The Turning Point

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO - WHEN WE DIVE

Heloyse

It was almost three in the afternoon when Thom called, asking if everything was alright. His voice sounded cheerful as he said they wouldn't be back until the next day. Jeremy's family was thrilled with them and didn't want them to leave so soon.
After I hung up, I sat on the porch, enjoying a cup of tea and some biscuits. The Saturday afternoon sun was sweltering, but I still felt refreshed from the long, relaxing bath I had taken. The warm breeze gently swayed the door curtains, creating a moment of peace.
My reverie was interrupted by the sharp sound of my cell phone vibrating on the small table beside me. The number on the screen was restricted. I've never been one to answer calls from unknown numbers, so I simply hung up.
But minutes later, the phone rang again.
I hesitated before answering.
"Hello?"
Silence answered from the other end. An odd silence, broken only by an almost imperceptible breath. And then, the call ended.
I tried to shake off the unease that call left me with. Maybe it was just a wrong number, but something inside me insisted it wasn't.
The rest of the afternoon dragged on aimlessly. I lounged on the couch, drifting between short naps and half-hearted attempts to follow the show on TV. Outside, thunder rumbled in the distance. The stifling heat of the day hinted at a heavy storm coming. It wasn't long before the first raindrops started pattering against the roof, bringing with them the scent of damp earth.
It was past eight at night when the sound of a pickup truck approaching broke the quiet of the house.
My body reacted before my mind could even register the surprise. I jumped up, slipped on my flip-flops, and walked to the door.
Seconds later, there he was.
Will.
He stood before the screen door, watching me silently. The rain, now reduced to a light drizzle, left glistening drops in his hair. The fresh aroma of wet earth filled the air, making the moment even more intense.
He was wearing light jeans and a blue plaid shirt. His hands were buried in his pockets, as if holding onto something he didn't know how to say.
"What do you want?" my voice came out firm, but not as much as I would have liked.
He took a deep breath, as if gathering courage.
"Can I come in?"
"No, you can't."
His shoulders dropped slightly. He looked away at the floor before looking back at me with something unreadable in his eyes.
"Please, Heloyse. Let me in. It was hard enough for me to come here."
I crossed my arms.
"Hard? Is being in my company that awful?"
"Don't put words in my mouth. Just let me in... Please."
I knew this could be a mistake. I knew it could hurt me again. But, despite all the warning signs inside me, I opened the door.
Sometimes, it seemed like I had zero self-respect.
Will walked in without looking at my face and stopped in the middle of the room, hesitant. I just pointed to the small couch, indicating he should sit, and he obeyed. I settled into the armchair in front of him, keeping a safe distance.
The silence between us was loaded with unspoken things.
I noticed the small raindrops still clinging to his hair, reflecting the soft light of the lamp. For some reason, that detail bothered me more than it should.
"You seemed like a different person yesterday," he murmured, breaking the silence.
"I'm the same, every day."
"I didn't know you liked to dance, to drink..."
I looked away.
"I don't drink. I mean... I've only drunk excessively twice in my life. But I don't usually drink... Much..."
I regretted it the moment I said it. I didn't owe explanations.
"Believe me, you gain nothing by getting drunk."
"Thanks for the advice," my voice came out ironically. "But you still haven't said why you came."
Will ran his hands over his face, pressing his eyes for a moment. The weariness showed in every detail of his expression.
And I felt exhausted too.
I watched his long fingers push a strand of hair that insisted on falling over his face.
That's when a thunderclap rumbled so loudly that my body reacted involuntarily, startled.
The rain poured down afterward, heavy, intense.
And then he asked:
"Are you with him?"
My breath hitched.
I stood up in a sudden movement, staring at him in disbelief.
"This again, Will? This conversation again?"
He stood up too, facing me.
"I just need you to answer me. I just need to hear it from you."
My fists clenched.
"Why would I have to give you explanations? Why don't you tell me, instead, how was your night with Patsy?"
The shadow of irritation crossed his face.
"Forget Patsy, Heloyse! Answer me!"
My patience reached its limit.
"Go away, William."
"Damn it! You asked me to stay with you, and on the same day, at night, you threw yourself into Johnson's arms!"
