Forever Yours

by Melissa Tereze

  Georgina deserved to fall in love with someone who trusted her. Someone who wouldn’t wonder if she would be there when they woke together. Paisley wanted to be that woman—she had for three years—but as much as it pained her to think about it, Georgina deserved more than Paisley. It was hard to take, and it hurt to know that she would never hold the body standing in front of her, but surely it was for the best.

  Georgina had to leave her home because of Paisley, whatever the exact reason, and Paisley didn’t feel comfortable with that knowledge. She didn’t want to ever cause problems for anyone. If she had known about the threat, Paisley could have been the one who disappeared. Georgina had so much more going for her than Paisley—a business to run and continue to succeed in.

  “Well?” Georgina asked. “Dinner?”

  “No, thank you.” Saying those words broke Paisley’s heart, but this was the right thing to do. “I’ll eat before I come over.”

  “Paisley, I don’t mind.”

  “Georgina…” Paisley pinched the bridge of her nose. “I know you said last night that you wouldn’t give up on us, but you really should.”

  “I—”

  “Please. For your own sake.” Paisley lowered her eyes. “I can’t face knowing what I know. I can’t bear the thought of you leaving because of something I must have done. That client…the guy who threatened you, I must have done something to rile him up.”

  “What? No.” Georgina stepped forward, taking Paisley’s hand. “No, it wasn’t like that. I promise you.”

  “You’re giving me nothing to work with. You tell me you won’t say too much. You claim I don’t need to know, so what else am I supposed to think?” Paisley asked. “How am I supposed to feel like I’m not responsible for someone threatening you because we were together.”

  Georgina lifted Paisley’s hand, kissing her skin. Her lips felt warm—comforting. “He didn’t threaten me because of something you did. He just used our relationship to get to me. He knew I’d do anything to protect you, effectively splitting us up in the process.”

  “Why? What does he have on you?” Paisley narrowed his eyes. “Did you do something you shouldn’t have?”

  “Would I ever?” Georgina’s eyes begged Paisley to believe her. “Do you really think I would ever do something that wasn’t legitimate?”

  Paisley sighed. “No.”

  “Then you shouldn’t even have to ask that question.”

  Paisley pulled her hand from Georgina’s. The longer the woman touched her, the more she wanted to kiss Georgina. “Check the contract I’ve just given you. I need to take it out to Monica so she can send it out.”

  “Fine, yeah.”

  Georgina stepped away from Paisley, her shoulders visibly tense. This wasn’t the woman Paisley wanted to spend her time with. The woman Paisley knew was kind and flirtatious, never worried about another’s opinion of her. That was the woman Paisley fell in love with.

  Georgina, in this moment, was simply a shadow of anything she once was.

  Georgina wasn’t sure of the last time she’d felt so nervous. In her heart, she wanted to lay everything bare for Paisley. She wanted to give her ex-girlfriend the opportunity to deal with the past herself once she knew the truth, but she wasn’t sure she could put that on Paisley. Georgina had always dealt with her issues by herself, she was never one to expect anything from others, but if she came clean tonight, she would be asking for something huge. The truth would break Paisley in two, Georgina was aware of that; it was the entire reason Georgina had held back for so long. But if she was ever going to win Paisley back, Georgina would have to be honest. She would have to hope and pray that Paisley believed her…and understood why she left.

  She checked her watch, noting that she had a good fifteen minutes before Paisley was due to arrive. Georgina hadn’t received any contact since they left the office around five, but she knew in her gut that Paisley would be here. What she couldn’t control was the outcome of the visit.

  Georgina glanced to her right, sighing as she eyed the small box on the floor. It only had a few framed pictures in it, a bracelet she’d bought Paisley when they dated, and a bottle of perfume. They didn’t belong to Georgina, so it was only right she gave them back. Even if it was unnecessary for Paisley to come over and collect them. They both knew Georgina could have taken them to the office tomorrow. Still, Georgina asked…and Paisley agreed. Running her fingers through her hair, Georgina slouched back on the couch, sighing.

