A Beautiful Wish Ch. 02

After a short while however, George became very lonely again. He kept shooting glances at the couch hoping to see Dawn stir, but she didn't. With his heart definitely not in to the cleaning, he walked back over to Dawn and sat on the floor next the couch. He could see a small contented smile around the edges of her mouth. George desperately wanted to kiss her or touch her or talk to her, anything to stop him from thinking about how lonely he was without her. Eventually, he settled on stoking her pretty hair.

As his large hand caressed her, he thought about all that had happened in the past few hours. She had come into his life so swiftly that he could scarcely believe that she was real. But he had too. The alternative was just too painful. It made his insides ache just to think about it.

"Dawn," he said softly, "I don't know if you can hear me or not. I guess it doesn't matter. I just really need to say this. I think that if I don't do it now I may never have the nerve to again." He breathed heavily as he continued, "I made a mistake when I was young, and I've been paying for it ever since. There was someone that I loved very much, who loved me very much, who I took for granted. It was my dad. I assumed that he would always be there, that no matter what happened I'd be okay with him around.

But he died. I've never been able to feel that way about anyone ever since." He swallowed hard, "I was too afraid of losing it. That's why I don't have many friends. At times its been really hard to carry on. I thought about ending it once or twice.

But ever since you came around with your sweet voice, and your pretty hair, and your hot body... and your eyes, I can feel those barriers I put up falling away. And I feel myself needing you more and more with each passing moment. I don't know if you know this, but I almost cried this morning when you weren't there. God that's so pathetic, but it's true. And then I heard you singing and I wanted to run away, because I thought that if you were real then it couldn't last, I would lose you.

But I'm tired of running. I'm going to make a promise to you, and to myself. I promise to never take you, or your abilities, or any part of you for granted. I promise that I won't push you away. In fact, let's make it a wish. I wish to never take you for granted. I wish for every day with you to be at least as amazing as this one."

He had begun to cry and hastily wiped his eyes on his shirt. "At the very least, I want to thank you for making my life worth living again. You came at a time when what I needed most was for someone to take a chance on me. You saved me. I'll never forget that."

Just then George heard a sniffle come from Dawn. She opened her eyes slowly. A torrent of tears winded their way down her cheeks. "Sorry, I was listening," she said softly.

George held her hand and continued to stroke her hair. "For how long?" he asked.

"Ever since you called me your girlfriend," her voiced cracked heavily.

"Is that okay with you? I mean, if it's not I understand I just..."

"Stop it," she said quickly, "I am yours. In whatever way you want, I am yours."

He merely nodded.

"You do not believe me?"

"It's not that. I..." he tried desperately to get the words out, but Dawn's heavenly gaze brought him closer to a place he had been afraid to go for so long. "I don't know..." he whispered.

Dawn raised herself off the couch so that she was at eye level with him. She looked deep into his eyes, and was about to say something when George stopped her.

"Don't..." he interrupted.

"I am sorry. You are my Master, and your wish is my command. But you need to hear this, as much as I need to say it. Please, do not stop me."

He couldn't fight it anymore. He couldn't even speak. All of his past guilt and self-loathing was silenced for a moment. For the first time, George wanted someone to love him. All he could do was hang his head and wait.

Dawn made him look at her by pulling his chin forward with a gentle nudge from her delicate fingers. She then held his hands tightly and gave him a look that he could swear was familiar. It was gentle and fearless. It was forgiving and shameless. It was everything she was in its purest form. It was absolute heaven.

"I do not care if you believe me or not. I do not care if you have earned it or not. I love you. I always will. And someday, you will realize how much."

George didn't know what to do. Part of him wanted to run. Part of him didn't want to believe it. But one overwhelming part of him began to hope, and it took him over. Finally, after years of feeling fearful, and lonely, and broken, he was whole. He wasn't completely fixed, but the missing pieces were finally there. He could see his whole life laid out before him as one long string of glorious experiences with Dawn by his side.

His thoughts broke him down, and his veneer of cold self-sufficiency melted away. All that was left was the belief that he was loved. He cried. He cried harder then he ever had before. Dawn pulled him close, kissed his forehead, and held him tightly. They stayed that way for a long time.