Klein answered all the questions his siblings asked him—excluding the ones he definitely shouldn't answer. But he knew this couldn't go on.
"Audrey, can you... do the favor I asked?" Klein looked at Audrey with a sad expression.
She nodded slowly and got to it right away.
The Moretti siblings were all sitting together on the apartment's sofa when Audrey called out to them. "Benson, Melissa."
The siblings looked at her, specifically at her eyes. They now had a soft yellow glow, and her pupils turned vertical, as if they belonged to a reptile, to a dragon.
"Klein left to find a job to provide for you. He's been very lonely and never stopped thinking about you. It wasn't until now that his job allowed him to reunite with you both." Her voice sounded ethereal in the minds of Benson and Melissa. What she was saying made perfect sense. Who could ever doubt such an explanation? That was most definitely what happened. "You'll forget some of the explanations Klein just told you. You'll forget Klein's death and remember it as him leaving for a job."
Klein's heart ached. He knew this was the only way he could see his family again, but it didn't make the pain any less real. He watched as the memories in his siblings' minds were rewritten, their grief replaced by a simpler, less painful narrative.
Audrey's Hypnosis session was coming to a close, so Klein stood up and left the room. He stood outside... silently crying.
The golden glow in Audrey's eyes began to fade away. "Klein will be here soon." Audrey gave them a warm, reassuring smile.
Benson and Melissa blinked. There was a momentary look of confusion on their faces before it was replaced by expressions of fond anticipation.
"He's been gone for so long," Melissa said softly, a hint of melancholy in her voice, but not the deep wound of grief. "I hope his work was successful."
"He's our Klein. Of course it was," Benson replied with brotherly confidence.
A moment later, Klein stepped back into the room from the shadows of the hallway, a warm, slightly nervous smile on his face.
"Klein!" Melissa's face lit up, and she rushed to hug him again. "You're back!"
He hugged her tightly, then looked at Benson, who was grinning from the sofa. The heavy, sorrowful atmosphere was completely gone, replaced by the simple joy of a long-awaited homecoming.
They sat down again, this time Klein sat with Audrey on the room's bed while Benson and Melissa sat on the sofa.
Benson leaned forward. "So, you're back for good now? Your job is finished?"
"The most dangerous part is over," Klein said, the half-truth feeling easier to tell this time. "My work is more stable now. I'm not going anywhere again." He paused, gathering his courage, and took Audrey's hand. "Actually, there's another reason I wanted to see you both. It's not just that I'm back. I have some news."
Benson and Melissa leaned in, their curiosity piqued.
Klein looked at Audrey, whose encouraging smile gave him the strength he needed. He turned back to his siblings.
"I'm getting married."
For a second, there was stunned silence. Then, Melissa shrieked with delight.
"Married?! To whom?" she asked, though her sparkling eyes had already settled on the beautiful blonde woman sitting beside her brother.
Klein squeezed Audrey's hand. "To Audrey," he said, his voice filled with pride and happiness.
"Well, I'll be damned," Benson said, a slow, massive grin spreading across his face. He stood up and gave Klein a hearty slap on the back. "Our little Klein, finally settling down! And with a noble lady, no less! You've done well for yourself!"
The rest of the evening was a whirlwind of excited questions and happy plans. Benson and Melissa were thrilled, asking about how they met, the proposal, and when the wedding would be. The lies were a necessary evil, a bitter pill he had to swallow to achieve this happiness. It was worth it.
"So when is the big day?" Benson asked, eager for details.
"The first Saturday of the new year!" Audrey answered with a bright smile.
"It's only a few months away," Klein added. "We've already found a home in the countryside."
"A home? Already?" Benson's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You really don't waste any time, do you, Klein? I must say, I'm impressed."
"We wanted to be prepared," Klein said, a feeling of warmth in his chest spreading. "Also... I was hoping you guys could come visit us."
"We'd love to!" Melissa's bright reply brought happiness to Klein.
"Ah, I'll let you guys know the date. We're still in the middle of moving in," Klein said with a touch of embarrassment.
The evening was coming to a close, and the street lamps began to light up. The Moretti siblings said their farewells and left the hotel room. This was a strange feeling for Klein. He knew he could now see his siblings whenever he wanted. A small smile crept up his face.
...
After Klein teleported Audrey back to the Hall mansion, he stood with her on the balcony of her room, looking out at the quiet, moonlit garden of the Hall mansion.
"It went well," Audrey said softly, leaning her head against his shoulder. "They love you so much, Klein."
"I know," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer. "And I love you, too." He kissed the top of her head.
He had his family back, and he had the love of his life by his side. His life, which so far had been filled with tribulations, had now turned into something he wished to cherish forever.
Audrey snuggled closer. "The movers should be done delivering everything to our house in a few days." She looked up and kissed his neck. "I can't wait. I'm gonna decorate the house with a bunch of flowers and paintings. Oh! I know exactly which paintings to get from the art gallery in West Borough."
Klein found himself smiling. "Oh, is that so? What about our bedroom?"
"Our bedroom?"
"Of course." Klein slid his hand down and picked her up. He carried her princess-style back inside Audrey's room. "Our bedroom has to be very special, you know?" He dropped her on top of the bed.
"Special how~?" she whispered teasingly. "Planning on filling it with dusty old historical artifacts, Mr. History Consultant?"
He scoffed as he got into the bed. "I was thinking of filling it with memories." His hand came up to gently cup her cheek, and his thumb brushed her soft skin lightly. He lowered his head, and their lips met.
The kiss was gentle at first. It was sweet, showing all the happy feelings from the day—the relief and joy of his world feeling whole again. Audrey's arms wrapped around his neck, and her fingers tangled in his soft hair, pulling him closer.
The kiss became deeper, more hungry, and full of passion, of love. Klein's hand made its way to her back and pressed her close against him until she could feel his heart beating fast against hers. She let out a soft moan into his mouth.
He broke the kiss only to leave a trail of soft, warm kisses down her neck. She arched into him with a quiet moan.
"Klein," she breathed. Her own hands came up to rest on his chest. She could feel his heart hammering against her palms. "You make me so happy..."
"You have no idea," he said, before leaning down to kiss her soft lips again.
This kiss was different. It wasn't hungry like before, but slow and deep, full of all the words they didn't need to say. It tasted of happiness.
He gently rolled onto his back, pulling her with him so that she was lying on top of his chest. Her head found the perfect spot in the curve of his neck, and his arms wrapped around her. She could hear the steady rhythm of his heart beneath her ear. It was a comforting sound.
Klein's fingers gently combed through her long, golden hair. His eyes slowly closed as he held on to her. He let out one last, happy sigh and pulled her just a little bit closer. She snuggled against him, and in the comfortable silence, they both drifted off.