by Chasie Noble
“I did,” he said while running his hand through it.
I had to get out of there. “I better get going,” I said as I turned to leave.
I had made it to my car, when I heard footsteps behind me. “Honor,” he called after me. He had his hat on and his book in his hand. “I want you to know she just sat down at the table right before you walked past to leave.”
Relief did wash over me, but I still was going to play it off as if all was well. “Osric, you don’t have to explain anything to me. It is fine.” I smiled. “It was good to see you,” I said as I opened the car door.
He stood there a moment longer. “It was good to see you too.” He had a blank smile on his face. I backed out as he walked back to his car.
I was the last one to make it to the dress fitting. Everyone had been given their dresses, and they were about to try them all on. “There you are!” Lilly said as she hugged me. “Stephanie, pour Honor a glass of champagne.” I noticed everyone had a glass. “We are going to start with the bridesmaid dresses first then do my dress,” she said. “Stephanie, this is Honor. Honor, this is my little sister Stephanie.” She was a younger version of Lilly, except she seemed a little shy.
“Nice to meet you Stephanie,” I said.
She smiled at me. “Lilly talks about you all the time. It is nice to meet you too.”
Stephanie handed me the glass of champagne and I downed it in one gulp. “Can I have another glass please?” I said taking the dress from Lilly.
“Whoa…I need you to be able to stand to try on dresses.”
I frowned at her. “I ran into Osric on the way here. He says congratulations,” I told her.
“Oh…how was that,” she asked while handing me another glass.
“He was polite and charming, just like he always is.” She squinted her eyes at me. Some of Lilly’s cousins had started coming out of the dressing rooms. “Lilly, right now is about you, let’s not talk about it.” I went to try the dress on. It was a nice dress, though I wasn’t too fond of the maroon color. I stepped out and Lilly had already decided that it would be the one for her bridesmaids.
“Lilly, where is your mom?” I asked.
“My stepdad had a business trip and took her with him.”
Stephanie walked up taking pictures of all us. “I am sending pictures to her as we speak.”
We all laughed.
“What about Ryan’s mother?” I asked.
Lilly frowned at me. “His dad has the flu and she is taking care of him. Stephanie is sending pictures to her too.”
While Lilly was trying on her dress, Stephanie introduced me to their four cousins. There was Rhonda and her sister Riley. They were in their late twenties and both were married with children. Then there was Ashley, who was nineteen and kept trying to sneak off with everyone’s glasses of champagne. Lastly, there was Bethany; she was in her mid-thirties and unmarried. They were all so sweet and it made me wish I had cousins growing up.
“Lilly, we aren’t getting any younger out her!” yelled Bethany.
Lilly pulled back the curtain and stepped out. She looked beautiful. The dress fit her perfect as she twirled around to show all of us.
“That is the one,” Riley said.
We all agreed with her. The salespeople said we had been the first group ever to take the first dresses we tried on. Though, all of us, except for Lilly, had to get our dresses altered in one way or another. After the dresses, we all went out to dinner and it felt so nice to be out and having fun for once.
From that day on, things seemed to be getting less and less miserable, like there was life after Osric. New Year's Eve came and I went to Lilly and Ryan’s new apartment. We ordered pizza and drank wine from a box while watching the countdown on TV. I wondered what Osric might be doing, but I had to push the thought from my mind.
I was happy when it was time to go back to work. I apologized to Celia and Brenda for my behavior. Both were forgiving and I was thankful they were. It was like things had become normal again.
Chapter 19
I was shelving books one Friday afternoon when Lilly came over to help. “Hey, I just got off the phone with Ryan, and a guy he works with has tickets for Wyatt Merrick tonight!”
I stopped what I was doing. “Wyatt Merrick! I love his music, you guys are so lucky,” I responded.
“Ryan says Paul has four tickets. Do you know what that means?” I looked at her for a moment. “That means you are going,” she exclaimed.
