She had no reason to expect him to call her back, but that didn’t stop her from checking her phone every few minutes for the rest of the day. She jolted awake a dozen times throughout the night, too, checking for a missed call. There was nothing. She felt a gnawing sense of despair when she realized, once again, that his silence was his answer.
The next day she slept until noon. Miserably she forced herself out of bed and through a shower, her movements as robotic as her emotions. Just as she was smoothing on some lip balm, her roommate arrived with a stack of library books.
“Hi, Rebecca.”
“Hey, Sun. Research paper?”
“Yes, for world history class. So much to study.”
She reached for her jacket, thankful for the excuse to escape. “I’ll leave you to it, then.”
It was a perfectly clear autumn day, the last of the orange leaves fluttering overhead as she wandered through the city. She made a long, slow circle through Copley Square and around the Common, finally looping back towards the Public Garden. Two mounted police officers trotted by, one of them astride a chestnut mare. Rebecca’s throat tightened as she envisioned Star and wondered if her belly was growing yet.
She took her usual seat on a bench at the swan pond, gazing out at the graceful birds as they braved the frigid water. Despite her overall disappointment with her homecoming, she still loved this place. A young mother on rollerblades pushed a stroller past. A couple walked by with two blue-eyed huskies on leashes. An old man with a cane stood beside the pond and tossed breadcrumbs out to the birds. Beneath the ancient willow tree, a teenager in a Bruins sweatshirt was strumming a guitar. In spite of herself, she managed to smile as she closed her eyes and relaxed into the ambiance.
When the sun disappeared behind the tall buildings, she reached for her phone again. She figured it didn’t matter if she seemed desperate or made a fool of herself. She didn’t care at this point. All she knew was that she needed to talk to Alec, to apologize, to explain how she felt–even if he’d never give her another chance. She owed him that much, and as painful as the thought was, it would give her the closure she needed, as well.
Rebecca was startled when he answered her call on the second ring. “Hello?”
“Hi,” she said, her stomach fluttering at the sound of his voice. “I, um…I left you a message yesterday.”
“I know. I got it last night.”
She waited for him to say more. When he didn’t, her heart plummeted to her feet.
You shouldn’t have called him again. But it’s too late now. Just get it over with.
She swallowed hard, taken aback by his frigid response. “Look, Alec, I-I know you said that things were over between us when I left, and if that’s still the way you feel, then I’ll respect that. But I just needed you to know that it hasn’t been over for me.”
There was a long silence. “I’m listening.”
Rebecca forced herself to plunge ahead. “All you ever asked from me was that I tell you the truth, so I’m going to. I didn’t leave because of my scholarship. I didn’t leave because of your father. I didn’t even leave because of how guilty I felt. I left because I was scared. I was scared that you would wake up one day and see me for who I really am, what I really am, and you would know that you’d made a horrible mistake. I meant what I said about not being good enough for you, and then I proved it by my action. You said that you had nothing to offer me, but it’s just the opposite. The truth is…I’m the one who has nothing to offer you.”
She was so engrossed in explaining herself that she nearly jumped when someone touched her shoulder. She gasped as she whirled around to find Alec standing there, holding his cell phone to his ear. Her phone slipped right out of her hand and clattered off the bench as she stared at him in disbelief, trying to process what her eyes were seeing.
Alec placed his phone in his pocket and leaned over to scoop hers off the fallen leaves. Then he rested his arms against the back of the bench and gazed across the swan pond.
“I see why you like this place. I think I’d spend a lot of time here, too, if I lived in the city.”
Rebecca nodded, not quite trusting her voice. She didn’t dare follow his gaze, for fear he’d vanish if she stopped looking at him. Finally he turned back to her and gave a quiet sigh.
“There aren’t too many left this time of year,” he said, reaching into his coat and producing a vibrant stalk of Indian paintbrush. “Luckily they bloom in Colorado, too.”
She held the flower to her nose and inhaled its familiar aroma. “It’s perfect,” she managed to say. “But I don’t deserve it.”
He held her gaze. “Yes, you do.”
This can’t be happening, she thought, her chin trembling as she searched his eyes. “Alec, I’m so sorry I hurt you. If there was any way I could–”
He pressed a gentle finger to her lips. “You just did.”
Rebecca squeezed her eyes shut and bowed her head, covering her mouth with her hand. Alec stepped around the bench and took a seat beside her, wordlessly wrapping his arms around her. She buried her face in the warm crook of his neck, letting her tears drip onto his coat unchecked.
“I don’t ever want to hear you say any of that again,” he murmured in her ear. “I don’t even want you to think it. You are and always will be the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
Alec smoothed her hair back and kissed the side of her face. She sniffed and took a moment to compose herself before she spoke. “I can’t believe you came all this way. You could’ve just called.”
“No. I’ve wanted to come here every day since you left.” He pulled back and gave a crooked grin. “You weren’t the only one who was afraid. I’ve never needed anybody before. I thought that would change once you were gone.”
Rebecca nodded in understanding. “It doesn’t scare me anymore, though. The only thing that does is the thought of not being with you.”
“You are with me,” he assured her, giving her a tender kiss. “And I’m with you, whatever you want to do. It’s your call, Bec. We can do the long-distance thing if that’s what you want. I’ll fly in on the weekends, as often as I can, and you can spend your holidays with me. How does that sound?”
She contemplated it. “It’s no good.”
“No good?”
“No. I don’t want you on my holidays and long weekends,” she said, lacing her fingers through his. “I want you every day.”
A hint of a smile appeared on his lips. “So what are you saying?”
“I’m saying that I don’t want to stay here. Why would I, when everyone I love is in Wyoming?”
His face lit up. “You’d really come back? For good?”
Her lips turned up in a warm smile. “I guess that depends on you.”
“Me?”
“Yeah. Are you always going to be incredibly difficult and stubborn?”
He nodded without hesitation. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Are you always going to drive me stark raving mad?”
“If it’ll make you happy.”
“It will.”
Alec laughed. “I’ll do my best.”
“Good,” Rebecca replied, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Then my answer is yes. One-hundred percent yes.”
THE END
About the Author
Amy Elizabeth was born and raised in South Florida. After extensive travels throughout Europe, Asia, and New Zealand, she now calls the mountains of Colorado home. When she’s not busy writing, she spends her time horseback riding, hanging out with her husband, or planning her next voyage abroad.
Questions or comments for the author?
She can be reached via email at: [email protected].
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