"I didn't throw myself into his arms..."
"Oh, didn't you? Because, from what I saw, he wasn't the one who grabbed you. You kissed him. Are you going to deny that?"
He was silent.
"No, William! I'm not going to deny it! I kissed him, yes!" my voice came out firm, but choked with pain. "Because, for a moment, I allowed myself to believe that I was enough for someone. That someone could want me as much as I want him," I swallowed hard, my vision blurring. "And I regret not liking Johnson, because at least he's clear about what he feels. Unlike you, who never felt anything for me, but kisses me as if you did."
He remained still, while I continued.
"I'd rather you spit in my face and say you never want to see me again, that my touch disgusts you, that you hate me. At least then, I'd have the strength not to let you get close again," I let out a bitter laugh. "I'm fed up. Fed up with being less than the others. Of being replaced. Replaced by Alice, by that woman who's always with you, by Patsy..."
He frowned.
"Who's Alice?"
"The woman Michael replaced me with. The woman he always loved."
"And who's Michael?"
"My ex."
Will seemed to process the information, but then took a step forward.
"I didn't replace you with anyone."
"Of course not," I let out an empty laugh. "Because we never had anything, did we?"
He hesitated.
"We don't have anything."
I closed my eyes for a moment.
"I know that, Will," my voice came out low, almost a whisper, "and that's exactly what hurts the most."
He moved to hug me, but I stepped back. I didn't want him to do that. I couldn't let him get close. I was vulnerable, and any touch from him would make my barriers crumble.
"Do you want to be with him?" His voice was low, almost a whisper, but it carried a weight that pierced me.
"No!" I answered too quickly, as if the answer was trapped inside me, begging to come out.
I lowered my head and crossed my arms over my chest. A useless attempt to protect myself. But the truth was that I was just trying to focus on something other than his face. I couldn't look at him because I was about to overflow.
"I didn't sleep with Patsy," he said, his voice firm, but his eyes carrying something I couldn't decipher.
My heart raced. The air felt heavy.
"You don't have to give me explanations," my voice came out choked, betraying my effort to seem indifferent.
He didn't look away.
"I saw you kissing him, and it consumed me. I wanted to go there and tear you out of his arms."
I closed my eyes for a second.
"I wish you had," I confessed.
Will let out a short, bitter laugh, shaking his head.
"But instead, I chose to hurt you. I used Patsy to hurt you. I told you I wasn't a good person."
A sharp pain cut through my chest.
"Why did you want to hurt me, Will? I never did anything to you."
He took a deep breath, his jaw clenched.
"Because that's how I am, Heloyse. I have a tendency to hurt people. You have no idea what I'm capable of. When I'm angry, full of hate, I don't think straight. Everything was going well. I was free. Before you came, I lived my life without regrets. And now... now I'm here, justifying myself. I've never done this for anyone. But since you appeared, I've been apologizing all the time. I'm not like this."
I swallowed hard.
"Then why are you here?"
He hesitated. When he spoke, his voice was lower, almost without strength.
"I don't know."
"You were worse than Michael," my voice came out sharp. "He never used Alice to get revenge on me. That's so low."
He blinked slowly, absorbing my words. But he didn't look away.
"You shouldn't be surprised by me," he said, his voice loaded with a shadow that sent shivers down my spine. "And if you want to know... when she spoke, I had to close my eyes and imagine your voice. Call me sadistic, sick, whatever you want. But that doesn't change what I did."
Each of his words hit me like a blow.
"I didn't want to accept that you wanted to be in his arms. But I couldn't satisfy myself with Patsy. She was drunk, and I would never take advantage of her like that. Besides, there was nothing in her that I wanted. It was you in my head all the time."
My breath caught as he continued:
"I went home feeling miserable. I stayed awake until dawn. I called her and told her how much I regretted being at that hotel," Will ran his hands through his hair, the weight of guilt sliding off his shoulders. "And I hated myself. Because I'm too miserable to make anyone happy. And the worst of all is that I had never cared whether anyone was happy with me or not. Until now."
He fell onto the couch, head down, hair covering his face, shoulders slightly slumped.
I was speechless at his words.
"I shouldn't have come."
"No, you shouldn't have," my voice came out weaker than I wanted.
