Love Lasts Forever

by Dominiqua Douglas

  No, it’s already here.

  He kept his thoughts to himself and feigned interest throughout the next couple of acts. Once his attention diverted from her, her enthusiasm returned, totally captivating him with its exuberance. He heard her breath catch several times and watched as she clenched her hands in her lap.

  Living with a woman who drove him crazy with desire, but refused to share his bed could have made him certifiable. Somehow, he toughed it out. She did not want to have sex so he had to respect it. He even understood it, sort of. Adventure and abnormal circumstances brought them together. They needed stability, and if she believed abstinence would give them that, he had no argument to challenge it.

  With a brand new birth certificate and impeccable school records, Cal helped her enroll at his university and even obtain a scholarship. She spent far more of her time with his brother than Thor liked. His father patiently listened to his rants of frustration, then reminded him that she was going through a big adjustment and to take it slowly, give her time.

  Thor gave her time all right, but he was furious as hell that she gave most of hers to Cal.

  The auditorium lights blinked twice before blaring to life and signaling intermission. He rubbed his eyes to lessen the sting of the sudden glare. Willow lightly touched his thigh.

  “Do you have a headache?”

  “No, I’m fine.” He lowered his hand to his lap and glanced around the emptying room. A concession stand waited in the lobby. A cold soft drink promised to cure his dry throat. “Let’s stretch our legs. We can get a drink or something.”

  “I’m not thirsty but I’ll join you.”

  He took her elbow. To his relief she didn’t move away. As they stepped into the aisle and headed to the lobby, his hand dropped to her waist. A thousand warnings sounded inside his head. He listened and resisted the urge to pull her closer to his side. Her body strained toward his, contradicting her request for less physical contact, but Thor was a man of his word. When their relationship became physical again, it wouldn’t be because he seduced her.

  The theater-goers crowded the counter. Thor led them to the end of the line behind three young black women. Their conversation sparked with a lively discussion about the play. He chuckled softly at one comment regarding the costumes. Three heads turned and three pairs of eyes locked on him. Then they looked past him and broke into smiles.

  “Willow!”

  “Why didn’t you tell us you were coming tonight?”

  “What do you think of the play?”

  Their obvious familiarity stunned him. Willow’s responding peal of joy surprised him even more. It never occurred to him that she’d formed outside friendships so quickly.

  “Hello, girls,” she said, moving ahead of him to join the trio. “I didn’t know. The tickets were a surprise. The play is astounding. I love every minute of it.”

  One of the women glanced from Willow to Thor. She gave Willow a questioning look. “Who surprised you with the tickets?”

  “Blessed be!” Willow pressed a hand to her mouth. “I apologize for not making the proper introductions. This is Thor Magnusen. He surprised me with the tickets. He and Professor Magnusen are brothers. Thor, these are my friends: Dionna Thompson, Kendra McAdams, and Dawn Jensen. We’re in the same study group for English Literature.”

  “Oh, the study group,” he murmured. The women eyed him with open curiosity and a small hint of suspicion. He forced a smile and extended his hand. Each one took his hand in a firm grip. “Nice to meet you, ladies.”

  “The same here,” Kendra, the shorter of the two women, said, “It’s nice to finally put a face with a name.”

  He would have liked to respond in kind, but he didn’t want to lie. Willow never mentioned the young women. Yet as they stood together and spoke with easy openness, he knew she valued their friendship. He wondered why she never told him about her friends and what other secrets she concealed.

  “Malcolm is still working on your Motown compilation cassette,” Dionna said. “He’s the DJ for Jordan’s party this weekend. Otherwise, he would have been here tonight.”

  “I forgot about Jordan’s party. Was it to celebrate his birthday?”

  Thor frowned. “Are Malcolm and Jordan more study buddies?”

  The tightening of Willow’s mouth conveyed she heard the note of irritation in his tone. “Yes, they are a part of our group.”

