The Mechanic

Chapter Thirty-nine - "The Chase."

"The Mechanic"

Chapter Thirty-nine

'The Chase.'

Scene...
Continuing

Demi's POV

"Might be?" Joe asked. He was genuinely surprised, his every feature giving away his thoughts.  Slowly, I nodded. "Okay...," he blinked, an obvious million thoughts racing through his mind. He ran a hand through his hair, stressfully. "Demi, I have no idea what to even say."

Nervously, I gulped.

"Well, I, uh . . . I guess I wanna know what you're thinking," I tried. Truthfully, I felt like I was standing on a tightrope, and every word I said compromised my balance. 

Joe's eyebrows jutted up quickly, as if he were refreshing his thoughts for a clean slate. He then pinched the bridge of his nose, and for a moment, I wasn't sure what he was feeling at all.

"Demi, I've always been honest with you," he began, finally looking at me again. "And I have to tell you I . . .  I wasn't expecting this."

I couldn't read him. Which was odd, because we were always on the same wavelength. But something was hindering me from knowing what he was feeling. And it was truly boggling my mind.

"Joseph," I muttered, my voice gentle. "I wasn't expecting this either. I mean this all happened today." I squinted at him, trying to interpret his body language. 

He cleared his throat.

"How can we know for sure?" He asked. I had an answer to this question, of course, and reached across the counter to grab the paper bag that I'd brought home from the drugstore. It contained two new tests from two different brands, just to be absolutely sure. As I brought the bag in between us, I took in a shaky breath.

"If you're willing," I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and dropped my gaze to the floor. "I think that it'd be best I take these, and we find out together."

"Is that what you want?" He asked, and at the caring sound of his voice, I felt my nerves slowly beginning to settle. I swallowed then, meeting his hazel gaze. I loved him so dearly, and I was so afraid to lose him.

"I just want you," I confessed. 

Suddenly, his eyes softened as the weight we were bearing settled heavily onto both of our shoulders. 

"Joe, I don't . . . I don't want this to hurt us." 

This whole time we spoke, I missed his touch. I wanted him to hold me, to tell me that whatever happened, he'd be there. To remind me that he'd hold on to his promise, that no matter what, he'd never change his mind.

But the moment was so heavy, the air so thick I felt I was suffocating; so thick it felt as though neither of us could move. And each second in that moment, my heart felt a dull ache.

As he looked at me, I watched as his lips parted, and braced myself for whatever would happen next. Carefully, he reached out for my hand, and brought it first to his lips, then to his heart.

"You and me."

Relief.

I let out an over-exerted gust of breath, the corners of my lips just barely turning upward.

"You and me," I said back. "Okay . . . I guess we can do this."

I began to walk toward the bathroom, listening to the gentle thudding of Joseph's footsteps as he followed closely behind me. I could tell he had more he wanted to say; I could just feel it. But perhaps it needed to wait until we had a result. Perhaps he was using this time wisely, and simply choosing to wait.