Healing Heart

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Waking up the next morning, I get up and don't have to be at work for another couple of hours. I get dressed and see the box sitting on top of the dresser. I get the box down, sit on the bed and open it. I pick up the first picture and just look at it like I have a million times before when there's a knock on the door. "Come in." I say. The door opens and in walks Creeper. "Morning Princess." he says as he walks inside and closes the door. "Morning Creeper." I say and look back down at the box, putting the picture back in there. He walks over and sits next to me and looks at the box. "Are we okay?" he asks. I don't look at him but say "Yeah. We're good." He looks at me and asks "Why did you put your rings back on?" I pick up a picture and say "This was Travis." He takes the picture and looks at it and asks "Who's this with him?" He puts the picture back and picks up another one and looking at it. "I've looked at these pictures a million times over the last year. There was something I didn't tell my brother about the night Travis died." I tell him. He doesn't say anything but puts his hand on my lower back to show his support. "The night Travis died, he was in a car accident but he wasn't alone. She was with him. When I went to get his things from the car a few days later, I found this box in the trunk. They'd been seeing each other behind my back. He was with her when he died. They were both killed on impact." I tell him. "Shit." he says. "Why are you staying devoted to him then if you know he was cheating on you?" he asks. "Because, if I stay devoted to a dead man, I don't get hurt again." I tell him as the tears start to fall. He wraps his arms around me and pulls me close to him and just holds me while I cry. I feel him place a kiss to the top of my head as I cry.

After I get myself together, I start to get ready for work and he leaves me alone to get ready. I walk out to the main room to get coffee and just look down at my wedding rings. Gilly walks over and I decide to tell him what happened. "Can we talk?" I ask. He nods and I lead him to my dorm. Taking the box, I open it and pull out a picture and hand it to him. "What's this?" he asks. "That is a picture of my husband." I say. "I see that but who's the chick?" he asks. "That would be his girlfriend. The night Travis died, his girlfriend was in the car with him. They both died on impact." I tell him and he looks at me shocked. "Why are you telling me this?" he asks. "I need you to understand why I can't move on. Not right now. I need to figure out what I did wrong to make him cheat before I can be with anyone else. I don't want to make the same mistakes someone else that I made with him." I tell him. "You think this was on you?" I hear Creeper say from the door and I just nod. He steps into the room and says "This was on him. You have no clue how amazing you are." he tells me. "Don't do that. You can't spend the night with whores and then tell me how amazing you think I am. Just don't." I tell him before walking out of the room and leaving both of them standing there.

I clock in and get to work. Anytime I need something signed, I just put it in the folder and Chucky walks it out there. I don't really feel like talking to anyone today. That evening, it's time to clock out and my brother comes in and says "Go change into something comfortable. We have a surprise for you." I nod and head into the dorm. I put on a pair of leggings and an oversized long sleeve shirt with my uggs. Walking back out, Gilly says "Come on." I follow him out to the back lot and see a screen set up with an old projector. "Gilly?" I ask. "Remember all the nights we used to sit out and watch movies all night on the side of the house?" he asks and I nod. "Well, one Saturday a month, we're doing it again. Family night." he tells me and I look at him shocked. I look over at the old projector and ask "Is that?" He smiles and says "It's Abuela's old one. Got all those old movies too." he tells me and my eyes tear up. "Come on. We have the bed of the truck set up." Creeper says. I climb into the back of the truck as everyone gets settled into the truck beds around us and Gilly starts the first movie. I look at the screen and start laughing. "What?" Creeper asks. "I can't believe it. Tommyknockers?" I ask and Gilly nods his head yes. "This was my favorite movie when I was younger." I tell them and they all smile. I lean back against the pillows and pull one of the blankets over me and feel an arm go around me. I look up and see Creeper smiling down at me. He leans over and whispers "Get comfortable Princess."

Two movies later, I see the guys all dozing off and it's just me and Creeper awake. Creeper moves to start the third movie and I tell him "Just turn it off." He does as I ask and moves back beside me. I look around at the guys and smile softly. "No matter what was going on, me and Gilly always had movie night. I could be having the worst day and none of it mattered when we fired up the projector. I can't believe he still has it." I say softly. He moves to lay down and says "Come here." I just look at him and he says "I just want to talk." I move to lay next to him and he turns on his side, facing me and wraps his arms around me and I finally let him. "I like you Luna." he says and I don't say anything. He tilts my face to look at him and says "All I want is a chance. Let me prove to you you're worth it." he says. I place a hand on the side of his face and see him close his eyes. "Just be patient with me, okay?" I ask. "Anything you need Princess." he whispers. I run my thumb over his bottom lip and take a chance. I've not even let anyone hold me like this since Travis. I lean up a little and place a soft kiss to his lips and he kisses me back just as softly. Looking into each other's eyes, he smiles softly and I snuggle closer to him and fall asleep in his arms.

Waking up the next morning, we're alone. He's still sleeping so I just lay there thinking about things. I see my hand on his chest and see my wedding rings still sitting there and then think about how he was cheating on me the night he died. I feel the sleeping bag being pulled around us tighter and notice him stir a little. Our entire bodies are intertwined as I look up at him. "Morning Princess." he whispers. "Morning." I whisper back. I put my hand on his cheek and lean up to kiss him. He deepens the kiss just a little and I say "I think I want to try this. But I still need you to be patient with me." He kisses me again and says "Like I said last night. Anything you need. But I want this. I want you to be my girl." he says. "We'll get there." I tell him.

We get up and head to the clubhouse and once we walk inside, we head to the bar for coffee. Gilly walks over and asks "You okay?" I look at Creeper next to me, his hand on my lower back and say "Getting there. I do need you to help me with something." I tell both of them. "What's that?" Gilly asks. "Can you light a fire in one of the burn barrels?" I ask and he nods. "I'll be right back." I tell them and walk to my room. I look at my wedding rings and take them off, placing them in my jewelry box. I take the box of pictures that were in Travis' trunk and walk out to the main room. "Gilly has the barrel lit. Just waiting on you Princess." Creeper says. I lace my fingers with his and he lifts my hand to kiss my knuckles and notices the rings gone. "Time to heal my heart." I tell him. We walk outside and see the guys standing around the barrel and they all look at us and smile. "Are you sure about this?" Gilly asks. "Yeah. I need this. I have to let go in order to be happy. He was cheating on me and was with her when he died. He doesn't deserve anymore of my life." I tell them and they all smile. I take out the pictures and start tossing them in one at a time. Once the box is almost empty, I see an envelope in there. I never opened it. "What's that?" Creeper asks. "I don't know. I never opened it. Guess it's time to." I say. I open the envelope and see an ultrasound picture with her name on it. I feel the tears start to fall and Creeper pulls me close and tells me "It's okay Princess. I got you. I got you baby." as I sob. Gilly takes it from me and looks and says "Shit. Luna, I'm sorry sis." They all look at us confused. He looks at me and I nod. "It's an ultrasound picture. He was having a baby with another woman." he says. "That's the one thing I couldn't give him." I say. "What do you mean Princess?" Creeper asks. I pull away from him and say "I can't have kids. I had ovarian cancer when I was sixteen and had to have a hysterectomy." I tell them. Creeper pulls me to him and says "That doesn't change anything. You're still mine." I look up at him and he says again "Your still mine." I lay my head against his chest and Gilly tosses the ultrasound picture into the fire and they all leave Creeper and I alone to talk. I pull away from him and ask "Are you sure you still want me?" I ask. Cupping my face he says "Absofuckinlutely." before crashing his lips with mine in a kiss that leaves me breathless. I snuggle against him and we just watch the fire burn away my past.