“All right Casanova, take me to get some food. I’m starving.”
He takes me to Famous Amos for breakfast. I haven’t eaten here in years. It looks exactly like I remember it, nothing has changed a bit.
“My dad used to take me here every Sunday morning. We would order the biggest stack of pancakes you could imagine and see who could finish all of their food first. He would always beat me, every single time. He used to say that once I got older and bigger than him, I would finally be able to win.” He smiles sadly up at the restaurant, like he’s lost in thought. I want to take the sadness away so I say the first thing that pops into my head.
“I bet I can eat more pancakes than you.” I smile coyly at him. Jessie tells me all the time that I eat like a man.
He turns his attention to me and his smile stretches a mile wide. There it is. “A tiny thing like you, I bet you can’t even eat four pancakes. I would dominate you,” he scoffs.
I narrow my eyes at him. “What, are you scared of losing to a girl, Mr. Alexander?”
He looks at me for a long moment, like he’s lost in thought. “Ok, game on, pretty girl.”
We walk inside the restaurant and all the ladies working wave at Adam and tell him hello like they are old friends. “I still come here every Sunday morning for breakfast; I’ve been coming alone since my dad passed away. I’ve never brought anyone with me before though.” He leans over and kissed my forehead, then gently grabs my hand and pulls me over to a booth towards the back. It’s already set up with water, juice, and coffee. Fresh flowers are in a vase in the center of the table.
We aren’t even sitting down for thirty seconds before an older woman in her mid-sixty’s comes over and gives Adam a huge hug.
“Hi, Mrs. Annabelle. How’s my favorite girl doing today?”
“I’m as busy as a stumped-tied cow at fly time.” Mrs. Annabelle looks over at me and raises her eyebrows in surprise. “Well I do declare, Adam who’s this pretty little thang you have with you today? In all these years you’ve been coming in here to see me, I ain’t never seen you with a girl.”
Huh, a stumped-tied cow at fly time? What the hell does that even mean? She winks at me before turning her attention back to Adam.
“Do you want your usual, honey?”
Adam softly laughs before answering her. I’m sure the confused look on my face is comical to him. “I do want my usual, but Abigail and I have a little competition going on. We are going to see who can eat the most pancakes, so keep em coming until one of us pukes.” He looks over at me and smirks, “You’re so going down.”
“Not in a million years honey.” I say in a thick southern accent and bat my eye lashes at him.
Annabelle brings out our pancakes and sets them before us. They smell instantly makes my mouth water and I can’t wait to dig in. “You two let me know when you’re ready for the next batch.” Annabelle leans over and whispers in my ear, “For the record, I think you can beat him.” She winks at me and heads over to check on another table.
“Bring it on, baby,” he smugly says. We start to devour our pancakes, and by the time my third plate arrives I am starting to feel full.
I lay my head down on the table and groan loudly. “I don’t think I can eat another bite.”
Adam is mirroring my actions. “Ugh, me either. We ate 13 pancakes. I physically can’t eat another bite.” He pulls his head up and looks at me. “Damn, you ate just as much as I did. Where do you put all that food?”
“Jessie has always said that I can eat like a man.” I pick up my fork and eat two more bites of pancakes, just so I can win the bet. “Looks like I beat you.” I raise my eyebrows and look down at my now empty plate. “But that’s the most pancakes I have ever eaten at one time. I think I need a nap,” I grumble out.
“No nap for you. I have plans for you later.” His eyes grow dark and it causes me to squirm in my seat. Oh fucking my. “I can’t believe you out-ate me. I want a rematch next week.”
“Hey, anytime you want to lose, you just let me know.”
We pay the bill and say our goodbyes to Annabelle and the other waitresses. They all seem genuinely happy to see me and Adam together, and I promise them that I will be back next week.
“Thank you for breakfast and for letting me kick your ass,” I sweetly say.
I lean up on my tiptoes and kiss his check. He suddenly pulls me in close to his body and he keeps his eyes locked on mine. His stare is intense and it causes my heartbeat to pick up in my chest. Standing here staring up into Adam’s face, I notice he has a tiny scar on his chin. For a fleeting moment, I wonder how he got it. I find myself wanting to know everything about this beautiful boy. His childhood, stories about his mother and father, his favorites food, anything I can. I lean forward and plant a soft kiss on his chin. I move my lips to his neck, causing him to take a sharp intake of breath, then up to his left cheek. I pull back and look into his eyes, those powder blue eyes that first captivated me when we crashed together in the hallway, and I see nothing but adoration. I reach my hand up and caress his cheek with my hand, and he leans his head into my hand and closes his eyes. As his eyes are closed, I slowly lean forward and cover his mouth with mine. His lips are so soft and warm, and they mold together with mine perfectly.
