Remember When....

by R. A. Krauszer

  As she turned into her driveway, she watched Patrick through the rearview mirror. He parked his bike behind her car and got off, stalking toward her. He gently opened my door and held his hand out to me, helping me from the car. “I want to do a walk around of the yard before you go in the house,” Patrick explained, pulling her into his side. I nodded and started to pull away from him. Patrick pulled me back into his side, “stay right here until I come back.” Giving her waist one last gentle squeeze, he finally released her and walked toward the gate to the backyard. He quietly slipped behind the gate without making any noise whatsoever.

  Kiplyn waited for a few minutes, wondering what was going on because the yard wasn’t that big. Next thing she knew, her front door was open, and he was standing in the doorway with a grin on his face. “You staying out there all night,” Patrick teased. Kiplyn walked toward him, shaking her head, not surprised in the least that he had a key to her house. He did have the locks changed for me, after all. She walked slowly into the house dreading the damage she was going to see.

  She felt like she was holding my breath as she walked toward her bedroom. She wanted to see firsthand how much damage was done. She needed to figure out how many extra shifts she was going to have to work to get the money to fix it. Upon entering her bedroom, the wind was knocked from her lungs. She couldn’t believe what she was staring at. Her room was completely fixed! There was no evidence of damage on the walls or anything. She was in disbelief.

  Patrick pulled her into his side, as he seemed to do every time, he was close to me. “I didn’t want you to worry about working extra shifts to pay for repairs,” he whispered in her ear, causing her to shiver in his arms. “I don’t know how to repay you for everything that you have done for me. I have never had anyone help me so much,” she explained, trying not to cry.

  Before she could talk myself out of it, she turned in his grasp to face him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, hugged him tightly, then gently kissed his cheek. She felt him stiffen when her lips made contact his cheek, but she couldn’t second guess her actions now. He would just have to deal with it. She slowly lowered herself down from her tiptoes and stared at her feet. She was completely out of her element here and didn’t know if she did something wrong.

  “Like I said before, I didn’t want you to have to worry about any repairs,” he explained clearing his throat. She slowly turned in a circle to take in the entirety of her “new” room. She just couldn’t believe the extent this man had gone to. He hardly knew me but acted as if we had been friends for life. Looking him straight in the eye, without blinking, “thank you for everything.” He gave her that smile that did things to her insides. She could feel her face growing warm. Dammit! I couldn’t start blushing now! What was wrong with me?

  “Do you want to stay for dinner?” she asked before she could talk herself out of it. Patrick looked at her for only a second before he responded. “Are we going out to eat or are you cooking?” he asked. Kiplyn laughed at his response. “I am cooking. I don’t eat out very often and it’s the least I can do is feed you,” she explained. “Well it has been forever since anyone has cooked for me, so yes, I would love to stay for dinner,” he said giving her another one of those dangerous smiles of his. I wonder if he is aware of what he is doing. Probably!

  She slowly scooted passed him, out the bedroom door and headed for the kitchen. She washed her hands and got to work chopping up the chicken breast that she had thawing in the refrigerator. After washing her hands once she was done with the chicken, she started chopping some onion and bell pepper. She looked up and noticed that Patrick was sitting there, quietly watching her work. “I hope that you don’t mind stir-fry?” she asked, feeling a little silly for not asking sooner. “Sounds great,” he said, never taking his eyes off of her. Kiplyn nodded, turning away from him, and got to work preparing the rice.

  A half an hour later they were seated on the couch with their plates watching a movie. I couldn’t tell you what it was or what it was about because neither of us were actually paying attention to it. Instead we were talking about whatever came to mind. She found herself doing a lot of the talking because he kept asking her things about herself. He was in total disbelief that she had never had a boyfriend before. He couldn’t understand that she was focused on her education. I wanted more from life, I wanted it all!

