| Lynn tried to push the previous night’s events from her mind as she readied a brief for a court appearance the next day. She heard a knock at the door and sighed. “It’s open, James.” She never looked up from her computer. A dark figure stood in the door. “What is it, James?” she asked, still staring blankly at the computer screen. She looked up when she heard the door click shut. She forced herself to return her attention back to the screen. Mark helped himself to a chair. “Nice office,” he said quietly. She nodded her thanks, pretending to be heavily intrigued by the work on her screen. An awkward silence settled between them. Mark took a deep breath, clearing his throat. “I don’t know why you left, and I don’t think you’re going to tell me. I just want to know if there’s any chance for me…” He swallowed. “For us.” Her mouth fell open, and she slowly turned to him. She didn’t say a word. “What did I do, Lynn? That’s what I want to know.” Her eyes fell. “Please,” he said, more of a demand than a question. “You didn’t do anything. I just couldn’t deal with it.” “It…” he pressed, leaning forward in his chair. “Us, Mark.” She sighed. “Why did you come here?” “I…” “You shouldn’t have, Mark,” she whispered, her voice pleading with him. He nodded slowly before standing. He stopped and turned to her again. “If I walk out right now, I’m not coming back,” he said, his voice shaky. “I can promise that.” She stood quickly. “Mark, it wasn’t you. I promise. I was scared.” “Of what?” “You. Scared that you’d hurt me. I don’t know.” She took a deep breath. “I had never been in love before and it scared me. Okay, Mark?” His eyes met hers. “Why did you run away from me? You could have told me.” She lowered her head, nodding slightly. “I know.” He stood, walking to the door. He couldn’t make himself leave, so he leaned his hands against the wall, hiding his face from her. Hiding his tears. “Mark, I’m sorry,” she said, walking to him, resting a hand on his arm. “I can’t change the past.” He turned around, and she saw the pain in his eyes. “I’m not asking you to change the past,” he insisted, his voice becoming desperate. “I’m asking you to change the future. God, Lynn. Give me a chance here.” She watched as a tear rolled down his cheek, breaking her heart. “I don’t know if I can.” He sighed, his hand reaching for the doorknob. Her mind went back to the picture she had pulled out of the garbage can and put into a frame beside her bed. “But I’ll try,” she whispered. He stopped in place as her arms went around him. He turned to her, pulling her against him in a warm embrace. She rested her head against his chest, sighing heavily. His fingers ran through her hair, marveling in the soft, silky strands. Her hands slid around his waist to his back, pulling him closer to her. “Look, I have to get going.” She looked up at him, her eyes questioning him. “We’ve got another concert tonight.” “Where?” “Here,” he said softly, his fingers tracing her face. Her eyes closed as she nodded. “Want me to stop by after?” She smiled up at him, nodding again slightly. She went to her desk, writing directions to her new house with a smile. He took the piece of paper from her hands, his fingers brushing hers. Tingles ran through her body at his touch, and he leaned down to kiss her cheek gently before leaving. She sighed after he was gone, leaning against her desk and covering her face with her hands. “What the hell am I doing?” She turned and focused her attention on the brief, losing herself once again in her work. *** Lynn smiled to herself as she pulled a case of Bud Lite out of the refrigerator at the store, hoping Mark’s taste buds hadn’t changed. Once she made it through the check-out line, she hopped into her silver Z3 and headed back to her house. She settled onto the couch, engrossing herself into the news. She nearly leapt out of her seat when she heard the doorbell, rushing to the door to answer it. She glanced at the wall, where a clock told her it was after midnight. She sighed, pulling the door open. Mark stood on the porch, propping himself up with a hand on the doorframe, clad in a black sleeveless shirt, black jeans, and white tennis shoes. Her eyes took him in hungrily, noticing for the first time that he’d filled out quite a bit since she’d left. She opened the door wider, letting him in. “I take it you’re doing well?” he asked, a slight smirk sliding across his face. She nodded with a small smile, leading him into the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator, handing him a beer, which he gladly accepted with a smile. “Want the tour?” she asked quietly. He nodded, twisting the cap off his Bud Lite, managing a twisted smile at her. She laughed and led him down the hall, showing him each room. “And finally, my bedroom.” She flipped on the light, and he poked his head in, glancing around the room. A picture caught his eye on her bedside table, and he went to it. She leaned against the door, tucking her dark hair behind her ears. He picked the picture up and sat down on the bed, his fingers running over the glass in the frame. He looked up at her, and she looked away. He smiled, replacing the picture and walking to her. He followed her down the hall and plopped onto the couch. She clicked off the television and sat next to him, smiling inwardly as he stretched his arm out behind her. He took a slow, deep breath, breathing in her perfume and looking down at her out of the corner of his eye. She hadn’t changed much from the day she had left him. He smiled to himself. He let his hand slide off the back of the couch, settling on her shoulder, causing her to lean against him. He toyed with her hair, rubbing her neck and shoulder. She let a contented sigh escape, leaning her head against his shoulder. “Mark, why did you come here?” she asked softly. The question startled him, and he pulled back to look at her, but she avoided his eyes. “What do you mean?” “Somehow I knew you’d show up again, but I didn’t think you’d actually…” she trailed off, and his eyebrow raised, now thoroughly confused. She sighed. “Why’d you have to bring up the past?” She finally raised her eyes to meet his. He took them in, the clear green with gold flecks around the center, and noticed they’d become clouded over. He sighed, retracting his arm and leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees, his head in his hands. “Tell me you want me to leave and I’ll leave, Lynn.” He turned his head to look at her again, watching her turn her head from him. He noticed a tear sliding down her cheek, and his eyebrows furled. He leaned back, pulling her against him. She buried her face in his chest, her silent tears soaking his shirt. “What do you want me to do?” She shook her head against him, mumbling her “I don’t know” softly. He kissed the top of her head, running his hands through her hair and down her back as she cried silently. “Lynn,” he started, pulling away to look at her. Her face was red and blotchy, her eyes bloodshot. She sniffled, wiping her tears away with the back of a hand. “Do you want me to leave?” She sniffled again, tucking her hair behind her ear before shaking her head no. He nodded, letting her rest her head against him again. He kissed her forehead, watching her eyes close. She sighed heavily, her hand running across his stomach and around to his side, her thumb tucking into a belt loop. His scent consumed her as she slowly drifted to sleep. Mark watched as her eyes grew heavy, fighting a smile. He kissed each eyelid and ran his fingers down her face. She smiled in her sleep at his touch, and his eyes twinkled. ‘My God, she’s gorgeous,’ he thought to himself. ‘She hasn’t changed a bit.’ He kissed her forehead again, and leaned his head against the back of the couch, staring at the ceiling. He, too, was soon asleep. *** Lynn lurched to consciousness as the phone rang, jumping up from the couch to answer it. She fumbled with the phone, unable to find the talk button as the phone kept ringing. “’Lo?” “Lynn?” “James?” “Yeah, listen, I just wanted to let you know that Janie, the court secretary, called and said that Justice Yale is sick, so she moved your court date back to the end of the month for now. She said she’d call you and let you know for sure on Monday.” She leaned against the wall, rubbing her forehead with her fingertips. “Okay.” “Is Mark over there?” Lynn smiled, turning to look at the couch where Mark lay, sprawled in every direction. “Yeah,” she said quietly. James smiled to himself, proud that his evil scheme had finally worked out. “Good. I’ll see you Monday morning then,” he said. She agreed, yawning as she clicked the phone off and walked back over to the couch, kneeling beside Mark. She slid her hand onto his thigh, squeezing gently to wake him. His eyes opened groggily, and then blinked several times. |