by Sam Crescent
“I’ll take you. I look forward to your company. This has certainly been a summer I’ll never forget.” She chuckled, taking a bite of waffle.
They said their goodbyes. David looked really happy at having his wife at his beck and call. Molly appeared happy at having her husband back. His other siblings had gone. He drove to the beach house to find Ben waiting with her suitcase. Chris watched the other guy hug and kiss her. She got in the car, and Chris gave Ben a wave and drove on his way towards home.
Chris reached over, taking her hand.
“I can’t believe how I feel,” she said.
“How do you feel?”
“Loved, cherished. Like nothing is going to break us apart.” He kissed her hand, keeping his eyes on the road.
“Nothing will break us apart. I won’t let it.” Their mistakes were over. “I want to show you something. Do you mind coming with me, and then I’ll take you home?” he asked.
I hope you don’t want to go home.
“Yes.”
He kept her hand in his as he drove towards his home. A year ago he’d bought a place on the outskirts of the city. It was a nice plot of land with a house that needed some tender loving care. There was a garden out back, and he hoped to one day turn it into his family home. It wasn’t a large house, just a modest four bedroom house with a large kitchen, dining room, and sitting room. He’d purchased the place thinking about Erica.
Most men wouldn’t have made plans with a lost love in mind. Chris had held onto the hope of winning Erica back.
The radio was on, and he smiled listening to her sing. She would never be a singer, but he liked how open she was around him. She really was unlike any other woman he’d known.
Two hours later—traffic in the city was a pain to get through—he pressed the digits to the gate and then drove down the short drive to his home.
He parked the car and got out. Erica was already standing in front of the car. She turned to him with a beaming smile on her face.
“Wow,” she said. “Is this house yours?”
“Yes. It was finished a week ago. I hoped to move in sometime in the next three weeks.”
“It looks so quaint.”
“Would you like a tour?” he asked.
“Yes.”
He opened his arm for her to loop her hand in. When she did, he started round back on the garden. “I figured I’d employ a gardener to start off with. I think growing some fruit and vegetables would be good for the environment. It also means I wouldn’t have to worry about going to the shop every damn day.”
She chuckled as he pointed out plots of land. Chris had made some plans in the hope of turning into a full time family home. He wanted the house, the wife and children. At forty years old he was more than ready to settle down. Before he met Erica, he’d been wild, sowing his oats and all that. But now there was no fun when love wasn’t involved. That weekend three years ago with Erica had shown him what it meant to be in love and feel love from another person.
Erica Black had unknowingly ruined him for other women.
“This is amazing.”
“I think I could fit a swing down there.” He pointed at the bottom of the garden.
“You’re a lucky man, Chris.”
He took her inside through the back, which led straight into the kitchen. Her gasp bought a smile to his face.
“I’m envious of the person who’ll get to cook in this kitchen,” she said.
His heart pounded inside his chest. “I’m hoping you’ll agree to cook in here.”
She turned to him with a frown on her brow.
“What?”
He got down on one knee. Chris knew he should wait. They hadn’t been reacquainted for long. Still, the feelings inside him were too strong to ignore. Maybe he was using his father’s situation to make his move. He didn’t care. Erica had been the only woman he’d ever wanted in the past four years. What had started out as a challenge had turned into need and love.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Erica, this feels right to me. I know it hasn’t been long, but I know what’s in my heart. I promise you that I will spend the rest of my life taking care of you. Showing you all the love you deserve and more. Would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?”
Her mouth was open, and her hand lay across her throat.
“Chris. I don’t know what to say.”
“I don’t have a ring. I picked this house for you. Everything I do with my life is about you. Since the moment I fucked up, my whole world has been focused on nothing but you. I love you, Erica. I’ve wasted enough of my life. I want to prove to you that what I said is the truth.”
****
Her heart was trying to escape her chest. Erica gazed down at Chris and knew her whole world was opening up. She had never expected him to propose. The house was beautiful, and knowing he’d picked it out with her in mind made her love him a little bit more.
Tears blurred her vision. They were moving fast, but they’d wasted their time before. She looked at him and knew she had the chance to be happy. When they were together, the world went away. They became the only two who existed.
“Don’t cry. I want you to be happy,” he said. He got to his feet, rubbing the tears from her cheeks.
“I am happy. You’ve shocked me. That’s all.”
Chris kissed her. She wrapped her arms around him, accepting his kiss. “I love you,” he said, “and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
“Are you sure?” she asked.
“It broke me what I did to you. I don’t expect us to have the perfect marriage. The only thing I know is I’ll never stop loving you.”
She knew she could spend the rest of her life listening to his talk.
“Yes. I’ll marry you.”
He swept her up, twirling her around. “You won’t regret it. I promise.”
He showed her the rest of the house. She loved every bit of it. He wanted them to move in together. Erica wanted to jump at the chance. She knew they needed to take their time together.
“Don’t you think we’re rushing everything?” she asked. They sat at the counter. Chris poured her a cup of tea and took the seat opposite.
