Strangers

by A. L. Parks

  "Don't take no shit from no one, Abby," he called to her. She turned and smiled at him, winking as she left. The cool night air hit her, and she stepped off the curb to hail a cab. Slowly, she trudged up the stairs to her apartment, not relishing the idea of spending another night tossing and turning with little or no sleep; and frightened that she would be inundated with visions of Bryce and Cindy together.

  Chapter Eleven

  She stepped into the apartment and stopped abruptly. Bryce stood in the kitchen, and turned to face her. In three long strides, he was in front of her, and backed her against the door. "Abby, thank God," he exhaled. His lips were on hers before she had a chance to think or respond. He moved against her forcefully, passionately. Abby gave in to him. Her hands clenched at the muscles in his back. Finally, he moved his head back, allowing her to catch her breath. Her head was reeling. She tried to grapple with the events and her feelings. The vision of Cindy standing at Bryce's door flashed before her.

  "I can't do this," she whispered. She shoved Bryce away from her, and walked into the kitchen.

  "Abby..." Bryce pleaded with her.

  "What are you doing here, Bryce?" she asked, turning suddenly to face him. She could feel the heat rise from her chest and into her face.

  "I've been looking everywhere for you," he answered. "Why did you leave?"

  Abby let out an exasperated laugh, and gazed at him in disbelief. "I guess I didn't want to intrude on your date with Cindy. When did you get back together with her?" Abby asked incredulously.

  Bryce exhaled, "Abby, Cindy and I are not dating. We went on one date, and realized there was nothing between us. She had already agreed to go to the Christmas party at Becca's, but we went as friends. She is a very nice, sweet girl, which is why I introduced her to one of the guys at work. They have been dating since New Year’s, and I invited them to dinner tonight. I was going to invite you, too, but you sounded so tired on the phone..."

  "I am tired, Bryce. Tired of waiting for you to call, or text, or give me a sliver of attention. I’m tired of giving you space, and you shutting me out. I’m tired of being alone, and sad, and unsure of us - or our future. I am so goddamn tired!

  "I don't know what you expect from me, Bryce? You don't speak to me for days; don't tell me what I did wrong or how to fix it. You ignore the hell out of me. And then you show up here tonight, worried about me, kissing me...what do you want from me? Please just tell me! If you want to break up with me, then just do it - and let me move on without you."

  A heavy sigh filled the air as he began to speak. "You know that Emily and I met in high school and dated all through college. There was never any doubt in my mind that I would marry her. She was my soul mate. I never questioned it.

  "I have been struggling with this for a while, trying to come to grips with loving you so much, and it feeling so good and so right, but feeling so much guilt over Emily and our life together. It felt like she was slipping away from me. You are constantly in my thoughts. Even when I am thinking about Emily, it always comes back around to you. I used to recall Emily, her face, the feelings we shared. My memories of Emily now also incorporate thoughts of you - how you would have liked something, or if you have been to this place or that?”

  Bryce looked down at the floor. Abby stood still, not moving, not speaking. But her emotions were raging. She loved Bryce more than she had ever loved another man – including Trevor. When she lost Trevor, she lost herself. She wanted to be strong – wanted to believe that she could withstand life without Bryce. But looking at him, being this close to him again; she knew it would be nearly impossible to live without him.

  "When you asked me to move in with you, the only thing I could think of was how I could possibly place what I had left of Emily into boxes, and put her in storage; how moving in with you meant getting rid of Emily and all our memories. It hurt to think that moving on meant losing her. But not moving on meant losing you, and that thought nearly killed me.” He took a step towards her, but did not touch her. “You were right about the story from your dream, about the mermaid; it was a message for me, not you. The mermaid you described is from a painting Emily loved. I put it away because I couldn't bear to look at it - it hurt too much to have the constant reminder. Emily made up a story about a fisherman and the mermaid after she purchased it. But in her story, there was a happy ending. The fisherman found the mermaid at the end of his life, and she welcomed him into her world beneath the sea, and they lived happily ever after."

