In Love with a Stranger

by Rose von Barnsley

  "Hey, beautiful girl, is your mother ready?"

  My little girl smiled up at me with a cheeky grin I could easily recognize from my own face. "Oh, she’s ready."

  I couldn't help but smile widely. "Wonderful." I held out the flowers. "I brought you something."

  My little girl took them and inhaled deeply. "They smell good. Thank you."

  I let out a laugh. "Thanks for letting me borrow your mum for the evening."

  "Sure, but next time, bring candy. She’s doesn’t like me to have it. You get me candy, and I’ll let you keep her."

  I laughed at her cheek. "You’ve got yourself a deal."

  I stuck my large hand out and shook my daughter's tiny one, sealing the deal. I heard a giggle from the top of the stairs. There stood Hannah, and she was breathtaking.

  HANNAH

  I’d been watching the whole exchange between William and Penelope, so thankful he seemed to be reigning himself in and wasn’t so intense tonight. I really wanted our date to go well. My heart ached, as my daughter seemed to take so easily to this stranger.

  Was she hurting for a daddy?

  The smiles they had shared made William seem like a natural with her, which was a little shocking.

  I was surprised by his speechlessness, as he stared up the staircase at me. I laughed when my daughter climbed up a step and shut William's mouth for him. He blushed, realizing he was gaping at me in front of my daughter.

  "Sorry about that," he said to Penelope.

  "It’s alright, I know she’s drool-worthy. She is my mom after all. Just have her home by eleven o’clock. It’s a school night, you know."

  William chuckled and answered her with a salute. "Yes, Ma'am."

  I giggled and tried as gracefully as possible to make it down without killing myself, but heels were difficult to walk in on stairs. I managed all but the last three of the steps, when I tripped and fell into William's arms.

  "Now I see where she gets it," he smiled at me and held me a little longer than he should’ve, but I didn’t mind.

  Suddenly, flashes of William kissing me passionately filled my mind, and I tried to push the thoughts away, but they wouldn’t stop. I heard Shawna call Penelope to come upstairs, and William led me deeper into the shop toward the door, but stopped when we came to the aisle with the chaise lounge in it. “Hannah, I really need to tell you something, and I think it’d be best to do it in private. Do you mind if we sit and talk for a moment?”

  He looked so nervous, but not in a shifty way. “Of course.”

  He took my hand in his, the familiar hum I’d come to expect from him buzzed between us, as I sat waiting for him to speak. He sat gingerly across from me, and I was both disappointed and relieved that he wasn’t trying to kiss me.

  “Hannah, Ophelia had mentioned that you were hurt seven years ago.”

  I didn’t know why he was bringing that up, but I didn’t like it. I shook my head at him. “I’d rather not talk about that.”

  “But what I have to say is important and is related directly to that.”

  I looked at him confused.

  “Hannah, you forgot me.” His eyes filled with tears, as I tried to comprehend what he was saying to me.

  “I…”

  “It was me you met in the café that night, and we talked for the full three hours you were waiting for the bus. I knew if I didn’t see you again, I’d regret it the rest of my life. I had to keep you. I’d never felt anything like what I had with you before, Hannah, and I haven’t ever since.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “It’s me you ran away with. It’s me you lived with in New York. Our daughter looks just like me, and I can’t believe you named her Penelope,” he chuckled, and the memory of the conversation in the shower came to the forefront of my mind again.

  “You said to name…”

  “I know, and you remembering that little bit gave me hope.”

  My eyes darted all over his face, looking for the similarities, finally landing on his eyes that I’d been trying to avoid this whole time. They were exactly like my daughter’s, now that I thought to compare them.

  “My hair was lighter when I was a kid,” he motioned toward it.

  “You left me.” I didn’t know where it came from, but it was the one thing that had been plaguing me for years.

  His brow furrowed. “Is that what he told you?” He was getting upset.

  “Who?” I didn’t know who he was talking about.

