Chapter 56: Chapter 56
Music Recommendation: Car’s Outside by James Arthur.
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"Celeste," he said softly, "you don’t have to move in tonight or anytime soon. But I want you to know it’s yours. No strings. Just... something from me to you."
Tears brimmed in her eyes. "You’re insane, you know that?"
He grinned.
She stepped forward and hugged him tight, keys still clutched in one hand. "I don’t know what to say."
"Say you’ll think about it."
She nodded against his chest.
Dominic swallowed multiple times, stopping himself from saying how he felt about her. He wanted her to know how he felt but he didn’t want to scare her away like the last. He didn’t want to watch Celeste leave.
"Let me show you around," he offered, taking her hand.
The living room was filled with soft lighting, wide plush furniture, and shelves already lined with a few books. There were even scented candles tucked into corners, and by the window was a piano.
They stood in silence by the window, watching the city pulse below. Then she turned, leaned into him.
"Show me everything," she said.
He did. Room by room, light by light, even the tiny balcony where a telescope sat waiting. And eventually, when she said she wanted to stay the night he kissed her temple and whispered, "As long as you want."
Later, he took her to the garage.
"Those are yours, too," Dominic said casually.
Celeste whirled. "You bought me cars?"
He shrugged. "If you could see yourself from my eyes, you’d realize nothing is too much for you."
"Dominic!" she half yelled, and swirled. She giggled, her inner child coming out.
He leaned against the wall, watching her like she was his favorite painting.
"You deserve things that remind you of who you are," he said.
She threw her arms around him again. He held her close, and kissed every corner of her face repeatedly.
Just then, Celeste phone buzzed in her purse. She broke the hug, and reached for her phone.
Her expression changed when she saw the message she just received.
"Happy Graduation," it was from Landon.
Her stomach dropped, and her face turned pale. She haven’t heard from Landon for weeks now.
She didn’t type back, and just returned her phone back to where it was.
"Are you alright?" Dominic asked, reading her facial expression.
"I am," she forced a nod. "Landon texted. Also, I broke the engagement a while ago," she dropped the news she had been holding back.
Dominic ran a hand through her hair. "I know," he said, voice gentle, eyes warm with something deeper he didn’t dare speak yet.
"You know?" She stared at him, half surprised.
"Yes," Dominic affirmed. "Nana told me immediately after."
Celeste exhaled slowly, her shoulders relaxing as she leaned into his touch. There was safety in the way he looked at her.
"Nana was really proud of me," she said after a long pause. "She said it was time I made decisions for myself."
Dominic smiled. "Then I owe Nana everything."
Celeste laughed softly, her fingers brushing his.
They spent a little longer walking around the home, but eventually Celeste felt the exhaustion of the day catch up to her. Dominic noticed it, of course.
"You should sleep," he said.
She hesitated, then nodded.
He guided her to the bedroom—soft greys, warm whites, a large bed that looked too perfect to mess up. She sat on the edge, brushing her fingers along the duvet.
"This is really mine?" she asked.
Dominic nodded. "Every corner. Every inch. Yours."
She looked back at him. "You overwhelm me, Dominic."
"That’s not the goal," he murmured, stepping closer. "But I get it."
She pulled the covers over herself and smiled as he reached over to turn off the light. When he started to leave, she grabbed his hand.
"Stay, just until I fall asleep."
He sat on the chair beside the bed, not in the bed, and kept his fingers laced with hers until she drifted off.
Before she fully drifted off, he helped tie her hair into a knot, and took off her shoes. After that, he took wipes from her purse, and wiped her make up off.
She must be so tired from everything to sleep off the moment she landed on the bed. It made him smile at how carefree she could be.
Celeste stirred in her sleep. She murmured something, and relaxed back into the same comfort that came with a good rest.
"I love you," Dominic breathed out. "I love you so much that it hurts my chest not being able to say it to you,"
His chest closed, and he put his wrist into his mouth, biting it hard so he wouldn’t have a panic attack.
His knees weakened, and he fell to the floor. He didn’t stop biting his wrist through his sleeves. That was a coping mechanism he learnt since his father’s death.
If he accidentally let go of his wrist, things would get worse, and he can’t afford it. Not when she’s lying peacefully before him.
He gripped the sheets of her bed, and focused on her with everything he had. He created a rhythm and drew in deep breaths accordingly, while he pushed regretful memories to the back of his mind.
His chest became tighter, and he quickly gripped her hand. His grip was firm, but not enough to hurt her, or disturb her sleep. He just needed to hold her.
He let go of his wrist, and breathed through his mouth. His hair fell over his face as he stared down at the floor and counted.
The walls around began to loosen, and so did his breathing. He allowed the calmness to hit him.
He brought her hand to his lips, and kissed it. He let out soft controlled breaths, feeling better.
He waited for a while and the moment he was able to stand back on his feet without the walls closing in on him, he stood up and stepped into the bathroom.
He returned with a bowl of water, and watched Celeste’s feet in it. Celeste opened her eyes, confused but when she saw what he was doing, she went back to sleep.
After washing her feet, Dominic took an oil from the dressing mirror, and massaged them. He kissed each of them, took a bath, and joined her in the bed.