Seventeen Days

by D. B. James

  “As it was mentioned this morning, I have some more news. I’d like to get it all said before anyone speaks, if that's okay. It’s going to be hard for me to say, but I have to get it out all at once or I never will.”

  Fuck me.

  Knowing nobody's going to take this lightly, saying it all at once will be best. Again. I’m tearing off the Band-Aid. One swift pull.

  “I’m using the ticket back to New York next week. I plan on going to Sienna’s and packing up what clothes and things I want, finding a place to stay, and attending Columbia in the fall. At least starting my education there. I’m not sure what I want to study yet, but I never let them know I wasn't going to be attending classes. Julian has offered to pay for my education. He’s also offered to pay for my housing for the next four years while I attend. I’m going to apply at a few different schools for the winter or spring term, but for now, Columbia it is.”

  They both stop eating and flat-out stare at me. The look of love that was shining from Harrison’s eyes a few minutes ago is replaced with one of sadness.

  “I’ll only be gone a couple of days, max. Then I’ll come back here until a day or two before my classes start. Before you know it, it’ll be winter break and we’ll all be in Paris. Together.”

  Aunt Savannah still doesn’t say a thing. She’s still staring at me like she’s waiting for the other shoe to fall. Harrison pushes out his chair and gets up and starts walking out the back door. Where is he going? He can’t leave when he’s upset and he’s clearly upset. The guy professed his love for me minutes earlier and I fucking crushed his heart.

  “Go after him. It’s what you want and what he needs. Whatever I have to say about this subject can wait. Go after him, Morgan. He’s had enough loss in his life—he doesn’t need to lose the thing he’s only recently found.”

  Standing, she gives me the keys to her truck. Pressing a quick kiss to her cheek, I all but run out the door. Only to find he’s already gone.

  Am I honestly running after a man I didn’t know ten days ago?

  Not giving it more than one second’s thought, I start the truck and hurry down the drive. Hoping he went home, I try his place first. Of course I couldn’t be as lucky as to have had him go there. The only other place I can think of that he’d go to is the docks. He’s running to the gulf. I should have known. It’s his safe place. And if I needed to run, it’s where I would run to. I better not get lost trying to get there. I’ve only been there a few times, and I’m in no way good with directions.

  Maybe I should go back to the house and call him. He’ll never answer. Not when he’s hurting.

  I never saw his reaction coming. I know he takes a few minutes to process things and I’ve mistaken that for anger, but this time he was truly angry. Hurt. Disappointed. Heartbroken.

  It’s like I took his declaration of love and pissed all over it. When it’s what I never meant to do. Shit, I was two seconds away from declaring my love for him. Still should’ve said it with my aunt in the room, he should’ve known my feelings before anything else.

  It’s not like three months is that long to be away from each other. Especially since we’ve known each other for less than two weeks!

  Stupid, stubborn, irritating, sexy man.

  Why can’t one thing in my life go exactly as I plan? Because I’m un-fucking-lucky, that’s why. I was dealt a big heaping pile of shit since the day I was born. Fuck, since the day I was conceived. After all, I was conceived out of hatred, jealousy, and spite.

  Blaming everything that has happened to me on Sienna makes me feel … good. It is her fault, dammit. If she would have loved her sister and have been happy for her, I wouldn’t exist.

  Surprisingly, I make it to the office without getting lost. The best part is Harrison’s truck is in the lot. It appears my luck is starting to change. I knew he’d run to the water.

  As I pull in, I decide to block his truck with mine to keep him from leaving before we get the chance to talk. I get out quickly, and as I make it to the dock I realize I left the truck running. Fuck. Hurrying back to the truck, I reach in and turn it off, grabbing the keys, and run back toward to docks.

  Toward my future.

  She’s here.

  She ran after me.

  I ran, and she followed.

  Maybe running was a huge fat fucking mistake, but I ran anyway. Her news shocked me. Even if I wouldn’t have declared my love minutes before hearing she was leaving, it still would’ve shocked me.

