Текст книги "Scorched"
Автор книги: R. Holmes
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Текущая страница: 5 (всего у книги 10 страниц)
Standing underneath the stream of hot water, I rest my forehead against the cool tile. The water a welcome burn. I sigh as the steam settles all around me. My body screams for release… I’m wound up so tight I feel like I could fucking explode. Groaning, I fist my dick, running my hand from tip to base. I close my eyes and think of the way it felt moving inside of her as I work my hand, finding the right amount of pressure. I think of the way her tits looked, splayed out beneath me like my favorite fucking meal. Her tight walls squeezing me, her soft moans in my ear, her nails running down my back as she pulls me deeper. I feel my balls draw tight and it doesn't take long before I'm groaning with release, coating the shower wall with my cum. The water washing away any trace of my weakness. The only thing I have left is control. The control I do have is dangling like a thread; threatening to be ripped away in the blink of an eye.
I’m starting the day in a foul fucking mood. My head is fucked up from seeing Ember and I got even less sleep than normal. My leg feels like I ran a damn marathon and I’m not taking the pain pills. The last thing I need is to become dependent on them. I need to do stretches and the exercises that the physical therapist told me to do. I’m going into town to the hardware store to get some wood to start redoing the floors in the house. The sun is shining and is a warm contrast against the cool air that hits my face as I open the front door. I head to the barn and open the doors wide. Dad’s old ‘87 Chevy pickup is what I’ve been using to haul materials back and forth. The Camaro isn’t big enough for anything and I worked too fucking hard to have the paint get butchered by some boards. Climbing inside the old truck, I crank it up and roll the window down. By the time I arrive in town my stomach is rumbling and I realize I completely forgot to eat. I pull into the diner and park out front. I climb out and pocket the keys. My stomach steadily growling. I open the door and run smack into Ember. She looks up at me with wide eyes and then to the tall, dark headed guy that stands next to her. She looks as if she wants to say something, opening and closing her pouty pink lips, but stops. I guess the death stare I’m currently directing at this douche is enough for her to think twice.
“Hi Hale,” she says quietly.
I nod, never speaking a word. This damn town is too fucking small.
“This is my friend Tyler. Tyler... This is Hale.” She says to him as if he knows who I am.
I’m not even going to entertain this conversation and if that makes me the dick then so be it. I look between the both of them and shake my head, stepping around Ember and going to the nearest booth. I don’t even take a second look at her because I know the hurt on her face will cause a physical ache. She doesn’t understand my reasoning, but it’s for the best. I don’t even trust myself alone, and I would never put her in harm’s way... Even if it’s myself I’m saving her from. I quickly order the works from the waitress and wait in silence. Everyone seems to be on their cell phones or iPad and I’m sitting here with nothing in my hands. My little flip phone is simple. Just the way I like it and it’s not like people are lining up around the block to talk to me. My food appears in front of me and out of the corner of my eye I see Ember laughing at whatever douchebag says to her. Just like that, my appetite dies with her laughter. It should be me making her laugh, holding her hand in public as we eat dinner at the diner we grew up in. It’s sad that our lives have come to this. Sitting across the room from one another, not acknowledging each other’s presence. I signal for the check and the young waitress brings it over quickly. I hand her my card and wait for the receipt to sign. Once I get the receipt I quickly sign and leave a hefty tip. I leave in a hurry without a glance at Ember and get in the truck. I go straight to the hardware store and collect all the stuff I’ll need to work on the floors.
❖
The moonlight casts a shadow upon the room as I lay in bed, restless, staring out at the night sky. I close my eyes, trying to find sleep when I hear a ping on my window. I’m on alert immediately; I walk to the window and open it, peering out into the night. I see Ember standing there below.
“My car won’t start… Can you see if it needs to be jump started? I don’t want to wake Nan up,” she asks.
Sighing, I shut the window and grab a t-shirt and pair of shorts from the dresser and head downstairs as Deacon trails behind. I find Ember leaning against her old Honda, arms crossed, looking aggravated. Yeah princess, I don’t much want to be here in the middle of the night either.
“What are you even doing awake at this time of night?” I ask as I grab the jumper cables from the trunk of the Camaro. I quickly pop the hood and hook the cables up. I feel her eyes on me as I work under hood and I drag my eyes up to hers. She looks breathtaking bathed in moonlight and I find myself moving towards her.
