CHAPTER 14 - LEARNING


~1 MONTH LATER ~

Alicia fell like a rag doll onto the floor, the phone still half in her hand. She let it fall beside her as she wept bitterly into her hands. She wanted to stop the tears, she wanted to just get up and run, but her knees were weak, and the tears wouldn’t stop coming.

Nick pushed his keys into the front door, juggling the luggage in his hand and the keys was another matter entirely. He’d been away visiting his parents, it had been nothing more than 2 weeks of arguing and blaming someone else for something. It was pretty obvious to see Nick and his parents had, over time grown further apart, and it seemed like nothing could now bridge that gap.

The door finally opened and he dumped his suitcase beside the door. It was around 8pm and the house was practically silent. He closed and locked the door quietly behind him, as he looked around the empty foyer.

He listened intently, then a sound came to his ear, it was coming from down the hall, it sounded like from the games room. He dumped his keys and shoulder on the hallway table as he wandered down to the games room. There was only a small glowing light coming from the room, as he got closer he recognized the sound.

“Alicia?” he said pushing the door fully open

She didn’t even look up, as though she never heard him, she just kept crying.
“Alicia, what’s wrong?” Nick inquired as he rushed to her side
She looked up, black trails of mascara running down her cheeks, her lips quivering as fresh tears paraded from her eyes.

“There’s something I need to tell you” she cried wanting to fall into his arms
“Come on” Nick pleaded, plucking her off the carpet and gesturing for her to sit on the couch.
She fell softly onto the brown leather couch, Nick sitting down beside her.
“Now tell me” Nick spoke softly as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder
“I, I” Alicia stuttered. She been keeping this from him for so long, she wondered if she could ever tell him, all she knew was she couldn’t keep it to herself anymore, it ripping her apart inside.
Nick nodded slowly, waiting patiently for her to continue.
She took a deep breath,
“I have cancer” she whispered

~ AT THE SAME TIME ~

“Night baby” Eve smiled as she watched Luke’s eyes fluttered closed. She flicked off the light and closed the door.
Howie had practically begged her to let Luke live with them, he said that he wanted to be a part of his life. Eve was sure he meant well, but for the past month, he’d become distant. He inquired about Luke’s father, a time in her life Eve would rather forget. There hadn’t been any arguments, just silences, which seemed almost as bad.

She wandered down to the master bedroom, Howie was sitting up in the bed, reading a book clutched tightly in his hands.

“Get to sleep alright?” Howie inquired nonchalantly, he didn’t even look up from his book
“Uhuh” Eve replied, with the same mellowed tone
She slipped off the bathrobe she was wearing and hung it over the love seat in the corner.
“Do you ever feel like you’re only doing something because you’re used to doing it?” Eve sighed as she slinked into the bed beside Howie.
“Not sure what you mean” Howie mumbled, his eyes still on the book in front of him
“At least put down the book and look at me” Eve snapped, it was like the words she said went in one ear and out the other.
Howie sighed, folded the corner of the page and placed the book on the bedside table.
“So?” he muttered
“Don’t tell me you don’t see what’s happening?” Eve sighed
“What?”
“Look at us Howie. We don’t talk, we don’t do anything, go anywhere, and god knows the last time we were intimate with each other”
“I thought the man is supposed to complain about the lack of sex” Howie smirked
“I'm serious Howie. We’re only here in this bed because neither of us are strong enough to actually look at the full picture”
“And that would be?”
“The magic has gone” Eve announced sliding back out of the bed “We think its love, but look around you, what we both want and what we both need, isn’t here anymore” she cried
Howie did nothing to stop her walking out of the bedroom. Why? Because he knew she was right, they’d lost whatever it was that was there in the beginning. She was right, they were falling apart – just too afraid to see it.

~ AT THE SAME TIME ~

Jasmine rubbed her eyes softly, as the sheet of writing became blurry in front of her. it was getting late, and it seemed like she’d been down in the studio for years, but still she marched on, determined to make everything perfect, plus its not like the 1 bedroom leaking apartment held much of a prospect.