  “Your father, did he tell you I left you? I swear I didn’t, Hannah. You have to believe me. I searched for you everywhere, but he threatened to charge me with kidnapping and murder, when I showed up in Nevada looking for you. I believed him, because he brought other officers with him. My father insisted I come home with him. He said I couldn’t keep looking for you in jail.”

  I couldn’t breathe. I didn’t want to believe him. I really didn’t, because if what he was saying was true, my father was responsible for keeping us apart. He’d known exactly who William was, and he didn’t tell me. My dad had lied, and even though I didn’t want to believe William, I did.

  “My father lied, he said he didn’t know you, and the only memory I had of you for a long time was of you leaving me. You left me, you really did!” I accused him.

  “No, never!” He took my hands in his, and I wanted to believe him so badly.

  “You told me I shouldn’t have come, and you put me in a cab. You wouldn’t kiss me. You said we’d said our goodbyes the night before. My throat was sore from crying, and you were sneaking out on me. You left me!”

  I could tell he was trying to put things together in his head, when something clicked. “Your throat,” he took a deep relieved breath, “Hannah, you had a sore throat, because you had strep throat the day I left, the whole week before I left. I didn’t wake you, because you were up sick with a fever all night and needed to stay in bed. I wanted to stay. I told you I would. I didn’t like leaving you sick, but you’d overheard my boss threatening me if I didn’t check in. I had to go, but I was coming back for you. I came back for you, as fast as I could, worried out of my mind when you didn’t answer your phone. I didn’t leave you, Hannah. I just had work, and your passport hadn’t cleared yet. Can you remember that? Please, please tell me you remember that.” His hands were holding my face, his eyes begging me.

  My mind was a mess, as different things fought to be remembered. Suddenly, my memory was bombarded, as everything came rushing back.

  “We’ll get a flat in London. It’ll have your own little room to write in, one that overlooks the garden.”

  “Do flats have gardens?” I was sure they didn’t.

  “Some do, and I’ll make sure ours does.” He picked up my passport papers. “You’ll have to get dual citizenship, so our babies will be little English chaps.”

  “I thought we were having a daughter?”

  “Yes, one who looks just like you.” He kissed me, pulling me into his lap, and the papers were forgotten.

  I looked up at William and lunged at him, my lips finding his immediately. He was mine, he’d always been mine. I pulled away to breathe, and his eyes were full of tears and relief. “I’ve missed you so much. Please don’t ever forget me again,” he pleaded.

  “Never,” I promised. I couldn’t believe I’d ever forgotten him in the first place.

  Chapter 7 – Recollections

  WILLIAM

  I finally had her back. After all these years, she was back in my arms, and I swore I’d never let her go again. She kissed me with a passion I remembered clearly, and I hoped she did, too. When we both pulled back for air, we started to cry. I hugged her so tight, I was sure it hurt. I was scared this was another dream, that I’d wake up and she’d still be lost to me. “I missed you so much, so very much. Please don’t ever disappear on me again.”

  “You know where my bookshop is, and you know I live above it. You should be able to find me.”

  “I knew where you lived th
e first time,” I worried, hiding my face in her neck.

  “Ophelia and Carter would never let my father interfere with you finding me again.”

  “You promise?” I felt like a toddler asking for a trip to the play park.

  “I swear it.”

  We heard Penelope let out a shrieking giggle, and my heart clinched, wondering if she’d let our daughter know I was her dad. “She’s beautiful, can I…?”

  She cupped my cheek. “Yeah, we’ll find a way to tell her. She’s your baby girl.”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t find you sooner.”

  “You’re here now.”

  “I was so scared, Hannah, when they told me you were attacked and that you were pregnant. I was afraid…”

  “I was worried about the same thing when I woke up. I wasn’t, the doctor said I wasn’t. I was fully-clothed when Ophelia found me.”

  I let out a sigh of relief. Just because my daughter was mine, didn’t mean someone hadn’t hurt Hannah after the fact. I pulled her back tight into my arms. I needed to hold her to me. I needed to keep her next to me. I didn’t know if I could leave her and go to my hotel room tonight. I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle being away from her again. I lay down on the seat, holding her in my arms, hoping she’d be willing to let me sleep here if I asked.

