From Forbidden Fruit to Love Renewed~ Chapter 2

The rain had subsided but the storm inside of her still raged. The four hour drive from Harrisburg to Llanview felt like it was taking four years. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the night before; the night they became other people; two strangers who met and took each other places they haven’t been to in years.

Reaching down and turning on the radio, “Get a grip, Nora….”

When a man loves a woman
Can’t keep his mind on nothing else…

Changing the station, “Now that’s definitely not what I need right now.”

I’ve got sunshine…on a cloudy day
When it’s cold outside…I’ve got the month of May…

Throwing her head back in disgust, “Perfect, just my luck. The only songs these radio stations out here in the booneys can play are oldies”, she yells as she presses the scan button on the car radio.

Tonight you’re mine completely
You give your love so sweetly
Tonight the light of love is in your eyes
But will you still love me tomorrow…

“This is ridiculous,” hitting the button one last time.

Baby, baby it looks like it’s gonna hail
Baby, baby it looks like it’s gonna hail
You’d better come inside let me teach you how to jive ‘an wail

Flicking the radio off in frustration, her tears threatening to fall, “I’m cursed, that’s all there is to it,” she yells as she pulls off the turnpike, pulling into the scenic overlook.

Events from the night before begin to play through her mind, the feel of his hands on her skin; his tongue caressing her breast; the feel of him inside her as they brought each other to the edge. She wipes a stray tear off her cheek, “No regrets...”

*~*~

He rolls over onto his side; instinctively reaching for her only to find an empty bed. He slowly opens his eyes; allowing them time to adjust to the early morning light filling the room. His eyes finally settle on the piece of paper lying on her pillow. He picks it up; releasing a sigh as he reads it…

“Blue Eyes,
Last night was wonderful. It will forever be one of my fondest memories. No promises…No regrets…Maybe we’ll meet again, in the next life…
XXOO
Eve”

A small smile spreads across his face as he pulls back the covers and climbs out of the bed, his nakedness forgotten, “Yep, no regrets,” he mumbles as he
grabs his clothes, still scattered around the room.

*~*~

She quietly closes the door behind her; leaning against it for a moment as she looks around the empty house. She finally walked into the living room; throwing her bags down onto the floor; her purse and keys on the couch.

She kicked off her shoes; pulling her blouse out of her skirt as she walked up the stairs. She walked towards their son’s room. She quietly pushed open the door; careful to keep the light from hitting his sleeping face. A smile crept across her face as she watched him sleep; he slept just like his father. She closed the door and began to unbutton her blouse; noticing for the first time that she was missing a button. Another smile crept across her face as she felt the heat raise up the back of her neck as more memories of the night before invaded her mind.

She walked into her bedroom and reached into the pocket of her skirt. She looked down at the object in her hand as though it was a precious treasure; and to her it was. She walked over to her dresser and opened her jewelry box. She looked back down at the small American Flag pin she held in her hand; closing her hand around it and bringing it up to her chest. She sighed as she laid it in the jewelry box, next to her other pieces of jewelry. She ran her hands over the other pieces in the box; a diamond ring; a simple gold band; a pair of ruby earrings; a heart necklace so she can wear his heart over hers; and a charm bracelet full of firsts. She brushed her fingertips over the charms before closing the box; locking the memories back inside the box just like they’re forever locked in her heart.

She continues to undress as she walks into her bathroom. She glances at herself in the mirror but quickly turns away; afraid of what she’ll see when she looks at herself. She walks over to the shower and soon the room fills with steam. She walks over and picks her clothes up off the counter; placing them in with her other dry cleaning. She could still smell his scent on her skin. She stepped into the hot shower; hoping to be able to wash his scent from her skin.

*~*~

The long drive from Harrisburg left him feeling drained. He threw his suit jacket down on the couch; his keys and briefcase quickly following suit. He runs his hands across the soft leather; as he heads towards the hallway.

He stands outside their bedroom pausing for a moment before he quietly opens the door; careful not to wake her; not ready to hear what she most likely had to say. He closed the door as quietly as he opened it; pulling his shirt out of his pants as he walked towards the bathroom.

A small smile plays across his face as he notices his missing buttons. He sticks his hands in the pockets of his khaki pants and pulls out the note. He runs his hands over her familiar handwriting before folding it back up.

 

He pulls his badge off his belt and opens the side pocket; pulling out the yellowed piece of paper that he’s kept since she wrote it over 10 years earlier. He placed both of the letters back in the pocket behind his badge and walked over to the shower; turning the water on. He continues to undress; throwing the clothes in the dry cleaning pile. He could still smell her scent on his skin as he stepped into the shower. He scrubbed his skin trying to wash her scent from his skin; knowing it would forever be burned in his senses.

*~*~

Later that afternoon she walks down the long hallway; her heels clicking against the floor; as she makes her way towards his office. The last thing she wanted to do was to see him so soon after their “encounter” but there was no way she could avoid it; they needed to discuss their son and the “Father Son” banquet the next evening.

She smiled at Marcie as she walked towards his office. She stood there for a moment just staring at the back of his head as he sat behind his desk; his back towards her, “No regrets”, she kept whispering to herself as memories from the night before crept into her mind. She was about to call his name when she finally hears what he is saying…

“Gabrielle, I’ve given this marriage thing a try so many times that I never thought I’d be ready to do it again, but I am…Gabrielle, will you do me the
honor of becoming my wife…”

TBC....