That Sexy Librarian and Me

50th

fifty wishes

                   and all my dreams

come true

He couldn’t believe it. For a second, he thought he was dreaming.

“What the...”

How many time had he wished for this, dreamt of this? How many times had he begged the Gods above for this one simple thing, over and over?

Athenia was actually right here, sitting on the steps to his studio apartment, back in LA.

“What the fuck? Am I dreaming?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Are you drunk?”

His eyes looked defensive. “So what if I’m drunk? Where the hell were you all these days?”

She looked away then. “It’s been a little hectic, Remy.”

The way she said her name made his heart skip a beat. He couldn’t believe it. All these months of separation and she still managed to make him feeling like a bungling baboon in love. He took in the way her skin looked against that shade of blue and slowly backed up. “You’re here to say goodbye.”

“No.”

“So you said your goodbyes and... you’re here to rub it in?”

Athenia felt more miserable than she looked. “I’m not here to leave again, Remy.”

“You say that, and then you jump off the edge of the Earth and then come looking like that.” He waved his hands at her dress, her hair... her. “You’re married, aren’t you? This is what it is. You’ve married some idiot and now you’re going to fucking tell me you’re in love with me.”

She crossed her arms. “Very sure of yourself, aren’t you?”

“That you’re married, yes.”

“That I’m still in love with you.”

“Well, why would you do half of what you did if you weren’t? You’re a bitch, and a selfish one, at that.”

“Hey!”

“And you like rubbing things in. That’s just how you work.”

Athenia took a step forward. “For your information, it’s you who likes to rub things in. For example, we’ll start with this. Where were you tonight?”

“Where was I?”

“Yes. How do I know you weren’t off doing whatever with whomever you please?”

“You don’t,” he sneered at her. “You fucking won’t ever know that.”

“See! So this isn’t just me rubbing it in,” she paused then. “Or whatever. You... you moved on and never told me.”

“Wait a second—”

“Good riddance,” she huffed. “At least I don’t have to worry over all that mess you’ve made. I can just sell the studio and leave this country for good.”

“What—”

“You can make a mess of the apartment and throw your underwear wherever the hell you want.”

“I do not throw my underwear—”

“You know what?” she inched up against him, suddenly aware of how much taller he was than her. “I’m almost a hundred percent sure that you took her out on the best freaking first date there could possibly be.”

Remy stood stunned. “What?”

“Why else would you be so lousy about ours? You hated me. You always hated me.”

“I can’t believe this is what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, should I talk about how you went on a date with someone else while you were still living with me!”

“I didn’t even know you felt that way about me, Ath!”

“Of course I did!” she screeched; her hands in fists. “What girl haven’t you managed to dazzle with your dumb face!”

It was the strangest kind of compliment, but he wasn’t taking it. He wanted more. “Why didn’t you tell me then?”

“You were already living with me and making my home a mess. I didn’t want you to make a mess of my life, too.”

Remy breathed in before telling her how stupid she was. “You take that back, what you said about my underwear.”

“You can wear your underwear on your head and go to hell, Remy,” she looked upset all of a sudden, less angry. Remy didn’t think that was a good thing. “I... where were you tonight?”

“With your best friend and her husband,” he felt stupid explaining himself. “You disappear for fourteen months and ten days and you think you have the right to ask me where I’ve been. Where were you, Ath? What’s been going on in your life?”

She said nothing as she hugged herself.

“Maddie told me about the arranged marriage suitors.”

“She would.”

“Why don’t you tell me what’s been going on?”

Now, she had to laugh. “The highlight of my week has been running out on my brother’s efforts to get me forever bound into the family.”

“But—”

“And let me tell you about every single Prince, Duke and Count.” She put up four fingers. “Four words to sum it all up, actually. All men are assholes.”

Remy felt himself smile, and shiver in the cold night air. Suddenly, he wondered who could hear them. He felt himself inching towards her, even if she was glaring daggers into his heart.

“Look,”

“No,” she waved a hand at him. “You look. I didn’t ever ask of this, or for this, and I don’t see why I decided that now is the time for me to rebel and be my own person, but I did it for you. I want you, and I want to be with you. But if that isn’t enough for you—”

“Ath,”

“And you think there’s something better out there...” she trailed off as he walked to her, suddenly not drunk anymore, before placing his lips against her cheek, then the other, then against her lips. He felt her sigh as she held onto his coat, her eyes closed while his stayed open.

“Why,” he kissed her eyes as she cried quietly. “Would I want anyone else,” he held her tight as his lips went to her earlobe, her hands around his neck as she pressed her face into his shoulder. “When I’ve got the princess herself.”

“I should warn you,” she told him between kisses, her eyes on his as he led her up the stairs. “My family will never accept you.”

“Duly noted. Take off your... what are you even wearing?”

“Pashmina stoles. You’re not listening, Remy.” She got his attention then. “I have nothing on me, nothing but all these layers of clothing and an old credit card.”

“I’m a street lawyer now,” he grinned at her. “We’re going to be broke forever.”

She laughed then, her throat sore from all the screaming she’d just done. “We’re going to be broke and happy.”

“By the beach,” he added as he pulled the pins out of her hair. “With all the junk food in the world.”

“Just you and me,” she whispered against his lips. “And they said wishes don’t come true.”

                                ♪ And all I feel in my stomach is butterflies

                                    The beautiful kind, making up for lost time,

                                            Taking flight, making me feel right ♪