  We were quiet for a moment, as I took in our surroundings. She owned a little bookshop, and it suited her. Before, she’d had nothing to hold her in the states, but now with her shop, and I was sure my daughter’s schooling, I had to find a way to make it in the U.S. My parents would be furious, but there was no way I was leaving my family behind.

  “I wonder how long it’d take to get a work visa?” I spoke softly to myself, but she heard and looked up at me worried.

  “I don’t think I can just up and leave, William. I’ve been running my own little shop for three years now, to leave it all behind…”

  I cut her off with a kiss. “I was talking about me. I’ll need the work visa, because I’m not leaving you.”

  She let out a breath and jumped on top of me, kissing me soundly. She looked me hard in the eyes. “You’d do that for me?”

  “Of course I would. I’m never leaving your side again. I’m not losing you, and by God, when I go to wrap up my affairs, I’m sure as hell taking you with me. I’m never going to risk losing you again.” I hugged her tightly and whispered, “Never again.”

  My grip on her didn’t loosen, and when she shifted, I had to admit that I whimpered. Her sad eyes met mine. “I’m here.” Her fingers ran through my hair, trying to calm me.

  “Can I sleep down here on this? I…I…”

  She frowned and took my face in both of her hands. “We have so much to talk about, and there’s still a lot I need to remember. I can recall bits and pieces. Can you help me put them together?”

  I nodded yes eagerly.

  We heard the low hum of a TV show over our heads. “Penny’s asleep, we can send Shawna home and talk some more.”

  I heard her stomach growl. “I didn’t get to take you out.”

  “We’ll order in.” She kissed my cheek before getting up and pulling me off the chaise. She didn’t let go of my hand, and I kept hold of hers tightly and let my other hover on her hip as we walked upstairs.

  “Well, that was fast,” Shawna looked concerned at our serious expressions.

  “We didn’t make it out the door. We’re going to order in. You can go home early. Thanks for watching her for me.”

  “Anytime, Hannah. Let me know if you need anything.” She gave me a worried glance, like she wasn’t sure if she trusted me, but then she saw Hannah squeeze my hand, and she left without another word.

  HANNAH

  I tried to make sense of the jumbled mess in my head, as I finished my food. I remembered him. I did, and the one thing I remembered the most was not wanting to be away from him. I recognized it now for what it was. I’d felt it the moment we’d met again in England. I wanted him then, but I didn’t know why. Even with his odd staring and obsessive behavior, there was always this undertow of needing to be near him. It’d scared me then, and it did now, but not as bad. I didn’t want to get hurt. I didn’t want him to hurt my daughter, either, but my heart was pleading with me to trust him.

  It was ridiculous, really, how quickly our relationship had progressed when we’d first met. Even with what I had remembered, and with what he’d told me, we’d only known each other for three weeks, and in that short time, we’d made plans to live together in England. The intensity had been so strong then, and it still was. My body knew exactly who he was from day one.

  The bits and pieces that’d been popping up and getting worse since I’d visited England were turning into a full-blown avalanche. “Can we start from the beginning, at the café?” I clarified.

  “Yes, of course.” He pulled me closer to him, pressing his face into my shoulder. “I had stopped there, wanting to try some real American food, not any chain stuff, but the real stuff.”

  “That’s why you stopped at Dottie’s Café.” That made sense.

  “Yes, I had ten hours to kill. I thought walking around Carson City and seeing the sights would be fun. I didn’t take into account that in the U.S., everything is far apart. There was no walking from place to place. I was in good shape, but not that good of shape. I didn’t want to get lost, and there was no way I was hiring a car and attempting to drive on the wrong side of the road.”

  “It’s the right side,” I teased.