  Her leaving was unavoidable. Fuck, I knew that.

  She was never meant to stay here. How could I think I’d be enough for her to want to stay? My love isn’t enough. She needs the big city, art museums, fancy restaurants. She doesn’t need me, the gulf, and my dog. I was stupid to think she would be satisfied with what I had to offer her. Fuck, I saw it firsthand in Paris. The type of life she deserves was right in front of me the whole trip.

  I must’ve done something to truly piss God off. He’s dangled this golden carrot in front of me for ten days—ten fucking wonderful days—and now it’s being taken away.

  “Harrison Dean Montgomery, don’t you dare start that boat!” she yells down the dock. “I’m nowhere near done talking to you!”

  Not bothering to stop, I continue to get things ready to take off. A few hours on the gulf should clear my head. My reaction may start to make sense to me by then. Know what else will help? Beer. Lots of beer. I’ll have to settle for the gulf.

  Jumping on the boat, she stops and gets right up in my face. Turning away from her, I start the boat.

  “Harrison, please look at me. I’d like to see your eyes when I talk to you.” Her voice breaks on the next word. “Please.”

  It’s my undoing. One little word. Please.

  “We can finish talking about this tomorrow, Morgan. Go home.” Please stay.

  “No. We can finish this now. Right this second, Harrison. If you turn away from me again, I’ll leave. I’ll board the plane next Thursday and never look back. My aunt can come see me whenever she wants, I won’t have any reason to come back here. I’ll stay at Columbia and continue to live my life without you in it. If you turn your back on me one more time.”

  She doesn’t mean it. She can’t possibly mean it. It would mean she doesn’t feel the things I've been feeling since the day back in the woods.

  “Fuck, Morgan, I’ve been willing to turn my life upside down since the moment you opened your jade eyes and I saw the fire in them. I’m not turning away. I’m processing.” At least, that’s what I think I’m doing? “I’ve never, never been in love. I haven’t said those words to anyone since the morning my parents died. Saying them to you tonight wasn’t something I did lightly. I told you in Paris before we made love that that was it for me. You’re all I need. But I need to know you’re in this as much as I am. If I know you’re all in, we can get through anything.”

  “I am! I’m in it! We’re in this together. I’m not leaving you. At least not for forever, only for a few short months. Only long enough for me to start my education and get things in order to transfer to a place closer to you. We may have only known each other for a few short days, but I know I don’t want to be away from you any longer than I have to be.”

  Those two simple words she uttered first are all I needed to hear.

  Grabbing her and hauling her close, I claim her mouth. “Mine, Red.”

  Kissing me back as fiercely, she says, “Yours.”

  This kiss is all-consuming, fueled by anger, lust, and love. I’ll never get enough of her.

  “You’ll be back?” Twisting a lock of her flaming hair around my pinky, I kiss her again. This time, I kiss her answer away. If she’s not planning on coming back for good, I don’t want to hear it.

  “I’m coming back. I’ll always come back. Don’t you see? This is my home now. You’re my home. Aunt Savannah is my home. I’ve been lost for the last eighteen years waiting for you to find me.”

  If I believed in fate, I’d sa
y we were fated to be together.

  “That’s all I need to know for now. As long as I know you’re coming back, I can deal with a few months. After all isn’t that what planes are for?”

  “Face it, you’re stuck with me.” It’s not a declaration of love, but it’ll do.

  For now.

  Over the next few days, my days are filled with working, researching schools in Alabama, searching for a short lease apartment in New York, and registering for classes. Before I know it, it’s Tuesday and I’ll be leaving in two days. Two short fucking days!

  After the day of what I refer to as “news bomb day”, life has continued on. Things haven’t exactly changed or stayed the same. Well, that’s a lie, there’s way more Harrison in my life. It’s like we can’t stand to be separated. Like our hearts are magnets bringing us together.

  My nights are filled with all things Harrison. We leave work each day, head to my aunt’s, eat dinner with her, and retire to his place for the evening. And let’s just say our nights get a little carnal. He all but consumes me. This man owns not only my heart but my soul. He’s the reason I wake up smiling every single frickin’ morning.