“Why are you really here Ember?” I whisper, my lips a breath away from her own. I see her tongue flick out and wet that pink, plump bottom lip that I want to suck into my mouth.
“You’re playing with fire, and I know you won’t like the burn, baby.” I tell her and turn on my heel, leaving here there a look of shock on her face. I’ll be the asshole. I’ll take that hit.
“Get in the car and see if it starts, Ember. It’s the middle of the night and I’m tired.” She shoots daggers at me with those blue eyes and I smirk, fueling the fire I see dancing behind her eye. “You could’ve called Tyler to come help you, huh?” I tell her as she cranks the car up. The sound of her engine fills the air. I remove the jumper cables and toss them to the side, then slam the hood shut.
“Leave it running for thirty minutes so it doesn’t happen again.” I turn towards the house, leaving her inside the car.
“How did things get so fucked up Hale?’ I hear her say behind me, her voice so low I almost don’t hear it.
I turn to face her once more and the look of pain on her face guts me. I don’t have to ask myself that question. I know exactly where the fuck our lives became a tangled web of heartbreak and pain. The best thing for her is to stay as far away as she can from me.
“Go home Ember. I don’t want to stand out here all night talking about shit that doesn’t matter.” Even as the words leave my mouth, I cringe. It’s hard to even say them to her. My heart hardens a little with each altercation between us.
Ember
For so long I've dreamed of Hale. I've wished for him, pleaded and begged to God to bring him back to me. Now, he's here barely a mile away from me. I thought the pain of losing him was the greatest pain I'd ever known. The pain was crippling. Devastating. A physical ache I felt in my bones. I was wrong. What's worse than burying the love of your life in the cold, hard ground? Watching that love stand in front of you and deny you. Deny what you've been holding on to for so long. There's no pain in the world like knowing Hale doesn't want me, that he doesn't need me the way I need him. It feels like I'm grasping at anything we had left, trying so hard to bring him back to me, back to where he belongs. I can't imagine the hell he has gone through, I won't even try. But I will stand next to him while he fights the demons that so desperately want him. My heart feels like it's been broken all over again. My spirit feels crushed. I need time to think, time to sort through the thoughts in my head.
Sighing, I look out at the park in front of me, loving the feel of the cool wind against my face. Fall is the most beautiful time of year and it’s my favorite season. I love seeing the leaves littering the ground, preparing for the new. I love the crisp air and the decorations scattered across the town. My phone ringing breaks the silence, causing me to jump at the sudden intrusion on my peace. Fishing through my purse, I find it buried in the bottom under all the useless shit I insist on having in there. Sliding my finger across the screen, I almost drop it on the concrete, but catch it the second before it hits.
Shit. "Hello? Hello..?"
"Is this Ember Dubois?" A male voice comes through the speaker, deep and monotone.
"Yes, who's this?"
"My name is Dr. Marks, I'm calling from United Memorial. There's been an accident and we have your grandmother here with us. You are listed as her next of kin and I tried to reach you as soon as possible. We need you to get here Ember, as soon as possible? Can you do that?" He speaks loud and clear as if I’m a child and I won’t understand him.
"Y-y-es. I'll be there in 10." My voice shakes as the words tumble from my lips. Pressing end I toss my phone back into my bag and take off running towards my car. My hands are shaking and the tears burn hot behind my eyes. I try to take a calming breath and I gather my strength, start the car, and hit the gas, my tires squealing as I peel out of the parking lot. Nan has to be okay. I don't think my heart can take any more pain. Reaching over towards my bag I dig out my phone and dial B's number. C'mon, pickup. Trying to keep my eyes on the road and my panic under control, I keep the phone between my shoulder and ear, both hands steadying the wheel. That's all I need is to get into a wreck when I'm on the way to Nan at the hospital. I press the pedal down farther, picking up speed, racing to get to Nan. Finally, after what seems like a billion rings, B answers.
"Hellooo hoooker," she sings into the phone, giggling.
"B its Nan. Someone from the hospital just called and said she's there and I needed to go right away. I'm scared, B. They couldn't tell me what's going on.” My voice cracks. The tears threaten to break through and I start to take deep, calming breaths. "Please meet me here, I can't do this alone," I whisper to her.
