“Since you are one of my closer friends and I don’t even know why I feel that you would be the right person for the job. I have a favor to ask of you. I thought I was strong enough, but I need somebody to lean on.” I was beating around the bush with him somewhat perplexed.
“Aurora, what is it?”
“It’s ok if you don’t feel comfortable doing it, it won’t hurt my feelings.”
“Come on, out with it. I’m not a mind reader. If it’s in my power then I will bend over backward to make it happen.” He didn’t even ask what the favor was.
“I want you to come with me to see my ex-husband and my sister. I know it’s a lot to ask and I have no right to impose on you like this.” I figured the only way to get closure was to see this happy family with my own eyes.
“Absolutely I’ll be there for you. You don’t even have to ask. Name the time and the place. I will be there.” Travis was too kind.
“Thank you so much, Travis, you have no idea how much it means to me.” He gave my hand a squeeze.
“Just don’t expect me to stand there and let you take any kind of abuse - verbal or physical. He says one wrong word to make you cry and I will make him pay for it.”
I suddenly recalled falling and reaching out to see Jemma smiling like she didn’t have a care in the world.
She was holding an apple with a bite out of it.
CHAPTER 10
Travis
The next few days, I had never been happier, but I knew there was the possibility of the rug being pulled out from underneath me. I couldn’t get over the feeling of profound loss thinking about her going back to the man who had caused her all this pain.
Aurora was looking out the window of the taxi and I couldn’t even imagine what she was thinking. I wanted to say something, but I had no idea what words would give her the courage to stand strong.
I had been there for some of her milestones. The biggest one was when she finally walked on her own. I was down the hall waiting for her and she could’ve used the wall for support, but she didn’t even bother. Nina was instrumental in getting her back on her feet, but I had to take some of the credit.
“I don’t even know what to expect.” I could tell something was weighing heavily on her mind.
“There’s no way to know until you knock on the door.” It was early Saturday morning and the possibility of him being there with her sister was fairly likely.
“I guess today is the day.” Aurora took a deep breath trying to stay calm. This wasn’t my fight and I had to let her handle it in her own way.
“The fact you’re not curled in a fetal position rocking back and forth muttering nonsense is a testament to the strength of your human spirit. There’s no way you are going to let him get the last word.” He would be stunned by your appearance. It wasn’t going to be easy, but I swore to myself I would intervene if things got too tough.
“You have no idea how much it means to me to have your support. I know he won’t like seeing you, but that’s too damn bad. I need you with me at least until I can get the words out of my mouth.” She was wearing a red dress and there was no doubt she was flaunting what her mama gave her.
“He will take one look at you and his tongue will fall to the floor. I’m sure your sister will be giving dirty looks. Don’t let her dissuade you from saying what is on your mind.” The Saint Christopher’s medal hanging from the rearview mirror of the taxi was swinging back and forth.
The elderly gentleman was chewing tobacco and wearing these bifocals. It was a wonder he was even able to see through those coke bottles. He was able to navigate the streets like a seasoned professional.
I was tempted to see if I could buy the medal. It was supposedly the patron saint of protection. I was a good Catholic child, but my faith was shaken. I still retained it, but it was a little worse for wear.
“She better not say anything, if she knows what’s good for her. I’m going to do my level best to keep my hands off of her. I don’t want to involve her, but she is in the middle of this. The baby she is carrying is innocent. I want you to step in if things get too heated.” She had told me of the strange apparition of her sister holding the apple with the bite out of it.
It brought to mind an adaptation of a favorite childhood fairy tale. It was probably some kind of metaphor with her mind playing tricks on her. There was no doubt a meaning behind it, but what it was had yet to be revealed.
“There’s definitely no avoiding the elephant in the room. She is carrying his child and is wearing his wedding ring. There’s still time to turn around and go back. We can do it another time when you feel more ready.” I would have done anything to save her from what was going to be a tension-filled moment.
“This is taking forever. It had to be my sister’s idea to plant me in a care facility out of sight and out of mind. I’m inclined to blame her, but there’s enough blame to go around for everybody. I won’t be swayed by Andy’s ability to talk himself out of any trouble.” She could say that, but there was a heightened anticipation in the air.
“Aurora, don’t do anything you’re going to regret.” I wanted to hold her and give her the courage to stand strong against the one person who promised never to hurt her. I certainly didn’t condone what they did behind her back, but it wasn’t like they could go back in time and change anything.
Andy couldn’t be blamed for wanting to move on with his life. There was very little hope for her to make this kind of remarkable recovery. But at the same time, he was quick to move on from a 14 year relationship.
“I’ve been waiting for this day from the moment I woke up. This is the only thing I have been thinking about. It fueled me to push myself. It wasn’t easy. I let the anger burn through me, but it wasn’t the only thing that gave me a push in the right direction.” Her hand was lightly tapping her fingernails on my shoulder.
“Nina was a godsend. She never let you give up.” She was what all physical therapists should have strived to be like.
