The Keys to Jericho

by Ren Alexander

  Going to her, I grasp her chin, tilting her face so she looks at me, but her gaze still falls. “Kat, I just made some major confessions to you. Can’t you give me some credit?”

  Her eyes shine with tears when she finally looks at me. “That’s why I find it hard to believe. You said that since I had been married—”

  I interrupt her. “Why’d you get married the first time?”

  “To get over you. A Band-Aid.”

  “Is that the truth?” She nods and I say, “Then fuck what I told you. I’m here. No more Band-Aids.”

  “But how? Tell me how can you just change your mind so fast?”

  “How did you? You got a PA license. Why?”

  “Because… Because I want to be with you. Fuck. I’ll move to Philadelphia just to be near you. I’ll give up everything I thought I wanted, because I’m kidding myself if I think I can move on without you again. I can’t. None of it is important without you.”

  I nod. “Then I guess you could call that your epiphany, wouldn’t you say?”

  Kat gawks at me before she shakes her head. “My head is a fog.”

  Dropping my hand, I continue, “Well, I can’t move on, either. I don’t want anyone else. It’s always been you. At first, I sought out your look-a-likes, but that was rough for me, so I had to purposely stay away from anyone who resembled you. Yet, I couldn’t get you out of my mind. Finding you again was something I never thought would happen and when it did, I dove in headfirst. Then you said you’re leaving Annapolis, and the years of pain crashed down onto me all at once, so I ran to Philly. When I was there, I realized I can’t do it. I can’t lose you again. I won’t survive this time. That was my epiphany.”

  Kat steps further back from me, scoffing, “How can we be married if you don’t want me in Philadelphia? That’s why it comes back to you making a last-ditch effort to not let me leave, but on your terms! I can’t live with you, but I can’t take the job, either!”

  “You got the job?”

  She sighs and looks to the side. “Yes, but I haven’t accepted it.”

  “Take it.”

  Kat swings her head to me, her gaze horrified. “No!”

  “Where is this job? What city?”

  “Tuckahoe. Roughly 10 miles or so outside of Richmond.”

  “Oh, shit. That’s fucking perfect. I can work—”

  “No! God! You are not quitting your brand new job to take a demotion, Jared!”

  “It won’t be that much of a difference.”

  “Yes, it will! Richmond isn’t nearly the size of Philadelphia!”

  “It’s just cost of living. I can work out a deal, I know it.”

  “No! Philadelphia is where you need to be!”

  “With you is where I need to be! Christ! I’m not a millionaire and I don’t see myself becoming one, but I’ll still make enough money for us—!”

  “Holy hell! That’s not what I’m worried about! I won’t allow you to quit!”

  “Allow me?”

  “You’re damn right! If you won’t allow me to move to Philadelphia, then no, you cannot quit your job to move to Virginia.”

  I cuttingly inhale, looking around the gazebo as I grasp what she’s saying. Returning my glare to her, I ask, “Is that your fucking answer then? Are you turning down my proposal?”

  She answers me with more tears. Covering her mouth with her hand, she garbles, “I won’t be the source of your bitterness, having to take a lesser-paying position.”

  “You won’t be. It’s just a fucking job.”

  Kat throws her hand out. “It’s your career! You talked about doing this in high school, being an engineer in a huge city, designing skyscrapers!”

  “I wanted to be with you more!” Burrowing my hand into my hair, despair rips at me, but I don’t want Kat to see it. I won’t lose it in front of her.

  I can’t.

  Therefore, I go on the offensive. “You can’t even give me a no? You just keep coming up with reasons why this can’t work? I think you’re the one playing fucking games now!”

  She shakes her head, looking up at me with wet, but hesitant brown eyes. I growl, “If you don’t want to marry me, then fine. I was stupid to open myself up for this level of rejection. I won’t fucking beg you to be my wife.”

  Turning away from Kat, I storm to the steps, hearing her gasp from behind me, “Jared!”

