Destined

Sixty

We slept in that New Year's Day, exhausted from staying up so late to watch the fireworks. When I woke up to use the bathroom, it was almost eleven in the morning and Vince was still fast asleep. Not wanting to wake him, I got up and dressed in shorts and a sweater and padded barefoot to the deck to clean up the previous night's mess.

As I did, I couldn't help but think of how much fun the holidays had been. Starting from right before Christmas when we'd gone to Delaware. The day before Christmas Eve, Maddie's dad had thrown a dinner party, inviting us all and our families. Liz, her dad, Matt, his mum, my mum and dad, Talia and her mum, Celine and her mum, Jonah and his parents, and of course Vince and I were all there.

All of us being Delaware locals, well all of us except Vince, were home for the holidays and Maddie's dad, when he wasn't out working somewhere, was usually very hospitable.

I remembered sitting out by the pool in the backyard, Talia and Maddie on either side of me, as we all talked about what a stressful year it had been. Except, despite all that had happened, to me and in general, my thoughts were eclipsed by the man I watched playing basketball in the court across the pool.

Vince, along with Matt and Jonah, as well as some other guys, Maddie's cousins, had been engaged in a friendly game of hoops and I'd watched my man like a hawk, my eyes eating him up as he once again exposed another skill. What couldn't he do?

Liz had joined us and made some comment about my staring, causing everyone to laugh. But I couldn't care less, I was in love.

That same night, after we'd returned home, I'd snuck into the guest bedroom, because I'd missed my boyfriend, and my own dog had stood in my way. Vince had been in the bathroom, and Holly had whined at me, as though telling me to go back to my own room. A room that used to be our room.

When Vince had stepped out of the bathroom, she'd immediately turned around, run to him and circled him. Like a wolf protecting her cub. I rolled my eyes at them both causing Vince to laugh.

"You shouldn't be in here," he'd said.
"Yeah, your little guard dog made me aware of that,"
"You trained her well," he bent down to scratch the top of her head. She leaned into him. "Why are you here?"
I shrugged, "I missed you,"
He smiled, "Did you now?"
"You know I did,"
"Your mum put us in separate rooms for a reason. And I like the fact that she likes me, can we keep it that way?"
"Like there's anything that would get her to stop liking you," I muttered.
"Let's not find out,"
"I just want to talk, I'll be gone before morning,"
"You've lured me in with that line before,"

Holly seemed bored by our conversation and sauntered out of the room. I closed the door behind her.

"Please," I asked and he sighed.
"One of these days I'm going to learn how to say no to you," he opened his arms out to me. I smiled and rushed to him as he enveloped me in a hug. "I feel like we haven't had any time alone together in so long,"
"I've missed you too, love," he kissed my forehead. "Is there anything in particular you wanted to talk about?"
I released him so I could look at his face, "Can we sit?"
He nodded, "I'm not sitting with you on the bed though, I don't trust you, or myself for that matter,"
"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about," I sat cross legged on the bed and he dropped to the floor.
"Okay,"
"You...you haven't touched me since...since the incident,"

I voiced my concern. It had been over a month ago. And Vince had been treating me like I was made of porcelain. His kisses were measured, and if I kissed him he was sure to end it before it could go anywhere. It was very frustrating.