“Yes. It’s what I’m used to. All the men in my family move fast.”
“I noticed.” She thought about Cassie and Blaze. They’d not long been acquainted, and she saw the love between them. “I guess I’m worried that we’ll regret our decisions later on.” She thought about her mother and the number of times she’d brought a man back to the house only to kick him out a few weeks later. She cringed knowing she’d have to introduce Chris to her.
“How about we move in here and you keep your apartment until the lease runs out? That way if I get too much for you, you can leave whenever you want.” He offered her a solution to their problem, even though he didn’t want her leaving him at all. “But I will promise you, Erica, I’ll make it difficult for you to want to leave my bed, let alone my house.”
“You drive a hard bargain. I think I’d need a couple of test runs to see how you hold up to that promise. To make sure you don’t slack off maybe I should go for a longer lease instead.” She teased him.
“I screwed up once before. I’m not going to do it again. Keep the house up for the lease, and we can move in slowly. No rush, but you will live with me?”
She smiled. “I like the sound of that. It’s a good compromise, Mr. Sinclair.”
“I’m a businessman and a damn good one.”
Erica took a sip of her sweet tea. “What will your family think of your proposal?” she asked.
“In case you haven’t noticed, my family is as fucked up as the rest of them. Speaking of, when do I get to meet your family?”
“You really want to meet my family?”
“Yes. You’ve met mine.”
“I guess you can kick me out after you’ve met mine.”
He cupped her cheek forcing her to look at him. “Nothing is going
to stop the way I feel about you.” Chris kissed her again. “Tell me about them.”
“My family?” He nodded his head. She licked her lips, wondering what words to use to describe her family. “My mother is a drunk and spends most of her time passed out on the couch or throwing up. She used to bring a new man back every couple of weeks. My oldest brother is in prison for robbery, and my oldest sister tries to pick up the pieces as much as she can. She’s thirty and has been more of a mum to me than my real mother.”
“What’s your sister’s name?” he asked.
“Elizabeth.” Thinking about her reminded Erica that she hadn’t been to see her sister in some time. “She put me through college and forced me to take a job in your building.”
“She sounds like a real smart woman.”
Erica frowned, thinking about her older sister. She couldn’t tell Chris that because Elizabeth had spent a great deal of time off school, she didn’t know how to read and write much more than her own name and address. The shame went through Erica at her lack of support.
“She is the best woman I know.”
They spent the night at the house, carrying in her stuff that she’d packed for her vacation. The following day they went to her apartment. Her rent was paid for the next three months. She’d see how everything went. Erica packed up a few belongings to stay with Chris.
Chapter Eleven
They settled into a routine together. She saw Chris off to work before she went off to her own. She was doing some secretarial work at one of the local law offices. Every morning, they’d make love before she cooked him breakfast. Their time together was the best part of her day. When she was at work most of her thoughts were what she’d do when she saw him again.
The weeks passed, and summer was behind them. Autumn was upon them. The cold mornings let her know how much time had passed. She missed her sister and felt guilty at the lack of communication. Chris and his family were happy to have her in the fold. Erica had demanded that they get a prenuptial agreement. Chris had refused. She had informed him that it was for her peace of mind. The whole world would see her as a gold-digger, but for her, the document gave her the security that she wasn’t. Strange logic, but it was her logic.
Chris made her feel loved every day. She found herself growing addicted to his sweet talk. They’d planned for a summer wedding next year. They went shopping for rings. She accepted a small diamond ring and insisted on buying a wedding band for him.
When her lease was up at her apartment, she paid the rent for another three months. She didn’t expect to leave the haven she’d created with Chris, but it felt right to keep her apartment.
During some time off work in November, Erica phoned her sister, Elizabeth, and arranged for a visit. Her sister warned her about her mother’s deteriorating condition.
“She drinks all the time, Erica. I don’t think you should be bringing your man friend here.”
“I want to come and see you,” Erica said.
“I know. I miss you, too, but I don’t think you should see this.” There was scuffling and shouting.
“What’s going on?” Erica asked.
“Nothing. Let’s just say before you left was like a haven compared to how it is now.”
Her sister hung up. Erica wasn’t happy. Her sister didn’t deserve to live that kind of life. Chris found her in the sitting room, curled up and looking at the fire.
“What’s the matter?” he asked, lifting her feet over his lap.
“I called Elizabeth today.”
“Your sister?”
She nodded her head.
“How did she take you being engaged?”
Licking her lips, she turned to look at him. He began massaging her feet. She closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation.
“I didn’t get a chance to tell her. She doesn’t want me visiting. Apparently mum has gotten worse.”
“You’re worried?”
“Yes. I feel like an awful sister. Elizabeth sacrificed everything for me. She didn’t want me growing up in that shithole, and look at me. I’m sitting in luxury with a man who loves me while she has to clean my mum up from the floor.” Her rant left her feeling drained. Her head pounded from the migraine her situation had created.