I smiled at her. “Wait, like we are going as a date, or we are just going to hang out?” I asked.
“Relax, you are riding with us. Paul invited us, then his date canceled, and he told Ryan just to find someone to use the ticket.”
“That sounds fabulous to me. What time are you guys picking me up?”
“The show starts at nine, so probably about an hour after we get out of here.”
I hugged her with one of my free arms. “Thank you for thinking of me!”
She hugged me back. “No problem.”
For the rest of the day I rushed around the library to get everything done. After work, I told Lilly I would see her soon, and drove home happy to have something to do for the night. I washed my face and reapplied my makeup. I quickly scarfed down a sandwich and changed clothes. I heard a honk out front and rushed out the door. On the way there we jammed out to Wyatt Merrick’s latest CD.
“Paul told me he would meet us up by the entrance,” Ryan said as we got out of the car.
Lilly and Ryan walked hand in hand beside me as we approached a skinny guy with brown hair. He wore glasses and a smelly cologne. I was glad he was so unattractive—I could see why his date bailed. Ryan shook his hand and then introduced us. “Paul, this is Honor. Honor, this is Paul.”
He looked me over like I was dinner or something, and I wasn’t sure I liked that too much. “I like your name,” he said.
“Thank you, I will let my parents know.” Lilly elbowed me in the side.
“Let’s go find our seats,” Ryan said while holding the door open for us.
“You don’t have to be rude,” Lilly whispered as we walked behind the guys.
“I am sorry. That just came out.”
“Sure it did.” She giggled.
Luckily, Paul walked into the row of seating first, followed by Ryan, Lilly, then myself. Once we were seated, the opening act came out. It was an older guy named Jack Adams. He was good and I wondered why I hadn’t heard of him before. Lilly and I bumped into each other as we danced. Finally, Jack introduced Wyatt and the crowd went crazy.
He walked on the stage and they grew even louder. He came to the microphone. “How is everyone tonight?” The crowd erupted again. “Good! I am doing good too.” Everyone grew quiet, waiting for him to talk. He adjusted the microphone. “The love of my life, who is here tonight, has just agreed to marry me.”
The crowd started up again. Someone behind us yelled congrats and it carried up to the stage.
“Thank you! So this show is one show I will never forget.”
The crowd exploded yet again.
He started playing and then the band joined in. Lilly and I started dancing again, not caring that we looked like idiots. The drink attendant passed by and Paul bought us all beers.
During intermission Lilly and I squeezed through everyone to head to the ladies room. We were lucky and got there before the crowd did. While we were at the sinks washing our hands, Lilly looked over at me. “Whoever Wyatt is going to marry is one lucky girl.”
I agreed, as a beautiful lady with long brown hair began washing her hands also. “She is very lucky!” the lady said smiling from ear to ear.
We were turning to leave and I looked over at her. “I love your shoes!” I said to her before we walked out.
She called back, “Thanks!” as we started making our way back through the crowd.
We hurried back to our seats and watched the rest of the show. When it was coming to a close, Ryan got up to use
the restroom and Lilly went with him. I stayed in my seat until Wyatt sang his last song and I began to clap. Wyatt thanked everyone for coming out and started to put his guitar down as the same lady from the restroom met him on stage. They hugged each other tightly and began to kiss. The crowd roared as they did, and I smiled as I realized that she was the lucky lady.
I felt someone brush up against my arm and looked to see that Paul had moved right next to me. Everyone started to get up from their seats. “Are you coming?” Paul asked.
“No, I will just wait here for Ryan and Lilly.”
He got up and walked away. The exiting crowd began to grow as people were leaving their seats. I got up and followed the crowd out to the main lobby. I couldn’t find Lilly or Ryan anywhere. I tried to call her, but if she answered I couldn’t hear her. I tried to text her, but the message wouldn’t send.
Paul walked up to me. “I can’t find them anywhere,” he said.
