Dusk Till Dawn by Zayn

I'll be with you from dusk till dawn. Baby, I am right here ....

Sophia opened the door, and a cheerful Violet ran from the dining table toward us, instantly wrapping her arms around me.

"Ally, what are you doing here?" she asked, confused as we let each other go.

"I am here to visit you," I responded, placing my hand on her head.

"Really?" Violet's attention turned to Henry.

He smiled at her. "I promised you I'd take Ally to come see you, right?"

Violet ran up to Henry, and he lifted her up into his hands for a hug. "Thank you, Henry."

I didn't know how close Violet and Henry had become, but the sight of them together was enough to put my heart at ease once more about my husband. Seeing him smile in this peaceful state—I couldn't ask for more.

"Welcome Henry and Ally." Sophia smiled. It was a rare sight to see. "Me and Violet are super excited you could join us for dinner tonight. You guys must be hungry. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes."

"Thank you for having us over again." Henry let Violet down on the ground. "And sorry for such late notice."

"It's nothing. We're happy to have guests over, especially Violet." Sophia's attention turned to her daughter. "Honey, why don't you take Henry and Ally to your room?"

Violet smiled and nodded. She grabbed Henry's hand, leading him to follow her.

"Here is something for dessert tonight." I placed the brown bag with the chocolate cake onto the small quartz island counter.

"Thank you, but I️ told Henry you guys didn't have to bring anything."

"No, since you're cooking dinner, it's only fair if we bring something for dessert. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"No, no." Sophia shook her head. "I got it all taken care of. Why don't you follow after them to the room, and I'll come get you guys when everything's set. She has a lot to talk with you about." She smiled encouragingly for me to go.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course," Sophia responded. "Violet's been waiting for you."

"Ally, hurry up," Violet called from the hallway.

"Okay, I'm coming now."

I️ smiled to Sophia before making me way into the tiny hallway toward Violet's room, looking at the pictures hanging on the wall.

They were mostly pictures of Violet from her toddlers years until now.

At the end of the hallway before her bedroom, there was a picture of their family, Violet, Sophia, and a man who I️ guessed must be Violet's father.

The smile on his face hid the truth within, the truth of the violent and abusive person he was and still is to his wife and child.

I️ hoped he never gets the opportunity to inflict that kind of pain on them again. They didn't deserved any of it. Nobody did.

As I stood at the entrance, I️ saw Violet and Henry sitting on at her little twin bed, looking at what looked to be a drawing.

"Violet, this is remarkable. You have a talent for drawing," Henry said, observing the paper. "You should become an artist one day."

"You think so?"

"I️ know so. Whatever you dream to become, go after it."

As I️ entered the room, I️ noticed it was decorated with cute stuff animals everywhere—Violet must be collecting them.

A shelf full of books lined by the wall and a small desk with a lamp stood at the corner of the room. A beautiful purple bed set covered her little bed along with a sparkling canopy hanging from the ceiling.

"There you are," Violet said as she noticed me coming. "Ally, come sit here." She pointed to her empty right side.

I️ walked over to them and sat down next to them on the bed. "What is this? It's so beautiful!"

"It's something I️ drew the other day. See, that's you and that's Henry."

She pointed to two figures, one of a man and another of a woman, holding hands next to each other in a colorful field of flowers with the sun shining in the cloudless sky. There were some mountains standing in the far background.

"Really? How lovely! I️ love everything about it," I️ replied.

The image reminded me of the day when I️ bumped into Henry at the tulips field—only thing was, we never held hands and looked as happy together like in Violet's picture.

The imagination of a child amazed me. Their innocence. Their creativity. Their minds work in beautiful, wondrous ways.

"Henry tells me you love flowers, so I️ wanted to draw something with flowers in it."

My eyes diverted quickly for a second to my husband who was smiling back. "He's right. What else did he tell you?"

"That you love tulips, and they are your favorite flowers."

I️ giggled. "How about you, Violet? What are your favorite flowers?"

She thought about it. "I️ think it has to be sunflowers."

"Good choice," I️ said, tussling her hair. "Why sunflowers?"

"Because they remind of of the sun in the sky, and thinking of that makes me happy."

After a couple of minutes with Violet, Sophia knocked on the door to tell us dinner was ready. She had the table laid with a delicious casserole along with mixed salad and a yummy creamy soup made from scratch.

"How are you and Violet doing?" I️ asked Sophia as we started dinner.

"Violet and I️ are doing very well with the help of your husband." She smiled at Henry and mouthed a thank you." I️t's very fortunate that I was able to get a job working from home. I have more time to watch and spend with Violet here at home. Things are going well for us at the moment and everything's heading in the right direction. I couldn't thank Henry enough for it."

"If there are any trouble with Donovan, please alert Jonathan or me as soon as possible. I'll help in whatever way I can."

"I certainly will."

"Is Donovan your husband?" I asked Sophia.

"Yes, he is. Well, soon to be ex-husband after all the paperwork are done and filed. But right now, nobody in his family or my family knows where he is."

"What if he comes near you guys?" I asked, worriedly.