"Of course babe, I’m out the door right now. I'll be right behind you. Just try to stay calm and take deep breaths. Nan will be okay. You know she's got more years left than any of us," she says, trying to lighten the mood. All I can concentrate on is if Nan will be okay. “Thanks B. See you soon. I love you,” I whisper to her.
“Love you back babe.” I hear her start her car up. I’m so thankful to have her in my life.
I pull up at the hospital and my nerves are so bad I can feel my hands shaking against the wheel. I can't find a fucking parking spot. I finally give up and pull under the emergency room entrance and throw the car in park. I climb out and run towards the entrance. My heart's beating out of my chest and I'm worrying out of my mind about whether or not Nan is okay. Walking into the hospital, I see people everywhere; nurses, doctors, patients, children, but not a familiar face. I jog over to the nurse’s station, "Yes ma'am I'm here to see my grandmother. I got a call that she was here, which floor is she on?" I can hear the panic in my own voice. She looks at me sympathetically, her eyes holding sadness instead of the hope I'm so desperately wanting to see.
"Are you Ember, sweetie?" She asks, taking my arm and guiding me to the patient waiting room. It worries me even more knowing that she was told to wait on me. Why would they do that?
"Yes, I tried to get here as quick as I could, there was no parking so I just parked under the emergency room entrance…" I'm rambling because I'm scared. "Can someone please just tell me what's going on? I need to see her, or speak with her. Which room is she in?"
The nurse, who I see is named Mary, guides me into the plump leather chair in the waiting area. "Just wait right here baby girl. I'll have a doctor come to you just as soon as I can okay?" She give me one last sympathetic look, pats my arm and walks off towards triage. I see her scan her badge and disappear through the automatic doors. The magnitude of it all comes crashing down as I find myself sitting here alone and Nan is somewhere in pain. I feel helpless and scared. I hear the doors open and a man wearing a white lab coat strolls through. He walks towards me and my heart drops to my stomach.
“Ember?” He asks
“Yes, I’m Ember. Are you the doctor who called?” I need to know what’s going on. My nails are chewed to shreds from my nerves.
“Yeah, sweetie. Ember, your Nan had a heart attack. I’m not sure exactly what happened. She was with her friends down at the community center and she collapsed. They called the ambulance and we got there as soon as we could. I did everything I could Ember. I tried very hard to save her.” As soon as the words leave his mouth, I feel my body go weak, and my vision gets hazy. I feel myself falling from the chair towards the cold hospital floor below me.
“Ember, Ember…?” Nan is my last thought before the darkness takes me.
They say that pain makes a person who they are. It helps to shape them into someone strong, someone who can withstand the forces that get thrown their way. Pain is inevitable. It’s something we don’t have control over. We can’t choose who hurts us. We can’t choose the events that bring the pain into our life. We only hope that we can shape the unfortunate, sad, painful things that happen to us into something better. We hope that we can make the best out of the shitty hands of cards that we get dealt. We can learn, we can grow, and we can make changes for the future. We can use those moments of pain and make lessons out of them.
It feels like a dream. I feel myself trying to come to, trying to enter the land of the living again. I can feel the strong arms surrounding me, holding my weightless body tight. I smell the masculine scent that’s so familiar to me. I hear the voices around me, the bustle of life continuing to move on. Cracking open my eyes, I see the one face I know will be my saving grace. Hale looks down at me, his big brown eyes filled with tears, red and swollen from the ones he has already shed. I know what he's crying for; I know it wasn't a dream and Nan is really gone.
Hale
I was pulling up the old, rotten boards in the kitchen when I heard my phone ring. It’s a little piece of shit flip phone I picked up on the way back into town. Only a handful of people actually had the number, so when I heard it ring I halted, mid hammer. Dropping the hammer to the floor, I rushed over to the table and pick it up, answering in one motion, "Yeah?"
"Hale its Blayr. Nan's at the hospital, they called Ember and she's on the way there. I have a flat tire, I'm on the side of the road and Nash is coming to get me. I just didn't know who else to call... I know she would want you-"
Cutting her off, I say, "I'm leaving now. I can be there in ten." Pressing end, I toss the phone on the table and sprint up the stairs. I throw different clothes on that probably aren’t even clean, and head downstairs and collect my wallet, phone and keys as I go. Fuck turning off the lights and locking up, I know Deacon will keep an eye out and I have to get to Em. She can't face this alone. I make it to the hospital in four minutes instead of seven and probably breaking every speed limit law in the state. I find a parking spot as close to the front as I can and take off full speed for the door. I run straight into an older guy heading out the door. I apologize quickly and head for the nurses station.
