A Place to Call Home

As I began to wake, I felt the coolness of Angel’s body against me, his presence was so reassuring and warm, as contrary as that sounds. 

I moaned and turned into him, blinking sleepily up at him. “So, I have been thinking…of our home…”

“Our home… yes. As have I. This apartment is nice, but it is too small. It was okay when I was here alone, but if we are living together we will need somewhere a little bigger.”

“Bigger? Oh Angel, that’s not what I meant at all. I was just thinking of something a little quieter. Maybe the countryside. Everything is so loud here. It’s hard to focus and learn.” I nuzzled under his chin, drawing runes with my finger on his chest, as I often did.

“Fenella, not to put too fine a point on it, but I can afford to live anywhere. If you wish to live in the country, we can. We can have our own home, wherever we want. Wherever you want.”

“I gathered that…” I giggled and pulled myself from his embrace, rushing to the wardrobe and dressing quickly. Beaming a huge smile back at him I chirped, causing him to throw back the covers and quickly comply. “Come on…I want to show you something.” I grabbed his hand, and teleported us to a beautiful castle in Brechin, Scotland. “Soooo, this?“ I beamed.

He took a slow look around the grounds of the castle, his eyes kept turning back to me as I stood there smiling broadly at him with a twinkle in my eye. I was completely overwhelmed at the thought of my new reality. I kept expecting to wake up from this dream and find myself in an alleyway, passed out from hunger again. He pulled me into his arms, snapping me out of my thoughts as he gazed into my eyes.

“Ella,” He chuckled softly before kissing my lips softly, “if this is your dream, I will make it real. I would do anything for you.”

I broke his embrace and began spinning around in the garden, arms open wide as my world spun as out of control as I felt. “Oh Angel! It has 70 acres.. walled gardens. There are 5 estate cottages, 16 bedrooms…” 

“I may be wrong here, but I am thinking this place has been on your mind before… is this what you want? To live here?” His face alight with wonder as he watched me.

I stopped spinning and ran back to him. “Before you, it was my wildest dreams completely unimaginable. Out of reach, unrealistic. But with you…I feel anything is possible.” I kissed his scarred cheek, my eyes twinkling with glee. “Yes Angel. I want this. With you.”

Gazing down at me, my happiness made him smile just as broadly. He leaned down and whispered in my ear, “It is almost as beautiful as you, Ella. Almost…”

He took another look around, and saw a sign hammered into the earth a few hundred metres away. He pulled out his phone with a devilish grin and  vanished, leaving me in the gardens of the castle.

What seemed like a moment later, he rejoined me, holding a piece of paper and a pen, holding them out to me. I frowned back at him in confusion. “Sign, and the owner says it is ours. Today.” He grinned.

I squealed, and jumped into his arms, wrapping my arms and legs around him. He hugged me back and whispered, “I told you. I will give you the world if it makes you smile.”

I lowered myself back to the ground, looking up at him. “My piece of paradise!”

“Our piece of paradise, Fen.”

“You silly! You are my piece of paradise.” I giggled again and nudged him playfully.

Shaking his head in bemusement, he once again held out the deed and pen. “This needs your signature too, my love.”

“Oh gods, Angel!” She took the pen and deed and signed the document with another squeal.

Chuckling a little, He vanished once more, returning a few moments later, gesturing out at the surrounding area. “This is all ours, Fen…”

Unable to stand it any longer, Placing my hands on his chest, I asked exuberantly, “Walk with me? I want to show you our home.”

“Of course. Lead the way, my love.” He nodded with a cheshire grin, he offered his arm to me.

We walked and talked around the gardens and around the estate, exploring our new home together. I didn’t care anymore if this was a dream. I didn’t care if I ever woke up. Hell, maybe I was dead and this was heaven. I wanted, for one moment, to forget the past and the pain for as long as I could. So here…is where I was staying and focusing on. The here and now.