  “Thank you for a beautiful evening.” Georgina gripped Paisley’s coat, the rain gradually fading. “And for your honesty.”

  “I thought you were going to run.” Paisley slowly lifted her eyes. “I certainly didn’t expect you to feel the same way.”

  “It’s been six months, Paisley. My love for you has been there for some time.”

  “I really don’t want to leave you tonight.” Paisley looked back over her shoulder, the living room dimly lit through the curtains.

  “If this was out in the open, I’d ask you to move in with me right now.”

  Paisley pushed up on her tiptoes, kissing Georgina chastely. “One day.”

  “Mm.” Georgina’s eyelids flickered closed. “I can’t wait for that day.”

  “I should get inside.” Paisley backed away. “The last thing I need is the neighbours outing me to my parents.”

  “Goodnight,” Georgina said, her heart as settled as it had ever been. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  Georgina watched Paisley’s back, saddened that she wouldn’t have the opportunity to hold the woman she loved tonight. With a final wave, Paisley disappeared inside, leaving Georgina alone on a darkened street corner. Sighing, Georgina turned the corner and approached her car. As she crossed the street, Georgina slowed her pace; a man was leaning against the side of her Audi.

  “Can I help you?”

  “This yours?” he cocked his head, piercing blue eyes sending a shudder down Georgina’s spine.

  “Yes, I’m sorry,” she paused. “Is it in the way?”

  “No, but you are.” A strong Belfast accent evident, Georgina’s forehead creased. “I’ve been watching you.”

  He pushed off the car, extinguishing a cigarette against the pristine, white paintwork.

  “Who are you?” Georgina knew who this man was. Paisley had spoken about her father once or twice, expressing her desire to keep her sexuality hidden from him.

  “Why are you bringing my daughter home?”

  “We had a late night at the office,” Georgina said, her throat drying as Paisley’s dad inched closer, blocking her body against the wall.

  “I want you gone.”

  “Excuse me?” Georgina wasn’t sure how she could calm him down. His eyes bulged from their sockets as each second passed.

  “Leave!”

  “I was doing that until you arrived.” Georgina braced herself as his hand gripped her jaw, his thumb and index finger pressing into her cheeks. Her heart hammered, but she had nowhere to go. No place to run. Mr. Healy was significantly stronger than Georgina, she felt it in his grip.

  “No.” He laughed. “I want you out of the city and out of Paisley’s life.”

  “Out of the city?”

  He cleared his throat, stepping back. “Let me make this easier for you.” His coat opened, exposing what looked like the barrel of a gun. “Would you like this in your back, Georgina?”

  Georgina’s entire body froze, her pulse thrumming in her ears. He knew who she was. This man wasn’t playing games. “Y-you can’t be serious.”

  “Deadly.”

  Georgina swallowed hard, feeling the gun press against her stomach. How could Paisley have been raised by a man like this? A man who would put the fear of God in a woman for simply bringing his daughter home. The cold metal seeped through the thin fabric of her blouse, heightening the fear she felt in Mr Healy’s presence. A fear Georgina had never felt before. Heart-stopping. Blood curdling.

 
“This could blow an almighty hole through you.”

  “I don’t know what’s going on here, Mr. Healy, but you have this all wrong. Paisley is a fantastic assistant; my company thrives because of her. You should be very proud.” Georgina was stalling and praying for a miracle. She wasn’t talking her way out of this one. He had a look in his eyes that told Georgina he truly would use the weapon currently pressed against her. That he meant every word he was saying.

  “Don’t talk about my daughter.” He pushed the gun deeper into Georgina’s stomach. “You leave, have no contact with Paisley, or I’ll make her disappear.”

  Georgina’s heart sunk. Surely, he wouldn’t hurt Paisley. His own flesh and blood.

  “Ah, now you’re getting the message.” He smirked. “You won’t turn my daughter into a dyke,” he spat. “I’ll bury you in your own back garden, make no mistake.”

  As much as Georgina wanted to believe Mr. Healy was bluffing, she couldn’t. She also wasn’t willing to test him. If Paisley was hurt because of her, Georgina’s life wouldn’t be worth living.