  Reaching the top step, I grit my teeth and angrily rub the heel of my hand over my eyes. Impulsively, I spin around, and we both stalk back to each other. Grabbing her face, I look into her tear-filled brown eyes with my own wet gaze. “Yes, I will beg.” Before she can object, I gruffly say, “Screw the goddamned details. I’ll give up anything for you, Kat Merrick. You’re what I’ve lived for, and now that you’re here, I know for sure I won’t be able to go on without you again. So don’t fucking argue about me moving to Virginia. I want to. I know Philadelphia isn’t for you, and you won’t be happy. So I won’t be happy.”

  Crying, she asks, “I… How will this work? I still have a school year left here. I don’t want you quitting your job to take two more jobs. It won’t look good on your résumé.”

  “Haven’t you ever heard of long-distance relationships?” I ask the same question she had thrown at me.

  “For a year? We’d only be together on the weekends.” Just like my sister and Finn. My big mouth, lecturing Finn… Fucking karma.

  “I know, but look what we’ve already gone through. At least we’ll be together this time with an actual future ahead of us.”

  “I don’t want you going against what you believe, just to make me happy.”

  “I’m not. This is exactly what I want. Only we matter. Our happiness. I’m doing it for us.”

  I reach into my pocket, and in another effort, I risk my pride by putting my heart on the line, dropping to my knee, yet again.

  God, help me.

  “I love you, Kit Kat. I had no clue what love was until we met, but I fell for you so hard, and I never got back up. I loved you for two years in high school, teasing you, touching you, and aching for you. I loved you, singing karaoke with you. I loved you, teaching you how to drive, laughing with you, yelling at you, and encouraging you. I loved you on the stupid paddleboats. I loved you when you played with the Mystery Machine, and listening to that mouse song in my car. I loved you every time we had sex and all the times we didn’t. I loved you during our fight in your apartment when you told me you loved me, and during every other fight we’ve had. I loved you when I was watching you walk over here. I loved you when I got down on my knee, proposing marriage. Twice. I love you right this second and every second left of my life. We’ll make this work. Just trust me. I’m begging you. Marry me, Katriona. Please, be my wife.”

  Kat takes a shuddering breath and says, “I trust you.” Wiping her cheek, she sniffs and whispers, “Yes, Jared. I’ll marry you. Make me yours.”

  Even though I had hoped she’d say yes, my fingers still shake and I skeptically ask, “You will?”

  Kat enthusiastically nods and laughs through her tears. “Yes!”

  I promptly stand and Kat throws her arms around my neck as I hug her tightly to me. I whisper, “Fuck. I nearly had a heart attack.”

  Her hands go into my hair, gently brushing through it, while moving her head to catch my lips, and we kiss as if I hadn’t been stupid. As if we haven’t been apart for weeks.

  Abruptly leaning away, I say, “Shit. I forgot.” Still in my hand, I pull the ring out of the box, careful not to drop it, while Kat removes the silver flower ring she’s wearing on her left ring finger, and putting it and the key into her pocket. I shakily slide on the diamond ring, and we both stare at it as it takes its place on her finger.

  She says, “I still can’t believe this. Forget boyfriend. You’re my fiancé now.”

  “I can’t, either. You’re my fiancée.” I look up to her face. “But it’s what I want. I’ve always wanted this with you. Just you, Kit Kat. No one else.” />
  Kat smiles. “I always wanted to marry you, if you didn’t catch my hints.”

  “You didn’t even catch any of mine.”

  “At least we finally figured it out.”

  “We almost didn’t.”

  She repentantly smiles. “I know. I’m sorry. No more hints.”

  “No. They nearly cost us…us.”

  “Does this mean you’d let me wear your jersey now?”

  I sniff as I bite back a smile. “I’ll think about it.”

  Kat grins and clutching my tie, she says, “Kiss me, damn it.”

  Before my lips touch hers, I whisper, “Fucking definitely, my fiancée.”

  From behind me, Dash asks, “Is it okay to be here now?” We both swiftly look to see him standing at the stairs, but then back to each other as I shove the box into my pocket. “I see everything is better now, Jericho and Merrick.”

  Kat dries her cheeks and mouths to me, “Does he know?”

  I slightly shake my head, blinking away my tears, and lean to whisper in her ear, “Our secret for now.”