  “You said that the first time, too.” He was wistful, and I was hoping the memories would come faster. “I ended up at Dottie’s, because the cab driver insisted it was good. I found that hard to believe, because there were only three people in the diner besides the workers, you being one of them. I don’t know what happened, but I felt it as soon as my eyes landed on you. It was lightening, I was jolted forward, and before I knew what I was doing, I was asking to sit with you.”

  “The Café is usually full of college students. It was empty because it was summer. I realized halfway through that you didn’t have to sit with me. Strangers would often share tables, because the place was usually packed. I didn’t think anything of it when you asked. After my burger came, I looked around and saw there was plenty of room.” I was eager to voice what I was remembering. “You blushed!” I pointed straight at his face, and that cute blush that’d first caught my eye and encouraged me to let down my defenses appeared on his cheeks. “You were so sweet and nervous. You knocked over my luggage. You confessed later that night that you considered leaving the table when it happened, but you just couldn’t pull yourself away from me.”

  His smile grew, as he nodded in agreement, asking me to go on.

  “We talked about Silver Springs and my dad. You asked so many questions, you were really interested. I thought you were crazy for even caring, but you did. You had to know everything. I asked about your life, and you told me you lived in London, that you had an annoying little sister and overbearing parents. You had to go back by the end of the month, but were stopping in New York for a few weeks to wrap up some business deals. You hated traveling, but didn’t have the excuse of a family to keep you home. The way you looked at me when you said that, I knew then I wanted to be the one you stayed home for. I wanted to be your family.” I blushed at my confession, remembering exactly how I’d felt and let it wash over me.

  “We touched. It was time for me to go. When we stood, we both tripped on my boxes, but you were steadier and caught me in your arms. I’ve never felt anything like this, William…this feeling between us,” I said, running my hand up his arm.

  “Only with you. I couldn’t let you go. I followed you to Silver Springs.”

  “You carried my boxes and put them under the bus. When you looked at me after loading them, I could swear you were going to cry, and I felt the same way. I didn’t understand it, but the moment you asked me to go with you to New York, I knew I couldn’t say no. I couldn’t be away from you. It wa
s too late, something had happened between us, and it couldn’t be undone, I was yours.” I looked up into his eyes, knowing the truth of my words.

  He nodded his head with watery eyes. “I was yours, too.”

  “You came to Silver Springs with me…” I paused, these memories were harder to recall. He looked like he was about to say something, but I put my hand up to stop him. He took it and kissed it, waiting patiently, making me smile. “The bus stop is only two blocks from my dad’s house…you bought tickets back to Carson City as soon as we arrived, so we wouldn’t miss the flight. We had an hour at best to drop off the boxes. They weren’t packed well enough to fly.”

  He bit his lip worried, and I knew why, as soon as images of my father came to mind. My dad had been happy to see me for all of ten seconds. He didn’t know who William was, and as soon as he’d opened his mouth, my father had hated him and his foreign accent. “You can’t trust foreigners, Hannah,” I repeated the words I recalled, and William’s grip on my hand tightened. “He hated you the moment you introduced yourself to him. I was so angry with him. You were scared. I could see it in your eyes, you were scared I’d walk away from you, and stay with my father. You’d set the boxes down in the front yard to shake his hand, and that was where we left them. I wouldn’t let him speak to me like a child. I wouldn’t let him treat you the way he did. I was ashamed of him and embarrassed. I expected him to see what I saw in you, what we had, but he didn’t.”

  He squeezed me, hiding his face in my hair.

  “On the bus ride back, you could tell I was upset, and I ended up crying for most of it. You told me you’d do anything to make it better, to please tell you what I needed, and my answer was you.”

  He sat me in his lap, we both needed to be closer together. “You were giving up your father for me. I wanted you to make amends with him. I thought with time, he’d warm up to me, after he saw how happy you were.” He cupped my face. I knew it was true. I could now remember three distinct conversations, where he’d been pushing me to speak with my father. My irritation had always made him back down, though it didn’t stop him from prodding and hinting about it. It’d made me furious with him and love him at the same time.