“How about we go up there this weekend? If the situation is as bad as your sister says, we leave.”
“I can’t leave her there a second time, Chris.” She remembered getting on the bus without looking back. The pain inside her built. Her own problems seemed so unimportant compared to those of her sister.
“You’ve still got the lease on your apartment. We’ll take her with us.”
“You make everything sound so simple,” she said.
“Because life is simple if you look at it from different perspectives.” He kissed her.
****
Chris saw how nervous she was when he packed the car for their trip. He wondered what could be so bad about her mother. Erica’s hands were clenched into fists at her side. She looked pale, and she’d been quiet all morning.
He typed their destination into his GPS and then helped her into the car. Most of the journey was spent in silence. She looked out of the window. After a two hour drive and a stop to use the bathroom and eat, they were driving down her street. Chris knew this was part of the worst areas that had been hit by the recession. He’d seen on the news the term “ghost towns”, and this place qualified for one. There were buildings boarded up. People in dirty clothes walked the street.
“Home sweet home.” He heard Erica mutter.
The thought of Erica growing up in a town like this made him feel sad. He had thought his past was hard with the death of his mother and Molly moving in. This was hard.
“Right, if you go to the end of the road, turn left until the roundabout and then right. It is the last house on the right.” She sat up giving him directions. “It’s like I never left.”
He followed directions and came to a run-down house. Three of the four windows were boarded up. The door was off its hinges. Beer and wine bottles were strewn across the lawn.
“You might want to hide your silverware,” she said.
Chris smiled, turning off the car. There was no one in sight.
“Come on. I’d lock your car if you want to keep it.”
The moment he opened the door he heard the yelling.
“You’re nothing but a fucking whore. Give me my fucking drink, and where’s my money?” Seconds later a guy slammed out of the house. Erica stood, and Chris went to stand next to her.
She was shaking, but she stared at the man with such hatred.
“You’ve come back then. Your fancy city boy don’t want you?” The man leered at her. Chris felt the rage boil up inside him.
“Don’t worry about him, Chris. This guy is a waste of time.” A woman came out onto the porch. She held a baseball bat in one hand. She had the same blonde hair as Erica. Her eyes were piercing green. Chris knew the woman with the deadly expression was Erica’s sister. He noted the bruise around her eye and the red marks around her neck.
“Looks like your sister is back, Beth. Maybe she could cut you some slack.”
“Get the hell out of here, James, and stay the fuck away from my sister, you piece of shit.”
The guy, James, smirked and left.
They turned to Elizabeth on the porch. She stared at Erica. “I told you not to come here.”
“You’ve told me a great many things over the years, Elizabeth. The tooth fairy and Santa to name a couple. I don’t hold it against you.” Erica took a step towards the porch. “Who gave you the shiner?”
“Who do you think?”
“I’d say James did, but he’s too damn stupid to.”
Chris felt like he’d entered an alternative universe. She was up on the porch in seconds as the first tears fell from her sister. He watched as Elizabeth threw the bat away and embraced Erica.
Elizabeth wept, holding on. “I didn’t want you to see me like this. They closed
the factory, and everything went to shit. No one cares about this place.”
“You should have said. I’d have sent money.”
“She’d only have found it, Erica.”
He let them talk while he kept an eye on his car. Twenty minutes later a woman wearing a nighty with more holes than a rabbit den came staggering out onto the front. She carried a bottle of cheap liquor, and she was looking at him.
“I see my girl has got herself a rich man.” Her words were slurred. The sisters broke apart, and all hell broke loose.
The mother aimed the bottle at Elizabeth, hitting her on the head. Erica pushed the woman away and scrabbled with her sister back to the car.
“We’re leaving now,” she said. “Have you seen enough?”
“More than enough.”
“No. I can’t go with you.” Her sister held her head and stood her ground.
“Do you really want to spend the rest of your life dodging wine bottles?” Erica yelled.
“I can’t go.”
“Yes. You can. I did, and I’m doing great. All that other crap can be worked out.”
Chris started the car up. He wanted out of the town and back to where he could think properly. He didn’t care about where Erica came from. All he cared about was being with her for the future.
Elizabeth climbed into the backseat of his car. She looked so fragile in the back. “Do you want to get anything before we leave? I’m not coming back here to get it,” he said.
“I’m good. I don’t need anything else with me.”
Chapter Twelve
Erica spent the rest of the weekend getting her sister settled in her apartment. She took her shopping and helped her to deal with the changes in her life. Chris left her to it. He collected her each night to take her home. After so long away, she finally caught up with what had happened to the mess she left behind.
“Why didn’t you call me?” Erica asked Elizabeth one Friday night. Chris was away for the weekend on business, and she’d decided to spend the time with her sister.
“I didn’t want you to know how bad it got. I love you, Erica. You didn’t need to see it. I couldn’t get out no matter how hard I tried.” Elizabeth brushed her hair out of the way.