Ecie & Esme III: Forever and a Day

Four

'Good afternoon Deeprit,' Ecie smiled as she walked through the lobby of the Remington building. 'How are you?'

'I'm very good,' Deeprit smiled. 'How are you?'

'Exhausted,' Ecie replied. 'I've been working all day and I've got loads of work to get done.'

'Well hopefully your guest waiting upstairs will cheer you up,' Deeprit smiled. 'He's called a few times today.'

'Thank you,' Ecie said. 'Have a good night.'

Ecie went up to her floor and found Landon waiting outside her apartment.

'Ecie,' Landon said.

'What are you doing here?' Ecie said opening the door. 'You know if someone saw you...'

'What's going on?' Landon asked. 'Please tell me the truth.'

'Nothing is going on,' Ecie replied. 'I'm fine.'

'I got your note,' he said following Ecie into the kitchen. 'What was that about?'

'You really shouldn't be here,' Ecie said. 'I think you should go.'

'You can't just dump me without an explanation,' Landon said. 'What the hell do you think I'm supposed to do?!'

'Don't yell at me,' Ecie blinked. 'Just go.'

'No, E,' Landon said looking at Ecie. 'I'm not going anywhere. You've pushed me away too many times. What part of I love you, don't you understand?'

'You need to leave,' Ecie said looking past Landon. 'You really have to go...'

Landon took hold of Ecie's hands and looked into her eyes. 'I'm not going anywhere until you've explained to me what's going on.'

Ecie heard the door open and started trembling.

'What is it?' Landon asked looking at Ecie. He turned around and saw Ellis. 'Who are you?'

'Why don't you introduce us, darling?' Ellis smirked.

Landon looked back at Ecie.

'Come on E,' Ellis grinned. 'Don't be shy.'

'Just go,' Ecie muttered to Landon. 'I don't want any trouble.'

'Fine then,' Ellis walked over to Landon and held out his hand. 'Well, if Ecie won't. I'm Ellis.'

Landon stared at the hand in front of him then looked at Ellis' face in disgust. 'Excuse me?'

Ellis grinned.

'You're Ellis?' Landon said getting up angrily. 'You're Ellis?'

'Landon,' Ecie said. 'Don't do anything...'

'You're Ellis?' Landon grabbed Ellis by his shirt collar. 'You fucking sadistic bastard.'

'So she's told you all about me?'

'Ecie,' Landon said through gritted teeth. 'Call security.'

'Ecie, baby,' Ellis said. 'Come on now, we've already been through this.'

'E,' Landon said staring into Ellis' eyes with hatred. 'Call security!'

'If you dare...'

Ecie looked at Ellis and shook her head. 'I don't care,' she whispered reaching for the cordless phone on the wall. 'I don't care anymore.'

'You're lucky that E's here right now,' Landon said as Ecie spoke hurriedly on the phone to reception. 'I would knock you out, you sick fuck.'

'Then why don't you,' Ellis said. 'Why don't you just hit me...?'

Ecie looked at Landon.

'I don't think so,' Landon scoffed, shoving Ellis backwards. 'I'm not going to waste my time on a loser.'

'But you'd be happy to waste your time on a slut?' Ellis laughed rubbing his neck and straightening up. 'Not to mention she's your student.'

'You have no right to talk about her like that anymore,' Landon said pushing up his sleeves. 'You of all people have no right whatsoever...'

There was a knock on the door and Ecie hesitated for a moment before she ran to answer it.

'Miss Woodrow-Thurgood?'

'Did you call the police?'

'They're on their way now.'

Ecie walked back into the apartment with two people from security and found Ellis on the floor cradling his nose and Landon leaning over the sink with his palm on his eye.

Landon kissed Ecie hungrily, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her in, as they sat in a waiting area.

'Slow down,' Ecie breathed.

Landon breathed on Ecie and kissed her forehead. 'Ecie.'

'I'm sorry,' Ecie said looking down and wiping her face. 'I'm sorry...'

'Love means not ever having to say you're sorry,' Landon said kissing Ecie on the lips. 'It's okay.'

Ecie kissed Landon back.

'You could have told me,' Landon said.

'He threatened to tell the Dean,' Ecie said shaking her head. 'You could have lost your job and everything that you worked so hard for. I know Ellis and I know that he's a man of his word.'

'You didn't have to protect me,' Landon said. 'We would have sorted something out.'

Ecie nodded. 'I'm sorry.'

'Don't apologize,' Landon said. 'It's okay now.'

Ecie held Landon's face and kissed him. 'I love you.'

Landon stared at Ecie and smiled. 'I know.'