Hidden Desires: A Love Story

Chapter 9

Early the next day, Normani went back to Victoria's house. She knocked several times, but there was no answer. Dejected she returned home and called Victoria's cell and land line several times but as before, there was no answer. With each connection going to voice mail, Normani felt her heart sink lower and lower. By Sunday night, Normani felt like she had a hole in her the size of a grapefruit where her heart was.

* * * *

Monday morning, Victoria entered her office building, her mind swirling with thoughts of Normani. She hurried to Darla's desk to collect her messages and saw the little smile Darla had on her lips that indicated she had a secret.

"Morning," Victoria croaked out, not really in the mood to be sociable.

"Good Morning Victoria. Here are your messages and there's a surprise waiting in your office," Darla giggled. Victoria sighed.

"Thank you; I'll call if I need anything," Victoria droned. She went into her office expecting to find another bouquet of flowers on her desk.

She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Normani sitting by her desk waiting for her.

Darla stuck her head into the office and announced, "I'll hold your meeting for a bit so you can have some time boss," and with a giggle again, she closed the door and was gone. She was a good assistant, but liked to meddle sometimes.

Victoria stood there, frozen, stunned. She didn't expect Normani to come here, to her work of all places.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Normani inquired icily, "Maybe a hello?"

Victoria moved around her desk and sat in her chair.

"Hello Normani, I didn't expect to see you," Victoria began, working hard to make sure she didn't stutter.

"Really? You dump me without so much as an explanation. You won't take my calls or see me. I had to do something," Normani said her voice rising slightly.

"Mani please, I can't do this here. Not now," Victoria's feelings for Normani coming to the fore, the war in her beginning anew in a rush.

"Then when Victoria? You can't just expect me to walk away. I care too much for you. I love..."

"Don't," Victoria cut her off, sensing a powerful desire to have Normani hold her. "Don't say that. You can't love me. You don't know what I am. No one can love me," Victoria blurted out, her voice almost panicked. She buried her face in her hands and cried.

Normani immediately move to her and tried to hold her. She pulled away at first but Normani insisted and wrapped her arms about Victoria. It took a good five minutes before she seemed to be out of tears.

Normani lifted her face and very softly kissed her tear stained cheeks, her eyes and finally her lips.

Staring into Victoria's eyes, she saw so many emotions there; sadness, fear, pain, and longing. She also saw love. There was an internal struggle that Normani didn't know or understand but one thing she did know was that she didn't want Victoria to face it alone.

"I do love you, no matter what. Just trust me. Whatever it is we can get through it together. Please Victoria, have some faith in me, in us. I know you love me just as surely as you know that I love you. Let me in; share yourself with me."

How had she allowed Normani—anyone—to get this close to her heart, she lamented to herself. How didn't matter now, just that she did. Her thoughts ceaselessly on Normani, her heart aching with love of her as it had never ached, never thought she'd ever love anyone, now her heart yearned mightily within her. Her heart couldn't allow Normani to not see her love no matter how powerful her fears. Her heart was insistent, overriding her fears though she still felt them.