He slowly pulls away from me and rest his head on my forehead. “How is it possible to feel so strongly about someone you just met not that long ago?”
“I don’t know, but I find myself asking this same question all the time. What I feel for you scares me. Good things never happen to me, Adam. I’m scared that you are going to somehow be taken away from me. Just like my father was taken away from my mother. ”
I rest my head on his shoulder and cling to him tightly. I have never believed in soul mates, but standing here in this moment while Adam holds me, I feel like I have found the missing puzzle piece to my heart. Until you meet that other half of your soul, you just can’t understand why nothing else has ever worked out in your past. It’s like he has taken this lifeless girl and breathed life into her.
“Abigail, look at me.” I slowly lift my head up and look at him. “Nothing, will ever take me away from you. You are stuck with me, whether you want to be or not. I’m not going anywhere. Please believe that.” He leans down and kisses my forehead. Grabbing my hand, he walks us towards the car. “Come on, let’s go for a drive.”
“Can you tell me where we are going?” I am curious where he so badly wants to take me.
“Nope. You will just have to wait and see; it’s a surprise.” He is grinning broadly at me and I’m sure my face mirrors his. I love surprises and can’t wait to see where we are going.
After about an hour of driving, Adam turns down a deserted dirt road. I glance out of my window and I see nothing but trees and dirt. “This isn’t the part where you kill me and dump me in the woods where no one can ever find my body, is it?” I teasingly say.
He gives me an ‘are you serious’ face and rolls his eyes. “You’re too much fun. I think I’ll keep you around for a while.” He winks at me and grabs my hand, kissing my knuckle.
We go around the corner and I inhale a sharp intake of breath. In the distance I see a small pond surrounded by what looks to be hundreds of oak trees. A large weeping willow sits off in the distance and a small wooden swing hangs from her branches. Wildflowers of all colors are softly swaying in the light breeze. A small dock leading up to a tiny cottage sits off to the far left of the pond. It’s absolutely beautiful here.
“Is this your house?” I turn to look at him waiting for his reply.
“It’s my mom’s. My dad had it built for her, and we used to come here almost every weekend. I come here sometimes to think, but mostly to write music. It’s very peaceful. My mom won’t come here anymore though; she says it’s too painful for her. But one day I plan to live here.”
I can see why he would want to live here. It’s like its own little safe haven, tucked back far away from the world.
“Th
e sun sets over there behind that weeping willow, it’s pretty amazing.”
“I can imagine it is. I’d like to see it.”
“I planned on hanging out here today, so we will get to see it later.”
He walks around to the trunk of his car and pulls out his guitar and two blankets. He nods his head towards the willow and I follow in his footsteps. Once we get to the tree, he lays out the blanket and sits down, stretching his legs out in front of him. He holds out his hand to me, inviting me to sit down.
“Come here, you.”
I sit down beside him and rest my head on his chest. I can hear the steady beat of his heart, beating softly against my cheek. I deeply inhale his scent; it smells of Adam and the outdoors, my new favorite smell.
We snuggle up on the blanket, and stare up at the sky. We lay on the blanket for hours naming out what we think each cloud is shaped like, talking about our childhood memories, and getting to know one another. I tell him all about Jessie, and why she is so important to me. We talk about my mom and the good times she and I used to have when I was younger. He tells me stories about his father, his favorite bands, and funny stories about him and Max from when they were younger. The conversation flows smoothly and effortlessly, we never have a moment of awkward silence.
“Can you play your guitar for me, please? I love listening to you play.”
“Absolutely. Anything for my girl.”
He picks up his guitar and starts strumming a soft hypnotic melody. He closes his eyes and gets lost in the music. He’s beautiful to watch when he’s like this. So vulnerable, so perfect. I lean back on the blanket, and put my hands behind my head, a small smile playing on my lips. I stare up at Adam and watch him do what he is so good at. In this moment, I have never felt more content in my entire life. I want to freeze this moment in time. He slowly stops playing for a moment and whispers in my ear.
“I wrote you a song, can I play it for you?”
The butterflies in my stomach that I am now growing used to start swarming around. The only person who has ever written me a song before was my dad. I feel incredibly lucky right now that I have two people who cared enough about me to write music for me.
“You wrote me a song? Of course I want to hear it.”
I am smiling from ear to ear. I’m pretty sure my face is about to split in two, but I just don’t care. Adam leans over and softly plants a swift kiss on my lips.
“You are so beautiful, Abigail.”