  He nodded once. An angry retort came to mind, but he held his tongue. It was pointless to voice his frustration. The young women resumed their conversation. He listened to part of it. Willow’s responses captured his attention more than anything else.

  The weeks following the mall shopping spree changed them. They lost the easy companionship that bound them in 1860. Adjusting to the twentieth century took a good deal of her time. At first, he envisioned making the adjustments with her. Somehow, it didn’t happen that way. He hoped a night at the theater would resurrect the bonds. Watching her respond to strangers as if they were lifelong friends burned him and made him question his part in her life.

  He took too much for granted, believing he could give her everything she needed. Watching her connect with others who shared the same beautiful skin as hers revealed how misguided his beliefs were.

  The overhead lights blinked. Willow’s friends rushed to the restroom, and they returned to their seats. Tension filled the silence. He searched for a solution but found none. His confidence stood on shaky ground. Losing her was not an option.

  But I can’t force her to stay.

  “You didn’t quench your thirst,” she said. “There may be time. The auditorium is still lit.”

  “I’m fine,” he replied, surprised that she remembered. “According to the program, we have another intermission.”

  “Thor!”

  A heavy hand closed over his shoulder. He recognized his former coach’s voice immediately. Seven years had passed since he followed Bart Michaels’s guidance. Of all the places to run into his college football coach! He rose and shook the other man’s hand in a hearty shake.

  “Coach Michaels, how are you?”

  “Surprised to see you here. Did you lose a bet with Cal?”

  “No, I’m here with my gir—my friend, Willow Elkridge. She’s a student here and loves Shakespeare.” Thor reached for her hand. “Willow, this is Bart Michaels. He was my coach at Georgia Southern University. What are you doing here?”

  “Nice to meet you.” Bart gave Willow a polite smile. “Would you believe my daughter goes to Emory and is in the play?” Bart laughed softly. “She wouldn’t hear of being an Eagle, but at least she’s still in Georgia. I saw the game. Sorry about what happened. I called several times but never got through. What are you doing now?”

  Thor stiffened. God, how I hate that question. He shrugged. “I’m reviewing my options.”

  “Yeah,” Bart said, all-knowing, “right. Well, I’m the head of the Athletics Department at University of Georgia and in need of an assistant football coach. Interested?”

  “Are you offering me a job?” The swift offer caught him off guard.

  “Yes. What do you think about that?”

  Willow’s fingers tightened around Thor’s hand. She remained silent during the entire exchange, but he strongly felt her interest. Months ago, he would have balked at the idea, but the expression on her face changed his mind. Excitement burned in her olive black eyes. Somewhere deep inside, she still cared. Hope flared to life inside him. Refusal died a lonely death on the tip of his tongue.

  “I’ve never coached before.”

  “I wouldn’t offer the job if I didn’t believe in you. Thor, you were one of the best quarterbacks I ever coached. Why the Falcons used you as backup never made a lick of sense.”

  “But that tackle—”

  “—could have happened to anybody,” Bart said. “Your whole life can’t be summed in one moment. Being coached by someone who made it to the NFL would benefit the kids. I think you’d benefit, too. Besides,
what else do you have to do?”

  Put that way, Thor’s arguments crashed and burned. “I’ll give it a try.”

  “Here’s my card with my home and office numbers. Call me and we’ll set up a time for you to come in.” Bart’s smile was wide and sincere. “I’ll see you soon. Enjoy the play.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Gravel sputtered in the driveway and the familiar beat of Jim Croce filled the quiet. Thor rose from his favorite recliner and watched from the door. Agony tore through him. Seeing Willow chat with Cal stung his pride. In addition to her friends, his brother had replaced him in her life.

  She climbed from the Bronco, rear first. His body hardened. A pair of stonewashed jeans clung to her curvaceous backside. Denim never looked so good.

  Have mercy.

  She breezed past him with a mumbled greeting. The airy scent of honeysuckles assailed his nostrils. Lord, she smells good, too.

