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Chapter 24
"Kevin?" Hope asked. "What are you doing?" Her eyebrow rose. He looked up at her and laughed.
"I'm trying to find the remote," he explained. He straightened from the couch and took her by the waist. "Sit with me," he invited, and gave her no choice as he pulled her down next to him.
Kevin twirled a strand of her dirty blond hair around his finger. "I like our relationship, Hopie," he said. Her nose wrinkled at his ridiculous nickname for her, but she smiled up at him.
"I do, too, Kevy-Bear," she replied. This time it was his nose that wrinkled, and she laughed.
"What do you want to do tonight?" He yawned. His fingers ran through her hair lazily, and his knee bounced up and down. His yawn was contagious; Hope opened her mouth widely. Noticing this, Kevin grinned wickedly and yawned again. She giggled and slapped his knee.
"Stop!" she insisted. Then she yawned, and Kevin chuckled.
"We are…" His tone changed. He became the announcer of a match. "Victims of…The Yawn War!"
Her eyebrow rose. "You are so corny." But she laughed.
"So…what do you want to do tonight?" he reiterated.
"You may think this is going to be stupid, but I was hoping we could spend some time with Faith…"
His expression was thoughtful. "Is she still…uh, depressed?"
"Extremely."
"What about Brian? He's depressed, too," he pointed out.
"Yeah, but he has Leighanne," she shot back. He shrugged.
"Okay. We'll do it."
"Thanks, Kevy-Bear." He growled playfully and pushed her flat on the couch.
She shrieked…but it trailed off…
~**~
"Are we going anywhere tonight?"
"Sure, Leighanne, if you want…" Brian said absently.
"Brian?"
He turned his gaze on her, without really seeing her.
"Why don't you call me Leigh?" Seeing his questioning look, she hurried on.
"You used to call me Leigh all the time. You haven't in forever…"
Brian shrugged. "You would notice something like that, Leigh."
Leighanne was taken aback, and she sniffed and fell silent. Brian immediately
felt bad.
"I'm sorry," he muttered. "I have a headache, and I guess I'm in a bad
mood…"
"It's okay." She smiled graciously. "We can just stay in tonight."
"Thanks," he mumbled. How kind of her.
"I can make you feel better," she suggested, almost seductively.
Brian shook his head. "Leighanne, you know I'm not like that. I already cleared
that up." She pouted prettily. "Besides, I'm not in the mood."
"Okay, Brian. Whatever you say." She sounded almost sarcastic.
"I hate sarcasm."
"So sorry."
Brian's heart constricted. The empty feeling in his chest had been stolen
by Faith, and he had to get it back. He vowed to get it back. But how could
he?
"Brian, I'm only going to be here for so long," Leighanne said. She crossed
her legs and studied her nails.
"What?" he said, confused.
"I'm only going to be here for so long," she repeated. "You seem so
distant…have you been faithful?"
Faith…Brian's stomach dropped and he sank onto the couch, putting his
head in his hands. "I've…I have to go, Leighanne."
He stood up to go.
"Wait…where?" she asked. "Where are you going? Brian, are you okay?"
"I've gotta go!" he shouted, running out the door. "I'll be back in a little
bit!"
"Brian!" was all he heard as he ran, but he ignored her and kept going. He
had to get to Faith and straighten this out. He couldn't go on without her.
He needed Faith like he needed air, and the last day had been suffocating
without her.
"Faith," he muttered as he jogged. By the time he reached her condo, he was
breathing hard. Just like always, he reached under the small plant near the
step and withdrew the key, just like always. Just like always…he opened
the door and walked in.
"Faith?" he called. Upstairs, she froze. It was not him. There it was again.
"Faith?" It was sounding more and more urgent, and more and more close. Then
it was outside the door. "Faith, please let me in."
"Brian…" she choked out. The door opened and there he was. Looking like
an angel. Such hope in his eyes…such a reason to be there, like it was
normal. Like nothing had happened. And there he stood, gazing at her, silently,
just staring.
"Faith," he murmured.
"What are you doing?" she whispered. "Why are you here?"
"I had to see you…" he said. "I had to talk to you."
"No." She shook her head fervently. "I understand all I need to know, Brian.
She was there first. And you love her. I know you do."
"I love you," he said helplessly. "I love you."
"And the sad thing is, I once believed you," she said softly. "You should
go."
"I promised," he insisted. "I still do."
She almost gave in. She almost let herself be held by those arms, kissed
by those lips, and she almost let him win.
"Why is she here?" she asked hollowly.
"She missed me," he mumbled.
"I went three years, and she can't go a month?" She laughed bitterly. "No,
Brian. It's better that you're not here. What if she found out?"
A flicker of doubt passed his beautiful features, and Faith nodded knowingly.
"I see it in your eyes, Brian. You're afraid of her."
"No-"
"Don't," she said harshly. "What we had…it's over now. I'm not sorry.
I actually enjoyed it."
"I did too…"
Why was he doing this to her? Must he come here, and try to convince her
of something she was sure was over, while her pain was still fresh? Almost
against her will, Faith cried. Brian stood woodenly, watching her cry, and
stared at her.
"Faith, I'm sorry," he insisted. "So sorry. It's you I love."
"Then you know what you have to do."
The tears in her voice broke his heart, and he couldn't take it anymore.
He hugged her comfortingly. She jerked away.
"Don't touch me," she sobbed. His heart stopped, he was sure of it.
"I can't…" he said helplessly.
"No, you can't. You're too weak to, that's why. Please leave," she begged.
Brian's tears fell freely down his face as he turned away.
"I love you," he murmured before he was gone. She fell back on the bed and
cried.
"I love you, too."
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