He looked at me with sadness, stood up slowly, walked past me, and opened the door.
My heart tightened. I wasn't serious. Damn it! I couldn't let him go. Not this time.
The rain lashed the world outside, and in seconds, I was soaked. Before Will reached the truck, I caught up with him.
"You're going to listen to me, Will!"
He stopped and turned, his eyes dark under the rain.
"Get out of the rain. You'll get sick."
"I don't care!" I shouted, desperate.
"You make me sick every time you leave. Whenever you leave me, it's like I'm drowning, Will."
He closed his eyes for a second, as if my words were a punch.
"You just said I shouldn't have come."
"I lied." My voice trembled. "My God, I want you to stay."
He took a deep breath.
"You're making a mistake."
"Damn it!" I shouted. "Why won't you let me be something to you? Why won't you let me breathe, Will? Because every time you leave, I feel like something is suffocating me. Stay just for tonight. Stay with me, just for tonight."
The rain mixed my tears with the cold that cut through my skin.
He looked at me for a long moment, then approached. When his hand touched my face, a shiver ran through every inch of my body.
And then, he kissed me.
It was a kiss that laid my soul bare, leaving me completely exposed. His taste was like an unknown, dangerous, intense love. His kiss was hungry and desperate, like he was trying to possess me, to anchor me to him.
And then the rhythm shifted. Sometimes, it was a tempest; sometimes, a lull.
When he pulled his mouth from mine, a vast emptiness opened between us.
Breathless, I whispered:
"Stay with me."
He took a deep breath.
"Then don't let me go."
My body trembled with cold, fear, anticipation.
He took my hand, and we walked inside. A thunderclap ripped through the sky, and all the lights went out. Will stopped, still holding my hand, and pressed his forehead to mine, letting out a long sigh.
"Got any candles?"
"Not sure. Let me check."
I found a pack of candles and lit them. He watched me in the dark as I scattered the flames around the room.
Then, he came to me. His breath was warm against my face, and his hands slid down my back, sending shivers down my spine.
"Let's go to your room," he said.
Before I could answer, he scooped me up into his arms.
In the room, he set me down. Our eyes locked.
"I'll be right back."
He left, returning seconds later with more candles. He lit them and placed them around the room, chasing away the darkness.
I was still shivering with cold. My skin tingled when he touched my arms. His hands were calloused, rough, yet incredibly gentle.
Then, he kissed me.
Intense. Wild. Like he was stealing my air.
"Make love to me, Will," my voice was ragged.
He caressed my face, his eyes locked on mine.
"What I want most, sunshine, is to lose myself in you."
Every part of me wanted him. Every part of me trembled.
Will's hand traced the line of my neck, his fingers memorizing my shape as if he wanted to etch it onto his skin. His mouth found mine, and the kiss deepened, became more possessive.
My hands rose instinctively, finding the roughness of his stubble. The touch ignited something in him. He hesitated, groaned against my lips, but didn't stop. Couldn't stop.
I wanted to feel his face, memorize every detail beneath my fingertips. Even with my eyes closed, I saw the intensity of that moment, as if every feature of his was tattooed on my mind.
Our clothes were clinging to our bodies, dripping cold water, but the heat between us was suffocating. Will began to unbutton my blouse, his fingers sliding with a mix of urgency and reverence. He did this without breaking the kiss, and every second of waiting was a sweet torture. As soon as he finished, he stepped back just to look at me, a half-smile playing on his lips before tossing the garment to some corner of the room.
When he pulled off his own shirt and tossed it aside, the air in my lungs vanished. His wet skin reflected the faint glow of the candles, and every muscle beneath seemed sculpted to drive me wild. Then he kissed me again, exploring my mouth, my neck, moving down my torso, each touch sending waves of electricity through my body.
I was paralyzed. Caught in the middle of the chaos and the peace that was having him there. His hands glided over me, learning every curve, and with each new discovery, a new tremor ran through me.
When I opened my eyes, I saw something that completely stole my breath: the reflection of the fire dancing in his wet hair, his gaze filled with desire, but also with something deeper, something that made me feel like I was being seen for the first time.
"I've never wanted anyone as much as I want you," his voice was a husky whisper, filled with truth.