  Cal waved at him then ripped out the driveway. Thor slammed and locked the door. The clang of pots and pans greeted him as he joined her in the kitchen.

  “How was your day?” He shoved his hands in pockets and leaned in the doorway. A hint of accusation and envy put an underlying steely edge to his tone. “You’re home late. Did you have a test?”

  “Would you like chicken or steak tonight? Baked potato or rice?”

  “You don’t have to cook. Let’s just order a pizza.”

  Her busy movements stopped in mid-air. She whipped around, a lovely smile on her face. “Pizza? With the works? Pepperoni, sausage and anchovies?”

  “Yeah, even with anchovies.” Her smile worked to ease his doubts. He mustered a smile. “Wanna make the call?”

  She nodded. After she stuffed the cookware into cabinets, she made a beeline for the kitchen telephone. The number for the local pizza delivery was taped to the fridge. She turned away from him as she dialed the number and placed their order. When she was done, she grabbed the dinnerware from the cupboard and headed toward the table.

  Thor intercepted as she came in range. He took the plates from her and plopped them on the table. “We can do that fancy stuff later. You were telling me why you were late.”

  Willow sidestepped him and leaned against the counter. Her arms folded across her chest. The toe of her shoe traced the outline of the tile, and she looked more at the floor than at him. “I took a test at student health. Cal waited around for me.”

  “That was nice of him. What kind of test?”

  “My monthly curse hasn’t arrived, so I went to a doctor to find out why.”

  “A monthly curse?” Thor sputtered. “What is that?”

  Her eyes rounded like saucers behind her glasses. An expression of pure mortification crossed her features. “You know!”

  Realization dawned. “Are you talking about your period? Menstruation?” Thor’s heart raced with anticipation. “It didn’t come? What did the doctor say? Are you pregnant?”

  “I don’t know. She examined me. She said when she knows she’ll call.”

  “Did you tell Cal?”

  “Yes. He waited for me while she gave me the test.”

  “You told Cal and not me?” he asked through gritted teeth. “I should have been with you, Willow. Not Cal.”

  “You were busy.” She spun on her heel and rushed out of the kitchen before Thor could react. Seconds later, a door slammed on the floor above.

  * * *

  “Blessed be!”

  Willow flung herself across the bed. The springs of the mattress creaked once in protest, but quickly sprung back into place to accommodate her. Tears of anger stung her eyes. Her fists pummeled the bed in frustration.

  What was wrong with her? They found letters from Eva, informing them that a horse threw and killed Warren Eugene Davis and freed Olivia of his threats. Life was a near dream. She was going to college, learning new things, and making friends. Everything was so close to perfect that she could cry.

  Everything except her relationship with Thor.

  She rolled onto her back and groaned. The image of his hurt face flashed before her eyes. He had every right to be upset. Her palms flattened against her abdomen. If she was carrying Thor’s child, he should have been told first, but she couldn’t bring herself to mention it.

  What happened to them? They talked so freely in the beginning. Making love with him, as he phrased it, was the closest thing to Heaven she ever experienced. His touch was so tender and exhilarating. Shivers darted up her spine just thinking about it, and her lower belly tingled. She shifted onto her side and raised her knees to her chest.

  The direction of her thoughts was sinful, yet she was hard pressed to stop it. She grabbed a pillow, holding it to her chest the way she longed to hold Thor.

  That was not to be.

  He probably regards me as a hypocrite, she sadly thought. In her world, social values were stricter, yet, she gave herself to him without one word of protest. She never told him why because at the time she did not know the reasons herself. A few weeks of studying psychology helped her understand.

  Sharing her body with him made up for the possibility of losing him later. For a short break in time, they could be together freely without censure or concern for right or wrong. The era’s unfriendliness toward interracial relationships bound them together in a whirlwind of emotion that transcended everything else. When she gave herself to Thor, Willow felt true freedom for the first time in her life, and it was breathtaking.

