'How? When?'
'Well, my guess is somewhere in the neighborhood of my seventeenth year.' I smiled at her. 'As for why, well, I guess you just reached in there, planted a bud in my heart, and over the last twelve or thirteen years, it’s grown, and now it’s in full bloom.'
'Why me, Andi?' I sighed, thinking of that very question so many times myself.
'No one dug deep enough to plant, I guess.' She smiled, putting her hand on the side of my face.
'You should have been a poet.'
'I don’t think so. I hated English, and nearly failed it.'
'What, the first A- you got in your entire life?' she teased.
'Hey, that grade hurt, you know.' We smiled at each other, and then I sobered, feeling the weight of the situation again. 'Please tell me you don’t hate me.'
'I could never hate you, Andi.' She leaned in, kissing me lightly on the forehead. 'It’s just not possible.'
I looked down, feeling silly and awkward, but I wanted to know.
'Haley? You asked how I felt for you, what do you feel for me? I mean, it’s kind of a moot point now, but,' I looked up at her. 'I’d still like to know.'
'Well,' She sat back against the couch, her hand taking mine in both of hers. 'I know that I love you, and I think it’s romantic love, but I just have absolutely no reference point to compare to. I’m so confused in that way. I know I want you with me always, I hate when you leave. Even when you get up to go to the bathroom, I feel such a loss.' I smiled, understanding. 'I feel so empty when I think about my life without you now. How I did it for so long, I’ll never know. But what it boils down to is, I think I have far too many emotions and worries flowing through me right now to really narrow it down. Does that sound like a horrible cop out?'
I shook my head. 'No. Because I understand. I’ve had a bit more practice with this whole woman thing.' I smiled, and leaned forward, our foreheads touching.
'What do we do now, Andi?'
'Make the best of what we’ve got left, I guess.' I brought my hands up, placing them on either side of her face, bringing my mouth to hers, gently laying my lips against hers, holding the kiss for long moments. Haley brought a hand up to rest on my arm, then I felt her mouth open slightly, and I followed suit, our lips gliding against each other. There was no tongue involved, but it was beautiful, sweet, and sensuous all at once.
Finally I pulled back, staring into the face of the woman who would haunt me for the rest of my life, crashing doubts and what-ifs on my head.
'Will you stay?' she asked. I nodded, she smiled. 'Good. I’m so tired.'
Haley stood, gathering both her rabbits.
'Here, let me help you.' I took Oreo from her, and followed her up the staircase. She was so exhausted, nearly falling asleep on her feet. I knew I probably looked much the same, for I sure as hell felt it.
The rabbits put away, I turned to Haley, who had flopped down on the end of her bed, just staring at me, her eyes red-rimmed and half-closed. I knelt down in front of her, and pulled both of her socks off, tossing them aside.
'Lay down.' She fell backwards, and I tugged at the waistband of her sweats, pulling gently. The pants removed, they joined the socks, and I started on the sweatshirt, leaving her in her tee and underwear. 'Come on, Haley.' I helped her to the front of the bed, where she laid down. I pulled the blankets over her tucking her in. She stared up at me, staring into my eyes. We said nothing, only stared. I was about to turn away when the covers were flipped down. I turned, brows narrowed, and tucked her in again. About to go, they flipped down again. I looked at her with questioning eyes.
'Stay,' she said. I looked at her, knowing she wouldn’t have offered if she hadn’t wanted me to. I quickly stripped down to my own tee and underwear, slipping under the covers, laying on my back. Haley immediately scooted over to me, curling her body toward mine. I reached to her, slipping my arm under her neck, and pulling her toward me. She laid her head on my shoulder, snuggling even closer, and sighing. I closed my eyes, a smile on my lips.
I awoke, but didn’t open my eyes. A smile came to my face as I could feel the warmth against the front of my body. I took note of all my limbs, feeling Haley’s back against my chest and stomach, my arm over her waist, hand resting against her stomach. Taking a deep breath, I inhaled her scent, trying to snuggle even closer to her.
Pushing myself up on my elbow, I watched as Haley breathed, deeply, evenly, the intense morning light of the sun washing into the room to shine upon the bed, and bring out the highlights in her dark hair.
I sighed with contentment, bringing my hand away from Haley’s stomach to her face, using my fingers to trace the lines and contours of it, the slope of her forehead, leading to her nose, straight, just the right amount of curve, leading to full, parted lips that concealed beautiful, white teeth.
As I touched her, those lips turned up in a smile, a soft sigh escaping. Her eyes remained shut, but her body scooted back further into me.
'You hungry?' she murmured. God, her voice was so sexy in the morning. I’d forgotten that.
'Maybe. What are you making?' I asked, my fingers continuing to trace over her face, and down her neck.
'I can make whatever you want. I want you to have a good breakfast before you go to work.' I lowered my head, resting it on Haley’s pillow.
'Well, as sweet as that is of you, I’m not going to work today.' Her eyes opened, and she glanced at me over her shoulder.
'You’re not?' I shook my head. She smiled.
'Me, either.'
'Oh, yeah?' She shook her head, closing her eyes again. 'Well, what a happy coincidence.' I chuckled.
'I agree. Care to spend the day with me?' She turned in my embrace, eyes opening again.
'Really? You want to spend the day with me?'
I looked at her, a smile spreading across my face as I nodded.
'Definitely.'
'Do you have the tickets?'
'Yes.'
'The card?'
'Check, captain.'
'Are we on time?'
'Andi, chill, woman.' I felt Haley’s hand on my arm as I drove us toward Rift’s Skating Rink. Today was Kendall’s eleventh birthday, and for some reason, it was really getting to me. How had it gone so fast? My girl was going to be a teenager in two years! How was that possible?
'God, how did she get so old so fast, Haley?' I glanced over at my passenger, who was already looking at me.
'I don’t know.' She smiled at me, putting her hand on my leg. I thought back to January 26, eleven years ago. I had been at school, right in the middle of class when my water had broken. School hadn’t been in session for too long after the holiday break. I had hoped Kendall would decide to come during the break, but it didn’t happen that way.
At least she had decided to make her appearance on a Friday. By Monday I was back in school, as Vince and Michelle Torrini were taking care of their new baby girl.
Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I turned into the parking lot, readying myself to face a dozen ten and eleven year olds, excited by the prospect of roller skating and sugar-rich foods.
Haley grabbed the wrapped gifts that she had bought for my daughter, and I had the envelope in my hand, which held her card, as well as three tickets to go see Tempo Toys. I figure she could take Michelle, and some friend of hers.
'Andi! Haley! You’re here!' We were both bowled over by a very excited little girl, giving us a double