There's several nurses standing around chatting, some looking at charts, and some going over things with patients. I need someone to direct me to the right place, now.
"Ma'am I'm looking for Mrs. Dubois? Ember Dubois? Do you know where I can find her?"
An older lady wearing worn scrubs approaches me, placing her hand on my arm, "Hi Sweetie, I’m Mary, I'll take you right to her. Are you family?"
"Only family she has." I tell her and my voice cracks with emotion. God, this is all so fucked up. I should've been there for Em. I shouldn't have left her alone to deal with this shit. She was never supposed to be alone. Guilt eats at me as she leads me to the waiting room.
The first thing I see when I enter the room is Ember, lifeless in a heap on the floor. My heart drops and I run to her full speed, dropping to my knees and gathering her in my arms.
"Ember, baby... Ember? What happened to her!" I scream at the unfamiliar faces surrounding me. A man in a white coat approaches and looks at me with a hard glare, "Who are you son?" He asks.
"Who gives a fuck who I am? Why would you just leave here there? What in the fuck is going on? Why can't someone tell me what's going on?" I scream at him. My temper is seeping through my skin. I feel like the fucking Hulk right now.
"She just fainted, right before you walked through the door. I just instructed the nurse to get me smelling salts and an ice pack. I tried to catch her in time, but she fell before I could catch her." Just as he finishes, the nurse comes through the door clutching the supplies. He hands me the ice pack and I press it to the tender spot at the back of her head. I refuse to let her go, not to some stranger she doesn't know. I don't want him to be the first thing she sees.
"Can you at least tell me what's going on? Where's Nan at?” I look at him, pleading for answers. My sweet girl is dead weight in my arms. I hold her close to me, so close that I can feel her heart beat against my skin.
"Did you say that you are family? I'm not sure what the Dubois' would want me to discuss if-" he trails off. I'm the only damn family she has left and I've been stupid enough to push her away and I won’t do this shit anymore. It's her decision if she wants to be with me and all my fucked upness. I won't take those choices from her any longer.
"I'm her fiancé." I was at one point and I will be again. I’ll do everything in my power to put my ring on her finger and a baby in her belly.
"Mrs. Dubois passed away this evening, sir. She had a heart attack and we weren't able to revive her. We tried everything in our power. I'm so very sorry for your loss," he says sincerely.
My eyes burn with tears and my throat feels tight as I try and hold them back. Nan? God what did I do? I feel like this is my fault. I've fucked this all up. My poor sweet girl. I've done nothing but fuck her life up ever since she met me. Nan was like a mama to me. My heart feels like it may explode inside me and the pain causes a physical ache in my heart. It aches for Nan and for the pain that I’ve caused to all the people around me that have shown me nothing but love and acceptance. It aches for myself, for the fucked up situation I’ve put myself and everyone in. I feel the tears escaping down my cheeks and I bite my lip to hold back the sob that I can barely hold in. People probably think I’m a pussy, but fuck, they’re my family. They’re the closest thing I’ve ever had to a normal life.
"Hale?" I hear her sweet voice below me, barely above a whisper. I look down at her and see the face of an angel. Her big baby blues staring back at me. I pull her up to me and wrap my arms around her as tight as I can. I would crawl inside her if I could, just to bring her closer to me. I hear her sobs against my chest and her body heaves with every breath she struggles to take. Running my hand over her hair I rock her back and forth in my lap, trying my hardest to be strong for her.
"I'm so sorry baby. God I'm so fucking sorry. I love you, so fucking much. So fucking much Ember." The words tumble out my mouth. The only thing on my mind is begging for forgiveness. I want nothing more in the world than to take away the pain she is feeling now. I wish I could take it all from her and carry it for her.
"She loved you Hale. She loved you so much. She cried for days when we buried you. She prayed every night to have you back with us and you're here. It's all she wanted, I know it." She sobs against me, and I feel my shirt soaked through with both of our tears. The words cut me like a knife and I feel even more guilt press down on me.
"I know baby. I'm so sorry, I'll miss her too." I whisper against her hair, trying my damndest to be strong for her.
