The drive back home was calm and peaceful. After the whirlwind of emotions, and time in the operating room, and contemplation that had swept through her day, Jessica felt drained and tired.
Her body ached, but it was her heart that bore the heaviest weight of worry, heartache and fear of the future.
Totally drained and weak, she felt nothing than to lie down and have a good sleep but then they are in the car and the only improvisation, she glanced subtly at Davis.
With a sigh, she leaned into Davis’s shoulder, nestling herself comfortably into his embrace. Davis slowly adjusted and pulled her to himself making her head rest on his while his arms enveloped her to himself.
She closed her eyes, finding comfort and warmth in the familiar rise and fall of his breath, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath his shirt, the quiet strength he exuded even in stillness made her feel safe and comfortable.
The gentle hum of the engine and the subtle swaying of the car felt like a lullaby, rocking her into a sense of peace.
For a brief moment, she allowed herself to believe that everything was alright, that her world will finally experience peace and tranquility, that the warmth in the arms of her beloved will be her solace shielding her at all time. But then —
Tranquility was fleeting, the peace she expected fragile because it didn’t last for long.
Without warning, Lady Matilda’s image surfaced in her mind’s eye, vivid and clear. The memory of Lady Matilda’s embrace enveloping in a hug that had been inexplicably warm and exuding comfort that seems comfortable in her memory.
Her gaze, so piercing and inexplicably familiar as Matilda looked at her with anxiousness, lingered in Jessica’s memory like an imprint burned into her very soul.
Jessica’s heart skipped a beat toppling severally. She took a deep intake of breath as she slowly opened her eyes, her brows furrowed together in confusion. "Why on earth do I have to recollect this at this moment?" She whined inwardly.
A strange feeling filled her chest, one she didn’t expect. She felt—worry about a stranger she had never met, she felt worried about how is doing or coping with her body.
Then she recalled the soft and dauntingly familiar scent she had perceived from her. A faint trace of a floral scent which is still trying to assess. That scent has been fleeting, but it struck a chord in her heart. Her chest tightened as her thought swirled.
"Why did it feel like I had known that scent before? Not just from today—but long ago?" She mused internally.
Her mind scrambled to connect the threads, "I wish I would have the time to see her again, to perceive that scent again and finally make judgement, I need to unravel that scent." She thought to herself.
But then she recollected abruptly "my mother wears that scent, it was her favorite." She screamed in her heart. Now it made sense.
"That fragrance was lily, it is my mom’s signature perfume that she had worn even on her death day. The sudden recall of that familiar scent transported her back to the past stirring on the emotions she had tucked away.
She shifted slightly, a subtle movement that did not go unnoticed. Davis’s arm instinctively tightened around her, his hand brushing softly along her upper arm as though it was silent promise that he was there. With her and for her.
He noticed the change on her face and body, the moment her body trembled lightly and her openedfelt her, he sensed the unease rippling through her like tremors before an earthquake.
"Jessica," he murmured, his voice low and careful, as though afraid that too much volume would shatter her delicate state. "What’s wrong?"
Jessica blinked rapidly, pulling herself out of her spiraling thoughts. She turned slightly to meet his eyes but couldn’t hold his gaze for long. Her lips opened to speak but no sound came out, she was tongue tied.
How could she explain something she didn’t fully understand herself? How could she speak about the way Lady Matilda’s presence had shaken her to her core, made her question things she hadn’t dared think about in years? "How will she tell him she found her arms oddly comforting as though she was being hugged and patted by her mother." .
After a beat, she offered a soft, evasive smile. "It’s nothing," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I’m just tired."
Davis frowned, unconvinced. He studied her, his gaze tracing the lines of stress and confusion etched into her face. There was a fragility in her tone that concerned him deeply.
A part of him wanted to ask more questions, pressure her until the truth tumbled out. But another part, the part that understood how tightly she guarded her pain, chose patience instead. "She will talk when she wants to." He sighed to himself. brushing a strand of hair from her face and nodded slightly.
Jessica flashed him a smile to proof herself been okay. Davis shook his head in a helpless gesture. His gaze lingered on her face, searching for answers she wasn’t ready to divulge. But he chose not to press further, respecting her silence.
The rest of the ride passed in an understanding quietness . Davis helped her adjust to more comfortable position. While Jessica fell deeper into her thought, her mind brewing with questions, feelings and memories erupting from her past.
"Why had Lady Matilda looked at her with such emotion? Why is she having that fragrance on her? Who is she?" She mused.
She took a deep breathe to pull her emotion in check. As the car pulled up the long, winding driveway leading to the mansion, Jessica sighed quietly. She could feel Davis’s gaze on her again, a probing, concerned gaze.
"Whatever it is," he said softly, reaching for her hand, "you don’t have to go through it alone."
Jessica looked at their entwined fingers, her throat tight. A lump formed but she forced herself to remain calm.
"Thank you," she said after a long pause. Her voice trembled just slightly. She wasn’t ready to tell him. Not yet. But maybe soon. She had to add her to one of the person she will investigate in regards to her mother’s case. She might be a clue.
The car came to a slow stop. The doors opened, and the cool night air spilled in. Jessica stepped out with Davis beside her, wheeled carefully by the driver. Together, they entered the masions with Jessica taking over from the driver as they made their way to their room.