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“You think I am all that?” she whispered.
And there it was. That sound I needed so desperately to hear. Her voice washed through me and I knew then I could listen to it for the rest of my life.
I just hoped I got that chance.
“That and so much more,” I told her.
Then I slowly moved closer to her and held the flowers out for her to take. When her small hand brushed mine as she took the bouquet, a tingle went up my arm at her touch.
Unable to stop myself and watching her eyes the whole way to make sure she wasn’t scared, I leaned in and softly kissed her forehead.
“I’m so sorry,” I said softly.
As I pulled back from her, I realized her eyes were closed but tears still trickled out of them. I was glad she hadn’t jumped at my touch, but I didn’t want her to cry.
“Please don’t cry, it breaks my heart.”
Her eyes fluttered open and this time what I saw in them rocked me to my core.
Passion.
She’d felt it too, whether she was ready to acknowledge it or not. I could wait. Something was there between us and I learned my lesson. I wasn’t going anywhere ever again.
I noticed an eyelash at the edge of her eye that had fallen off and reached out my hand. She watched me carefully the whole time as I brought my hand to her face and softly scooped the lash onto the tip of my finger. Then I held it out in front of her lips.
“Make a wish.”
She looked down at the lash and then her warm breath blew it off my finger and another tingle raced through my body. When she looked back up at me her words grabbed my heart and I knew one day they would be mine. She could have wished for anything and maybe someday she’d tell me what it was, but right then I had a feeling in my gut I already knew. Her eyes told me the truth.
“I hope it comes true.”
* * *
This timeI didn't want to leave at all.
Teal had eaten some ice cream and we talked about the last couple of days. No more was said about me leaving and the conversation steered toward work and how her week had gone. She seemed to understand my fears and why I’d taken off and I hoped we could move forward.
She’d opened up the other gift I brought her and the bright smile that lit up her pretty face was enough to warm my heart for a long time.
I’d seen a tumbler for hot and cold drinks in a rose gold color and it said,‘Mommy’s Sippy Cup’on the front. Rolled up inside were a mother and baby bib set. One read,‘For Little Spills’on it and the other said,‘For Big Spills’across it.
Teal's laughter burrowed its way deep inside my chest and stayed with me all night long. Which probably made it even harder to go back to the silence of my own home.
I laid in bed for hours, tossing and turning as I repeatedly reminded myself that I would see her in the morning when we drove to work. It was already eleven at night and she was bound to be asleep by now. But with no control, I picked up my phone anyway and sent her a text. She’d see it in the morning but I needed to say it.
Kace - Thank you for letting me in tonight and hearing me out. I promise it will never happen again.
Setting my phone back on the nightstand, I punched my pillow a few times and searched within me for calm so I could go to sleep. But the ding of my phone just seconds later had me jumping to snatch it back up.
Teal - You hurt me, but I can understand why you got upset. What you have been through is a lot and I am sorry for that. And thank you for the gifts. This time, gifts to say I’m sorry are a nice thing. Not something someone did just to cover up the damage they inflicted but would do it again anyway. I believe you mean it.
I found myself pounding my pillow a couple more times at her words, the picture of her husband coming home with stuff after he had hurt her flashing through my head.
How was I any different?
I would never physically hurt her but emotionally I had. Damn, I vowed right there I would never do something like that again.
Kace - Teal, did he…
