A Mahogany Moment

CHAPTER EIGHT

Sunlight peered through the thin curtains of her bedroom window causing Olivia to awake. She stretched and stared up at the ceiling. A piece of chipped paint broke off and fell landing on her lip and Olivia went to remove it only to keep her fingers lingering there, remembering the kiss she and Jamie shared. She closed her eyes thinking back on that day. She'd never been kissed before not even a peck and Jamie had shattered her entire world with just one.
Was that what kissing was all about? Did it make you feel warm and full and leave you wanting more? Did it set your body on fire and when the two of you pull away you feel as if someone had thrown a cold bucket of water on you? She didn't know but that's how she felt. She wanted more which was dangerous.
Olivia reminded herself that staying away from Jamie was for the best. He had a wedding to plan and she had patients to heal. Looking at the clock on her dresser she sighed. It was Sunday morning and that meant church. Climbing out of bed, Olivia removed the rollers out of her hair and started on her Sunday morning routine. All of the boardinghouse tenants were required to attend church as Mrs. Evans was a devout Christian. Didn't matter if you were or not. Because Olivia was new to town and didn't have a church home she had been attending church with Mrs. Evans which was a pity on her because it was the same church Parnell attended as well.
"Olivia? are you decent?" She heard Mrs. Evans call from the hallway. Olivia slid her feet into her heels and went to open the door. The older woman was dressed and ready for service. She smiled upon seeing Olivia looking her over approvingly.
"My, you look stunning. The men at church won't be able to keep their eyes off of you." She said marveling over Olivia's curls that bounced around her shoulders.
"Thank you, Mrs. Evans. I'll be down shortly."
"Very well. I'll go see if Mr. Porter is ready." She walked away and Olivia closed the door. She grabbed her worn purse and shawl to ward off the morning chill and headed out of the room and down the hall.
Church.
Her thoughts took her back to Jamie. Did he attend church? Was he a Christian? Olivia realized there wasn't much she knew about him which was why they had to cut off whatever was happening between them. She couldn't get attached. She had a goal and she would not be distracted.

Jamie sat in the drawing room of Alice's home lost in thought as Alice her mother and his mother went on about the guest list for the wedding. He'd been consumed with thoughts of the kiss he and Olivia shared just a few days ago. If he were being honest with himself it felt like eternity since his lips touched hers and he yearned greatly for another taste.
"Jamie? Are you listening?" Alice asked, bringing Jamie out of his thoughts. He turned to her and smiled.
"Sorry, dear I was lost in thought." Alice smiled sweetly and placed her hand on his shoulder, "thinking about how lovely I'll look on our wedding day?"
"Exactly." Jamie hated to lie but he couldn't tell her the real reason he'd been lost in thought.
"We can have the ceremony at our church," Nancy interjected gaining Alice's attention.
"It is much bigger than ours, mother." Alice said turning to her mother.
"I suppose. But what about the reception? Where would that be held?" The women began to talk in earnest and Jamie went back to his thoughts. Olivia wanted to end whatever this was between them but in true Jamie Ross fashion he had to be selfish and not grant her her wish. Although she made solid points, none of them stirred him from wanting to see her again. The urge to kiss her rose up strongly within him and he cleared his throat to hide the moan that was trying to escape.
He had to see her.
Looking down at his watch he figured she had attended church and judging by the time church was well over. Needing to see her he stood abruptly forgetting that he was here to plan a wedding. His wedding.
"Jamie, where are you off to?" Alice asked.
"I have some business to attend to." Jamie replied.
"On a Sunday?" Alice asked suspiciously.
"Unfortunately yes."
"Remember the man Harold Green?" Nancy interjected, "it seems Jamie is in some kind of business contract with him. Is that who you're going to see, Jamie?"
Jamie nodded quickly. "Exactly. I'm going to see Harold Green."
"And get things straightened out?" His mother asked, her eyes narrowed towards him.
"Of course, mother." He kissed her on the cheek before placing a kiss on Alice's forehead and then doing the same to her mother. Alice wished him well but he barely heard it as thoughts of seeing Olivia filled his head.