  Bryce paused to catch his breath. He closed his eyes. Abby's expression was blank, her breathing slow but heavy as her chest moved up and down with great effort. Numbness passed through her, not allowing her to feel hurt, pain, or happiness. "So, where does this leave us, Bryce?"

  Bryce stepped in front of her, and took hold of her hands. "Don't you see? Emily is trying to tell me that loving her is a waste of time, especially if I pass up the opportunity to love you. She has become that mermaid, and there is no more a place for me in her world, than there is a place for her in mine."

  "And you want to be in her world, with her. But you are stuck here - in this world, and - so, what? You’ll settle for me? Rather than be alone for the rest of your life?" Abby’s eyes searched his, but she remained skeptical.

  "No, Abby. The feelings I had for Emily were so deep; I never imagined feelings could run deeper. Until now - until you. I love you so much it scares me. What I feel for you is so much stronger and deeper than anything I shared with Emily. I didn't know how to deal with the realization that Emily was not my soul mate. You are. So, this is me; begging you to forgive me. Asking for another chance to show you how much I love you, and want to be with you. Please, give me that chance."

  Too many thoughts and feelings were running rampant and unchecked throughout her mind and body, and she fought to rein them in and make sense of it all. Heaviness weighed upon every inch of her body, pressing against her. She felt the air come quickly into her lungs and leave just as fast, causing her chest to move at an accelerated rate. Her brain constricted and seized within the turbulent seas of her mind.

  Bryce placed his hand under her chin, and raised her face. Searching her eyes, she felt his apprehension that he had not lost her. The room was silent except for the excessively loud breathing sounds that they both made. Their eyes remained locked on each other, the insecurity they both felt seeping out through the forlorn looks on each face. It was finally Abby's voice that broke the silence.

  "I want to believe what you're saying so badly, Bryce, but I'm not sure I can. You have been carrying all this guilt, all these feelings around with you for weeks, and you never talked to me about it. When we were just friends, there was nothing we couldn't talk about with each other. Now that we are in love, there are limits we place on what we tell each other, what we share. It shouldn't be like that, Bryce. There should be nothing we can't talk about with each other, and work out, and share."

  "I know I should have come to you with this. I know you would have helped me through it, helped me come to this conclusion earlier." Bryce's voice elevated, as desperation rose within him.

  "But you didn't, and that's the problem. Why wasn't it your first instinct? And what happens in the future? Do you make the same decision? Bring us back to this same brink? Both miserable and unsure of our relationship? I just can't go through another week like the one I just had, Bryce. I thought I was going insane, thinking I had lost you." She placed her hand on the side of his

  face.

  "You're wrong, baby. My first instinct was to talk to you, but I was so unsure of what I was feeling. I put us both through hell this week, and I am so sorry I made you question for one second how much you mean to me. You changed my life, Abby. I live now; I love now. I see things I haven't taken notice of in years. The sun comes up, the flowers bloom, the birds sing, the seasons change - and I take notice of them all because you woke me from the deep, dark slumber I was in. I am committed to you, Abby. I am committed to making a life w
ith you, spending my life with you. I just need for you to give me the chance to prove it to you every day." His hand moved over hers, as it remained on his cheek. Closing his eyes, he turned his head and kissed the palm of her hand, lingering, begging her to reconsider.

  "Please don't make me believe what you’re saying, rely on it, and then take it all away. I can't go through that. If you're unsure at all, please just let me go now, while there is a chance for me to figure out how to live without you." The numbness that pervaded her body moments before had transformed into stabs of pain that pierced her heart.

  "I wanted to die with Emily, and for so long after she passed. But you breathed life back into me." Grasping the back of her head with both of his hands, forcing her to look at him, his voice lowered and softened. He had an assuredness Abby had been searching for since they first began the conversation. "If you were not in my life, Abby, I wouldn't just want to die - I would die. I would become a hollow shell. I would spend every waking moment trying to convince you that I love you, and that you can trust my love forever. I cannot imagine my life without you, and I never want to know how dark it can get without your light brightening it. You are my life. Now and forever."