  It’s a lot to handle after so long of not having anyone in my life. Between him, Savannah, and Julian, I have a family. Finally! Granted, it’s a fucked up family but it’s all my own.

  This afternoon I called Julian because I found an apartment not far from campus on a short lease. My whole issue is, it’s a five month sublet and they’d like the whole fee up front. And let me state for the record apartments in New York do not come cheap. The rent alone for those few months could buy me a brand new car. Let’s not take into account what tuition will cost for the first semester. Fuck, I could probably live in Paris for cheaper.

  Julian agreed to call the girl after six eastern time tonight and take care of everything for me. He’ll have to be up at 1 AM his time making those arrangements. No big deal. Yeah, right. He barely knows me but is willing to give me so much. Him and Harrison have that in common, both seeing the best in me.

  Smiling to myself, I continue my quest to research all things University of Alabama. Everything I seem to find is a bonus when it comes to choosing where I transfer to. It’s only a four-hour drive away from Harrison and Aunt Savannah. I can live on campus in the dorms and come back here on the weekends, if I wanted.

  Researching everything I’ll need to do in order to apply for a transfer, I quickly lose the next hour.

  Harrison dropped me off early this morning so he could have a boys’ day with Gentry. Whatever that means. He didn’t want to go, but I convinced him to; he hasn’t seen much of Gentry outside of work in the last few weeks. Just because I’m leaving in two days doesn’t mean he should cancel his plans. Besides, I had research to keep me busy.

  Gentry better appreciate the time with my man, all I’m saying because our time is precious.

  Glancing at the time, I see it’s after four and Aunt Savannah will be home shortly. Better go get dinner started.

  Turning on the stereo, Miranda Lambert is on so I crank it up loudly. Singing along about white liars, I head toward the pantry. Searching the contents, I decide on homemade macaroni and cheese.

  As I’m setting a pot of water on to boil, Mac barks so loudly, he about gives me a heart attack causing me to drop the pot of hot water all over the floor and down the front of me. Good damn thing it wasn't boiling yet. If I didn’t have the stereo up so loudly, his bark probably wouldn’t have scared me so much. What the hell is he barking at anyway?

  Without cleaning up the mess, I walk into the front room to see if I can figure out what is causing Mac to go insane. Peering out the window, I see a black sedan sitting in the driveway.

  Fuck.

  Motherfucker.

  Shit.

  Fucking shit.

  It can only mean one thing.

  Sienna is here.

  “That’s almost it, Jacques,” I say as the man is showing me his drawings of the design he’s been working on over the last week for Morgan’s ring. “Emeralds, it’s missing emeralds. Instead of small diamonds in the band, can we replace them with emeralds?” Emeralds as deep as her eyes. As many of them as we can fit, I want them in her ring.

  “Yes, if that is what you want, that is what we will do,” he replies with gusto. When I last spoke with him, he let me know he hasn’t been this excited to start a design in years.

  At first, I was planning on using my mother’s ring as a base, but it won’t work with what I want now. Her band may work as a wedding band, though. Three nights ago, I dreamt of a ring, when I woke, I sent an email off to Jacques describing it. The results are now sitting in front of me. And it’s almost perfect. Besides the emeralds, it’s still missing something.

  Last evening, I was surprised to hear from him; his other client in the area needed to move their meeting up so he was flying over here late last night. Luckily, I was able to meet with him. Making up fake plans with Gentry was easy enough. As far as Red knows, we’re having a guys’ day. I had to give Gentry the heads up so he knew the plan if anything is asked of him. I feel bad for lying to her, but it had to be done.

  “Yes, it’s what I want. Can we use this as her wedding band?” Pulling out my mother’s band, I place it in his hand.

  He inspects the band and nods his head as he begins drawing up a new design including this band. “I’d like to connect them, Monsieur Harrison. Meld them together, so to speak, and they’ll forever be connected. Like your two young hearts.”

