if something were to happen to you," I creaked.

"You'll never have to find out."

"You can't be certain-"

"I am. I mean it. Trust me. I'll always come back to you," he said firmly, then plastered another smile that I could feel against my cheek on that still after all this time made my heart flutter. "Now, that you've drained me of all my energy..." He pulled me back to the circle of his arms and kissed me deep and long, probably trying to distract me. What does it say about me that it worked? "Can you please feed me now? I'm starving and I thought I smelled your scrumptious macaroni and cheese earlier."

"Flattery will get you everywhere," I say wryly and can't help but laugh.

He helps me dress in the dark, since he can see and I can't. Once everything is back in place and we've snuck a few more kisses, we head out for our walk of shame.

That's not really an appropriate t.i.tle I guess, since were married, but it seems like this is a common occurrence for us. Every week he comes home from the store run, every week we make a spectacle of ourselves with kisses and hugs at the stairs and every week he shamelessly drags me to our room, unable to wait another second. Ok, he doesn't have to drag me, I practically run down the hall with him but, you know. We're newlyweds for goodness sake!

Then we come out some time later and he could care less what everyone thinks as we walk hand in hand like nothing happened, but I can't be that way. I see their silly looks and giggles. I know it's all in good fun but still... Oh well. I guess I should be happy that Merrick is so confidant and secure about us. And it's not like I'd have it another way.

As soon as we reach the commons room Lily jumps from Marissa's lap and runs to Merrick. He nabs her up and she squeezes his neck.

"Lily bug."

"Mewwick! I missed you. I had to take a nap all by myself today."

"Really? That's terrible," he said mockingly as he toted her into the kitchen, with me on his heels.

He started to make himself a plate, while carrying Lily but I told him I'd get it. He sat down at the table with Lily on his lap and Cain there already with a plate of his own.

"So, what else did you do today?" he asked her.

"Shawwy let me help make bwownies today."

"Brownies? Wow. Well, where are they?"

"Well, Uncle Danny and Uncle Wyan ate dem all."

Cain tried to stifle a laugh but choked on his tea instead. Merrick chuckled but didn't seem too surprised.

"Did you at least get one first?"

"Yep. I got two."

"Oh, good then."

"Come on, sweetie," I say, setting Merrick's plate down in front of him and reaching for Lily's hand. "Let Merrick eat, ok."

"Why can't I call Mewwick daddy?"

The stunned silence that followed could have lasted for hours for all I knew. That was the absolute last thing I expected to pop out of her mouth. Cain and Merrick were just as stunned and stilled, except they both looked at me like I had the answer.

Merrick looked on the verge of extreme happiness and throwing up at the same time.

"Do you want to call Merrick daddy?" I asked softly, sitting in the seat beside them.

"Frankwin has a daddy. He said daddy is someone who takes cawe of you. I wike Mewwick. He's not mean wike that other daddy."

Merrick locked eyes with me over her golden halo of hair. I could see how much he wanted it. To hear those words for himself. I nodded to him in encouragement. If anyone is going to tell her she can call him that, it will be him.

"You can call me whatever you want to, sweetheart," he said softly.

"Ok!" she yelled happily, kissed his cheek then jumped down from his lap and ran off to play elsewhere.

We all sat there in silence for a minute then Cain resumed eating. I turned full to face Merrick.

"Well. That was interesting."

"Yeah," he croaked and cleared his throat. That was all he said before taking his first bite. "This is really good, babe." He kissed my cheek but didn't look up at me.

"Thanks."

"It is good," Cain stated.

"Thanks," I repeated. "So... You were gonna hide the fact that you two ran into an enforcer...twice?" I asked Cain but kept my tone playful though the situation was anything but funny to me.

"Ah! Come on! You told her?" Cain asked Merrick, looking disappointed.

"Of course I did," Merrick said firmly. "She's my wife. Sherry can handle it."

"It's not just Sherry handling it I'm thinking about," Cain whispered.

"I won't tell anyone else so they won't freak out, but you shouldn't want to keep it from me," I said with a slight bit of hurt in my voice.

"You freak out more than anyone," Cain said looking right at me.

"I worry more than anyone. It's different."

"Not to a guy. It's sucks when women freak out and worry. Especially when there's nothing we can do to change it. Sometimes things have to be done that aren't fun or even safe. But it's gotta be done to keep this group here alive and there's no point in you sitting here pulling your hair out the whole time, sick with worry, when there's no other solution."

I felt wide eyed and remorseful. That's what my worrying did? Made them feel that way.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to be-" I started but Merrick interrupted me.

"Don't you apologize," he said softly and looked from me to Cain. "Enough ok. It's fine. Only a couple more weeks and we'll be through with all of it, for good."