Confidant & Playlist

18. I'll Be Gone

Late June...

"Lace!" Bruno calls out from the living room. He says something in a questioning tone but I don't quite catch it.

"Huh? What did you say?" I listen but there's no response. I set another outfit in my suitcase and walk out into the living room. Bruno dressed in sweat shorts and one of his many Elvis tee-shirts, sits stretched out on the couch with his legs comfortably spread and his arms resting among the cushions. Geronimo lies on the couch beside him with his head in Bruno's lap. On the TV screen before them is the latest wrestling match where the two contenders are squaring up to begin the fight. G's expressive light brown eyebrows flicker to me as I take a seat on the cushioned arm of the couch. Bruno hits pause on the remote and directs his attention to me. His curls have grown out some since the end of the tour and now thickly cover every inch of his scalp, completely obscuring the once low cute sides and back of his head. He tilts his head toward me and peers into my eyes with his deep brown ones.

"What did you ask me?"

"What time is your flight tomorrow?" he asks laying his left hand on my thigh just above the knee where my tee shirt dress ends.

"Eleven but, I have to be there two hours early just in case."

"Why can't you stay?" he asks in an almost whining tone widening his small eyes.

"I have a doctor's appointment and since I have to go for that I want to spend some time with the girls before I go back to work."

"But didn't you say that you were going to find a doctor out here?"

"Yes, but I want to say bye to my doctor."He gives me a sideways look then his lips curve into a smile.

"She's my friend," I add chuckling at the look on his face.

He laughs. "I want you to be around when I get back in the studio but I guess I can let you go for a few days," he says.

"I can't believe you're tired of me already," I tease running my fingers his curls.

"Me?" he ask in an over-exaggerated questioning voice. "I could never be tired of you." He pulls at my thigh and I respond by taking a seat beside him. He puts his arm around my waist between my back and the couch and holds me there. He kisses me on the cheek and I settle my body next to his resting my head on his shoulder. He hits play on the remote and the match starts. After the first round and a half, I nudge him.

"Huh?" he answers without taking his eyes off the screen.

"If you're going to drop me off at the airport, you better wake up on time," I say.

He pauses the match, I lift my head off of him and he looks at me.

"I'll be up, I promise."

"Uh huh," I say back raising an eyebrow.

"Wow, it's like that? I'm hurt you'd think so little of me Lace." He puts his hand on his chest.

I take his hand and kiss.

"Of course I don't."

In that moment he takes my chin in his right hand and draws my mouth to his. He kisses my delicately.

"That's good 'cuz, I wouldn't want that," he replies. I settle against him once more and he hits play on the remote again.

_____________

My doctor stands before me with a puzzled look on her face that fades into on of disbelief, then a sadness unlike any look I've ever seen on her face let alone anyone else's. She sets my charts aside looks at her computer screen, then back at the charts again. When her eyes leave the chart she zone's out for a moment and the room oozes this terribly uncomfortable silence. When I can't stand it any longer I clear my throat.