by Tessa Elaine
She finally answers “Yes, how can I help you?”
“Mrs. Johnson it's Lucas Wayne, I was coming by to check on Elena. My sister called me and said Elena was upset.” There's a pause on the other end, then she’s back.
“Lucas dear, I think Elena is asleep.”
“I know Mrs. Johnson but I won't be able to sleep unless I talk to her.” I think she's going to tell me to come back tomorrow, but to my surprise.
“I'll be down in just a minute.” Thank God, I was worried I would have to sleep on the porch swing. I would have, just to make sure she talked to me before she left. When the front door to the Inn opens I step inside. Mrs. Johnson looks a little irritated.
“If she asks you to leave you had best do as the young lady ask. You understand?”
“Yes ma'am” I tell her, and I feel a little bad for lying. I'm not going anywhere until she talks to me. I make my way to her room and knock lightly on the door. No answer. Maybe she's asleep, so I knock a little harder. Still nothing. I put my ear to the door and I can hear water running, like she’s in the shower. I check the door and it's unlocked.
When I step inside her room I see her luggage is packed and waiting by the door. Sarah was right, Elena is heading home to Seattle.
I walk to the bathroom door just to let her know I'm here when I hear sobbing. Is Elena in the shower crying? My heart starts to race, no matter how mad I am about her being engaged I can't stand her being hurt. I open the bathroom door and walk over to the shower, when I pull the curtain to the side my heart shatters. Elena is sitting in the tub, knees pulled to her chest, arms around her legs holding on for dear life, her head hanging between her legs with the water running over her. She’s crying so hard she’s shaking.
She jump's when I pull the curtains the rest of the way back and looks up at me with red swollen eyes. I drop to my knees beside the tub, I can't believe what I'm seeing. I haven't seen Elena this upset since she lost her parents. If that asshole fiancé did this to her I'm going to kick his ass. In all honesty, I'm probably the asshole that caused this.
“Laney, what’s wrong?” I ask starting to freak out a little.
“Just leave Lucas, I don't need you.” I totally deserve that, but I'm not going anywhere. Her lips are blue and her teeth are chattering, even with the water running over her head you can see the steady stream of tears falling down her cheeks. I reach over and wipe the tears away and jump when my hand gets under the water.
“Shit, this water is freezing.” I slowly turn the water to warm, letting her body adjust and get back to her normal temperature. I wonder why she's sitting under this cold water freezing to death. When I finally start to see some color coming back to her and she's not shaking so hard, I turn the water off and wrap her in a towel. Leaning down and lifting her into my arms I hold her close to my chest.
I walk her back to her bed and pull the blankets back, laying her down and covering her up. I squat down and push the hair out of her face to see her better. Tears are still falling down her face and I feel sick seeing her like this. It's taking me back to seven years ago when I held her in the hospital while she cried over the loss of her parents.
“Darlin’, please talk to me.” I'm really starting to worry. She closes her eyes tight, like she's willing me not to be real. When she opens them, she seems a little disappointed.
“Nope still here” I tell her.
“Lucas, just leave please.” she has to know me better than that, well I guess I did leave her today. I won't do that again.
“I'm not going anywhere until you talk to me.” she looks at me and her teeth start to chatter again.
“Shit!” I jump to my feet and walk to the other side of the bed. Her body's still shaking and she's probably having a hard time staying warm. There's no telling how long she was under the water before I found her.
I strip down to my boxers and pull the blankets back to crawl in. When I'm under the covers I pull her to me and wrap myself around her. She's so cold. I'm not trying to be a perv, I know she's naked, I'm just trying to use my body heat to warm her up.
“What are you doing?” She asks me. She tries to scoot away from me, but I hold on to her. She feels so good in my arms, I know this is where she belongs I just wish she saw it that way.
“Just sleep baby, I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere. We can talk in the morning.” She slowly starts to relax and snuggles back into me so I hold her tighter. Her body starts to warm up and my worry eases a little. I will never let her go again, even if I have to fight for the both of us.