I don't know how long we sit there, the world passing us by. No one stops their lives to notice another’s is falling apart. Humans are selfish by nature, caring for themselves before another. I see the people being rushed through the ER doors, their lives hanging by a thread and I feel sympathy for their families; for what they have to endure if their loved ones leave this earth. Death is never easy, it’s never kind. It hits you when you least expect it; reminding you that it's always in control. Your life is a gift to never be taken for granted like so many of us do. For the life I have lived, I've learned the hardest of life's lessons, and now it's time to make it right. No matter what the future holds, I'll hold my sweet girl through it all. I'll show her I can be the man she needs me to be. Fuck, it won't be easy, it won’t even feel good sometimes, but she will know that I'm trying and that I’ll never leave her side again.
Ember
The next few days pass by me in a blur. Nan left a last will and testament, complete with letters for Hale and I to be read in private. Her funeral was taken care of, thankfully, because I'm not sure if my heart would've been able to take planning it. Hale hasn't left my side in three days except to use the bathroom and shower, and even then he leaves the door open. Like he's worried I may fall apart at his feet. Everyone is tiptoeing around me like I'm a china doll made of porcelain waiting to explode at first touch. I loved Nan with everything inside of me and she was like my mother. She held me when I was sad, doctored my boo-boo’s when I was hurt, and she taught me about all the important things about life that I hadn't experienced yet. She taught me to be strong, brave, and to always fight for what I believe in. To never give up on what's mine. I'll miss her terribly, and every day I'll hold on to the wisdom she's given me.
This morning is the funeral. I woke up before the sun streamed through the windows. My body still lethargic from the tears I've been crying the past few days. I reach my hand out, feeling for Hale, thinking maybe he crawled in the bed with me, but all I feel is cool sheets against my hand. He may have not left my side, but he's still keeping to himself. I feel him there, but not truly here. I know he's tiptoeing around me like everyone else, but I don't need to be handled like fine china. I need him to hold me and show me it'll be alright, the best way that he knows how.
Rising from my bed, I glance towards the old alarm clock that sits on the nightstand and see it’s only three in the morning. Shit, it's early and I'm freezing. Walking into the hallway, I quickly find the thermostat and turn the heat on. Nan's house is like an icebox and I feel the shivers run down my spine. Walking quietly down the hallway I find the guest room. I see Hale laying on his stomach, arms holding the pillow, his body moving with light snores. His back is a canvas, telling it's own story. The scars run from his neck down his back, and I feel the tears burn behind my eyes. I bite my lip and bring my hand to my mouth, barely holding the sob back. This poor beautiful man. What has he had to endure in his life? My chest aches for all the loss and heartache that surround us. This is the first time I've seen him without clothes on in years. His body showcases so many stories, each tattoo its own work of art. The moonlight streams through the window casting light around the room. Walking over to the bed, I lightly pull back the covers and before I can blink Hale is out the bed, his eyes wide with panic and frenzy. He's reaching for his gun, cocking and aiming it at me before I can even take a breath.
"Hale, baby it's me. It's Ember. Put that down," I tell him, my voice strained with panic. My hands are raised in front of me to show him I'm empty handed. I didn’t know things were this bad. I should've known.
"Ember?" He says, my name sounds like a question he's asking himself. He shakes his head as if to clear it.
Slowly, he lowers his gun, setting it back next to the bed. He runs his hands through his hair, dragging them over his face. "God, baby I'm so sorry... Shit. I have these nightmares, and It's hard to sleep-" Walking up to him, I pull him towards me and wrap my arms around him, feeling his body tense next to mine. Instead of pulling away, I hold on tighter and pull him closer. I feel his entire body go lax, his muscles releasing the hold they have on his body.
"I'm here Hale. I know what you've been through is unimaginable and I know I’ll never understand, but I will be here. All we have is each other now. You're all I have left." I whisper as the tears run down my cheeks onto his skin. I feel him wrap his arms around me, his head going to the crook of my neck. This strong, selfless man sobs into me. His body begging to find solace in my arms.
"I love you. I'll say it a hundred times a day until you believe me, Hale. I'll be here and I won't leave you." My lips against his ear, I whisper it over and over.