  They kept talking, even as she did the dishes from dinner. They found themselves back in the living room on the couch still talking an hour later. Talking to Patrick was extremely easy and she didn’t feel self-conscious when she spoke to him. He made her feel like everything she said was important and needed to be said.

  CHAPTER 4

  Kiplyn woke up early the next morning, a little disoriented. She was really warm, like overly warm. Then she realized there was weight on her, not a lot, just enough to make her aware. She blinked a few times, trying to get her sleep induced brain to wake up completely. Once it did, she noticed the weight on her was an arm. Apparently, she and Patrick had fallen asleep talking last night.

  She gently lifted his arm and slid her way out from under him. How was I going to explain this? I never did this, but he would think otherwise, I’m sure. She made her way quietly into the kitchen and turned on the coffee pot to brew. She loved that she had already had it prepped and ready for times like this. She really needed caffeine.

  Just as she was pouring a cup of coffee, Patrick came walking into the kitchen. “Good morning, sweetheart,” he said as he placed a kiss on her forehead. “Coffee?” she asked, unable to meet his gaze. “I would love some,” he said as he sat down at the dining table. “I am really sorry about falling asleep like that last night. I don’t normally do things like that,” she explained, placing his coffee in front of him on the table. Patrick smiled, “it’s fine, sweetheart. I didn’t mind staying. For the record though, neither do I.” Hearing him say that made her feel better.

  Looking over at the clock, she realized she needed to get ready for class. I have just enough time to get dressed and make it on time. “I need to get dressed and get to class,” she said finally meeting his gaze. Patrick stood from his seat and walked over to her. “Do you want me to give you a ride?” he asked. Without thinking, she answered, “I would love that!” The smile that lit his face at that answer told her exactly what she was afraid of, I am in trouble! That smile makes me want to do things I wouldn’t normally do or say for that matter.

  Thirty minutes later, they were pulling up to her school. Patrick turned the bike off and helped her off. “When do you get out of class?” he asked. “I will be done with class by two, but I have to study in the library for a few hours. So, I should be done by four,” she explained. “Sounds good! I will meet you at the library at four. We can grab dinner before I take you to work,” he said as they started walking toward her class. She wasn’t sure what to say to say to that, so she did the next best thing. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. “Thank you for everything,” she said as she lowered herself back down. “You don’t have to thank me, sweetheart,” he explained. He leaned down and placed a kiss on my forehead, “I will see you after class. I am going to head to the shop for a bit and get some work done. I will be here at four.” Then he turned and walked away toward his bike.

  The rest of the day flew by so quickly. Before she knew it, it was four. Kiplyn found herself excited to see Patrick, and the thought scared her more than she wanted to admit. She was leaving the library, lost in her own thoughts, when she heard someone clear their throat. Looking up she came face to face with Mr. Williams. “So glad to see you back and taking your education seriously, Kiplyn.” She was very confused by his abrasive tone; she didn’t know what to say or how to react. “I have always taken my education seriously, Mr. Williams,” she said finally. She politely scooted passed him and he grabbed her arm halting any further distance she could have made. “I just think that you need to stay focused and keep certain individuals out of your life. You don’t want
them to distract you and ruin all your progress,” he said sternly his grip tightening slightly. Kiplyn tried pulling her arm away from him, but he only tightened it further. “What or who I do outside of school is not your concern, Mr. Williams!” she was beyond confused by his actions. She had to pull a little too hard to get her arm from his grasp and walked away without another word.

  Kiplyn was rubbing her arm to try and get the blood flowing back properly when Patrick pulled up. “Sorry I’m late, sweetheart, there was traffic due to a car accident,” he explained. She followed his gaze that landed on her arm. “What happened?!” he asked sternly, gently moving her hand away so he could get a better look. She hadn’t realized how bad it was until she looked down and realized it was already starting to bruise. She couldn’t meet his gaze because she was embarrassed. He gently tilted my chin up, so she had to meet his gaze. “I am going to ask again, sweetheart, what happened?! And don’t lie to me!” he said sternly.

