Before The End

Ch. 1

It had been over three months since Elyce Fielding had last seen Griffin Belanger. The Boston premiere of Griffin's film, in which he is the lead actor, made Elyce tense and anxious. The last time they were together, their parting didn't end well. She'd been left sobbing and patching her broken heart for weeks. Their fight had been years in the making. All the repressed emotions over his use of her body at his convenience, while he failed to see how much she was in love with him had rushed out of her heart like a dam broken by the rapid swell of a river. 

They hadn't spoken a word since then. Not even the volley of texts, which was common between them, pinged the special tone on her smartphone. There were no salutatory emails letting her know he would be in town. Much less, there was no notice that tickets for the premiere would be left at 'Will Call' for her and a guest, as he had promised to do when he was cast in the role. Elyce knew they were done.

With her favorite Italian meal in hand from Quario's Trattoria, Elyce ate slowly. Even her pan-fried ravioli in pesto cream sauce didn't fill the void she felt. Hunger still gnawed at her, but not for food. Elyce felt ravenous for Griffin, which left her aching in places she hadn't felt in months. Her pulse quickened at the thought of him being so close by. Of course, he was all the way downtown, and she was many miles away in the opposite direction.

While chastising herself for breaking off their passionate sexual coupling, she walked to the kitchen and opened her freezer. She had hoped there would be a tub of gelato, but she feared the worst. Another resolution to lose those pesky fifteen pounds had forced her to eliminate the purchase of sweets. 

'Fuck me,' Elyce said, searching the cupboards for long-forgotten chocolate. She knew there wasn't anything in the studio, and there was no way she would leave the comfort of her pajama pants and thin camisole to brave the streets of Boston for some God-awful morsel of chocolate. Elyce slammed the last cupboard door and stomped back to sit on her bed to read. She refused to turn on her small television for fear of seeing images of him on the red carpet. Mostly, she didn't want to see his date. Griffin's companion would surely be a tall, leggy, blond model or actress on his arm. He claimed they were always set up by their representatives. 

"It means nothing," She said, mimicking his denials. She used to look into his eyes and see a glimmer of sincerity and would believe him. However, there were too many beautiful women on his arm, and they were never her. Being of average height and curvy figure, Elyce couldn't compete with any of them. Her mousy brown hair and amber eyes weren't going to be loved by the camera. She was plain and usually embraced it. However, when it came to Griffin, she wanted to be more for him. If only she were enough. Upon one last sigh, Elyce shook away all thoughts of him and commenced perusing her favorite lifestyle magazine on her tablet. Unable to concentrate on the beautiful images, which reminded her of all the things she couldn't have and would never achieve, her thoughts returned to Griffin. Certain of what to do, she tossed the tablet beside her.

"Just this once, she grumbled, resigned to getting herself off with the image of her last sexual connection with Griffin. 

He knew how to make her come. His talented mouth and fingers always found the right places to titillate and own her pleasure. She sought those same spots, stroking and dipping her fingers within her folds, which were moistened by the image of Griffin on his knees in his navy pin-striped suit, licking her. His big, blue eyes looked up at her, tormenting her with his sex appeal and beauty. Despite his assertions that she was succulent, Elyce was certain he was the most delicious man she'd ever tasted.

Griffin had changed so much from the young man in college. Meeting him in the remedial math course had been a blessing and a curse. They would sit together in class, chatting before and after and passing little notes during lectures, which she had saved in a shoebox under her bed. He had followed her to the next class, the library, or the student union building. Elyce's crush on Griffin was overwhelming, leaving her unable to breathe steadily for hours after they'd kidded around during lunch at the dorm cafeteria. All those sweet memories were so much better than when their relationship turned physical.