Tuesday
Picture 2
Romanticvamp's Choice: Both
Title:
She stared blankly at his coworker, trying to process her words. As it all sank in, dawning broke across her own face. Without a word, she took off, flying down the hallway. She ignored the disapproving glares of the stuffy business people in their offices. They and their expensive, no-nonsense clothes had no idea what kind of emergency she was facing.
By the time her hands hit the double doors in the lobby, her panic was so great that they shot open under her shove. A blast of icy air hit her and she realized she had left her jacket at her sister’s. Pausing only to make sure her blood was still circulating and to gain her bearings after the shock of the cold, she took off on the familiar path to the apartment. People jumped out of her way, others crying out in alarm as she pushed past them. Her feet flew across the walk and up the stairs, for once not finding something to trip on. She stopped in front of the door, the silver “eleven” filling her with a sense of homecoming. She smiled as she fished her key out of her pocket and got through the door.
Everything looked just the way it had when she had left what felt like ages ago. His favorite picture of her back, gazing at the Statue of Liberty was still displayed proudly on the entryway table as a reminder of happier times. Times when they believed they were invincible.
Yet the dimness and cold air told her something was different. She sprinted to the bedroom, calling, “Adam?!”
Her heart gave an uncomfortable, painful thud as she realized all his things were missing from the room. Everything of hers was still in its place. He hadn’t even taken any of the pictures she had plastered the walls with. Tears stung her eyes, blurring her vision as she peered into the closet, finding only her cold-weather clothes she had left behind. Her body was numb as she pulled her heavy jacket off its hanger and sank backward onto the bed. She hugged it to her, smelling him on it. A sob broke out of her throat and she couldn’t sit still. She wandered the empty apartment, each echoing step making it harder to breathe. It finally became unbearable as she left the kitchen. Her knees gave way and she sank to the floor next to the little trashcan he had bought as a joke, still clutching the jacket to her chest.
“Adam,” she sobbed.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a crumpled piece of paper all by itself at the bottom of the trashcan. Sadly, she could liken it to herself: alone, abandoned, left behind. She reached in and pulled it out, flattening it against her leg. As she realized what it was, her heart stopped and then picked up again in double time. It was a bus reservation for one that left in an hour. She gasped and flew to her feet, pulling the jacket on as she ran out the door.
****
She was chewing on her nail as the taxi pulled up in front of the bus depot. The forty-five minute ride had been to long. Now she only had fifteen minutes to find him. She threw a few bills on the passenger seat and sprinted into the crowd of people making their way inside. With a strength she didn’t know she possessed, she wove her way through them, pushing the ones who got in her way. Up ahead, she saw the list of departing buses. She quickly located the one Adam was taking and hurried toward it.
She was out of breath when she reached it. Her eyes scanned the crowd, desperately searching for him. The bus would be leaving any minute now. She prayed something would go wrong, that he would be delayed. Please, please, she begged.
What a mess this all was, this misunderstanding. She had to make it right. She had to see him, had to know he still loved her. She still loved him. Still, she couldn’t see him. She made her way closer to the bus.
Suddenly, everything in her seemed to go on high alert. It was like she could sense him, feel that he was near. Trembling, she stopped moving and resumed her visual search. Getting onto the bus was a man who looked somewhat familiar. He was wearing a bulky jacket, a messenger bag across his shoulder. There was only one way to find out . . .
“Adam!”
He turned. His eyes locked right onto her and she could feel the relieved smile explode on her face. She pushed toward him, aching to move faster. He stumbled down the steps, likewise trying to make his way toward her. They were so close.
Her arms were stretched toward him, but it was his hands that grabbed onto her first. She looked up into his brown eyes, tears springing to her own. His moved, taking every part of her in. Suddenly, he crushed her to himself, wrapping his arms around her. She pushed away, grabbing his face and pulling him to her as she went up on her toes. Without any ounce of hesitation, she pressed her lips to his, putting all her love and relief and happiness into it. He responded and then pulled back, smoothing the hair back from her face. They both smiled.
“I thought you would be gone,” she gasped.
“You almost missed me. How did you know where I was?”
“You left your reservation in the trash.”
“I had a feeling I hadn’t covered all my steps,” he laughed.
“I love you. So much.”
He smiled and kissed her again.
0 comments:
Post a Comment