  “Tomorrow. I want you gone. I’ve been watching, and I’ll continue to watch. Wherever you go…I’ll be there with you.”

  “Mr Healy…” Georgina felt a sudden weight lift from her shoulders as he created a space between them, the gun hidden from sight. It was a shotgun, the size of it unmistakeable.

  “Weaver.” He laughed. “Georgina Weaver. Thirty-seven years old. Your address is seventy-one Marchant Road. You have one brother, and both your parents are dead. You stop at the local coffee shop every morning and collect a chai latte.”

  Georgina wanted to sink to her knees. She wanted the ground to swallow her up.

  “The alarm code for your home is seven nine one five…” An almighty chill rolled through Georgina, everything within her recoiling. He knew her house alarm. She had to leave. “If I find my daughter leaving your home late at night ever again, nobody will ever find you. Paisley…it would be better for her.”

  “Better for her?” Georgina asked. “I don’t follow.”

  “To disappear,” he said, tapping the shotgun under his coat. “Because the reality of living under my house with the feelings she has would be far worse. Paisley will vanish, Georgina. I’m warning you.”

  “I-I’ll go.” Georgina blurted out. “I have things to collect from the office in the morning, but I’ll go there before Paisley arrives. Please, this is all my fault. She doesn’t really have those feelings. I pursued her.”

  “Aye,” Mr Healy lit another cigarette as he continued to back away from Georgina. “I can see it. You look like a whore who would fuck anything.”

  Georgina watched him leave, her back sliding down the brick wall behind her as she sunk to the ground. None of this made sense. Had she just truly been threatened? Should she wait and see how this played out? It was ridiculous to even consider staying—the man held a gun to her—but could she truly leave Paisley? The woman who made her entire universe spin.

  Georgina knew the answer. It was a resounding yes. Paisley would hate her—understandable—but the outcome of staying would be far worse than leaving.

  A knock on the window brought Georgina from her terrifying past. That night, her world had truly ended. After that night, she wished Mr. Healy would have put the gun to her stomach and pulled the trigger. Life without Paisley these last few years had been too hard to handle at times. The number of times she got in her car to drive home was too many to count, but Mr. Healy’s words forever played over in Georgina’s mind. Like a nightmare she would relive for the rest of her life.

  Georgina stood, wiping the tears from her face. Tears she wished she didn’t have to cry. Tears that should have dried up long ago. As far as Mr. Healy was concerned, Georgina had nothing left inside of her. She approached the front door, a Christmas wreath now attached to the heavy wood, and opened it slowly.

  Paisley stood at the door, a thick, black coat wrapped around her, the hat she’d been sporting lately present. Georgina glanced down at Paisley’s right hand.

  “Did you have dinner?”

  Georgina shook her head, her hands itching to reach out and pull Paisley closer. “No, I didn’t feel like eating.”

  “I went to the Chinese restaurant on the way here.” Paisley held up a brown paper bag. “Would you share it with me?”

  Georgina’s smile beamed, a rush of love surging through her. She shouldn’t allow it to consume her, Paisley didn’t hold anything for her anymore, but Paisley would always take her mind off the pain she felt around leaving. “I’d love to.” She stepped aside, closing the door once Paisley was safely inside. “You set it up on the coffee table and I’ll get what we need.”

  Georgina turned to leave, stopped by a hand on her own.

  “I’m sorry for not accepting dinner,” Paisley said. “Really sorry.”

  “It’s okay.”

  Paisley shook her head. “No, it’s not. I’d like to ask you something once you join me in the living room.”

  Georgina simply smiled, no longer willing to worry about anything Paisley may ask. “Okay.”

  She took what she needed from the kitchen and followed Paisley, sitting down on the floor beside her. The fire warmed Georgina’s back, but she knew it was really the fact that her ex-girlfriend was sitting in her living room.

  “Thanks for bringing dinner.”

  “This place was your favourite.”