  Her eyes searched his soul for the truth. "I will love you forever, too, Bryce." Tears fell from his eyes. He breathed a sigh of relief, and let her love envelope him. They held each as the

  minutes ticked away on the mantle clock in the too quiet apartment. Neither moved until the tears slowed to a stop, and breathing became a normal function. Abby wiped the tears from Bryce's face. He leaned in to kiss her on the forehead.

  "I should go and give you some time to think, and rest." Abby tightened her grip on his hand, as the blood drained from her face. Her head tilted to the side, and her voice was barely above a whisper.

  "I missed you so much, Bryce." His arms went around her in a flash, pulling her into him. His strength held her, reassuring her.

  His lips found her ear, "I'll never leave you...never."

  Abby took his hand, and led him down the hallway, and into the bedroom. She ran her fingers up over his chest, along his neck, and through his hair. Bryce lowered his head, grazing her cheek with his lips. His mouth closed over hers. His scent. His taste. His exquisite tongue tracing the edge of her tongue – mixed together in an erotic cocktail that made her drunk with lust. Her hands covered every inch of his body; touching, grasping, digging into his flesh. She needed him. She wanted him; wanted him deep, and hard. He pulled her against him so that she could feel his thick erection. She moaned loudly, seductively, and felt Bryce grow harder against her. She was lost in the moment, lost in him; and she knew he was just as lost in her.

  Bryce moved her onto the bed. He deepened his kiss, driving Abby nearly insane with desire. His hand traveled along the side of her torso, feeling every muscle, every dip. He pulled her t-shirt over her head, and she quickly unhooked her bra, and tossed it off the bed. His shirt was over his head in an instant, and her hand pressed hard against his solid chest. His hand made its way down her side, over her backside, and down to her knee. Pulling her leg up, he moved his in between hers. His hand moved between her legs, rubbing her through her jeans. She squirmed, wanting his

  fingers inside her – deep inside her.

  His hands worked to unbutton her jeans. As she wriggled out of them and moved them down her legs and onto the floor, Bryce worked to remove his. His hand moved to the hot center of her body, sliding over her wet skin, before plunging inside her. A deep growl moved through his chest, as he pushed deeper inside her. She wrapped her hand around his thick heavy cock, and stroked along its length.

  “Oh, baby,” he called breathlessly, pushed her onto her back, and spread her legs. Without hesitation, he thrust inside her. “You feel so good, Abby.”

  Small gasps came from Abby with every drive into her, which made Bryce push deeper into her. Abby placed her hands on his ass, pulling him deeper still. The pace increased, the thrusts more frantic. The air filled with their moans. She was close. Her muscles clenched tightly, as she pushed over the top. Bryce thrust hard one last time, before he exploded inside her. His head lowered onto her chest. They were both breathing heavy, unable to speak.

  Bryce lifted his head and gazed into her eyes, and a sly smile slid across his face. Her hand ran through his messy sexy hair, wet with sweat. This was a rejuvenation of their souls, reparation of their hearts, and affirmation of their love.

  Bryce lay along her side as she remained on her back. His hand rested on her neck as his fingers met her cheek, and mingled with her hair. She allowed herself to be pulled under sleep’s spell, secure and sated. Bryce nuzzled close to her ear, "Forever will never be long enough to love you, Abby."

  Chapter Twelve

  Coffee was waiting for her as she came out of the bedroom. For the first time in nearly a week, Abby noticed the sun shining in through the windows, bathing the apartment in golden hues. Bryce leaned against the kitchen counter, taking a sip from his mug, and eying her out of the corner of his eye. A sexy smile slid across his face as she passed in front of him, and grabbed for her coffee.

  Abby could not help smiling, either. She stood in front of him, and he placed an arm around her waist. Taking a sip of her coffee, her eyes never left his. This is what she had missed, the reason she had asked him to move in with her. These mundane moments that made her heart nearly burst with joy. It made everything seem simple and easy; it made life worth living, something Abby had written off after Trevor died.