  She nods against my head, and Dash says, “I was walking the path after I ate my sandwich and I noticed it got quiet in here. I wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or scared.”

  I take Kat’s hand, sliding my fingers between hers, and holding her hand close to me to obscure the ring; however, I can’t hide my huge grin. “Yeah. We’re okay.”

  “I knew everything would be,” Dash says, smiling. “So, did you get everything out in the open?”

  Kat giggles and I look at her, grinning, as she says to Dash, “Yes. We…talked.”

  Dash laughs. “Wow. You two are sickening now. Who knew that three words could make all the difference?” Only three words. Right.

  Kat leans against me and Dash shakes his head. “Aren’t you glad we came here now, Merrick?”

  “Yes, Dash. Thank you.”

  Dash looks at our joined hands and asks, “You are together now, right? Or am I totally off and you’re only weirdly close friends?”

  Glancing at Kat with still a huge smile, I answer, “Yeah. We’re definitely together now.” We always were.

  She smiles back at me and I want to kiss her, but I don’t want to do that in front of Dash again, though I’ll eventually have to, I guess.

  Dash says, “Hey! We should all go to the club tonight then. Celebrate your togetherness.”

  Kat squeezes my hand and I say, “Tomorrow night.”

  Dash nods, grinning like a jackass. “Oh. I get it. You want to be alone. Okay. I’ll let Duquesne know and we’ll meet at Oceanic. Why don’t you ask Hadley to come?”

  “Yeah. I will.” Shit. My sister. A complication I didn’t consider, but one that I can’t avoid.

  Dash asks Kat, “Don’t you want your sandwich?”

  “You can have it.”

  I pull Kat with me as I head for the stairs. “Thanks, Calder. I’ll talk to you tomorrow about what time to meet you.”

  “Just go have fun,” he teases.

  As we walk past, Kat reaches over with her free arm, pulling Dash to her for a hug, whispering something to him, and making him laugh.

  “Whatever, Merrick. I’m glad to see you both smiling. See you tomorrow.”

  We practically run to my car over at the next parking lot. Her ring cuts into my hand, but it’s an appreciated hurt, reminding me that she said yes.

  When we get to my car, I stop Kat from getting in by pushing her against the side, and kissing her neck. She sighs. “Jared, I want you.”

  “I could fuck you right here, but since we’d get arrested, let’s go back to your apartment.”

  She giggles. “Our apartment. You’ll need a place to live on weekends.”

  I smile. “I guess so. If you don’t mind?”

  “Oh, I don’t mind.” She laughs again as she pulls me back to her lips.

  A buzzing phone interrupts us, and she reaches into her pocket to check hers as I check mine. Kat says, “My mom wants me to bring Dash over for pie.” She rolls her eyes. “We need to tell our parents before we tell our friends.”

  I scowl. “Can’t we do that tomorrow?”

  “She’ll see your car in my driveway overnight. She’s bound to ask.”

  “So?”

  “Jared. Let’s get it over with. I’ll have her ask your dad over, too. My dad is out of town, so I’ll call him later. You’ll have to meet him.”

  “Great,” I say, anxiously brushing my hand through my hair.

  “He’ll like you.”

  “My dad barely likes me.”

  Kat laughs. “Oh, stop.”

  I roll my eyes. “Really, Kit Kat? Fucking pie and telling our parents? I just want to be alone with you.”

  “We’ll keep it short.”

  I grab her hips, yanking her to me. “You’d better be talking about the time with them.”

  She laughs. “Yes.”

  I whisper, “I love that word.” I go to kiss her again, but she pushes on my chest.

  “We cannot get carried away or I will fuck you in the car.”

  “Please, do.” I grin and try again to kiss her, but her hands hold me back.

  “There are people here.”

  I sigh. “Fucking fine. Tell your mom that Dash needs to talk to my dad. It’ll throw them both off.”

  She nods. “Good plan.”

  “Good. Let’s get this over with so we can do dirty things to each other. The only thing I want you wearing is this ring and me.”

  Kat can’t even hide her grin. “You’re so bad.”

  “And you wouldn’t have me any other way.”

  Laughing, she shakes her head, her eyes sparkling in the late sun. “Absolutely true.”