  Kiplyn spent the next several minutes explaining the situation that happened in the library. By the time she finished the story, Patrick had this look on his face that she knew wasn’t a pleasant one. He was mad! “You need to report this,” he said grabbing her hand and walking toward the dean’s office to file a complaint. She didn’t have anything to say because she knew he was right. She just didn’t want to cause any issues. I hate confrontation.

  After filing the report with the office and a few pictures being taken for the report, they were headed toward the pub so she could go to work. Again, Kiplyn found herself lost in the scent that was uniquely Patrick. As they parked in the lot of the pub, Patrick helped her from the bike and laced his fingers with hers as they walked toward the entrance. She didn’t know what was happening between them, but she also didn’t want to question it. He walked her to the breakroom door and kissed her forehead. “Have a good night. I will be here when you get off,” he explained as he turned and walked away before she could respond.

  The next few hours flew by in a flurry of excitement. The pub was busy for a weekday, but everyone seemed to be on their best behavior. She never took these nights for granted because they were rare. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. It was a good night! I loved my job and I was going to miss it when I started my nursing career.

  Before she knew it, it was three in the morning. She was ready to go home and sleep for a few hours before school. This schedule was not pleasant, but Kiplyn knew it wouldn’t last forever. She was locking the front door of the pub, when she felt arms reach around her, causing her to freeze in place. “I didn’t mean to scare you, sweetheart, it’s just me,” Patrick whispered in her ear. She instantly melted against him. “You scared the shit outta me,” she hissed, turning in his arms after she finished locking the pub. She was now pressed between the door and him, and couldn’t be happier, or feel safer. Patrick chuckled at her scowl, “I’m sorry, it was not my intention to scare you.” Kiplyn’s annoyance melted away at his smile.

  Thirty minutes later, she found herself opening her front door, finding it difficult to keep her eyes open. Patrick slowly helped her toward the bedroom. While she was changing into her pajamas, he was pulling back the blankets for her. She slowly climbed into bed, fighting to keep her eyes open. I knew if I closed my eyes, he would be gone. I just wanted a little more time to look at his beautiful chiseled features. Unfortunately, the darkness took over before she could say anything to him. Exhaustion was a bitch!

  Kiplyn’s alarm started screaming much too early for her liking. And like the day before she woke to find a weight on her that wasn’t normal. She couldn’t believe he stayed again! She didn’t know what to think. She turned off the alarm and just laid there for a few more minutes, not wanting to leave the warmth of his embrace. Kiplyn found too much comfort in his touch. She was in trouble! She snuggled further into him and her eyes again grew heavy.

  Kiplyn awoke sometime later to her phone ringing repeatedly. She slid out of Patrick’s arms and leaned over to answer the phone. “Hello,” she said sleepily. “Ms. Kavanaugh, I was just calling because I was concerned that you were not in class. Is there anything wrong,” Mr. Williams asked on the other end of the phone. Registering who it was, she glanced at the clock to realize she had fallen back to sleep and missed her first class entirely! “No, there is nothing wrong, I just overslept. I will be there soon. I am leaving now,” she explained hanging up on him without another word. Laying back on the bed with a groan, staring at the ceiling, she realized that class was not the place she wanted to be today. What do I do? She threw the blankets back and ran toward the bathroom so she could get a quick shower.

  After showering and dressing she entered the kitchen to see a bare-chested Patrick cooking breakfast. She stopped in her tracks and couldn’t help but stare at the beautiful sight in front of her. He had on a pair of jeans that hung low on his hips. As he cooked you could see the muscles ripple with each movement. It is a sight to behold. This man was going to be the death of me, or my education! Maybe both!