“I didn’t see them and I can’t get Lilly on the phone.”
Paul pulled out his phone and told me he was calling Ryan. I tried Lilly again and now that the crowd had started to thin out I could hear but it went to voice mail.
“I can give you a lift home,” Paul said.
I really didn’t want to, but I thought at the very least I could see if Ryan’s car was in the lot. “Thanks,” I told him.
We walked out the doors and I looked over to where we had parked. Ryan’s car was gone from our section and all that was left was a jeep and a truck. “I am over here,” Paul said pointing in the opposite direction. I reluctantly followed. “Where do you live?” he asked. I gave him directions as he drove.
“Thanks for the ride, I just hope everything is okay with Lilly and Ryan,” I said.
“I am sure they are fine. So you work with Lilly?” he asked.
I looked over at him as he drove. “Yes, I do. How long have you worked with Ryan?” I asked, trying to make small talk.
“Not long, I just transferred from the California office.”
I tried to act interested as he continued talking. A song, which I hate, came on the radio and he turned it up. He began singing along with it, and it took all that I had not to roll my eyes as he kept looking at me. Did he think he was impressing me?
Three things were obvious about this Paul guy. One, he had bad taste in cologne. Two, he had bad taste in music. Three, he couldn’t sing to save his life. I was so thankful when he pulled into my apartment parking lot, even though he turned into the wrong side.
“Which building is yours?” he asked.
“You can just drop me off here. Thanks!”
He pulled up by the curb and told me good night.
Chapter 20
I reached for the door handle to get out of Paul’s car and he locked it from his side. I turned to look at him. “What in the hell are you doing?” I asked. I was now a bit scared, and was thinking of the fastest way my foot could reach his balls; unfortunately, his car was small and there wasn’t enough room.
“I have felt this connection with you all night,” he said as he reached over to rub my thigh.
“Don’t touch me!” I screamed.
At that moment, as he began to lean over towards me, the glass from his window shattered into a thousand tiny pieces, flying all over both of us. I pulled my arms to my head trying to dodge the glass. I saw an arm come through what was left of the window and pull the door off of the car. I could hear it hit the cement with a loud crash. The next thing I knew, Paul was being pulled from the car, and I watched in horror.
It was Osric. He took Paul and slammed him into the hood of the car so hard that the hood caved in and shook me in my seat. Osric walked over to the passenger side door and ripped it from the car. The metal made an awful screeching noise. He put the door down with one hand as if it weighed nothing.
“Did he hurt you?” he asked as he reached in and lifted me from my seat.
I was in shock of what I had just witnessed. “No, I am fine.” I was staring up at his face, not noticing that he was carrying me and walking towards my apartment. “Your face is bleeding,” I said to him while trying to wipe away the blood with my hand.
He took the stairs three and four at a time as he approached my apartment. He put me down and I unlocked the door. He came in and I shut and locked the door behind us. I ran to the bathroom and gathered stuff to clean his hand and face. I ran back to the living room and crouched on my knees in between his legs where he sat and began cleaning his face.
“Osric, how did you know where I was? Don’t get me wrong, I am so thankful you showed up, but how did you know I was in trouble?”
He looked down at me after I had cleaned his face and had started on his hand. “Lilly called me from Ryan’s cell phone. She said her phone had gone dead and that guy told them you just left the concert alone. They left right away to find you. I got into my truck to go out and find you. You two passed me so I turned around. I got to you as you started screaming…and you know the rest.”
I grimaced at his hand. There were cuts all over it. “Thank you for rescuing me.”
He just stared down at me. He raised his good hand and took the rag from mine and began wiping underneath my eye. I quickly raised my hand to my face to feel that I had a cut under my eye. He slowly bent down and kissed the cut. He moved to my lips and softly kissed me. “I have missed you so badly,” he whispered against my lips.
I stretched up on my knees and wrapped my arms around his neck. “I have missed you so much more.”