  “I haven’t been since I got back,” Georgina said. “Is the food still amazing?”

  “I haven’t been since you left.”

  “Really?” Georgina watched Paisley relax, serving a little of everything between them. “Paisley?”

  “Mm?” Paisley focused on the food.

  “You really haven’t been since I left?”

  Paisley shook her head, licking sweet and sour sauce from her finger as it dripped down the side of the carton.

  “I really ruined everything for you here, didn’t I?” Georgina just about managed with that thought. The idea of making Paisley’s life miserable left a heaviness inside of her. A heaviness that never should have been present. A tear escaped her eye, but Georgina brushed it away before Paisley could notice the sadness now seeping from her.

  “I got by.” Paisley shrugged, handing a plate to Georgina. “Once I knew you wouldn’t be back, things got easier.”

  “And when was that?” Georgina wasn’t sure she wanted to know how long it took Paisley to get over her. In any other world, it would have been swift, but Georgina felt the connection they shared. It was unmistakeable.

  “Around a year after,” Paisley replied, forcing a heap of noodles into her mouth.

  “I’m sorry.”

  Paisley held up her hand. “No. Stop apologising. You’ve explained why you left.”

  “Well, I know, bu—”

  “And now we forget about it. We can’t change it. You’re home and I’m back in the office I should be in…and it’s Christmas.”

  “Your offer.” Georgina cleared her throat, finishing the food in her mouth. “About spending Christmas with you.”

  “What about it?” Paisley took the TV controller from the couch, changing the channel until she came across a film. Georgina could only stare; this was the Paisley she knew and loved. Relaxed and comfortable. Treating this place like her own. This…it was what Georgina craved.

  “Gee?”

  Georgina shook herself from her desires. Her dreams of a future that looked exactly like this. “Sorry, what?”

  “You asked about my offer?”

  “Right, yes.” Georgina pushed her food around her plate. Paisley was going to shut her down, it was inevitable, but she could only express her wish to spend Christmas with Paisley. “Could I take you up on it?”

  “Oh, uh…”

  “Unless you’re spending it with your mum.”

  “I’m not.” Paisley focused on the TV, shovelling more food into her mouth.

  “So, can I spend Christmas with y
ou?”

  Paisley stopped chewing momentarily, side-glancing Georgina. “I guess so.”

  “Don’t think you have to accommodate me,” Georgina started, “but a lot changed for me the first time you came back here. When I wasn’t expecting you. If I’d known I was safe at the time, I would have agreed. Without a second thought, I would have agreed.”

  “Take a breath.” Paisley smirked. “I wasn’t planning to blow you off. I just wondered if here would have been better to spend Christmas.”

  “I’m selling it.”

  “Selling what?” Paisley frowned. “The house?”

  “Yes, the house.”

  “Why? You love this place.” Paisley glanced around. “I love this place.”

  Georgina sighed. “But you’re not here anymore. And I hate being here. It only reminds me of everything I lost.”

  Georgina was being honest. The first night she spent here after she returned, she broke down. The same bed she slept in that night had been the place Paisley confessed her love. The same bed they’d made love in over those six months they were together. If Paisley wasn’t here, Georgina couldn’t be. This home was supposed to be their place. Once Paisley felt comfortable enough in coming out, this was going to be the home they spent their future in. It was ideal. Out of the city, an expansive garden that they’d spent the summer lounging in, high ceilings and original wood flooring, an open fireplace and modern kitchen. It had everything they needed, and the character suited them both. Now, it was nothing more than bricks and mortar.

  “I’m sorry you don’t want to be here anymore.”

  “So…” Georgina chose to refrain from thinking about the past, instead pressing the issue of spending Christmas with Paisley. “If it would be okay with you, I’d like to come to your place for Christmas.”

  “It’s not very big. It’s just an apartment.”

  “Will you be there?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then I’m not interested in the size.” Georgina folded her legs beneath herself, the idea of spending Christmas with Paisley overwhelming but incredibly satisfying. Paisley’s hand fell to her leg, her head suddenly resting on Georgina’s shoulder.