Olivia usually tried to rest on Sundays as it was her only day off. Usually she was too wound up after service to lay back in bed and not one to be a lazy bones she'd taken to starting a garden a few yards away from the boardinghouse. She'd been making progress since she started a few months back and now she had tomatoes, peppers, cabbage and potatoes growing. Putting on an old pair of denims and an old blouse, Olivia braided her hair and set off to her garden. She'd been knee deep in plowing and tiling when she noticed a familiar red and white truck coming up the way.

Her heartbeat immediately quickened and she prayed it wasn't who she knew it was. What he was he doing here? Luckily she was out of view from anyone from the boardinghouse but the road behind her that led to the house was well used anyone could see them. The truck came to a stop and the engine cut. She watched as Jamie climbed out of the truck dressed in slacks and a dress shirt and tie. He looked handsome and her fingers itched to run through his thick dark hair.
"What are you doing here?" She asked as he approached her, hands in pockets.
"I had to see you." Jamie replied.
Jamie took her in and observed her denim clad legs and behind. She looked absolutely breathtaking. He couldn't remember if he'd seen her in anything other than her nurses uniform and now that he had he wanted to see more.
"What are you doing?" He asked, tipping his chin in the direction of the garden.
"Gardening. You shouldn't be here."
"I didn't know you gardened."
"There's a lot about me you don't know." She watched as Jamie crouched down and inspected the garden. She'd never shown anyone her garden not even Marlene.
"This is amazing, Liv. I can't believe you planted all of this."
"Thanks. You should really go."
Jamie stood and dusted the dirt from his hands. He turned and walked toward her. Olivia tightened her grip on the garden hoe.
"Do you really want me to leave, Liv?"
No.
Olivia cursed herself for not wanting him to leave but she knew it was for the best. She stepped around him and went back to her garden, dropping to her knees to tend to the weeds.
"You're not going to answer me?" Jamie asked. Olivia didn't look up at him as she continued what she was doing, "what do you think?" She asked.
"I think that deep down you want me here."
"What if I do? What if deep down I never want to say goodbye?" She continued to pull up the weeds. Her movements speeding up as she sent. She had to keep moving. If she didn't then she'd...she'd...
"You don't have to say goodbye, Liv."
"Of course I do. You're not mine, Jamie Ross. I'll never be Mrs. Olivia Ross."
Jamie didn't know why hearing her refer to herself in that manner made his blood hot. He warmed inside at the thought.
"Liv, look at me." Olivia didn't look up. Instead she continued tending to her garden, standing to grab the plow. Jamie grabbed her by the arm and turned her to face him.
"Let me go, please." She cried, struggling to pull away.
"Not until you look at me." Olivia met his gaze and he noticed the sheen in her eyes.
"Oh, Olivia." He pulled her into him and hugged her tightly.
"I don't want to like you," she started, "I don't want to care about you or think about you or love..." she stopped talking and he felt her body shake. He heard the soft sobs and he pulled away and wiped the tears away from her face.
"I never meant for any of this. I was content with my life before I met you and now...now I don't know what I want but I know that a life without you in it is worse than anything at all."
Olivia sniffed and finally met his gaze. "You should go. I think I'm done here."
"Liv, can I see you tomorrow? I can pick you up. We can go to the church."
"No, Jamie. No more. You should not have come. You can never come again. This," she waved her hand between them and he took her hand into his, "can never be. This is it. Do you understand?"
Jamie heard the stern tone in her voice and knew she was serious. As much as it pained him he'd grant her wish. He wanted to scream out, pick her up, put her in his truck and drive off until they were no longer in a world where two people like them couldn't be together. But they weren't and so he would have to give in.
"I understand, Liv. I will not see you again."
Olivia nodded and then picked up her gardening tools, walking towards the small tree stump she leaned them against it and walked back towards Jamie.
"I hope you have a wonderful wedding and beautiful life. That is what I want for you." She smiled weakly and reached up to adjust his tie. Jamie took her hands in his and she looked up into his blue eyes. Under the golden hues of the setting sun, they stood close, their hearts heavy with the impending farewell. As the world around them seemed to fade, their lips met in a tender, lingering kiss—a bittersweet blend of passion and sorrow, capturing the depth of their emotions in that fleeting moment.