He lifted me effortlessly and laid me on the bed.
Will stood for a moment, watching me. My first reaction was to pull up the sheet, a reflex of irrational modesty, but he was faster, holding my hand.
"No! Don't hide. I want to see how beautiful you are."
I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his gaze on me.
Seconds later, he joined me, his body covering mine. The touch of his wet hair against my skin was enough to set me on fire. His lips traced a path of kisses down my neck, my stomach, every curve of me being claimed.
My body was numb, unresponsive, as if I were in free fall and, at the same time, floating. The only part of me that seemed alive was my mouth, unable to hold back the sighs.
The rain outside drummed against the roof, thunder exploded in the sky, but nothing was more intense than the whirlwind inside me.
Will moved back to my mouth, the kiss now more voracious, more demanding. I grabbed his hair, wanting to hold him there, in that moment, inside me.
His hand moved between us and found my sensitive skin, tracing circles before diving into me, tearing an uncontrollable moan from my throat. My body arched, begging for more.
When he pulled his hand away, I let out a breathless protest, and he chuckled softly.
"You destroy me when you do that," his voice sounded almost like a lament.
I was about to answer, but he silenced me with another kiss, his hands firmly holding my legs.
I saw him step away and go to the pile of clothes. He picked up his wallet, took out a condom, and slid it on.
My chest rose and fell too quickly as I watched him return to me.
Will held my legs, bending my knees, and then, in a single, firm motion, he filled me completely.
My mouth opened in a hoarse cry.
I felt him. God, how I felt him.
The pleasure was overwhelming, a huge wave that swallowed me without mercy.
"Look at me, Heloyse," he commanded, and it was impossible to disobey.
I stared into his eyes and saw a whole universe in them. A universe where only the two of us existed.
I wanted to freeze that moment, turn it into a painting, immortalize it on my bedroom wall.
Nothing outside could be more beautiful than that moment.
Nothing.
I held his face in my hands, and he closed his eyes under my touch.
It wasn't just desire. It wasn't just carnal. It was something much bigger, something that burned, that tore us apart inside and left us exposed.
With each thrust, our bodies met like pieces that had always belonged to each other.
"Lisy..." he whispered like a prayer.
The sound of the rain became distant, the whole world became distant.
Will sank deeper, and I felt my body shudder.
"Come for me, sunshine," he asked, his voice husky, his eyes wild. "I want to see you come."
I gasped, feeling my limit break. Pleasure hit me like an electric shock, and my body dissolved beneath him.
My lips formed his name once more, and that was all he needed.
His muscles contracted, his rhythm faltered, and then he buried his face in my neck, trembling against me. He said my name in broken whispers, and that was the most beautiful thing I'd ever heard.
When silence returned to the room, only our breaths remained, mingling like our souls.
Minutes later, Will got up and went to the bathroom. I lay there, staring at the ceiling, trying to understand what had just happened.
That wasn't just passion.
When he returned, he lay down beside me, pulling me close. I turned to face him, and his fingers began to caress my face, gently, reverently.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked, his voice lower now.
"About how beautiful you are," I confessed.
He smiled, and I couldn't help but smile back.
But then a thunderclap roared outside, and I shrank instinctively.
Will pulled me closer, enveloping me in his warmth.
"Thank you for staying," I murmured against his chest.
He didn't answer with words. He just kissed my forehead and held me tighter.
I closed my eyes, listening to the sound of the rain and his heartbeat.
"My shelter."
Then my cell phone rang.
Will reached out, picked up the phone, and handed it to me.
"Unknown number," I frowned. "They've called twice today. On the second one, I heard a breath."
"Do you think it's someone you know?"
"Impossible," but I was uncertain.
The ringing stopped, but then started again.
Will answered before I could stop him.
"Hello!"
The silence on the other end was cutting.
"Screw you!" he said, and hung up.
I laughed.
"What was that?" he asked.
"You! You're... damn perfect."
He looked at me seriously for a second and then pulled me into another kiss.
And, once again, we lost ourselves in the night.

“But when I near you I feel flames
I touch the fire I get burned
I feel this rush beneath my feet it’s like I’m falling
Is this love”
— Tedy, Flames