“I had been on my way to Geff’s to join my parents when I heard the sound, indicating that the last ferry for the day was leaving in route to the dock.  I don’t know how it happened, but...my feet turned and my brain willed me in that direction.  I don’t even know what I said when the boat master reminded me of the time.”

Lucien kneeled in front of her.  He touched her hand, intending to lace her fingers, but instead he cupped her hands with both of his own.  Conclusions flashed in his brain, and he didn’t much care for any of his notions.

He masked his disapproval when he said...

“How did you get here?  Did you walk...or did you take a bus”

Lucien’s apartment wasn’t within walking distance of the dock.  Normally whenever Ona traveled to see him, he would furnish one of his drivers.  He cringed, considering what she’d done without the use of one of his limos.  He rubbed her hands, generating heat to warm her fingers.  It was then that he’d begun to notice other things.  Ona’s expression was flat, and her eyes were red, and by the look of them he was certain that she’d been crying.  He lifted from his knees, taking a seat next to her on the sofa.  He turned partway then he wrapped his arms around her, drawing her into the warmth of his chest.  He stroked her hair, and he soothed her with the comfort of his words.

“You don’t have to answer that question.  You’re here now...and you’re safe; nothing else matters.  Whatever happened...you needn’t worry.  Whatever it is...we’ll figure it out together.”

Lucien felt a tug from his brain and the warning cautioned him not to make promises that he might not be able to keep.  As much as he wanted to sit, giving her the peaceful quiet that she seemed to need; he had to know what had occurred between her and her family.  What had been so awful, that she would risk coming to see him; all the while knowing that she would never make it back to the dock on time.

He said her name, hoping that his calm would coax her out of her protective shell.

“Ona...you’re cold and you’re wet.  Baby...you’ll catch your death of cold if you don’t get out of these clothes.  Come on honey...follow me to the bedroom.  I’ll lay out something dry and warm for you to change into, and don’t worry--I’ll leave, giving you your privacy.”

She didn’t say a word, so he stood, and when he offered her his hand, he noticed her robotic movements.  Not long after she’d slipped out of her wet coat, then the dress that she’d worn for the party; Ona put on the dry clothes that Lucien had laid out for her to wear; a Yale sweatshirt that looked and felt like it had never been worn.  The matching pants were too large, and she’d rolled the band twice to shorten the length of the legs.  Her feet had begun to warm and she was beginning to feel the tips of her toes.  She heard a knock on the bedroom door, then she heard the knob slowly turning.  He partially opened the door, sticking his head in to peek.  Ona sat on the foot of his bed, dawning a pair of white sweat socks.  She didn’t know what she looked like to him, but when he walked into the room, his face held a pleased expression.

He said...

“Feel better?”

She nodded, because words still escaped her.  Ona had never defied her parents, her Sect or the Creeds.  She’d never considered action that went contrary to her Samaritan roots and to her, these events had gone far beyond her comprehension.  She felt as if she’d been living a dream.  Surreal or not; she had to regain control because by now, she was certain that her absence had been discovered.

Ona closed her eyes, because she couldn’t stomach the humiliation she’d heaped on her parents.  They deserved so much better.

She raised her eyes, and when she looked at Lucien, her confusion doubled.

She said...

“I’m sorry.”

Lucien crossed the room, joining her at the foot of his bed.

“What do you have to apologize for?”

“Allowing you to become involved with me.  I shouldn’t have done that.  I blame myself for breaking that Creed.”

“Ona...I am not a Samaritan and you don’t have to apologize for anything because we haven’t done anything wrong.  I love you...and the fact that you’ve risked everything to be here with me now; that says to me that you must love me as well.”

She sniffled, and she watched his hand when he placed her’s on his lap.  He said...

“What happened tonight?  Did you argue with your parents?  Did they tell you to leave...because of me?”

“No.  There was no argument.  Well...that isn’t quite true.  My brother Caleb...he was upset.”

Lucien frowned but not for the reason’s most would suspect.  In fact, he hadn’t been shocked when he learned about Caleb’s behavior.  He also surmised that more than likely, Caleb’s anger didn’t explain Ona’s presence, because her behavior was way out of bounds, and was contrary to Samaritan reasoning.  In the past, she’d practically set her watch, using the ferry schedules like most people rely on Atomic Clocks.  There was more to this tale, so he asked...

“Ona...why are you here?”

He was beyond thrilled that she’d come to him, but he needed to know what the cost had been.  What had she perceived to be so unbearable that her only choice was to resort to drastic measures?

Ona said....

“My parents do not know that I am here.  I left because...I had no choice.  I...I cannot marry Geff...and I cannot marry you.”

“Ona, I agree with you; you can’t marry Geff, and I don’t want you to marry him, because I want you to be with me.”

“But how?”  she said.  Tears rolled down red cheeks.

“Ona, the time has come for me to talk to your parents.  There has to be a way.  Maybe, if they knew me...perhaps they could come to accept me and...”

Ona’s head shook violently, when she said...

“No, no, no...  It doesn’t work that way.  They would never accept you.  You aren’t Geff.”

“Sweetheart.”

Lucien didn’t have all the answers, but he wanted to relieve her torment, and he would do whatever she asked of him.

“Tell me what to do baby.  You tell me...and I’ll do it.  I love you Ona...and I’ll do whatever it takes; as long as it means that you won’t give in by marrying Geff.  Tell me that you won’t marry him Ona...and I’ll do whatever you ask.”

Her voice cracked when she said...

“Lucien...if I return to my Sect, I’ll come face to face with what I’ve done.  When I see my parents, I’ll have to confront the way that I’ve disgraced them.”

“What about Geff?  Will you be forced to speak to him?  And will he still want you to marry him, after what you’ve done?”

“Geff will marry me because he has accepted my parent’s blessing; and when I return home, I won’t be strong enough to decline his offer, because I’ll know that my refusal of marriage will disgrace my parents as well as my brothers.  There’s no way out for me now...I’ll have to marry Geff.”

“Ona...you don’t have to marry him.  You can say no...and if your parents love you, they will understand.”

“No...you don’t understand.  If I go back...”

“If?”  he said, and suddenly he began to comprehend.

“Ona...do you want to go back?  Do you want to return to your Sect?”

“Yes...I do...but I cannot.”

“Sweetie...you can stay here with me.  You don’t have to go back.  We can call your parents and tell them that you’re all right.  We can meet them tomorrow and discuss this.  Honey, we can meet them wherever they want.”

He pulled her into his arms, when he said...

“I’m sure, after we’ve had time to talk, they’ll understand.”

“No, they won’t.  My parents will request that I return with them...and I will.”

“But....”  he said, and he pulled back to stare into her eyes.  “You just said that...”  Lucien tried to recall what she’d said and he wondered if he’d misunderstood.  Had she come simply to tell him that she could never be his?  Did she risk all, simply to tell him that she was being forced to marry Geff?