Ella Frank - Exquisite

“You gave me my sister back.” She shook her head letting the hair fall back over her shoulders. Then her eyes met his again. “For so long I denied myself any kind of contact or emotion when it came to Carly. No one could get through to me.” she paused and blinked up at him. He could see tears forming in her eyes and she let them fall as she went on.

“Not my mother or father. Not the psychiatrist they sent me to and not even your mother.” she pulled in a deep sob like her heart was hurting and he felt his ache as well. “But you, you got inside and gave her back to me. For that alone I have to fight for you.”

He moved a little but she shook her head and took a couple of steps back and held a hand up, “No, please let me finish.”

Blinking wet eyes up at him he nodded at her, becoming frustrated at not being able to talk, but not really knowing what he would say anyway. He watched as though he were seeing it in slow motion as she reached up and unbuttoned the top three buttons of her shirt. Reaching behind her, to the desk, she clutched the small bouquet of tulips and stepped forward to him again.

He knew what those represented, and knew where she was going. What he didn’t know was if he was ready to hear it, but he knew as he stood there he had to let her say it if they were ever going to move forward. Holding the bunch of colorful stems to him he shook his head once. She kept her hand extended and raised her eyes to his.

“A very amazing woman came into my life when I was twenty three years old.”

Swallowing and licking her lips she blinked up at Mason and he could see her eyes shimmering with the pain of her emotions but he could also see pleasure in her memories. He gripped the sunflower between his hands and held onto it for dear life. She still held the flowers to him but he couldn’t bring himself to take them.

“She took me into her shop and sat me down. She gave me a cup of hot chocolate and told me that she had a family of her own.” Pausing Lena finally pulled the tulips into her chest, keeping her eyes on his, that were now also filled with tears. “A daughter and a son. Two children who she loved very much.”

She blinked and closed her eyes for a moment swallowing a deep breath. Regaining what little composure she had her eyes found his again and she whispered.

“Some of her last words to me Mason, were ‘ I believe in fate and I believe you were supposed to walk into my life, so Mason could walk into yours’ I know she can’t be wrong.”

Stepping in close enough that his pants rubbed against her own he watched as she reached out and took one of his hands. He let go of the sunflower and allowed her to bring his palm up to her chest where her shirt was unbuttoned. Looking at him with eyes full of tears he saw his hand tremble through his own blurry vision. When she had his hand over her heart she moved even closer, so she was between his legs. Him holding a sunflower, her with a bunch of tulips. Her face turned up to his and her was streaked with tears when she whispered.

“I love you Mason.”

He sucked in a deep breath and tried to pull his hand back. Looking down where it was pressed over her heart he could feel it racing beneath his palm.

“Look at me?” she whispered. He dragged his eyes up to focus on hers and he could feel a tear escape and slide down the side of his own face. He clenched his jaw and waited, stubbornly silent, trying to keep a cap on his emotions.

“I love you. I’ve loved you since before all of this turned bad.”

He watched her swallow and then she continued. “I wanted to tell you that night we were supposed to meet. “

If it were humanly possible he was sure he would’ve felt his heart finally break in two. Knowing everything that he’d been going to say that night, and now hearing she had been feeling it too his emotions took over and he felt like he was dying on the inside at everything they’d lost. His hands started to shake and he swallowed again, trying to hold it together.

“I never wanted to hurt you. I wanted to tell you about your mother so many times. I begged her to let me.”

Blinking up at him she stepped back and let his hand go. He felt it drop down to his side and he felt as though a hole was starting to gape open in his chest as she moved away from him.

“These flowers,” she held them up. “They’re your mother.” she turned and moved back placing them on the desk and walked back over to where he was slumped against the door. She waited silently, patiently for him to move, he finally worked out. He pushed off the door and stepped aside. She reached out and took hold of the door knob unlatching it. She twisted it and opened it a crack, then stopped to look at him standing glued to the spot clutching her sunny yellow flower and whispered, “Thank you for sharing her with me. I loved her too.” and with that she walked out the door.

Three days later Lena still hadn’t heard from him. She’d run over everything she’d said in her mind a hundred times. There was nothing she’d change and there was nothing she had left out. She’d told him everything, opened herself up and placed her heart in his hands. Now she just had to be patient. She had just finished showering and climbed into bed when her phone buzzed. Picking it up she felt a grin creep onto her face and her heart start to beat faster.

Langley: You still awake Doctor?

Yes. Why? Do you need medical attention?

Langley: Not sure about medical attention but I’d like your attention.

Scooting down in her bed she text back. Well you have it. What’s going on Langley?

Langley: I have a problem.

Grinning to herself she wrote back. Don’t worry it happens to all men.

Not a minute later the phone vibrated.

Langley: Trust me THAT is not a problem.

So defensive :P .

Lena giggled and waited eagerly for his response.

Langley: Watch where you stick that tongue Dr O’Donnell.

:P .

Lena knew she was being immature but at this point she couldn’t help it. He was flirting with her. He hadn’t initiated any kind of romantic behavior with her for so long it was a seductive feeling. She knew she’d been the one pushing the last few times they’d been around one another so when he wrote.

Langley: My problem is I can’t stop thinking about you.

Lena felt completely justified in sighing like a school girl. Good thoughts?

She stared at her phone almost willing it to produce the answer she wanted.

Langley: Not all of them.

Frowning she let out a disappointed breath. Oh.

Quickly it beeped.

Langley: Some are very VERY bad.

Feeling her tummy clench and her thighs tighten she wrote back as calmly as she could. Oh yeah? Like what?

Reaching over she turned her bedside light off imagining him in his big bed facing the wide window with the city lights illuminating the room.

Langley: You, fuck me boots and a smile.

Breathing deeply she wrote back. Excuse me they’re called thigh high boots.

Her phone beeped.

Langley: They’re called wrap your legs around my waist and fuck me HARD boots.

Grinning she wrote back. Langley !

Then she jumped as the phone started to ring loudly in her hand. Looking down at it as though it was on fire she let it ring once, twice and then a third time. Finally answering it she pulled it to her ear and said softly.