"He won't. Even if he tried, Jonathan is here to protect us," Sophia responded. "The whole building is secured with cameras at every corner to make sure he or any of his people can't get into the building."

"His people? What do you mean?"

"Well, in his younger years, Don used to be the leader of one of the most dangerous gangs in Chicago. Those years are behind him now, but he still has many ties to the crime community here."

"What if he breaks in here?"

"Don't worry, Ally." Henry placed his arm around me. "Jonathan is the officer I assigned to protect Sophia and Violet. He's well trained and resides in the apartment next door over and will be here twenty-four-seven to make sure they are well protected and safe from harm."

When dinner ended, Henry and Violet talked in the living room while I helped Sophia cleaned the kitchen.

"That's one fine man you got there, Ally. Don't ever let him go," Sophia muttered as we washed the dishes.

"Thank you." I sneaked a quick peek of Henry and Violet. "I'll hold on to him for as long as I can."

"I'm happy to hear that. If only more people were like you two in this world." A bitter sadness filled her voice, and I got a hint that she was referring to her husband.

"So how did you meet Donovan?"

"We met through family members and fell in love very young. You know how young love is. You meet, you fall in love, you get marry. That's me and Don right there. After we married, all the love and affection disappeared. I don't know why. It's like they were never there in the first place, so I thought maybe a child would help save our marriage. But I was mistakened."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Relationships are never easy, but look on the bright side, you got one sweet girl who loves you very much."

"You're right. Violet's the only person I'm living for at the moment. She's what keeps me going. She's the star in my life, so if anything happens to her, I could never forgive myself."

"Don't worry. No harm will come to her or you. You both have Henry and my support."

"We can't thank you both enough."

The time was eight when we said goodbye to Violet and her mother and made our way back to the bus stop at the corner.

"Thank you, Henry," I said after we sat down in our seats at the end of the bus.

"For?"

"For protecting Violet and her mother."

"Who's important to you is important to me. And also, they're really nice people, and it's the least I can do."

"That's more than I ask for already from you."

Henry interlaced his fingers through mine, placing our locked hands over his lap. "I don't mind at all because you're worth it for me. I'll give you anything you want. Anything, don't you remember?"

I placed my head on his shoulders as he leaned his on top of mine, leaving a kiss on my forehead. "Yes, I do. Thank you again."

"We should ride the bus more at night," he suggested, his thumb rubbing over my skin.

"Why's that?" Even though I had a hint of  what his answer would be, I still wished to hear it from his lips.

The memory when Henry rode the bus for the first time with me flashed in my mind. I remembered I was on my way to the farmer's market, and he somehow got on the bus without me noticing him. The shy look on his face when I asked him if this was the first time he ever rode the bus was still engraved into my mind.

"We should ride the bus more at night because I never thought I would enjoy it this much, especially with you. It's peaceful and calm and clears my mind, being immersed into this side of reality which I haven't experienced much of. They all make me feel very much ... alive and human."

"I'm happy to know it makes you feel that way." The light skyscrapers came into view as the bus traveled downtown. "Are we going back to the office?"

"No, not the office. I wanted to take you to a place we went the first time we rode the bus, a place dear to my heart."

I lifted my head from his shoulder and looked at him. "And what is this place?"

"You'll see just in a bit." He mocked me with a smile as usual.

Outside the windows of the bus, the skyscrapers towered around us in every direction. The streets were still busy with people walking around, enjoying this late June weather. People were dining outside of the cafes and shopping in the many boutique stores along the bustling streets.

The bus came to a stop near Lake Michigan. There was a cool lake breeze blowing through the air as we stepped off the bus steps.

We walked on the trail alongside the lake. I wasn't sure where we were going, but that didn't matter to me.

My gaze moved up to the sky and as I tried to make out the stars, Henry placed his blazer over my shoulders. "Thank you."

"I thought you were cold."

"Just a little bit."

His hand slid into mine, swinging our interlocked palms back and forth gently.

The view of the beach came closer to view, and instantly I️ realized that it was the same beach we stopped at about a year ago. There were still a few people out here at this hour.

Even with the busy downtown and skyscrapers behind us, here on the beach, the people could still enjoy the tranquility offered by the lake.

"Why is this place dear to your heart?" I asked as we made our way onto the sand.

"You want to know?"

"I️ like to hear about it."

He released my hand and walked ahead, his back facing me.

"It was the first time I really heard your laugh ... I haven't heard such a sound in a long time." Henry turned around back toward me. "And it made me realized that I️ could feel happiness, even if it was just for a mere second."

A smile grew on my face as the words rang through my ears, and I opened my arms wide for Henry, our gaze locking together.

I️ wanted him to run to me, hold me, and forget about his sorrows, his pain, everything that he suffered from the nightmares of his past.

I️ wanted him to know that I️ was going to be right here. And that I️ wasn't going anywhere.

I️ was going to be here for him when he needed it.

He motioned towards me quickly and placed his hands on both side of my cheeks as his lips crashed onto mine, catching me off guard in one of the most romantic ways possible.