  Receiving a response from Brenda, Kat looks at her phone and says, “Your dad is already coming over. She had invited him.”

  Lifting the door handle, I smile. “Perfect.”

  Kat says, “I guess she figured you’re still out of town.”

  “My dad doesn’t know I’m here early. I wasn’t supposed to be back until tomorrow.” Kat gets into the car and shutting the door, I head over to the driver’s side.

  When I start the car, she asks, “So, who all knows about you proposing? You picked out the ring on your own? I’m impressed.”

  “Uh, no. Well, yes.” I groan as I back out of the space. “It’s half and half. I knew what I wanted when I saw it, but I wasn’t alone.”

  “Hadley?”

  “Um, not her.”

  “Dash doesn’t know. Rio?”

  I cringe as we head out of the park. “You won’t believe it if I told you.”

  “Who?”

  Rolling my eyes, I avoid hers as I choke out, “Liberty.”

  Kat laughs. “You’re right. There’s no way in Hell! Come on. Who?”

  I groan again. “I’m telling you the truth. Liberty. We talked. Worked out a truce, I guess. She’s still bitchy, but she did help me. I can’t really hate her. Too much.”

  Kat gasps when I glance at her, realizing I’m being honest. “She actually knows?”

  “Yeah. Rio set us up for dinner to work out our differences. That bastard is going to get his ass kicked, but we eventually did talk. I told her I wanted to propose to you.”

  “What did she say to that?”

  “She was floored, but was determined to help. She hasn’t told Duquesne, so he’ll be shocked, too.”

  “Wow. You two sound like a super hero and super villain forced to work together.”

  “I’d better be the fucking super hero.”

  She laughs. “You’re always my hero.” Kat reaches over to pat my leg and I grab it, holding it there. “So she isn’t as bad as you thought?”

  I roll my eyes with an immediate frown. “Jesus. I wouldn’t go that far, but we’ve agreed to disagree for the sake of our significant others.”

  Glancing at Kat, I see her smile at the windshield before I have to watch the road. She asks, “You actually told her y
ou want to marry me?”

  I nod, looking at her again. “Yes.”

  “I love that word, too.”

  Peering ahead, I lift her hand, kissing it as I toy with her ring. “You’ll have to get this sized.”

  “Not yet. I don’t want to give it up, but yeah. I don’t want to lose it, either.”

  “That would be a reason to break up.” I laugh at her frown, and move our joined hands to her thigh, sliding them between her legs. Letting go of her hand, I graze my fingers over the crotch of her shorts, although I can’t feel anything other than denim.

  She sighs. “What are you doing? We’re here.”

  Deciding to pull into Kat’s driveway instead of Brenda’s, I have to move my hand to park the car. Turning to her, I lick my lips. “Just was warming you up, Kit Kat.”

  I grin at her until she says, “No need to. I’m already preheated.”

  “Fuck. Really?”

  She nods, biting her lip. “Yep. Just for you.”

  I warn, “It’d better be only for me.”

  “Just you, Jared. You don’t even have to touch me.” She takes my hand, returning it between her legs, and pushes my fingers firmly against her. “But I love it when you do.”

  I groan. “Shit. You can’t do that and expect me to hang out with our parents.”

  “I know. I want to forget about pie.”

  “I want to eat, but not pie.”

  Kat’s mouth drops open, before repeating what I had said. “You can’t say that and expect me to hang out with our parents.”

  “We’re in and out of there. Promise?”

  “I promise.” Kat leans to my ear and whispers, “I want you in and out of me.” She again, pushes on my fingers as my other hand skates over her ribs and then to her breast, palming her nipple through her shirt. “I can’t wait for you to fuck your fiancée.”

  “That’s not playing fair,” I complain. Her mouth travels to mine and she kisses me, but I have to turn my head and sit back, sighing. “I need a couple minutes before going in there. All of this is not helping.”

  “Sorry.”

  I grin. “Don’t be.” Pulling my hand away, my smile fades as I say, “Kat, during our argument at your apartment, I wasn’t kidding. I’m absolutely committed to you. I’ve always been.” That’s the truth, even when we were apart all these years.