Finally, I pull back the covers and crawl into the bed. The sheets are still warm from his body. He comes around, lifting the covers and sliding in. I feel his hand at my hip, sliding around to my stomach, pulling me tight to his body. I close my eyes and enjoy the feel of his body against mine. How long has it been since I've felt peace in his arms? As if he hears my thoughts, he tightens his arms around my middle. I feel his lips against my hair, traveling towards my neck.
"I love you, Ember. We'll do this together, somehow. I won't leave you again. I pinky swear." Those words he's spoken so many times in the past make my heart beat faster. I don't want empty promises. The past few days have left me weak with heartache, the finality of it all takes a toll on my body and I finally succumb to sleep. The last thing I hear before drifting off is Hale's whispers of love in my ear.
I wake to the smell of coffee and the sound of pots from the kitchen. Stretching my arms above my head, my muscles groan at the relief. My entire body feels stiff and sore. I look next to me towards Hale’s side and see it vacant. I throw my legs over the side and follow the smell radiating from the kitchen. Bacon and eggs? My stomach growls at the thought.
I walk into the room and find Hale naked from the waist up at the stove, pushing the scrambled eggs around the skillet with a spatula. I take a moment to admire his body before he notices my arrival. Full of hard lines and muscles, his body is truly a work of art. Tattoos cover his arms and chest. I got a glimpse at them last night, but in the morning light I’m truly able to appreciate them. On his arm, my name sits. My body flushes with heat at the sight of him. My nipples harden against my cotton nightshirt that hangs to my knees.
Like he senses me there, he turns towards me, the grin on his lips making him look like the boy I once knew.
“Morning Em. Thought I would make breakfast, we have a long day ahead of us.” He says as he scoops the eggs on to the plates he has set out next to the stove.
Normal people probably wouldn’t be thinking about sex the day of their grandmother's funeral, but I want him. I miss feeling his skin on mine, his eyes full of hunger, and his hands running down my body.
Turning back towards me his eyes drop to my chest and down the length of my body.
"Let's eat Em, we have to be at the funeral home by 8." Gathering both of our plates, he walks to the dining table and sets them down. My cheeks warm at the dismissal; so much for the kitchen table fantasy. Rolling my eyes, I take a seat at the table. I eat the eggs in a hurry, and take my plate to the sink and rinse it. It seems so strange to sit at the table with the love of your life and not say a word. It just goes to show how things can change, how people can change.
I step into the satin black dress that has hung in the back of my closet for months. My heart hurts at the fact that it's now that this dress has to be worn. I reach behind me to secure the zipper and curse when I’m not able to pull it all the way up.
"Dammit. Can't anything go right?" I mutter to myself.
"Want me to zip it for you?" Hale's voice breaks through my thoughts. He's leaning against the door frame wearing his dress blues, his brown eyes are shining bright. He's freshly showered and smells delicious.
"Yeah, I can't get the zipper all the way up," I whisper. I'm overwhelmed and dreading today. I wish it wasn't another heartache that brought Hale truly back into my life.
Walking up behind me, his fingers clasp the zipper at the base of my back and my body responds immediately. The shivers course through my body as his fingers trail up my spine. Pulling the zipper to the top, he wraps his arms around my body, and pulls me towards him. His body fits perfectly with mine, like we're perfectly in sync with the other. I feel his lips trail up my neck, to the sensitive spot behind my ear.
"It'll be okay, Em. Let's be strong for Nan," he whispers against my ear.
Pulling up to the funeral home, my nerves are shot. Seeing the tall, looming building spread out before me broke the dam that I had been trying so hard to keep closed. I cover my mouth as the sobs rack my body, my chest feeling tight and constricted. Great, the start of a panic attack. I hadn't had these since I thought Hale was dead. I feel his hand capture mine. He threads his fingers through mine, tightening his grip. Reassuring himself or me? Bringing my hand to his lips, he sweeps them across in the gentlest caress I've ever felt from Hale. His touch alone puts my body at ease. Closing my eyes and leaning my head back against the headrest, I take deep breaths, gathering myself before saying, "We have to go in. I don't want to, but we have to. It's just so final... Knowing that when we walk out of there it's over. I miss her so much Hale. I miss being able to tell her all my problems and I miss her advice. I don't know what I'm going to do. I feel like it’s just the beginning." Leaning over the armrest he pulls me into his arms. I bury my face in the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent. Some things never change.
