by Hattie Black
"Hey Nick, how's it going? Can we chat for a bit?" Colin says.
"Um, sure." Nicholas replies startled. He was intently focused on his video editing project when the company's founder bursted into the soundproof edit suite.
"Sorry to interrupt your work. That looks phenomenal. As a matter of fact, you have been doing great work here Nick. I know I showed my appreciation by expanding the video department and having you head it up, but with your permission, I would like to take things a step further." Colin is on a roll "What do you say to me mentoring you? I mean really taking you under my wing, and guide you toward building your own empire, if you'd like to." Colin is sincere. His mother's words ignited something in him. It helped him to remember who he once was, and winning Renee's heart has inspired him to wanting to be that guy again.
Nicholas is surprised by the proposal. There was a time when Colin was not approachable in the least, then he created a new opportunity for him, and now he wants to help him attain to the same level of success? It is all mind blowing?
"Um...I...I think that would be awesome. Thank you sir...I mean Colin." Nick says somewhat shaken. Colin laughs.
"Well great!" Colin replies right away. "Why don't we start by spending some time with one another this weekend. What sports are you into?" Colin, and Nick coordinate their schedules, and Colin begins to detail how the "mentorship program" will unfold. Nick is very excited. He imagines what his life would be like if he were a replica of Colin Winston. He envisions wealth, property, and gadgets. Not to mention, learning how to become more attractive to the opposite sex.
Colin concludes his introductory session with Nicholas and leaves, walking tall, and proud. Colin decides to head over to Melaine's office. Prior to entering, he actually speaks to Marina.
"Good afternoon Marina. Is Melaine in?" He says. Mariana is alarmed. She has grown accustomed to Colin just walking directly in without acknowledging her.
"Um...yes Mr. Winston, she is." Marina responds nervously.
"Thanks Marina, and please...please call me Colin." He says smiling sweetly.
"Yes sir...I mean...yes Colin." Marina stumbles. Colin chuckles. He raps on Melaine's door twice.
"Come in!" Melaine declares. Colin enters.
"Hey Cuz!" Colin says energetically then walks directly up to Melaine, and plants a kiss on her cheek.
Melaine is confused. "What is up with you? You have been moping around, and dragging your feet. All of a sudden, you have a pep in your step? What's happened?" Melaine asks dying of curiosity.
"Well, you know that saying, 'Mother Knows Best' will I think it is actually on target. I had a great chat with my mother today. I don't know how she suspected about Renee...anyway, I digress...but she helped me to see that I have to openly become a better person so that Renee believes, I can be. So, I sent Renee a very transparent note. She should be receiving it now." Colin unfolds rapidly. Melaine is nodding as she listens.
"So you think that this 'transparent note' will win Renee over?" Melaine asks gesturing with quotation marks.
"Well, it may...or it may not, but I need to change. I allowed one woman to ruin me, perhaps Renee is meant to be that one woman to turn me around again." Colin explains.
"Just, maybe." Melaine realizes that Colin is on a high. She considers sharing with him, what she learned about one man also ruining Renee in the past. She decides to keep it to herself for the moment. "Well, okay then. Good Luck! I truly do hope that you can change Colin. You can't hurt Renee, because I will certainly hurt you, if you do." Melaine says with sass.
"Got it! Message received, 10-4." Colin says playfully at first then finally sits amidst all his excitement. "I endeavor never to hurt Renee. I will make it my job." Colin assures Melaine.
"Good! I am so very glad to hear it!" Melaine replies.
Meanwhile...
Renee holds the envelope she has been given, with the flowers, in her hand for several seconds, just staring at it. The hand writing is different. She thinks. She has never seen Colin's handwriting before. However, she does notice that this handwriting is different from the hand writing she had read on cards which were attached to the flowers she had gotten in the past. Colin had dictated the notes to be written on those cards. This time, he wrote the note himself.
She continues to stare at the envelope, while sitting at her desk. Eventually she hears her office mate, "Aren't you going to open it?" Natalia asks. Something churns in Renee's stomach. She has no idea what to expect from the the contents of the envelope. She nervously, and slowly begins to tear the envelope open.