  With that last thought, Patrick turned and met her gaze. He gave her one of his heart stopping grins. “Come sit down and eat,” he said. Kiplyn finally was able to make her feet start moving again and planted herself in a seat at the breakfast bar, instead of the dining table. He gently placed a plate in front of her. “Eat what you can, don’t force yourself to overeat,” he explained. The next several minutes they were both lost in our own thoughts. Next thing she knew she felt a light pressure on her knee. Looking down, she could see Bear staring up at her. Laughing she placed her plate on the ground so he could eat also. Looking at Patrick, “when did you bring him over?” she asked, slightly confused. He grinned, “I brought him over last night before I picked you up from work,” not explaining further.

  Kiplyn finally made it to class, in time to make it to her third and final class of the day. She would have to spend some time in the library today, to catch up. Class flew by and she found herself lost in her own thoughts when she entered the library to study. Kiplyn had already spoken to her other professors and explained the situation about missing class. As she sat down at a table in the corner to work on her missed assignments, she found it hard to concentrate. Her mind kept wandering back to Patrick and the last few days. She was extremely confused by all the attention and didn’t know what to make of our “relationship,” if that is what you would call it.

  As she was leaving the library a few hours later, her phone buzzed with a text message. Seeing that the message was from Shauna, she stopped walking to read it. “Hey girlie, where are you. I am at the pub waiting for you.” she texted back immediately explaining that she was on her way, that she had lost track of time in the library. She climbed in her car, looking forward to spending some time with Shauna, even if it was while she was working.

  As she started to pull out of the parking lot, a masked figure popped up from the backseat holding a gun to her head, instructing her where to drive. Scared for her life, she did as she was told. The masked figure took her phone and snapped it half, leaving her unable to call for help. She was beyond scared at this point and didn’t know what was going to happen. She silently prayed as she realized she had no idea where the directions were taking her.

  Over an hour later, Kiplyn finally pulled into this overgrown piece of property that looked like it was on the edge of a forest. The cabin, if you could call it that, was in shambles. The roof had holes in it, as well as the windows. It looked like it had been abandoned for years. She had no idea where she was, even though she drove because the masked figure had her take all sorts of back roads. Looking at this property, her fear spiked more than it had on the drive here. kiplyn had absolutely no idea what to expect, except she knew it wasn’t going to be pleasant.

  The masked figure kept the gun on her, digging it into her ribs as they approached the cabin. No key was needed, as the door wasn’t even completely closed. Walking into the cabin was like walking into an episode of the Twilight Zone. The inside was an
exact replica of her room at home, right down to the photos she had around her room. Kiplyn was officially scared out of her mind.

  “Sit down,” the masked figured said shoving her toward a bed that was exactly like her own at home. She sat down unable to speak at the sight before her. She slowly took all the details in. She didn’t know what to think, or how to process the events that were unfolding.

  Next thing she knew, she was being handcuffed to the bed by her hands and ankles. The masked figure then walked away without another word. She had realized by this point, by the voice, that it was a man, but didn’t recognize the voice. Again, she wracked her brain to try and figure out what was going on and why this was happening.

  Several hours had passed and the masked figure came back. Telling her that she had a visitor. Kiplyn realized then that it was now dark outside, and people would start wondering where she was because she never showed up at work. her thoughts were interrupted when the door to the cabin opened. She couldn’t believe her eyes! She looked back and forth between the masked figure and Mr. Williams, her academic advisor. A man that was supposed to care about her future as a student of his. Watching this unfold, made her ask myself even more questions that she didn’t have the answers too.

  “I hope you are comfortable,” Mr. Williams said with a devilish grin on his smug face. “I didn’t know how else to get you alone so we could talk. You are always with someone,” he explained as he sat on the bed next to her. She tried scooting away from him, but it was unsuccessful. “You could have set an appointment to talk to me in your office, like any good advisor,” she snapped, unable to control her fear and anger. Next thing she knew, she was seeing stars, he had back handed her so hard. She tasted blood in her mouth. “I don’t need your sassy mouth right now, Kiplyn,” he sneered. “What do you want?” she asked, slightly confused, but determined to figure out what was going on. “You, of course!” he explained, like it was the simplest of answers. She was even more confused.