Page 107 of Where We Fall

He takes a deep breath. “I’m coming with you.”

“You’re what? What do you mean?”

I don’t think I heard him correctly. I think maybe I was right downstairs about the mental issues because now I think I'm hallucinating.

“I’m coming with you to Chicago.”

He stands there with his hands in his pockets, waiting for me to figure out how to speak again.

“I, I mean, I still don’t….” I stutter.

He smiles and then takes a step closer to me. “I’m moving to Chicago.”

“What? How? Marcus, this doesn’t make any sense.”

He shrugs. “It makes perfect sense to me. I was on another walk this morning. My parents insisted a walk was the only way to clear my head. You know what’s messed up?”

Another step towards me. For some reason, I take a step back. It’s like I’m too afraid to accept this as reality because if it’s not, I don't know if I can recover.

“What?”

“The walk worked. I was walking around this morning, ready to let you walk out of my life forever, when it dawned on me. Why would I let the best thing that has ever happened to me get away? I have more than enough money saved away for us to settle down in Chicago and figure out our next steps. When I thought about going back to work without you there, it felt wrong. Everything in my life was dark and almost impossible to picture without you. You are my happiness. Where you go, I go.”

I can’t believe what he’s saying. He’s willing to give everything up for me. My eyes are blurred from my tears, but I can still make out the man standing in front of me.

“What about your company?” I ask.

“I’m out.”

“What?” I almost scream.

“I just called my siblings and let them know. We can work the logistics out later.”

"Wait. You’re not leaving because of the other day, right? People have disagreements on how to run a company all the time, that’s no reason to leave. They love you.”

“I know they do, and I love them. But not as much as I love you.”

His hand grabs mine as his thumb rubs comforting circles around my knuckles.

“I can’t believe you would do that for me,” I whisper.

“Baby, it’s just as much for me, if not more. Don’t make me out to be some kind of hero. I’m a mess without you, and I don’t want to live in a world where I don’t get to see your face every day.”

I wrap my arms around his neck. When his arms engulf me, everything feels right again.

“Is this really happening?” I ask.

His laughter vibrates along my body. “It is if you’ll let it.”

I let go of him.

“Of course. It feels too good to be true.” I notice the bag on his shoulder again. “What’s in the bag?”

He smiles and shrugs. “Nothing. It’s empty. I wanted to make some grand gesture, and I thought a bag would help for dramatic effect. I only just came to this conclusion an hour or so ago. All I had in my trunk was an empty gym bag.”

A laugh erupts from deep in my belly. Damn, it feels good to feel like this again.

“You’re insane, but I love it.”

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