He pulled me into his lap with my legs straddling his. We slowly kissed as I ran my hands through his hair.
“I don’t care about any of it, just as long as I can be with you,” I told him.
He started kissing my neck and then returned to my lips. “Tell me you love me,” he whispered.
“You know I do,” I breathed in between kisses.
“Say the words,” he said.
I raised his hurt hand and kissed it gently. “I love you. You are the only one I have ever loved.”
He cupped my face and began fiercely kissing me. He rose from the couch and walked back to the bedroom carrying me to the bed. He quickly took his shirt off and stepped out of his shoes. He pulled his jeans down and stood before me naked.
I physically ached for this man. I started taking my clothes off as he climbed onto the bed and began helping me. Once I was undressed, he pulled me on top of him and our bodies became one. We were lost in each other. I cried out his name as he told me he loved me. We laid there tangled in one another’s arms, and peacefully fell asleep.
The sunlight filled the room as I woke to Osric’s handsome face staring at me. I laid on my stomach with the sheets knotted around me. He laid next to me tracing the outline of my arm with his index finger. “I love you,” he said.
I smiled at him. “I love you.”
He got up from the bed and started making his way to the bathroom. “I am going to shower,” he said.
I laid there for a while and thought of what I had seen the night before. I was grateful for the turn of events that had led me back to Osric. I got up and got dressed and decided to make us breakfast. Once I had finished the omelets and set them at the table, he came into the kitchen in just a towel.
“You made breakfast?” he asked.
“It is the least I can do for my hero.”
The cuts on his face didn’t seem as bad now. We sat and ate breakfast together as I asked him questions.
“So how strong are you? Could you pick up a car?”
He laughed. “I don’t know. Can you?” he asked.
I giggled at him. “Yes, I do it often. Can’t you tell?” I flexed my sad arm muscles at him. He laughed at my show. “So how old are you?”
He stared at me for a moment. “If I tell you, it won’t upset you?” He waited, as I rolled my eyes at him. “I was born in the seventh century, in the year 680 AD.” I was shocked, and hoped it didn’t show on my face, but he wasn’t foo
led. “I knew it would upset you.”
I shook my head at him. “What about the town you were born in, what was the name of it?” I asked.
He crossed his muscular arms in front of his bare chest. “Capernaum,” he said.
“I knew it!” I said.
“You knew what?” He squinted his eyes at me.
“I did some research myself while we were apart,” I said blushing. “Your last name means craftsmen in Greek,” I added.
“Very good,” he said as he took a sip of his coffee.
It was hard to talk while he sat there in just a towel. I didn’t want to upset him, but I asked anyway, “What about your father?”
He looked down at his empty plate in front of him. “All I have to go by are theology books. They all say the same thing: he was put in a place of eternal darkness to await the Day of Judgement.” He seemed lost in thought as he said this.
“What about you? This won’t happen to you will it?”
He looked up at me. “I am not sure. I can’t give you an answer.”
We both sat there in sadness for a moment. I got up from my seat and went to sit in his lap. I wrapped my arms around him as he folded his arms around my waist. We heard the neighbors laughing as they came marching up the stairs to go next door.
“The bad part about living in an apartment…noisy neighbors,” I said smirking.
“After last night, I had a thought. I don’t ever want anything to happen to you Honor. Move into my house with me…please?”
I stared at him. I was shocked again by this amazing man. “You want me to move in with you?”
He smiled his dazzling smile. “First, let’s see if I am strong enough to carry you into the bedroom.” He stood holding me effortlessly and carried me into the bedroom with me laughing the whole way.
Chapter 21
It was Monday. Lilly waited by the employee entrance for me. “What happened to you?” she asked. I told her the whole story and she sat there with her mouth hanging open. “Paul called Ryan and told him three guys jumped him and trashed his car. He said he was too scared to call the cops because he had been drinking. So he called a cab for himself and a tow truck for his car.”