I could tell by his voice he was intensely proud of Sarah. “I want to be with you and share in your life,” I admitted as more hidden confessions came tumbling out.
“Do you think you can get over the Angie thing now? There was never anything there on my side. I have to admit, I did charm her, but it was for the club. I know that sounds lame and like an excuse but damn, I never even kissed her... I’m into you. We got a history that can’t be touched.”
“You’re right about that. I’ve had to battle enough and I don’t want to battle you about a woman.” I gave him the cold, hard truth of how I felt.
Chalk pulled my fingers up to meet his mouth and kissed my hands, closing his eyes as if he was trying to draw in every part of our story to him. “You don’t have to battle. There is no battle. I know we didn’t make it together to fight through things, but I promise you if you get sick again, I’m going to be there for you. I didn’t have a clue what to do back then. I do now.”
His fierce declaration made me feel more secure. “Chalk, you did so much for me. You tried so hard to take care of me. I would think of this while I was away from here. The way you looked back then, when I was sick. So tired and lost. It was all my fault. Well, my illness was at fault. I had to learn that in therapy. It was never you. Let’s not talk about it anymore. I want to move on from it. In fact, I have moved on. For more than a year now, I’ve been renewed. It’s gone forever. We’ve addressed it, there’s no need for you to feel guilty. We did the best we could. Slate clean, okay?”
“Slate clean.” He squeezed my hand.
Both of us sighed, lifting the heavy burdens from the past off our shoulders. The sigh in unison made us both break out in giggles. Then it happened. Chalk’s handsome face drifted towards mine as his large hands slid up the length of my body towards my hips. His eyes smoked with desire.
My lips were wet, waiting for something I’d dreamed about for so long. We were two magnets coming together, his hand on the side of my face as his lips met mine, easing the confusion and the angst of the past. I allowed myself to feel the strength and fire of his kiss.
Slowly, we drew back from one another and I realized that…No matter where he went… I was. No matter where I went…he was.
“Your lips taste even better than they used to,” Chalk confessed as he licked his.
I giggled as I stroked his lips with my finger. “Same. The coming back together kiss is so much sweeter.”
He stroked the side of my face with his knuckle. “Yes, it is. I think my pizza’s cold, but I’m okay with that. Do you want me to reheat yours?”
“Nope. I like cold pizza.” I touched the top of mine with my fingertip. “Besides, mine is still lukewarm, fine by me.”
“I’ll make you a cup of tea to keep you warm.” He sank a hand into the side of my hair and kissed me on the temple, leaving a warmth that seeped into my bones.
Home was here. Home was right here in Holbeck where I belonged with my family. I was so lucky. The man still wanted me. He hadn't taken a wife, hadn’t been serious with anyone. I could pinch myself to believe this was all real.
Chalk came back with a cup of tea for me.
I wrapped my hands around its porcelain edges and blew on the hot liquid.
“How are your parents? I miss them,” Chalk said. He was a favorite, especially to my father for some odd reason. They seemed to be able to sit on the porch and talk about absolutely nothing and feel like they were getting along just fine. My mother was always impressed with the way he took care of me and Sarah, and she never had a bad word to say about him.
“They miss you too, trust me,” I said convincingly. “Dad, especially. I guess they didn’t want to overstep the mark between us as a couple. They felt we needed space to work things out, they didn’t want to put pressure on the situation.”
Chalk chuckled, winking at me. “I believe it. When we visit there and take Sarah, I will have to take him out for a beer. Your father is a good guy.”
My father’s hugs were like sunshine. I missed him immensely, but I knew Holbeck was the right place for me. “He is an extraordinary man, very loving and kind.”
Chalk confirmed with a head nod. “Yup. My parents ask about you too. Teresa – as you know – misses you.”
“I know, I plan to make up lost ground with her when I can. I owe her so much. The help she gave you in raising Sarah.” I had a lot of respect for Teresa. She was helping to raise a child that wasn’t hers and loving Sarah just the same. I’d heard Sarah mention her name often enough to know she had a big influence on her life.
“She’d love that. You girls will be gossiping about me, I’m sure.”
I giggled, keeping the tea I had inside my mouth, just barely. “That goes without saying. It’s what we do.”
The good mood I was in carried me into work the next day. When I got to the nurse’s station, I saw a large bouquet of flowers. “Wow, who got lucky today?” I exclaimed to Robyn on the nurse’s station desk.
“Honey, those are for you. Your fave patient, Lester. He lurved him some Lucinda. He said he would never forget how you helped him.” At 88, Lester was in a bad way from a fall in the kitchen. He came in all distressed and flustered before they sent him in for his hip operation.
“I don’t know if I’m going to make it. I might not. I’ve fallen and I hit my eye. Look.” His socket was bruised with purple and navy blue scars from hitting the sharp edge of his kitchen counter.
“You’re going to be fine. I will be right here when you get out of surgery, don’t you worry. We’re going to get you back up and into gear, I promise you.” I poured my heart into Lester’s recovery. It turned out Lester was tougher than he thought he was. He ended up being released after five weeks of recovery and intensive rehab.
The sweet smell of fresh lilies wafted through the corridors as I searched on my tiptoes for the card on the inside. I held my chest as I read it out to the other nurses, “It says ‘thank you for taking care of an old man. You’ll make a good wife. You made the hospital stay worthwhile.’” I fanned my face as I got sappy over it, and the girl ‘aww’ed with me. “I think I’m gonna cry. He was so sweet, he never complained either when I came to wake him up at 7 a.m. to go to physio. Poor guy.”