Page 16 of Estranged Heart
Her lips tilt in the corners. “I’m not saying it.”
Laughing, I drop my hand from her face and step away to grab my wallet from the dresser. “I won’t leave you alone about it until you do,” I say, looking back at her.
Rolling her eyes, she slips on her shoes. “I guess you’ll have to keep torturing me then.” She quickly leaves the room, a fit of laughter following behind her. Walking to the living room, I turn off all the lights and meet her at the door. She already has her name badge on and apron hanging over her arm. “Shall we?”
“Sure, but I’m driving.” I snatch the keys from her fingers too fast for her to see me coming and step past her onto the porch, heading for the car.
Huffing behind me, she locks the door and gets into the passenger side. “You haven’t driven in a long time. Are you sure you remember?”
“I guess we’ll find out soon, won’t we?”
She reaches for the ignition and I slap her hand away. “I’ll willingly switch places if you say it.”
“This is silly.”
“A little silliness is good every now and again.”
Pursing her lips together, her arms fall to her sides in defeat. “Fine. If I say it, you’re getting your cute little ass in the passenger side. You’re going to make me late for work.”
“Okay.” I place my open hand behind my ear. “I’m waiting.”
She kicks her feet like a petulant child. “Aren’t we getting too old for these games?”
Slumping in my seat, I drop my hand. “Yeah. I guess you’re right.” I get out of the car and slam the door shut hard behind me. She gets out and blocks my way. “So now you’re mad at me.” It’s not a question.
“No.” I’m disappointed. I’m trying to cling onto us anywhere I can, and she isn’t making it any less hard than it already is. I’m falling away from her, and I don’t think she realizes she’s slowly clipping at the strings keeping us together. First, when I pressed the stethoscope to her chest after breakfast and she asked what I was doing. Then, when I tickled her from behind as she was doing the laundry and she scolded me for throwing her off track. And now . . .
The passion and familiarity of touch was temporarily missing but I’d hoped the fun we had was still there.
“You and I always come first,”she used to say.“The rest can wait.”
The only one waiting is me.
“You’re right,” I finally speak again, breaking the stretching silence. “I’m going to make us both late. We should go.” I thought if we started from the beginning when we both fell, I’d feel it all over again. If she can’t remember why we both fell in love, how can I?
The new heart was supposed to change things for the better. Give me more freedom and make me feel whole again. It has yet to do any of those things.
“I’ll say it if it’ll make you feel better.”
I shake my head, squeezing between her and the door. “It’s okay, Stace. Really. Come on. Let’s get going before we’re both in trouble.” Her doing something for me because she feels she has to isn’t what I want. She shouldn’t fight against what once had us smiling and laughing together before giving in. It should happen naturally.
“Yeah, okay.” She closes the door and gets into the car. We drive away in silence. Stacey waits until we’re parked in front of the floral shop to turn on the radio, and “Island in the Sun” blares through the speakers. She grabs my hand. “For you, I’ll be a warrior and not a worrier,” she says in between chuckles, her cheeks blushing like they always did when she said the silly saying I came up with when we were teenagers.
Smiling, I bring her hand to my lips and kiss her fingers. “I love you.” I do. Maybe I don’t need butterflies or for my heart to jump in my chest every time she’s nearby, but my feelings for her do run deeper than most. It has to count for something. Us sharing a close friendship and lots of history together has to too.
“I love you too. Have fun on your first day back.”
“I will. Maybe I’ll bring you back some flowers too.”
She chuckles. “It’s good to see that you still like surprising me.”
Our joined laughter fills the car and I get out, saying bye to her one more time before walking inside the floral shop. “Hey, look who’s out and about,” Reese says, wearing a large smile and holding a bouquet in his hands.
“Yeah. Beats being trapped at home all day.” I’ve missed it.
“I bet. You up for working the front? I have a few orders to fill and it’s only us right now.”
“Yeah. Sure. I can handle it.”
