Page 57 of With Love

Adrienne

“Where are we headed now?” I look over toward Marshall. With the bright sun pouring in through the windshield the way it is, his green eyes shine like gemstones.

“Where we had our first date.”

“My old apartment?

“Yup.”

“And, what? Are the tenants just going to let us in?” I laugh.

“Something like that, yeah.”

“Is there anything that you can’t pull off?”

He pretends to be deep in thought for a few seconds before saying, “nope.”

We pull up in front of a beautiful, brownstone and Marshall stops the car.

“Here we are,” he says as a wave of emotion falls over me.

I take a deep breath before getting out of the car. Marshall meets me on the passenger side of the vehicle and offers me his hand and a wink. Together, we walk to the door and he pulls out a key ring. When the door is unlocked, he leads up to the first landing and unlocks the door directly on the left.

“Welcome home, Adrienne,” he opens the door and allows me a moment before letting me go in first.

I was hoping that, once I walked over the threshold, I would remember something. Anything. Even just one little thing. But that’s not what happened; it was much more than that.

It was as if my past life was on fast-forward, playing out in front of me. A surge of emotion runs through me. I see myself on the sofa, Chinese food boxes and bottles of beer on the table in front of me, Netflix on the TV.

Then, I am in the kitchen, using the mixer for cake mix or mashed potatoes. I can’t really tell but that’s not what matters. Using the mixer for a microphone, I start belting out song lyrics like I am putting on the most amazing rock concert ever.

Then, I’m sitting at my desk in my sweats, pencil between my teeth, my hands going back and forth between my text book and my keyboard. It looked like I may have been doing homework? I don’t look much younger. Maybe college-aged?

Finally, I see something that sends a crushing wave of emotion over me.

It’s Marshall and I. We’re standing in the middle of my apartment. He has his hands on my forearms and he’s talking to me. It looks important. I have an overwhelmed expression on my face, but it doesn’t look like it’s in a negative way. Just that I am thinking hard about something. Moments later, he has me in his arms and we are kissing. Passionately. We’re holding onto one another like we would die if we ever let go. Then, he carries me back toward the bedroom.

“Adrienne?” Marshall breaks me from my flashback. “Did you hear me?”

“What?” I had no idea he was speaking.

“I asked if you wanted to go in. You don’t have to. Are you okay?”

Am I?

“I need to sit down.” I walk into the apartment and take a seat on the gray sofa.

Marshall sits down facing me.

“What happened? Are you alright?”

“I’m okay. I don’t know if I just had a flashback or if my mind is just imagining things.”

“What did you see?”

“Just small stuff really. I was sitting here, eating Chinese and watching Netflix. Then, I was in the kitchen making something and using the mixer like a microphone,” I laugh.

“You loved to sing. I’ll never forget the time I walked in on you belting out Total Eclipse of the Heart using your hairbrush as a mic. But because you’re a sarcastic smart ass, you prefer the version by The Dan Band. I entered your apartment just as you were belting out “I fucking need you tonight”.

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