Chapter 41: Chapter 41

- And the teacher repeated several times that he is a natural talent! He just needs the right guidance...

- You're being very generous, Missy. It wasn't that impressive. - Logan gave an awkward smile, while he continued to help her dry the dishes that Gwyneth was washing in the sink, listening carefully to what Missy had to say about their first piano lesson, which had happened that Friday.

- Do not be modest. – Missy smiled at him, before turning back to Gwyneth – He will become a fantastic pianist in no time, I have no doubt!

- You don't know how happy I am to hear that. - Gwyneth smiled, happy, looking away to a still embarrassed Logan - We all always knew he had a hidden talent for music... Especially his grandfather. - Her smile became sad, before she looked at Missy again - But, what about you dear? Did you like the class?

- Well, I think I'm what anyone would expect from a student who wanted to start learning piano at the age of 25. - Missy laughed, awkwardly - But, really, I don't care much about it. The important thing is that Logan looked so happy touching a piano for the first time... - she told Gwyneth, with a radiant smile - And that's all that matters.

- That's where you're wrong... - Logan wrapped his arms around her waist, taking her by surprise - For me, your happiness matters much more... - he purred, distributing kisses along his neck while Missy tried to avoid it, embarrassed , Gwyneth's gaze.

- You two bring happiness to each other. That's what really matter. - Logan's mother stated, with a clearly emotional sigh, which brought Missy's attention back to her, who was smiling sweetly.

Smiling awkwardly, Missy loosened her hold on his waist a little as she shyly looked up at him from behind her lashes. Since the morning after she'd first realized that she was in love, Missy had found that she now had a hard time taking her eyes off his face. Not that she hadn't before, but... Now, knowing that she was in love, there seemed to be an extra fascination... Something almost magical that pulled her like a magnet towards him, that made her hands ache to touch him and his lips tingle to kiss him...

- You know I'm still here, right? - Gwyneth laughed, making Missy realize that she and Logan had remained too long with their eyes locked, staring at each other dreamily as if there wasn't even a world around the two of them.

Blushing, Missy went back to frantically drying the dishes, fearing that perhaps she had overexposed herself by being caught ogling him like that. Of course, Gwyneth thought the two were dating, so it certainly wouldn't be strange for her reactions. As for Logan... Had he noticed the difference in her behavior? Did he suspect her feelings? After all, she felt like she couldn't really disguise how much she was in love...

Except, of course, for the verbalization of "I love you". This, fortunately, she had managed to curb.

- Devon and Diana were absolutely no help today. – Logan commented casually, while putting away the dishcloth he was using and putting his hands on Missy's shoulders, although there was still a pile of dishes for the two to dry – So, I think I'll call them to dry these dishes and take my girlfriend home...

"Do you really think I'm going to allow you to be the last one in and the first one out?" - Gwyneth raised an eyebrow, skeptical - Weakly, Logan, your brothers are right. You really have to learn to share Missy with the rest of the world.

- As if Dad wasn't much worse when it came to you. - Logan grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.

- Yes, you're right... - Gwyneth just laughed, delighted - He was.

- Oh, come on, Mom... - Logan started to argue, but was interrupted by a bouncy Ellie, who entered the room with a huge smile and a very determined expression.

- Uncle Logan! – she exclaimed, putting herself in front of him with a euphoric gleam in her blue eyes – You won't believe what Mom and I just found out! – she put her little hand around his, quickly starting to try to pull him towards the living room – Let's go! You have to see! It's a super cool thing!

- You can tell me about this super cool thing right here, honey. - Logan gave a crooked smile, continuing where he was, which seemed to irritate Eleanor - You don't have to take me out of the kitchen for that...

- Not! – Ellie's eyes strayed quickly towards Missy, before she whispered to her uncle, despite everyone being able to hear her – It's a secret! But you'll love it Uncle, I promise! – the little girl opened a huge smile – Mom and I even created the best plan ever! We will! I need to tell you, before it gets too late! - Snorting, Eleanor continued to pull on her uncle's arm, seeming to be putting all the strength she could there was in her little body to do that, while Logan kept glancing between Missy and her niece, looking almost frustrated.

- He is well. – he relented, finally, leaning down to give Missy a kiss, before finally allowing his niece to take him out of the kitchen – I'll be right back, love.

Blushing, Missy watched him go, foolishly touching the cheek he had so fondly kissed, before turning her attention back to the sink again and noticing that Gwyneth was staring at her with wide eyes, looking dumbfounded.

-Logan… – she finally gasped, as a huge smile slowly spread across her face – He called you love…

- Yes... He... He does that sometimes... - Missy admitted, disconcerted - Is there something wrong? I thought it was just a simple and affectionate nickname. She shyly shrugged, confused as to why Gwyneth looked so euphoric and shocked.

- Oh, honey... - Gwyneth half laughed and half sniffled - No. All I can tell you is that it's not just a nickname. – she seemed to think for a second, before giving him an affectionate smile – In fact, this is one of the traditions of the Knight family: calling only your wife or husband “love”.