Renee unfolds the letter on to her desk, and begins to read. She carefully absorbs each word. She then gasps loudly when she reads that Colin has also experienced betrayal, and it is the reason why he became the sort of character that he had become. Renee reads on to where Colin asks for forgiveness, and her help to be 'a better man'. A variety of emotions flood her mind. She is angry that he's tried to reach out to her again, when she asked him months ago to leave her alone. She also feels empathic toward him, because he had been cheated on in the past as well. Finally, she is surprised, and amazed that he would ask her to help him be a better person. Renee most certainly did not think that she possessed that power.
Renee folds the letter again, and returns it to the envelope. She sits back in her chair, and thinks for a short while. Her thoughts are with Colin now. His words appear honest...sincere. Perhaps, he is truly not 'a monster' at the core. Perhaps his pain turned him into someone else. Oh my goodness! I am beginning to feel sorry for him!
Renee excuses herself, and runs out of the building. She stands in the parking lot taking deep breaths. Natalia, who grew rather concerned, and eventually follows her officemate out.
"Renee, can I call someone for you?" Natalia asks.
In between breaths Renee says, "No". Then suddenly she turns to Natalia. "Can please excuse me? I need to go somewhere for a while." Renee requests.
"Certainly! If Beverly asks, I will tell her you had an emergency." Natalia kindly offers.
"Thanks so much Natalia! I truly appreciate it!" Renee quickly runs back into her office, grabs her tote bag, and runs back out to jump into her old silver sedan, then speeds off. She has an urge to see Colin right away, and hear these words directly from his lips, and not just read them on a piece of paper. She needs to look into his eyes.
Renee parks in the BYWINSTON garage, and hustles in her form fitted navy blue dress, trimmed with red, complemented with red pumps. She politely greets familiar faces, and heads straight for Colin's office. On the way up, the elevator stops at her old floor. Colin had just left Melaine's office and is getting on. His mouth gaps open when he sees Renee.
"Renee! You're here! Did you get my letter?"
"That's why I'm here. Can we talk in your office?" Renee asks promptly. She is not in the mood for a repeat 'kissing encounter' in the elevator.
"Of course!" Colin immediately presses the button for his floor, and they ride the elevator in silence, standing apart, on separate sides of the elevator.
When they arrive on Colin's floor, he politely gestures to Renee to walk ahead of him. He doesn't take his eye off of her for one second. She is wearing her hair blown out, and in a ponytail, in a similar fashion as on the night they became intimate. Colin shakes his head to snap out of it. Renee is hear to talk...just talk. He takes a deep breath. If he is honest with himself. Renee stimulates him beyond just his mind...every time.
Colin opens the door to his office, and an extremely nervous Renee walks in ahead of him. Colin begins to observe that her hands are shaking.
"Would you like some water, Renee." He asks walking over to his mini fridge which is camouflaged as one of wooden storage cabinets along one wall of his office.
"No, thank you." Renee says stiff, and emotionless. Colin grows nervous. He can't imagine what Renee is about to say to him.
"Um, would you like a seat?" He offers, extending his arms to the couches against the opposite wall in his office.
"No, thank you. I read your letter." Renee begins. "You said, you've been betrayed by someone you loved once?" Renee proposes. "Please explain."
"Sure." Colin replies. He opens up and tells Renee about who he was a very long time ago. He informs her that he was an avid sports fan, and decent player too. He also talks about his love for books as a child, and that while under the desk in his father's study, he observed him closely at every business deal, and wanted to be just like him. Colin explains that he had always concocted a businesses or sales idea from a very young age. - Whether it was a lemonade stand at five, or baseball cards at ten, and so on.
"I later earned my spot at an Ivy League college. I played sports for the heck of it. It was never my plan to make a serious career out of it. I struck a decent balance of hanging out with the 'cool kids' and with the academia crowd. Eventually, I met this ridiculously talented, and beautiful artist who seemed to have the same outlook on life that I did. The only problem was that she pretty much held the same outlook on life as whichever dude she cared to charm, and manipulate." Colin drops his head for a short moment. He lifts it again, and walks to the other side of his office where Renee chose to stand. He stands directly across from her, barely leaving any space between them, and looks at her in her eyes.
"Renee, I loved her then. She was full of life, carefree, creative, and I assumed, everything that I was not. When I learned of her betrayal, I was devastated. I decided to become someone else. Someone who I thought could never be hurt again." Colin explains. "Now you have changed all that. I see you, and I see someone special. A true angel sent by God, to help me return to my true self, and focus on what really matters."