She's mine and has been our whole life. I can tell she has fallen asleep when her breathing slows and she has completely relaxed in my arms. I place a kiss on her shoulder and whisper in her ear.
“I love you darlin’.”
I hear her hum, but she doesn't wake. It's a little after eleven and I'm having a hard time falling asleep. I just want to watch her so I don't miss anything. I replay the couple times we have made love and get hard. Maybe that's not a good idea, thinking of being inside her while her naked body is pressed against mine.
So, I start to think of all the fun we use to have as kids. Hanging by the lake camping, fishing, and swimming. It used to make my day showing up at the lake and seeing Elena in a swimsuit and cutoff jeans. The girl looked good in everything but there's something about a swimsuit, jean short, and cowboy boots. It would get me every time.
It was almost always just the four of us, me, Elena, Sarah, and Wyatt. We were inseparable, until she left. Wyatt went off and joined the army and Sarah started college. The first year of college Sarah kept her distance, I assumed she was mad I took off when Elena left. I was only gone a couple of weeks, but Sarah needed me. My best friend called and let me have it. I wasn't the only one to lose someone, so I stopped what I was doing and came home.
It's four in the morning and I finally start to fall asleep. I will tell her how much I love her when she wakes up, and try to convince her to stay.
The sun is shining through the window, I'm not even sure what time it is. I reach over to check on Elena and the bed is empty, I sit up and look around. The bathroom door is closed she's probably getting ready for the day. When I lay back down and stretch out across the bed I feel her side is cold, she must have gotten up early. I stand and make my way to the bathroom, but I don't hear anything.
I open the door “Elena?” I call out “Darlin’?” she's not in there. Maybe she's down stairs getting some coffee. I walk back over to my clothes and start getting dressed. I look around the room once more, I see her luggage isn't by the door anymore and I panic.
“Shit!” I dress faster and run down the stairs. I have to find her and stop her from leaving. When I make it to the bottom, Mrs. Johnson is there waiting for me. She shakes her head before I say anything.
“I'm sorry Lucas, she left two hours ago. She wanted me to give you this.” Mrs. Johnson hands me a letter with my name on it. I take it, but I don't open it, I'm not ready for this to be over. I walk back to my truck in a daze. Can she really be gone, just like that? Leaving only a note?
When I get back to my truck it's right where I left it, at Mac's bar. I put the letter on the dash and drive home, might as well get ready for work. After I've readied for the day I head to the office. I try to lose myself in the work, but that's not happening. I had the bright idea to bring the letter into the office with me, like it might disappear too. I just keep looking at it trying to convince myself to open it. Who am I kidding, I know what's in the letter. It's probably a confession and an apology. I make it through most of the day with the small distraction.
It's hard not to think about her and wonder if she made it home safe. I think about calling her and seeing how she is, but that's just an excuse to talk to her, to hear her voice. She's only been gone a little over eight hours and I already feel like I've lost a piece of myself. It's happening all over again, I thought I could stop history from repeating itself, I was wrong. She left me with a little more
this time, I get a letter. Maybe I should just read it, it's like ripping a Band-Aid off, you just have to get it over with.
I open the envelope and pull out the piece of paper, a photo falls out onto my desk. I pick it up and see it’s a picture of the four of us at the lake. Elena and Sarah are in the middle with Wyatt and I on each side of them. I'm standing next to Elena with my arm around her. I have the biggest smile on my face and Elena is looking at me like I hung the moon and the stars. I can see it in her face, in her eyes, she loved me then as much as I loved her.
I turn the picture over and read the back, it's the month and the year with all of our names and below that it says 'Family'. My chest hurts. The date is two months before I asked her out. I remember that day perfectly, it took everything I had not to kiss her that day. I wanted to take her out on her birthday, make it special. After looking at the photo for a while I put it down and start to read.
Dear Lucas,
I need you to know the truth, Dorian was my boyfriend. Emphases on the was, almost a month ago he asked me to marry him and I said no. I hadn't heard from him or seen him other than a voicemail he left Saturday since I turn down his proposal. My roommate said he wasn't taking the rejection well and was heading to Eureka to convince me we belong together.