- Oh. – Missy panted, feeling her heart race with that information – I… I didn't know…

- Logan is very secretive. I bet he said it in front of me without even realizing it. - Gwyneth laughed, finishing washing the last dish in the sink and moving to where Missy was, starting to help her dry the dishes.

- Oh… - Missy sighed, with her expression falling immediately – I see…

- What happened, honey? - Mrs. Knight asked, clearly concerned.

- Nothing, just… – swallowing hard, she went back to drying the dishes, giving only a nervous smile – II honestly think maybe this doesn't mean that much to Logan. I think he started calling me that because he was very considerate, since I was very fragile when we started... Our relationship. – Missy blinked away a tear even before Gwyneth could notice – So I really think it was just force of habit that made him say that to me just now. Also, I realized that Logan isn't that attached to family traditions, so... II just realized that it's a simple word for him. But I'm fine, I swear... - She shuddered when she met Gwyneth's sad look and realized that certainly that wasn't the way a girlfriend should react when she found out that there wasn't much meaning in being called "love", despite that tradition of the Knights she had just discovered – I don't care about that, really...

- Oh, dear... - Gwyneth sighed regretfully, although she looked at her with sympathy - Things in this family work in a way... Different. You know, you're partly right. Logan has always had a certain fear, even contempt, for the Knights' traditions, but that in no way means he's alienated from them. That's why he always refused to call anyone love... At least until you arrived. – Gwyneth smiled brightly, while Missy felt her face form an expression that was incredulous and at the same time delighted – I know it's hard to understand… Actually, it's also hard to explain… – she laughed, without humor – When I met Daniel, his intensity scared me. And later, when he told me all the details about how the Knight family dynamic worked, I thought he was completely crazy... But in the end, he managed to prove to me that he was serious. – A second passed, before she gave a sad sigh – You know, honey, I should have had this conversation with you since I found out what you went through with your ex-boyfriend. But, Logan was so insistent that I let your relationship build up first... Despite that, I still feel like I made a mistake in seeing her so badly and not telling her a little bit about how I got through my own pain, when a man destroyed me. Maybe that way you would have understood, even earlier, that you could still be completely happy, even after all the pain you were caused.

Completely confused, Missy just kept looking at her, her heart already sinking to know that Gwyneth seemed to understand what it was like to be hurt by a man you thought you were in love with, as her green eyes, full of empathy, revealed.

- Of course Logan didn't tell you about this. - She laughed without humor again - I raised him to be a gentleman and that's what my boy is. Always so respectful... – she gave a sad smile, shaking her head – I know perfectly well that he would never tell anyone my story without first being sure that I would allow it, no matter how much that someone in question was you. The thing is, Missy, that... Daniel wasn't my first husband. – she revealed, leaving Missy even more stunned.

- I understand that you are surprised. After all, I don't like to talk about it myself. that and my family respects my decisions above all else. But, one woman to another, I would like you to know that I understand your pain, my dear. – Gwyneth smiled sadly – In fact, I was a lot like you in my youth. I was also very shy and inexperienced, but with several aggravating factors that weighed heavily against me. My parents' overprotection made me ignorant about the world and my shyness made me inexperienced with people... That's why, when I met... My first husband... - she swallowed hard - I thought it was a dream come true reality. My parents were always very cold. Not just with each other, but mostly with me. So, as I grew up in that loveless house, I began to dream of creating a completely different family: a husband who loved me and several beautiful children that I could care for and love. And so, when that man walked up to me, I thought my dream was about to come true: he was from an influential family in the small town I was born in, which is why my parents loved him and, until the moment we got married, he was nothing but kind and loving to me... Until I suddenly found myself with a ring on my left hand and a black eye.

That sentence hit Missy like a punch in the gut, and before she realized what she was doing, Missy found herself wrapping her arms around Gwyneth, almost as if she was trying to shield her from her own past. God, that wasn't right. Gwyneth was the sweetest, kindest woman she had ever met. In fact, in those last two years that she had taken Missy into her home and cared for her, Missy had come to think of her as her second mother: perhaps the only mother who ever gave her a bit of real maternal love in her life. How could anyone have ever hurt her like that? Especially someone who's supposed to love her?

- It's okay, honey. – Gwyneth murmured affectionately, although her voice was a little choked – That happened a long time ago. Those memories are sad, but they don't haunt me like they used to. Anyway, I'll spare you the details. We all know what a woman with an abusive husband is subject to going through. – She sighed heavily, before continuing – In short, after I got married for the first time, I found myself completely alone in the midst of hell. That man was nothing more than a sadistic drunk, and when I tried to ask my parents for help, they refused. They said it was silly to want to leave someone like him, who had enough money to buy me anything I wanted. As if all those bruises and broken bones across my body were nothing. - A single tear ran down Gwyneth's face.

- No, Gwyneth. You don't have to tell me any more if this is so bad for you. – Missy begged, heartbroken, as she gently wiped away that tear.