Free Falling

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The next evening, we are headed to Gemma's I take my car and he is on his bike. Pulling up to Gemma's I get the two pies out and we head inside and I walk to the kitchen while he heads to the living room. I put the pies on the counter and grab a beer for Koz and take it to him before heading back to the kitchen to help the other ladies. "So, you done fussing about me calling him your Old Man?" Gemma asked. "Yeah, he told me that he is my Old Man." I tell her and blush a little. "Sweetheart, that man has had feelings for you for a while." she tells me. "I know. He told me. Said that had I let him know I was interested that he would have gotten me away from Jeremy sooner." I tell her and continue to chop veggies. "Who's your Old Man?" one of the croweaters asked. "Koz." I tell her and her eyes go wide. "What?" I asked. Your name's Charley right?" she asked. "Yeah." I say. "Don't get mad but when he first got to Charming, we would hook up and he would always call out the name Charley." she told me. My eyes got wide. "Seriously?" I asked. "Like I said, it was way before you two got together. It was only a couple of times and then he started trying to talk to you and didn't touch anyone else since. It used to bother me but seeing how it's you, and you are always nice, I take it as a compliment." she told me and I am still just shocked.

Once dinner is done and we are all sitting around the table, eating, I feel Koz put his hand on my leg but I don't really respond. After dinner, we head home and I have still barely said anything to him. We walk into the house and I go straight to the shower. After I get out of the shower, I lay down in bed, thinking about what that croweater said. Koz walks in and lays down next to me. I have my back to him and he tries to cuddle up behind me and I get up and take the blanket at the foot of the bed and head to the couch. After a couple of minutes, Koz walks into the living room and finally says "Talk to me. You've not said anything to me since before the dinner." I sigh and say "Something the croweater said kinda pissed me off a little." I tell him. "What was said?" He asked. "One of the girls found out we are together and started telling me that before we got together that you and her were hooking up and that you would call out my name." I tell him. "Oh. I told you that I was into you. I'm sorry baby." he told me. "I'm not really pissed at you because we weren't together but just that she felt the need to tell me this, not just in front of all of the Old Ladies but to tell me at all. Why do I need it tossed in my face that you hooked up with her before me? Or that you called out my name?" He sighs, "Baby, come back to bed. I know who you are talking about and I will handle it." he tells me. "There's nothing to handle. Gemma got all over her but it just bothers me, you know?" He pulls me to him and says "I know."

We get back in bed and I still have my back to him but this time when he curls up to me, I let him. He puts his arm around my middle and pulls me as close as he can. "Good night Koz." I tell him. "Good night baby." he says before we both go to sleep. But mine is not a restful sleep. I toss and turn all night. For some reason, I am dreaming about the night I killed Jeremy. I bolt upright and can't catch my breath. "Baby, look at me." Koz says as he sits up next to me. "Baby, breathe." he says and starts trying to get my breathing under control. There are tears rolling down my face and he wipes the tears away and gives me a couple of minutes before asking "Nightmare?" I nod my head yes. "I was dreaming about the night I killed Jeremy." I tell him. "Come here." he tells me and we lay back down with my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat before he starts speaking. "I'd like to tell you that it goes away but it doesn't. But eventually, you will process it fully and your mind will realize that you were defending yourself. It will get easier." I snuggle closer to him and he kisses the top of my head. "I'll always be here sweetheart." he says and I believe him.