“She was there for me, but she wasn’t the only one. Your contribution was significant even if you don’t know it. I held onto the look you gave me of encouragement to fight through those times I saw very little progress.” She was the driving force to keep me thinking about the possibility of my mother getting better.
I knew it was wishful thinking and I took solace in that she had a long and fruitful life. I didn't make it any easier for her by my straying from the path of righteousness.
“You’re giving me far too much credit.” Nobody was more responsible for her recovery than her willingness to push herself to survive this drama.
“I don’t think I give you enough credit. You were there for me and I don’t know how I can ever repay you.” The kind of devotion I was giving her was by far more than I had ever given anybody else.
“I still remember that day when I went down the hall, I didn’t expect my high school crush be laying there. I wasn’t expecting to be this taken by your after all these years. There was a quiet strength I could feel from you when you were sleeping. It got even stronger when I saw you with your eyes open.” Any thoughts on the job were washed away by the way she touched me delicately.
Harper was never able to expose her heart. She was closed off and jaded. Even when we were together there was still this icy chill in the air. The passion was like an inferno, but she easily closed off her emotions from becoming something that might hurt her in the long run.
“You are being way too kind. I felt like a puppet growing up. Everybody was pulling my strings and I let them. You gave me everything I needed and more.” It wasn’t my place to tell her to cut ties with the past.
I had tried that, but I knew going in she was not the type to lie down and take it. This was a woman who had endured unimaginable hardship and had come out on the other side. Not a lot of people would be able to say the same thing in her shoes.
“I didn’t give you anything that wasn’t already there. You were the one who found the strength
of character to stand up literally and figuratively. That was all you and don’t you ever forget it.” I leaned in and found her lip quivering with the expectation of the kiss.
“You know I want to, but I can’t. It’s not fair to you to have to wait patiently for me to come to terms with my situation. I don’t know why you even stick around. I shouldn’t have requested that you come with me.” She might have been using me as a crutch, but I was more than willing to be there with emotional support.
“I’m nothing more than window dressing. I’m going to try to keep my mouth shut. Whatever happens, I am there for you and I will always have your back.” My fingers lingered on her chin with my thumb rubbing her crimson lips.
Our lips touched.
It was like a strong gravitational force between us, I couldn’t help myself but let it happen. I could feel it like electricity in the air. It made the windows steam up. The temperature had gone up by being that close to one another. It was a fleeting moment. I sat back letting the sexual energy sizzle around us.
“I can only imagine what will happen when we let nature take its course.” I was elated to hear that, this was her first time expressing herself freely without hesitation. I thought part of her must be fighting her feelings toward me, or it could be wishful thinking on my part.
The taxi was coming to a stop at the curb of this huge white house with black shutters.
“This is it. I’m going to give you this one last chance to back out. We can go someplace private and see what we can do about rekindling the spark we just started.” It may be a fantasy. But I knew it wouldn’t take much to burn the sheets with our two writhing bodies twisting and turning in orgasmic ecstasy.
“Believe me, it’s a tempting offer and I’m sure any woman in their right mind would never turn you down. I have to do this for no other reason than to see their faces.” The taxi driver was drumming his fingers and then giving that universal sign for payment.
She stepped out on unsteady legs, breathing heavily and looking like she was about to pass out from a very intense panic attack. I was about to reach out to her, but she stopped me. She took a deep breath to push her through the wall of resistance.
“You can do it, Aurora,” I cheered her on one last time. She nodded as she put on her poker face. I hated to see her like this. She had given them far too much power over her.
I paid the driver and gave him an extra tip to stick around. The smile on his face indicated to me the extra money was enough to keep him idling at the curb. There was no way he was going to make that kind of money on his next fare. There were dollar signs in his eyes. Giving him an extra $50 was more than enough. My only hope was that he wasn’t expecting anything more. That was the last of my money until the job.
I couldn’t go back to my mother with my hand out again. It was bad enough I had already dipped into her savings. She gave me permission, but it still didn’t make me feel very good about taking charity. This job would give me the financial independence I was looking for. My fear was that it was going to come at a very high price.
CHAPTER 11
Aurora
I stood looking at the house and remembering how he carried me over the threshold after the wedding. I remembered the day we bought the house, the day that we finished the renovations, and we popped a bottle of champagne to celebrate on the front lawn. Life was simple back then.
I remembered our weekly date nights to keep romance alive. We would get dressed up, go out to a nice restaurant, then go to the movies. And we usually finished the night with a round of lovemaking. It was nothing spectacular but he was an attentive lover, not that I had anyone else to compare him to. The one thing missing from our relationship was the passion; we had that at the beginning of at the relationship like when we were 16. That felt like forever ago. Andy was content in one position. Not that I was a sex fiend or anything, I knew there was more to satisfy this pent-up frustration. Lying there underneath him wasn’t enough to satisfy the carnal cravings running through my mind.