“You wanna call it a night?” AJ yawned as he switched off some of the running tapes
“No, I wanna keep going, make everything perfect” Jasmine replied, following his yawn with her own
“You got some tough shit in your genes” AJ laughed
“Quitting isn’t in my blood” Jasmine shrugged
Little had changed between them, they had, over time, gotten perhaps a little closer. Jasmine had finally begun to trust him – somewhat anyway, trust didn’t come to easy for her, and she was trying her best. AJ too, had narrowed in, the distance that was first there had diminished somewhat, they were trying to bridge the gap, find a common ground, and work from there. Her craving for music and his longing to expand his knowledge seemed to be just that.

~ AT THE SAME TIME ~

Tara lifelessly starred at the TV in front of her, it wasn’t exactly entertaining, and hardly kept her attention, but she was wide awake, and with her legs tucked stiffly under her body, she was sure she’d be awake for a while to come.

There was a faint knock on the door across the room from where she was. It was like a soft tap, coming from someone that perhaps didn’t want her to answer, but nevertheless she got up, her small feet carrying her across the room. She looked through the small eyehole first, having been warned on many occasions to never blindly open the door as she was once used to doing.

“Brian” she smiled as she opened the door
He stood timidly on the front door step, his eyes studding the ground by his feet, his hands casually placed in his pockets, fiddling around in nervousness.
“I, uh, just wanted to thank you” he muttered, his eyes still on the ground
“Why? What have I done?” she inquired, pulling the sleeves down over her hands
“You helped me move on” he smiled, looking up for once
“You mean with Leigh Anne?” Tara inquired softly
Brian nodded slowly, the whites of his eyes shining in the full moonlight
“I didn’t do that, you did” Tara smiled wistfully
“I still owe you a lot”
“You don’t owe me anything Brian” Tara laughed “Did you want to come in?” she questioned softly, opening the door fully
He smiled thankfully as he stepped inside.
“I'm sorry if I, uh, woke you up” he smiled as she closed the door behind him
“Trust me, you didn’t, I'm still on old time, I very much awake” she laughed
“Do you believe in doing things on impulse?” he inquired as they gravitated into the lounge
“I suppose” she shrugged “Sometimes you just do what feels right” she added turning to pick up the remote
Brian’s hand caught her arm, gently spinning her around, his lips caught he unawares as he planted a soft sensitive kiss onto them, his lips melting passionately onto her own. He pulled away after what seemed like an eternity of awkwardness.

“I’m sorry” he whispered, as Tara starred at him in disbelief.
Without reply, she leaned in, kissing him again, his hands held her back softly as they locked into a fiery lips embrace. It wasn’t long before his hand ventured down her arms and headed towards the button on her Pajama top. His fingers fumbled blindly over the buttons, undoing them with haphazard movement. He swept across her chest, touching her softly under her top, his small hands melded perfectly into her small frame. He rubbed her breast softly, as his lips ventured down her neck.

She pulled away abruptly, yanked her top closed and backed away from him, the same look of disbelief on her face.
“I, I, I'm sorry” she whispered, cowering away from him
“God, Tara, I'm sorry, I got carried away” Brian sighed, annoyed with himself for doing so
An uncomfortable silence followed, before Tara spoke up again.
“I’ve never done this before” she smiled, blushing slightly
“You’re a virgin?” Brian inquired, semi-shocked by the thought
“Does that shock you?” she smiled
“No, its just, well, I mean – “ Brian stumbled. She was pretty, kind, loveable, he’d just supposed she’d ‘lived’ that life
“It’s out of choice” she blushed “I’ve just always wanted to wait, I'm sorry” she said uncomfortably
“Don’t be sorry, that’s beautiful” Brian smiled, he’d wanted to wait too, but Leigh Anne long ago pleaded with him for them to move in together.
“It’s just something” she shrugged softly
“Maybe I should go” Brian smiled, aware of the growing awkwardness
He turned, walking towards the door.
“Uh Brian” Tara smiled, he turned to face her “Maybe we could um, go out sometime?” she questioned, unsure what his response would be.
“I’d like that” he smiled softly

Chapter Fifteen

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