Renee listens to every word...every syllable. However, she still stands frozen in place, and allows the words to wash over her. "How can I help you change? I am just as human as you are." Renee tells him.
"Well, you've already begun. Just knowing you is enough. If it is alright with you, I would like to get to know you more." Colin proposes. Renee looks up at him, and into his captivating green eyes. She watches as his straight sandy brown hair constantly falls on to his forehead.
"I...I'm not sure that I can help. I'm just a simple girl, from a small town who loves to create art, and develop ideas." Renee begins. "But I do know what it is like to be betrayed. I remember it like yesterday although it was more than six months ago." Colin's eyes widen.
"You understand the pain of it, yet it hasn't changed you. You continue to make a positive impact on people's...and animals' lives. You shed light wherever you go. I need some of that light Renee. I need you. I am falling for you each day." Colin expresses emphatically. "I am also prepared to wait for you."
Renee studies Colin's face a little longer than usual. He stands quietly looking into her bright brown eyes himself. He sees a kind woman. A woman who sticks to her convictions, even if she is made to wonder off, she has the ability to get back up and continue the original journey.
"Colin, I will allow you to get to know me better." Renee has decided. "However, it will be on my terms, and my terms alone." Colin smiles. He is familiar with negotiations.
"Okay." He says softly, and nods.
"Well first off, you need to apologize to my mother for showing up on her door step like that." Renee demands. Colin laughs.
"Certainly Miss Wainwright! I will be sure to do that right away. Shall we go now?" Colin plays with Renee.
"Seriously, you could have given her a heart attack, or something." Renee says pretending to reprimand Colin. Colin laughs even more. Soon his laughter becomes infectious, and Renee begins to laugh as well. They both laugh together for about two minutes continuously. It is as though knowing the same pain has enabled them to understand one other more instinctively.
Suddenly the laughter stops, and there is nothing between them but silence. Then Colin gently steps forward and holds Renee in his arms. He embraces her, and she lets him. A light hug leads to a deeper one, and the two begin kissing passionately on the lips. After a short while, Colin steps back.
"I never want to be without you again. If I ever do anything that causes you to want to be apart from me, please tell me immediately!" Colin expresses with intense feeling.
Renee listens closely. Is this who he was all along, hidden under the bad boy image? Her face grows warm. She is drawn to him. She has been drawn to him. I think that I maybe falling for him too.
"I will be sure to tell you, but please...please do not hurt me. I couldn't bear it." Renee says, from the very depths of her soul.
"It will be my life's work, to never hurt you again Renee. I promise." Colin tells Renee while reaching for both her hands, and placing it in his own. "If I hurt you, I will be hurting my own self. I don't want to hurt anymore. I am ready to heal. Will you help me heal Renee? Can we heal together? Will you stay with me forever?"
Renee cannot believe what she is hearing, and who she is hearing it from. While she always admired the Colin Winston who created an edgy branding agency, she never in her wildest, of wildest dreams excepted to hear these words from his lips.
"Forever?" She asks.
"Yes, forever!" He repeats. "I would be a fool to ever let you go again. You are what my soul needs. You are my soul mate."
Renee takes one step back. She is in shock. Soul mate? Did he just say soul mate? She raises her bowed head. She looks into his caring eyes. He did say it. He is being earnest. I have never seen that look in his eyes before. Renee thinks to herself.
"I love you Renee." He finally says. "Will you stay with me forever. Will you marry me?" Those words have never left Colin's lips before. Just like in business, he doesn't propose one single deal that he has no intention of following through with. Hence, why he had such a reputation as a playboy. All the women knew what they were getting into. There were no delusions of pinning Colin Winston down.
Now, Renee stands frozen in her spot. "Marry me?"
"Yes." Colin confirms. Renee loves looking in Colin's eyes, and searching them for her own answers.
She leaps into his arms, and begins kissing him softly. Apologize to my mother first, and I will think about it." She tells him in between kisses. Colin laughs out loud, then picks Renee up and spins her around.
He begins to lower her and kisses her neck, then their lips meet, and they become enraptured in one another. No one else, or nothing else mattered for the rest of the afternoon, and into the evening as they kissed, then talked - and shared more about themselves, and their families - then kissed deeply some more. By the end of the night, they drew closer, understood one another, and learned to love again.
-END-