  Seeing his new design, I’m overcome with emotion. Feeling my eyes start to water, I don’t bother to hold the tears back. This is it. The exact ring I dreamt of.

  “That is absolutely perfect. N-No—” my voice is catching on the last word. Clearing my throat, I try again, “No changes, I’d like it one-hundred percent like that. Exactly like that.”

  Making arrangements for payment, he tells me I’ll be able to pick up the ring in December, then I head on home to Red. Home to Red, how perfect does that sound?

  Twenty minutes later, I’m pulling into Savannah’s driveway and see an unfamiliar black sedan parked near the front door. Were they expecting company? I thought it was only supposed to be the three of us for dinner, as usual. Like normal. Tomorrow night, though, I’m taking Red out. It’s her last night here for a few days, and I intend to take her out on an actual date.

  Savannah has made arrangements to travel to New York with her to help pack up all of her belongings. I wish I was able to tag along with them, but taking off more time from work isn’t possible. The guys are still upset about last week; I can’t leave them hanging again.

  Getting out of the truck, I’m greeted by Mac—he never greets me. “What’s going on, boy? Who’s here?” Not like I expect him to answer me back. Walking up the front steps, I see the car is occupied. What the fuck? There’s a man sitting in the driver's seat and it’s running. Shit, I know who’s here.

  Sienna.

  “What are you doing here, mother?” She hates it when I call her mother, which only makes me want to do it more. Every chance I get, I call her mother. Only the screen door separates us. Too bad it’s not an ocean.

  “You know I don't answer to that vile title. Stop being such a child—it’s not becoming of you. Aren’t you going to ask me in?” she asks in her haughty tone. I swear she practices it in the mirror.

  She’s standing on the front porch, and Mac hasn’t stopped barking at her. I haven’t done a thing to shut him up, either. He can bite her for all I care. What I like most about Mac not liking her is he hasn’t let her near the front door, he’s guarding it and has her at least three feet away. She’d be smarter to go down the stairs to talk. Mac isn’t going to let her any closer.

  “I’ve never known you to need an invitation. Don’t you do whatever you want anyway?” If she’s brave enough to step around Mac, she’ll be in in seconds.

  “You’re right, of course. I’m coming in whether you invite me to or not.
It’s not your house, after all. It’s my lovely twin sister’s. For heaven's sake, Morgan, shut the dog up, will you? I can’t think with all his barking.”

  “No, I won’t do anything about him. It’s his house after all, not yours.” There, how about a taste of your own venom, bitch?

  Mac doesn’t let up and hasn’t moved. I doubt he’d actually bite her but this is fun to watch. Maybe if I get him to heal, she can come in and get this meeting over with. The faster it happens, the faster she’ll be gone.

  “Mac, heal. If you do, there’ll be an extra treat with your dinner.” He’s a smart dog, he’ll let her pass … for now. But he does go to follow her inside. She quickly sidesteps him and slams the door on him.

  “Well, since you’re being so rude, I’m going to take it upon myself to sit down. We both know you won’t bother to offer me a seat, either. You never have shown me any respect. I don’t know why I put up with you.” Again with the haughty tone. Use it on someone else; I see through you now.

  Not able to keep my anger inside any longer, I let it fly. “Excuse me? Why you ‘put up’ with me? I’m your daughter, for fuck’s sake! You shouldn’t have to put up with me, you should love me! But nooooo. Sienna only loves Sienna. You never wanted me, at least not until I blossomed and you figured out how you could use me as a pawn in your sick game.”

  Is she for real? Of course she is, she’s Sienna. “Thanks for keeping my father out of my life for eighteen years. Not to mention an aunt who loves me.” And she wonders why she’s alone? She pushed away everyone who ever truly loved her. And for what? Fame given to her from her appearance—an appearance that is fading.

  The look of surprise on her face can’t be faked. She didn’t know I found out about Julian? Didn’t she all but tell him to contact me when she left me in jail, in Paris, on my birthday? Or I could be mistaken and it was Aunt Savannah who called him? Thinking about it, it would make more sense.