Dumb ass, I left her there with that crazy asshole. No wonder she left, God I really fucked up. I continue to read.
I sent him back to Seattle. I never loved Dorian and I don't think I ever could. I have only ever loved one man. That's why I left you the one thing I took with me when I left seven years ago. Every time I was at my worst I would look at this picture and it made me smile. That photo holds everything I had left that I loved. I left then because it was too hard to stay and be happy, I felt like I was betraying them in some way. Just moving on while they were gone.
So, I moved and submerged myself in my grief. I want you to know I haven't smiled as much as I did with you this week in a long time. Being with you reminded me of that, even if it was only a few days. Please tell Sarah I love her and she will always be the sister I never had. Tell Wyatt he is the strongest person I know and I am so proud of him. When things come to pass for him and he finally goes after the one thing he loves the most, promise me you won't stand in his way. He deserves to be happy and there is only one person in this world that can do that.
Please tell your mom and dad I love them dearly and they will forever be my second parents. They are dear to my heart. Your father gave me some great advice and I'm going to follow it. As for you my sweet Lucas, know that you will forever hold my heart. I can never love anyone the way I love you. I hope this isn't goodbye forever, but it was time for me to go home. I realized I'm not the same girl I used to be and I don't belong in Eureka anymore.
The look on your face told me everything.
We no longer know each other and nothing can be built without trust. Please don't feel bad about all of this, this is my fault for staying gone so long. For now, this is goodbye.
Love always,
Your Laney
I read her letter over and over. I'm not a crier, there are only a few times in my life I have cried. One when Elena lost her parents, two when I thought I was going to lose my best friend, and three when my dad had his heart attack, but her letter has the tears pulling in my eyes. I start to read it a fourth time when my office door goes flying open. I look up and see my sister Sarah standing there, she looks pissed. This should be good.
“Sarah, what do you want? I'm not in the mood.” That was a bad idea, if it's even possible I pissed her off more.
“Lucas, I have had it up to here with your selfishness.” She holds her hand above her head. Before she gets to go on my office door flies open again, this time it's Wyatt and looks a little out of breath.
“Shit!” He says when he sees Sarah. “Sorry man, I tried to get here first to give you a heads up.” My sister narrows her eyes at him and if looks could kill he would be toast.
“Oh, I will get to you in a minuet Wyatt Cruz.” Wyatt flinches and sits in the chair. My sister rounds my desk and starts to lay into me poking me in the chest.
“You let her leave. How could you? This is all your fault. Men are so stupid, they can never see what's right in front of them.” Wyatt was looking at his hands but his head snaps up at what Sarah says. Does that mean something to him or is he just upset for me? About the time I look back at Sarah, she snatches Elena's letter out of my hand.
“Sarah, that's not for you.” I tell her.
“Is this from Elena?” She asks.
“Sarah,” I say again, but she holds up a hand and stops me. She reads the letter out loud and I can only cover my face and lean back in my chair. Hearing Elena's words out loud makes it hurt worse and the reality of her being gone more real. When she gets to the goodbyes for everyone she starts to cry. Wyatt jumps up and rushes to her, placing his hand on her back for support. I narrow my eyes at him but he doesn't notice, Sarah is at Elena's goodbye to Wyatt.
Wyatt sucks in a breath and takes a step back. He is visibly shaken by Elena's words. Sarah turns to look at him and something passes between them. I'm not sure what it is, but Wyatt is out that door so fast I can't even process what happened. Sarah finishes the letter and sits in the chair just staring at it.
“She's still in love with you.” She whispers.
“If she still loved me she would have never left.” I tell her, but in the back of my mind I hope she's right. “What was wrong with Wyatt?” I ask trying to change the subject.
“I'm sure Elena's words just got to him.” Yeah, I'm sure that's what it was.
“Lucas, what are you going to do? Are you just going to let her go?”
