Right Next Door

Chapter 18

Robert

They had started texting each other almost every day since Courtney left the hospital. Although he would catch Cameron raising her eyebrows every time he checked his phone, he ignored her and focused on the woman he'd saved weeks before.

She speedily filed for divorce and at their court date for Dan's trial she gave a heartbreaking testimony of the abuse she had endured for years. As Robert predicted, her husband, ex-husband he reminded himself, was found guilty and was sentenced to a year in jail.

Robert continued to live his life, working daily with Officer Cameron and going out for the occasional drinks after shifts with the boys. He saw Maggie and Aaron as often as he could and her relationship with Brandon seemed easier to accept as the weeks went on. If Robert was being honest himself, he would realize that Courtney had slipped her way into his heart and thoughts of her consumed his mind on a daily basis.

He was stirring a pot of spaghetti, listening to Jeopardy!, and playing in the living room when his doorbell buzzed. Setting down his beer, he wiped his hands on a dish towel and made his way to the door. When he opened the door Courtney was standing on the other side. He was so stunned by her presence; it almost felt like he had conjured her up in his mind.

"Hi," she said, smiling shyly.

"Hey." He couldn't move from his spot in the door and the awkward pause was growing.

"I hope I'm not intruding, Maggie gave me your address." She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and adjusted her purse on her shoulder.

"Please, come in." Robert stood aside and motioned for her to walk inside. "I'm sorry the place is a mess, I don't get a lot of visitors."

Courtney placed her purse down on a side table.

"You look really great...you seem to be healing well," he clarified.

"Yea, I am feeling OK. My nose is a lot better and I should only have this cast for a few more weeks."

Robert watched as Courtney slowly took in his little living room.

"I've wondered about where you live for a while now." She ran her hand along the back of his old leather couch and stepped by his small bookshelf, examining his paperbacks.

"Yea, it's a dump." Robert straightened some mail thrown across his dining table while her back was turned away.

"No," she turned and smiled, "it's not." She stepped into his kitchen and picked up the ladle lying on the stove as if it were her very own kitchen.

"What are you doing here, Courtney?" He leaned against the old linoleum countertop.

She stopped stirring and looked up at him, worry etched across her features. "I can go, I -"

She went to step out of his tiny kitchen but Robert grabbed her elbow. "Wait, I am glad you're here, I'm just surprised is all."

She turned back, wrapped her arms around him and rested her forehead against his collarbone. He could feel her entire body shaking.

"Hey, hey." He grabbed her head and leaned back to look at her face. "Stay for dinner and talk to me. I could use the company." He gave her his best lopsided grin and gently squeezed her hip.

Courtney stared at him for a half a minute before leaning forward and kissing him on the lips. Something unleashed inside of Robert; a feeling bubbling to the surface he'd denied for weeks. He kissed her back, and they clawed at each other like they were drowning.

"Dinner later," Courtney gasped into Robert's open mouth.

"Right." he quickly flipped the stovetop off and led her towards his bedroom. Spaghetti and final Jeopardy! long forgotten.

Maggie

"You know what I was just thinking?" Brandon took a pull from his beer and looked over towards Maggie.

"What's that?" Maggie laughed and tucked her legs underneath her body, turning to look at him directly.

"My house is finished," he began.

"Your house is finished," she echoed.

"But I'd rather be here with you." He grinned when she looked at him in confusion. "You have a really great view. Way better than mine."

"Yea but you have a beautiful reading nook! Your kitchen is amazing!" Maggie sat up in her chair. What was Brandon saying to her right now? Her heart sped up like a hummingbird.

"But you're not in it. Neither is Aaron." His wobbly grin was driving her insane.

"What are you saying, Brandon? You're freaking me out, here."

"What I'm saying is...I want to spend forever here. I want to kiss you, make love to you, and cherish you for the rest of my life."

Maggie cursed the tears threatening to surface and waited for Brandon to finish whatever it was he needed to say.

"I asked for Aaron's permission. I told him he didn't have to call me dad." Brandon turned, stood from his chair and knelt between Maggie's knees. "I told him that I loved him and that I loved you with my whole heart. I asked him if he would be mad at me for asking you to marry me but he thought it was an awesome idea." Brandon reached into his pocket and produced a velvet box.

"Maggie, there's never been anyone else. For whatever reason, we were brought through hell just to end up together. I have to believe that."

He opened the box to reveal a glittering diamond fixed on an ornate antique wedding band.

"I am asking you to be my wife. I'm asking you to let me stand beside you and face hell together. If you love me even half as much as I love you, then we'll have enough of that to last us the rest of our lives."

Hot tears streaked her face and her smile ached, it stretched so wide.

"What do you say?"

"Yes," she gasped. Then under the orange sun, with Aaron and Dolly running across the backyard she allowed him to place the ring on her finger.

They kissed and hugged for several moments but when they parted she held up her finger and said, "But you have to promise me something."

"Anything," he replied.

"No matter what happens when we wake up," he smiled as she repeated his line back to him from only weeks before, "promise me you'll still love me."

He reached around, grabbing her face in his hands and said "yes" into her waiting mouth.