Free Lotus Blossom by Hayton Monteith

see you later.”
    Dash’s face was expressionless as he studied her,
    ! his eyes seeming to X-ray her being. “I’ll drop back to pick you up.”
    Lotus bit her lip, then nodded, her smile feeling painful as she stretched it across her mouth.
    They rose and dressed, separating for moments only as each one took turns using the bathroom.
    Sometimes Dash would stop and kiss her, startling her out of her painful reverie.
    When they were driving back to Las Vegas, Dash kept hold of her hand, often kissing the palm, his teeth nibbling at the sensitive skin on her wrist.
    Returning to her rented room, he came around to her side of the car and opened her door, leading her in the house and following her up the four flights of stairs to her tiny attic room, the ceiling slanted over the eaves. The dormer windows provided little sunlight.
    “I’ll be glad to get you out of here,” Dash muttered as he ducked to keep from striking his head on the low ceiling.
    “You’d better hurry.  . .” Lotus felt a sudden surge of tears as she embraced him.
    “I’ll see you later, darling.” Dash kissed her long and lingeringly, then let his mouth trace her jaw-line and throat. “Take care,” he told her huskily, then was gone.
    Lotus didn’t do anything until she had stood on tiptoe and pressed herself against her one window that would allow her to see the street. Yes, that was Dash’s car pulling away.
    In a daze, she phoned Petras and told him what she was doing. “So I can take a flight out today. . . ” “Lotus, my God. We’ve been so worried. When you didn’t come to dinner and didn’t call . . .” Petras’s voice cracked over the phone. “I almost went out of my mind.”
    “I’m sorry about the dinner and not calling,” Lotus responded in a reedy voice. “I was detained.” “Martha and I were so worried about you. Are you all right?”
    “Yes,” she lied. She was dying, but how could she tell Petras that she was bleeding from a thousand cuts because she wouldn’t be seeing the one love of her life again? She inhaled, trying to smother the groan that rose in her throat at the image of the gray existence she would have for the rest of her life. She would never marry! She could never pretend to feel the explosion of feeling for anyone else.
    “Lotus, I never should have let you get involved in this. I can tell, even over the phone, that something is wrong. You have to get home as soon as possible. Lotus, listen to me. You get right to the airport. I’ll get the First flight out for you. I’ll book it under the name of L. Sinclair, I’ll try to get you patched straight though, but I’ll take anything, even a milk flight. You don’t have much packing, do you?”
    “No.” Lotus smothered the sob that rose in her throat. She was only leaving behind her whole being. Dash had that and no matter what happened it was his.
    “Lotus, are you really all right?” Petras’s voice softened. “Why don’t you come to the store? Martha is here and she can drive you to the airport. You need someone to talk to, I can tell.” Urgency sharpened Petras’s tone. “I’ll send Martha back with you.”
    “No!” Lotus almost shouted. “No,” she repeated, her voice lowered. “I’m all right. It’s . . . it’s just been a bit much.”
    “You aren’t hurt, are you? Did anyone approach you?” Anxiety threaded his inquiry.
    “No, I’m fine, really. I’m sorry I didn’t get to the house to visit with the children again.” Lotus strived to speak normally.
    “We’ll be coming east for the holidays. Your mother writes Martha every week describing all the things she has planned for our visit.
    Lotus’s voice was shaking but she managed to laugh. “I know. She’s planning a big get-together of all yours and Rob’s friends from the service who are within a fifty-mile radius.
    Petras laughed again, relief in his voice that she sounded relaxed. “Yes. And she has also planned a few trips for the children I can't