  "You are so beautiful, baby," and the spark in his stunning gray eyes, combined with his words, nearly made Abby melt into a puddle at his feet. It was hopeless. She loved him. She would always love him. Kissing her on the tip of her nose, he twisted around and placed his coffee mug into the sink. "I better get moving," he announced, as he made his way to the door. "I still have to get home and get a change of clothes."

  A sudden tightness wrapped itself around Abby's chest and squeezed mercilessly, as she followed him to the door. Dread filled the space that had been overflowing with happiness just a minute earlier. She knew it was ridiculous. He had declared his love to her, but she could not help wonder if he would come back. She was letting irrational fear get the best of her, but she needed the reassurance, just the same. She reached for his arm, and embraced him. His hands went to her back and held her tightly, promising her that her worst fears would not be realized.

  "I’ll see you when you get home from Becca’s," he reassured her. Pulling back, he held her gaze, "I’ll be here, Abby. I

  promise." Abby smiled, and remained in his embrace for a moment longer. It was her favorite place to be, and she had been without it the past week. It had seemed like an eternity. And Abby never wanted to know what life was like without Bryce to hold her in his arms.

  Becca had left a message the night before, inviting Abby to spend the day shopping. Her best friend had a rare day off during the week, and decided to take advantage of the kids being in daycare to submit to some retail therapy. Abby had called her that morning, and made plans to meet her at a coffee shop near Becca’s favorite boutiques and restaurants.

  By the time they stopped to eat lunch, they each had four bags from various shops along the quaint lane near Becca’s house. Abby had found a few pairs of shorts and tops for summer, as well as, a shirt for Bryce. Sitting on the patio, the women sipped ice tea, and laughed at the waiter who was flirting with Becca.

  “So, you look better than how Rob described you earlier in the week. Everything good with you?” Becca asked, taking a bite of her cobb salad.

  “Yeah, now it is,” Abby answered. “It was a bit of a stressful week. Bryce had a meltdown, and I thought I was going to lose my mind. He worked it out…we talked, and are madly in love again.”

  Becca sat and peered at Abby. “That’s all I’m going to get? Are you kidding me?”

  Abby sighed. “I told you that I asked Bryce to move in with me, and he sort of wigged out.” Abby pushed the s
alad around her plate with her fork. “He was freaking out about potentially losing what little he has left of Emily if he moved on with me.” Abby shrugged, and dug into her salad.

  “But things are good now?” “Yeah, we had a massive blow-up, he finally explained his issues, we moved past it, and had awesome make-up sex.”

  Becca stared at her friend once more. Finally Abby chewed the mouthful of salad, and swallowed. “What?”

  “It doesn’t bother you in the least that he is still so hung up on his wife that it nearly caused him to break up with you?”

  “Well, I don’t know how close we were to actually breaking up. I mean, I thought that’s where it was heading, but I’m fatalistic that way. And I wouldn’t characterize Bryce as being ‘still so hung up on his wife.’ She was a huge part of his life for a good portion of his life. It’s only natural that he would feel guilty about moving on, especially if he felt like he was losing a piece of her memory.” Abby tried to explain.

  “I’m not threatened by Bryce’s feelings for Emily any more than he is threatened by my feelings for Trevor. We accept they are still a part of our lives. I know no one understands this, but Bryce and I understand each other. It’s what first brought us together, and was the foundation of our friendship. Emily and Trevor remain a part of our lives, because they made us who we are today. We accept that they will always be a part of us in some way, and that works for us. Bryce didn’t divorce Emily – I didn’t break up with Trevor; they are no longer a part of our lives because they died. So, neither of us has jealous insecurities about them. They are still in our hearts, and always will be.” Abby emptied her iced tea, and checked her phone.

  “So, what’s next? Is he moving in with you?” Becca asked.

  “I’m not sure. We didn’t talk about it last night. We were busy getting ‘busy’,” Abby giggled. Becca snorted, and the women finished their salads, and then ordered a piece of chocolate cake to share.