“It feels odd to be back here. It’s familiar, but like I’m seeing everything as a stranger. I don’t even know if that makes any sense.” I steeled myself for the confrontation. I could only hope their shock at seeing me standing there was enough time to get everything I had off my chest.
My heels clicked softly against the black pavement leading up to red brick pavers until I was standing at the door. My heart was in my throat. I knocked loudly to echo the arrival of a visitor. At first, I thought nobody was home, but then the door flung open.
“Don’t worry, I will get rid of them and we can get back to what we were doing.” Andy was bare-chested with lipstick smeared on the nape of his neck.
“I hope I wasn’t interrupting anything.” It was the first thing that came out of my mouth laced with sarcastic wit.
“I… I… can’t believe it’s you. How… how is this possible? I must be having some sort of stroke.” His face had lost all color which was exactly the reaction I was hoping for.
“Is this your way of welcoming me home with open arms? I was expecting a whole lot more. It’s not every day your wife comes out of a coma. Then again, it’s not like you would know.” I poked him in the chest to show him how unhappy I was with his behavior.
“You…you don’t understand. I need you to know I have never stopped thinking about you. I’m sure it doesn’t seem that way, but I’ve always had your best interest at heart. I had… I had… other obligations.” He was referring to the baby but wasn’t man enough to come out and say it.
“I would think your obligation would be to your wife. Did our vows mean nothing? I seem to recall you passionately declaring you were going to be with me through sickness and through health.” I was purposely making him feel uncomfortable and feeling justified in doing it.
“I don’t think you are in any position to judge me. The hardest thing I’ve ever done was let you go. I was a broken man. I’m ashamed to admit I was weak. I clung to a gesture of friendship a little too tightly.” He wasn't coming out and saying it, but I knew he was talking about Jemma.
“It’s bad enough you left me in that place, but what’s worst is that you never visited me. How can you look yourself in the mirror in the morning? I’m sure it helps to have someone to cuddle up to in our bed.” His mouth had fallen open and I could see his eyes darting around trying to formulate the right response.
“You know about…” I cut him off with my finger to his lips to silence the name. I didn’t want to hear it coming from his mouth.
“Don’t even say her name in front of me. I was there for her through all her shit and drama, and this is how she repays me. I look at you and I see a shell of the man I used to know. She has taken away the light in your eyes.” The words came easily with the angry tone to make him believe there were consequences for his actions.
“I have no excuses. She was there for me when my world was crumbling around me. I gave into a moment of weakness. Nobody could see my quiet desperation, but she did. I tried to remain strong for you, but I failed.” I was home, but it didn’t feel like my home.
“Are you going to invite me to come in or do you expect me to stand here at the front door? I hate to pull you away from your lover, but I think what we have to say to each other trumps getting some.” I made it sound crass like what they were doing was something dirty behind closed doors.
“You have to admit this isn’t easy for any of us. I’m trying to wrap my mind around the fact that you never got along with her. She has a compassionate side, but you were never willing to see it.” He was making it sound like my relationship with my sister was strained because of something I did or didn’t do.
“There’s a reason why she wasn’t invited to the wedding. I love her in my own misguided way, but she can be her own worst enemy.” He moved aside and I walked in to find my life expunged like it had never even happened.
The furniture was replaced with white leather and every picture on the wall was void of my im
age. There was the smell of cinnamon coming from a diffuser by the front door. There was a trail of clothing including a red bra and a matching pair of lace panties leading up the stairs.
“I haven’t had a chance to tidy up. I know I’m going to need a cup of coffee to have this conversation. I don’t suppose I can offer you and your guest something?” I had almost forgotten about Travis.
“I can’t speak for him, but I don’t think caffeine is the answer. I would hope you would still have some of my favorite on hand.” I wondered if he remembered the health kick I was on prior to the injury. He had this light bulb moment and went scurrying into the kitchen to make the green tea.
“I’m going to be the strong silent type. It’s hard enough for you to be here and I don’t want to make things awkward between you and Andy.” They couldn’t have been more awkward, but I still hadn’t seen my sister.
“I’m glad you’re here with me and I’m not sure I could’ve done this without you. The strong silent type is exactly what I need right now.” He was staying true to form by being my rock and not interfering where he had no place.
The furniture was my sister’s sense of style and I had a feeling Andy had no say in the décor. It was just like my sister to take over. It always had to be her way or the highway. She was stubborn to a fault. I thought I had gotten used to her eccentricities. The girl was a throwback to the time where hippies were screaming to make love and not war.
She was comfortable in a threadbare pair of jeans and a tie-dyed shirt barely big enough to cover her obvious assets. She was always flaunting her body making me feel inferior in my own skin. It took a long time for me to come to terms with how open she was with her sexuality.
“I found one tin of green tea in the back of the cupboard. I know we still have a lot to talk about. I do have one concern. I’ve been paying the clinic a lot of money to keep me abreast of any information concerning your care. They never called me about this latest development. I have to assume that was your doing?” I knew his curiosity was going to get the best of him.
Kiss Me _A Modern Sleeping Beauty Retold Page 7