This chapter is dedicated to acheairs. There are people you meet in life that you know off the bat you'll remember for a very long time. She is one of these people. Thank for your time, passion, and enthusiasm not just toward my book but for all others as well. 

Warning: This chapter has brief sexual content. Avoid it if you must but read  everything else because this chapter is very important to Edwin and Josslyn's story. 

- SEVEN part 1-

Josslyn slides the drawer open and removes the wedding band from its case and slides it onto her finger. She took this ring off weeks ago because she was so angry with Edwin about the move to Oregon. She's gotten over herself.  In general, she's never been too fond of wearing rings but now she has a reason to: Wyatt. She glances at her phone and realizes it's time to change her number phone now. It's nearly 7:30pm, almost 9 hours since she ran into Wyatt and he's already called her twice. She's muted her phone for Edwin's sake. He doesn't need to have another reason to be upset.

"Edwin?" Josslyn calls, but he doesn't answer. In fact, he's been really quiet since they've returned home.  She walks down the hallway and climbs up a makeshift latter toward the attic. 

"Edwin?" She calls for him as she opens the rooftop latch. Wind whips her hair wildly as a thunderstorm is brew in the distance.

"I'm here." His voice is low and shallow.

She gulps. That tone is too familiar. This is his alone time with God and she knows exactly what he is pleading from the Omnipotent: Will you spare me? It's a question he's asked for ages. Spare him from this existence and allow him to live; burden him no more as an invisible man but instead as a man of flesh and bone.

She grimaces. "Edwin," her voice is soft and gentle. "Would you like to join me for dinner?"

Edwin smiles. He knows she knows he can never join her for dinner but she always ask anyway. It's her attempt to make him feel included and he loves her for trying. "I'd love to."

They make their way toward the large granite island and she pulls a stool for him. He sits and watches silently as she finishes preparing dinner. As usual, she puts on an unfamiliar jazzy song, twists the volume nob up and begins shaking her tush in a silly dance. Edwin chuckles, she's trying to cheer him up; she's always been very good at that. If he could, he'll make love to her right in this kitchen. But he can't.

They've always lived a life of solitude but to him, she's always been enough to fill his void. His smile slowly fades. He can only hope to return the favor; to fill all her voids, needs, and desires. The last thing he wants is to devoid her of any physical contact and real companionship during all of life's fleeting moments. Nothing scares him more than her final regrets in life. 

She sets his plate of food in front of him and turns off the music. Edwin glares down at the crispy seared tilapia with a side of brown rice and roasted asparaguses. He smiles, she claims to be the worst cook in the world but she's his Top Chef.

"Water, juice, wine?"

He looks up. "Water, honey." He continues to play house with her.

Josslyn sets a cup of ice cold water in front of him then sets utensils beside his plate and sits across from him with her own plate of dinner. Her cup of Mascato D'asti glows bright red underneath the draping bulbs.

"Say a prayer?" She asks. He makes it a quick one.

Edwin watches Josslyn eat in silence and salivates as he glares down at his plate. Even if he wanted to taste the soft flakes of the fish, he can't use the damn utensils. Food, in general, would glide right through his body and fall splat on the ground. It's been ages since he's had a real meal at a dinner table. If his wife doesn't bring a picnic basket into the thick of the fog, he goes hungry and if he doesn't want to go hungry, he must remain invisible – doing so will devoid him of all his senses except for sight and sound.

Edwin rises off the stool and walks over to the wooden chair overlooking Eugene. A faint flash of light looms closer to the city as storm clouds shrouds in the near distance. He sits down and stares quietly toward the mountains.

He often refrains from these depressive episodes for Josslyn's sake but seeing her with Wyatt today has caused him to doubt himself and their future together. Her reflection bounces off the window and Edwin watches her shuffling food around her plate. He pities this sad lonely woman who pretends that her dinner for one had really been for two.

Biting his lips from quivering, he visualizes her sitting on the stool, now with grey hair, shriveled skin, a petite shaking frame, slumped over by the weight of age. She'll sit there, devoid of family, children or grandchildren – all alone with no one except an invisible man who doesn't look a day older than thirty; a man who can't offer her anything except unconditional love. Could he really expect her to spend an entire lifetime with him? How many more lonely dinners will it take for her to realize that she's given up too much and gotten too little in return?

Josslyn glances toward the chair by her expansive window. A lightning flash in the distance, casting off a bolt of light against the wooden chair. She knows he's sitting there. She stares back at her food. Dinner with a side of guilt had never tasted good. Food, in general, hasn't tasted good in a long time.

If my Edwin can't enjoy dinner then I can't either.

She begins cleaning up and expected him to protest but he doesn't. It's one of those nights again, and he's lost in deep thoughts. She stuffs his leftovers into the fridge. They'll head out into the mist early tomorrow morning and have a dinner course meal for breakfast. She's sure it'll lift his spirits to enjoy food he couldn't enjoy tonight.

Josslyn dries the dishes, takes off her apron, and dims all the lights to augment the brilliant light show hovering over the mountains. She strolls to the empty chair and plops down beside Edwin just like how she's done all her life. They remain silent for a long time as they watch Mother Nature dance in the sky.

"I love you, Edwin." She whispers and gazes up toward him.

She trails her fingers against the seat of the wooden chair. Her eyes narrow, this piece of furniture is the closest thing she's got to feeling his physical presence.

"Josslyn." Her eyes widen. He's whispering directly into her ears. She smiles, she loves it when he does this because it makes him feel so real. She closes her eyes to augment the experience.

"I want to make love to you," he whispers. "On this floor, beside these windows, underneath this storm."

She groans with desire. Her heart begins to race. "Make love to me then," she whispers.

Edwin swallows. His heart pumps fast and the compulsion to strip this woman naked is driving him mad. He licks his lips, "take off your shirt, baby."

She lifts her shirt off.

"Your bra, honey, remove it." She does as told. Her nipples stand erect on two round mounds.

"Now lie down as I crawl on top of you." Edwin slowly slides his body toward her. "I'm kissing the naval of your stomach, making my way toward your breasts, then I swallow them into my mouth...one by one."

Josslyn moans, arches her back, and undoes the zipper. She kicks off her pants and pulls down her boy shorts, "don't stop." She begs.

"You couldn't stop me if you tried," Edwin whispers. "Spread your legs open and run your finger against that thing I love so much."

She slowly trails her finger tips down her chest and stomach toward its final destination.  "Hurry, baby," Edwin begs. "Leave me restless no more."

Josslyn spreads her legs wide open and strokes herself, "like this?"

Edwin is losing his mind. Fuck tilapia. This is dinner and he is salivating.

"Harder. Faster." He breathes.

She does as told, pressing her head against the floor, her spine elongate like an arched bridge as she squeezes her buttocks while exercising her middle finger. She yells in pleasure to the rumbling thunder as streaks of lighting cast off her body.

Edwin returns to his chair and ogles his woman in awe.

Her body jerks a few times as she climaxes for Edwin's viewing pleasure then she collapses in exhaustion.

"Josslyn..."

"Yes?" She pants.

"I can't wait to see you on the other side." 

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