Into the Crowd. ✔

CHAPTER 7

Sleep came easily once I closed my eyes. My body being pulled into a slumber. Dreaming about my childhood. Remembering the times I wanted to run away. Away from Graham and Rebecca and the ways he abused his power and money. I planned it time and time again, but I never did get any further than the front door. Then one day I spotted him. Hiding behind the mystery he was. For once I found a purpose to stay. And I did. Now? We both had that decision to make, whether to stay or run…

*

Time seems to move in a steady pace as I watch her sleep for the last thirty five minutes. Waiting for her to wake up, but she hasn’t yet move a muscle. She looks so peaceful. Unaware of the war I fight with myself. The roses I bought at the small flower shop on the ground floor are at their full glory beside the bed. I just couldn’t resist. It’s still hard to believe that she is actually here. Alive and well. Back in my
life after years of misery. My hands itch to touch her, but they stayed put merely an inch from her hand. I fought myself but I couldn’t any longer. I reach and touched
my hand to hers. For a second she didn’t move, but slowly I could see her starting to stir underneath my touch. Her eyes flutters open as she took me in.
“How long have you been here?” she asks as she pulls herself out of my reach. I sat back in the chair before I found the courage to find my voice.
“Awhile.” She rubs the sleep out of her beautiful eyes and took me in slowly as to make sure I was really here.
“Hi.” She said reaching for my hand giving it a light squeeze. Her gesture reinsuring me that there might still be something. I hate myself for staying away too long.
“Hi.” I said intertwining our fingers. He hand still as small against mine. I smiled at the thoughts and the velvet feel of her soft skin.
“Did you rest well?”
“As well as well can be, for now.” She mutters and closed her eyes for a second. Breathing in deeply she opened them back up and I fell into a daze from seeing the shine in the emerald colors. I almost pinched myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming and that in wouldn’t suddenly wake up on the tour bus on my way to one of our
shows.
“Can I get you anything?”
“No thanks. I’m just glad you’re here.” She looks sad and I knew exactly why. I always had the power to read her mind.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t come earlier. I needed some time.” I honestly admitted. Seeing that I had the whole morning and early afternoon to figure things out, but still came
out empty. So I came back, keeping my promise. Knowing that once I got to see her again, things would feel so much better.
“It’s fine. I guess we both needed some time to figure things out.” She replied. Relieved that she was not mad at me for not showing up earlier. She was disappointed yes, but not mad. Right on the spot I promised myself that I will keep
every promise in the future. If I say I will be here early in the morning, I would be here and not hide away in my hotel room like a coward.
“I guess.” For the first time she look up at the roses, squeezing a lone peddle between her fingers and inhaled the scent.
“The roses are beautiful. Thank you.”
“My pleasure.” I pressed a kiss to the back of her hand and was happy she didn’t pull away. I could almost see a light pink blush creeping in on her cheeks, but it disappeared the moment she started to talk again.
“Seems like I can go home in a day or two.” She seems to do a lot better considering the accident only happened forty eight hours ago. The color were back in her cheeks
and there was actually a genuine smile on her face.
“I’m glad you are feeling better. You look human again.” I tried to enlighten the moments with small talk or maybe a joke or two, but it didn’t sound funny at all when I heard my own voice. I always was bad at making jokes.
“I see you still have that dry sense of humor of yours.” Her eyes twinkled and I felt a hundred feet tall when she shared a memory of me. I could concur the world right now with her right beside me.
“It never went anywhere. I just forgot.” It’s true. A lot may have happened the last ten years, but I always tried to be myself and not get caught up on the person I was trying to be. I few minutes’ ticks by as both of us tried to fill the pages of what is
going to happen next. She broke the silence first.
“So are we going to talk about the big elephant in the room?” she ask, breaking the ice. I sigh as I run my hands through my hair.
“No better time than now. Probably best if we get it all out…” I sat back resting my elbows on my knees keeping my eyes locked with hers.
“About yesterday. I am sorry if I may have come on to strong. I was just overwhelmed that you are here. Let at all taking to me.” I was talking about the almost kiss we had before the nurse came barging in, ruining the almost perfect moment.
“It was an emotional day yesterday Josh, I think it was expected to get overwhelmed with the whole situation.”
“Still as smart as ever.” A dry laugh escapes her throat with a soft snort. Well some things didn’t change after all.
“You know me best.” She admitted. I once did. It was hard not to. She still means everything to me, even though so much time has pass.
“I wish I still do Maddie, but ten years is a long time. Things change, people change. Our likes and dislikes. I don’t even know if your favorite colors is still red.” Again
the room was filled with silence as she took in my words.
“You’re right… So really Josh, if you want to run… Run. I won’t hold it against you.” Was she serious? The tone of her voice and seriousness in her eyes confirms the truth in her words. I’m not going to stand by it. I want her. I need her. All of her.
Even if it was only a small piece. For now…
“I wish it was that easy, but the thing is Maddie. I can’t. I don’t want too. I’m tired of running. I just want to be here with you. If YOU would let me?” Space doesn’t seem to matter since both of us moved closer and closer. The invisible pull steering
us together.
“No. I’m too tired of living a lie. But when I woke up yesterday and when I saw you!?I didn’t feel alone anymore. It felt like a missing piece of me was returned and set back
into place. For a long, long time it was only Taylor and me, now I have you. So the question isn’t ‘Do I still want you?’ No. It’s ‘Do you still want me?’ or at least the pieces that’s left of me.” The answer would always be the same. I choose her. No matter the costs. I reached out pulling her much closer. My fingertips touching her cheeks.
“You have no idea do you? There were days I prayed for those words, Maddie. How can I NOT want you? You’re all I’ve ever wanted. And I would be a fool, a coward if I didn’t grab ahold of it, because you need to make that decision. You have all the
power against me, because once I have you back I would never let you OR Taylor go.” For a second the tension seems to pass between both of us. Then she leaned into my touch. Relieved I took a step forward and bought her lips to meet mine. For the first time in ten years I felt complete. The power of what one simple gesture can have on a person. Her soft lips trembles underneath mine. I pulled back slightly to look at her. Her eyes were shut and her cheeks flushed. So when she let out a soft moan I brought my lips back to hers. Once our lips met again she got some
confidence back before her lips parted and I took the opportunity to deepen it. Her hand grabs onto my shoulder the tips of her nails burning into my skin. After a few
minutes I broke the kiss. My lips still lingering close to hers as I tried to figure out her next reactions, but I was met by a soft sigh as her eyes slowly flutters open. What I was not expecting was a warm smile as a tear slides down. Relieve floods
me as I couldn’t help but to drink in her reaction with another small kiss placed on the tip of her nose just like all the times I did it before.
“I think that answered all the questions.” She whispered. Her breaths tickling my shadowed growing beard.
“Maddie? What are you doing to me?” I whispered into her ear when I kissed the spot just beneath. She shivers and my words. Words I have said so many times and I just hope she would say it back like the times before.
“Nothing that you don’t do to me.” She whispers kissing me again. I could taste the salt in her tears that flowed like a river down her face. I kiss each eye lid then pressed
a final sweet kiss to her lips.
“I don’t know where this is going, but I can’t just walk away. Say you’ll let me stay? Please…” My voice begging for a chance to have my family. She sucked in a deep, deep breath.
“Stay.” I pulled her back into my embrace. Spreading kisses all over her face once more. Now that I have felt her skin beneath my kisses I can’t ever stop. I just hope she will learn to love me again.
“Thank God!” I choked out.
“What are we going to do now?” she asks as she wiped at her cheeks and mine.
“We take it one step at a time, okay?”
“Okay.”