Page 20 of Welcome to the Friendzone

He hadn’t done anything wrong and she didn’t want him to feel bad.

“Hey…” he said as he gently grabbed her chin and turned her head towards him, watching the tears that gathered in her eyes with a concerned frown on his face.

“What’s wrong, Sugar?”

His voice was like honey and able to make Marta feel comfort even in her saddest moments. It had been like that since the first day she met him.

“I need you to meet him,” she blurted out, her voice thick with emotion.

“Who?” Oliver was confused, not having a clue what she was talking about.

Instead of answering him she grabbed his large hand in her small one and pulled him along through the graveyard. Oliver didn’t say a word the entire time, he just let Marta pull him with her ridiculously strong arms. Sometimes he forgot what a bad-ass Agent she’d been and how hard she trained, although she complained the entire time that she hated working out. She was the personification of all bark and no bite when it came to exercise.

Suddenly their walk came to a halt and Oliver almost crashed into Marta as he hadn’t realized that she’d stopped. He gazed around at the graves nearby until his eyes landed on the inscription of a large cross-shaped marble headstone right next to him:

Frank Gómez

Loving husband, wonderful son, amazing human

Taken suddenly and far too soon

We miss you. We love you.

“Oh,” Oliver said, unsure what else was appropriate to say.

Instead of words he stepped up behind Marta, who had her body turned towards where her husband lay. He wrapped his arms around her middle, crossing them on her stomach, and rested his head on her shoulder.

“Oliver, this is Frank. Frank, this is Oliver,” Marta whispered with a shaking voice.

“It’s nice to meet you, Frank. Marta’s told me so many amazing stories about you. I’m really sorry I was never able to meet you.”

“You two would have got along pretty well. You have a lot in common.”

“You think so?” He asked with a wistful smile.

“Yeah, pretty much.”

They both fell silent. Marta’s eyes were fixed on her husband’s name, forever etched into the marble headstone, whilst Oliver had turned his head, leaning his forehead against her temple.

“Frank…” Marta’s voice was slightly above a whisper and she radiated insecurity.

“… Oliver is my boyfriend. We’ve been dating for a couple of months now and I’m ready to take the next step with him. He’s not you and he will never replace you. You’ll have a place in my heart until I die, but he makes me happy. I wanted you to meet him because he’s part of my life now.”

Marta’s words filled Oliver’s heart, making it float out of his chest. Never in his life had someone said something so beautiful to or about him. Tears welled in his eyes as he placed a tender kiss on Marta’s hair.

“I know you’d be happy for me because I’m finally able to move on. He made me do it. Oliver protects me, loves me, and makes me smile. That’s all you ever wanted for me. I know that.”

Finally Marta turned so that she was facing Oliver now.

Her boyfriend.

It still sounded weird in her head but she knew she’d get used to it.

“Te quiero,” Oliver whispered to her.

It was the first time he’d spoken Spanish to her and he’d chosen the most beautiful words but it wasn’t just his words that reassured her that she’d made the right decision on giving him a chance. The look behind his green-blue eyes gave his feelings away. They were sparkling with love, pride, and adoration. And when she returned his gaze her eyes reflected those same emotions right back at him.

Back at headquarters, Marta and Oliver needed to be careful not to get caught by any other Agents but on their way from the main entrance to his room they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Their official label as boyfriend and girlfriend had them giggling like teenagers while linking their pinky fingers or placing a palm on the small of the other’s back. Innocent, light, subtle touches but they meant the world to them.

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