“What choice do I have?” I ask her.
“You can fight for her, convince her to come home. Tell her how you feel.” I don't think that will work.
“Sarah, she's gone. She left for Seattle this morning.”
“So, you get your butt in that truck and you go after her, you get down on your knees and beg for forgiveness. Elena is the best thing in your life, next to me.” She says with a smile and the corner of my lip curves and I'm trying to fight the smile taking my face. Maybe Sarah's right, but don't tell her I said that.
“I will think on it and make a decision this weekend.”
“Don't be scared, go after what you want.” I'm not scared of anything, okay maybe of Elena crushing my heart. I nod at Sarah agreeing with her to get her out of my office.
“I will let you know,” I tell her on her way out. I have a lot to think about and a trip to Seattle to plan. I'm going to need my mom and dad's help, I have no clue where she lives.
Chapter 16
Elena
It's been four days since I left Eureka and I still can't get my shit together. I have hardly left my room, when I do it's for food and the bathroom that's about it. I'm supposed to go back to work tomorrow, but I really don't want to go. Leaving Eureka was harder the second time and waking up in Lucas arms didn't help. My resolve to leave town almost crumbled at the sight of him in my bed, until I remembered everything that had happened. I grabbed my bags snuck down the stairs and checked out.
I couldn't just leave him with nothing though, so I left him with the one thing I took from home and a letter I wrote before I walked to my car. I asked Mrs. Johnson not to wake him and to give him the letter when he came down. She said she would and hugged me goodbye. At first, I thought it would be easy to put this small town behind me, but the minute I crossed the town line I crumbled.
Tears started to fall down my face and I didn't even try to stop them. I could only think of how much I will miss the ranch, Sarah and Wyatt, but most of all I was going to miss Lucas. I thought the last few days had been eye opening, I could see a future with Lucas. I could almost see myself moving back to Eureka Montana.
All that had changed with one lie. He didn't even give me the benefit of the doubt. I can't say I blame him, but I thought the moments we shared meant someth
ing.
On the way home I had four panic attacks, yes four. I had to pull over and talk myself out of every one of them. It was like my body was rejecting my decision to leave. Needless to say, what was supposed to be an eight-hour trip turned into a twelve-hour trip. I was so exhausted from the drive I didn't say a word when I walk through the apartment door. I just went straight to my room and collapsed.
When I didn't come out at all on Friday my door was beat down by my obnoxious roommate and best friend. She would not take 'I'm sick' for an answer. So, I had to spill my guts. I cried as I told her everything about my week in Eureka. She is the most amazing person in the world, she bought me beer and lots of Ben and Jerry's. Those are two men I can count on not to break my heart.
Saturday rolled around and I still couldn't make myself get up. I felt miserable. When Aubrey got home she declared I could be love sick and crushed, but I had to have a shower. When I finally made myself wash the three-day stench off me I felt a little better.
She met me in my room with chicken alfredo, she knows it's my favorite. We just lay on my bed eating and binge-watching episodes of Supernatural. If there was one thing I thought could get me out of this funk, I thought for sure it would be Sam and Dean, but I still feel lost. Nothing was helping.
By Sunday I had to get things ready for work. Going back to work was not going to be easy, I wasn't sure if I could stay focused. I spent all day doing laundry and unpacking, I was too lazy to do it when I got home. When everything is back in order I feel a little of the chaos leave. Once I get back in my routine and things get back to normal I'm sure I will be fine.
I turned my phone off when I left and haven't turned it on since I got home. I only turned it off because I couldn't take the phone calls, I'm sure my voicemail is full.
When my phone is finally back on I'm a little disappointed. Ten missed calls and two voice mails. Five from Aubrey, three from my aunt, and two missed calls from Mr. Breck. The voice mails are from my aunt, she's a little upset I haven't answered my phone. I feel terrible so I call her to let her know everything is okay. After a hundred apologizes and explaining my decision not to sell the ranch to Mr. Breck. We hang up but not before she talks me into dinner at her house on Friday.