  Returning with him to his world with its plethora of liberation seemed to degrade the passionate connection.

  “Liar,” she muttered. That wasn’t the whole truth. Be honest, her mind badgered. She refused to share her body with Thor again out of fear. What if he only wanted her because of the anomaly that brought them together?

  From a large assortment of women’s circulars, she learned that the exotic captivated men. What could be more exotic than a woman of another race from an antiquated period?

  Her eyes filled with tears. She swallowed the sob that lodged in her throat. Surely, she could be accused of the same. Thor was handsome, kind, and gentle. He flirted with her outrageously, and she soaked up his attention like the sponge he kept on the kitchen sink consumed water. It wouldn’t be fair of her not to recognize the similarities in their situation. One thing made all the difference. She loved Thor while he just felt responsible.

  The doorbell chimed downstairs. Pizza. The argument diminished her appetite, and the thought of tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, black olives, and anchovies turned her stomach. She didn’t want the food anymore. Besides, the large pie wouldn’t go to waste. Thor could devour the thing without missing a beat, and she doubted if he would miss her company.

  She rose from the bed and crossed the room to her stereo. The radio was set to her favorite easy-listening station. Having music at her fingertips was a true blessing.

  The Patti Austin and James Ingram duet filled the room as she gathered her textbooks. Her melancholy faded as the music relaxed her. Then suddenly, loud voices roared from downstairs. A crash followed. The books fell from her hands as she raced from her room to see what happened and to make sure Thor was unharmed.

  * * *

  Thor’s chest heaved with every breath he took, and his shoulder throbbed. His right hook connected with Cal’s jaw with such force that it reawakened his old injury. Surprise by his actions, he spun away from Cal’s accusing stare and rubbed his shoulder.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?” The sound of movement mingled with his words and Thor guessed Cal pushed himself off the wall. “I told you there’s nothing going on! We’re just friends. You need to listen!”

  “Seeing is believing.”

  “What the hell! Seeing?” Cal’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Just what the hell did you see?”

  “She’s with you a lot more than she’s with me.”

  Cal grabbed Thor’s arm and whipped him around. “That seems to be your choice, brother. From now on, you can take her
to class and you can pick her up. I did it because I wanted to help, but if you don’t appreciate it, then by God, you can do it yourself.”

  Thor wrenched his arm free of his brother’s grasp. Resentment blazed a trail of fury through him. His lips parted, an insult on the tip of his tongue, but the rebuttal remained silent. He closed his mouth and glared angrily at Cal.

  “What?” Cal demanded. “You have nothing to say?” Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and he pressed his fingers against the wound. “Pop would be disappointed with both of us if we don’t settle this thing right now. Hell, I wouldn’t be too thrilled either. I care about Willow. She’s a living, breathing history lesson, and she’s not shy about answering my questions. More than that, she’s nice and easy to get along with. But that doesn’t mean I want her.”

  “Right.”

  “There’s a word that’s coming to mind right now, but I promised someone I wouldn’t use it.” Cal snorted. “You’re taking the Magnusen trait of stubbornness to another level.”

  “You took her to student health.”

  “Yeah, because she asked me.”

  “Why did she ask you instead of me?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe it’s because she’s not sure if you really care about her. I told you before you brought her here. A woman needs more than a roof over her head and food on her table.”

  “I suppose she told you what she needs,” Thor sneered. “I suppose you fulfilled those needs, too.”

  “There’s no getting through that thick skull. How do you feel about her? From the less than brotherly greeting I received for dropping off her notebook, I would imagine you have it bad.”

  Thor swallowed hard. Leave it to Cal to voice aloud what Thor hadn’t been able to admit to himself. He was so in love with Willow that making a fool out of himself became the norm. “Yeah, it’s bad and that ain’t good.”

  The doorbell rang again and Thor went to answer it. While he and the deliveryman exchanged money and a cardboard box of pizza, he heard Cal call out.