His face suddenly becomes serious, and he softly runs his knuckles down my cheek before picking his guitar back up. He opens his mouth, and the voice that I have grown to love spills from his lips.
From the moment she stepped into my life
I knew she would one day own my soul
She looked up at me with those hazel eyes
And I saw years of sadness and hurt flash by
I want to kiss away the hurt she feels
And wrap her in my arms
Never let the world tear her down
She’s mine for all eternity
If she only knew how my heart cries for her
How my heart skips a beat when she smiles at me
How the world stops moving and time stands still
How I love her more than anything
Does she think I’m crazy for moving so fast?
Does she feel the same way too?
Does she want me the way that I want her?
Oh, Abigail I hope you do
If she only knew how my heart cries for her
How my heart skips a beat when she smiles at me
How the world stops moving and time stands still
How I love her more than anything
Abigail, I love you more than anything
Happy tears are silently pouring down my cheeks. He loves me? What did I do in life to deserve someone like him? I don’t know, but I’m not letting him go. This is the kind of love you fight for, and I’m prepared to fight with everything I have in me. I sit there staring at him, and the longer I stare, the wearier he grows. I am willing myself to move, but my body isn’t cooperating. I snap myself out of the trance he put me in and climb into his lap.
“Oh Adam, I love you too. I love you so much.”
He leans back and looks at me intently, a wistful smile playing on his lips. He stares at me for a few moments longer before leaning back down to claim my mouth. This kiss is different than any kiss we have shared in the past. It’s filled with love, and passion, and understanding. It’s a beautiful feeling when you find that one person in life who completely understands you.
“I want you.” He whispers out, “Right here, right now.”
He gently lays my body down on the blanket and props himself up on his elbows, caging my body in by his arms. I feel safe and protected in his embrace.
“Yes.”
I reach up and caress his check with my hand. He leans his face into the palm of my hand and closes his eyes.
“I want you too. So badly.”
He leans his head down and kisses me on the sensitive spot behind me ear. The feel of his lips on me sends chills up and down my body. I grip the back of his neck and pull him closer to me. I feel like I can’t get him close enough. I run my fingers up the length of his back, loving the way his muscles flex beneath my hands. He bites the lobe of my ear, causing me to dig my fingers into his back, and my hips involuntarily rise up to meet his. He continues to kiss farther down my neck until he reaches the tops of my breasts. A soft moan escapes from my lips.
“God, baby. How is it possible to want someone so much?”
“Please Adam, love me. I need you too,” I whisper out.
“I’ll spend forever loving you, Abigail McCarthy.”
I think my heart just completely melted into a puddle of mush at those few words. I pull at his shirt, and he leans forward and helps me take it off. My eyes fall to the tattoo at his side and a find myself staring at the words trying to figure out what they say. I reach out to run my finger over his tattoo and as I get closer I realize what it is he has tattooed on his side. I would know those lyrics anywhere.
“Abigail, are you OK?” He softly says.
I slowly raise my eyes up to meet his, and stare up at his through my lashes. “I love that song.” I reach out and caress his side, and he stretches out to give me easier access.
“What song?” He has a confused look on his face, like he’s not quite sure what I am talking about.
I take a deep breath and then I start to hum the melody of the song he has tattooed on his side. It’s the song his dad was singing the night he saved my life. It’s the song I sing whenever I’m scared, or sad. It’s the song that calms me.
He abruptly sits up and gets on his knees before me. “How do you know that song, Abigail?” he quietly says.
“The night of the shooting, your dad and his band were playing at the bar. That’s the song he was singing that night, and it’s the song he sang to me while he was carrying me to my bedroom. I am always singing that song. It’s kind of like my comfort. When I am scared, overwhelmed, happy, sad, I am always humming it.”
I hope he isn’t upset that I do this. I know the man wasn’t my father, but for some reason that song has just stuck with me. I know it’s not my song to sing, but I just can’t help it. He isn’t saying anything, he’s just staring at the willow and he looks lost in thought.
“Stop it.” He firmly says. I look up at him in question. “I can see it all over your face that you think I might be mad or upset with you that you know that song. And I want you to stop thinking any negative thoughts right now.”
He leans over and kissed me on my forehead. My favorite spot to be kissed. “My dad used to sing that song to my mom. He wrote it for her the night of their wedding. It’s a song that represented their love and commitment to one another. We are made for each other, Abigail. It’s like the universe, god, fate, the stars aligned, or whatever you want to call it, but you were made for me. Only me.
<
br /> We have been connected since we were little kids, but we just didn’t know each other until recently. I’ve been searching my whole life for you. The reason I’ve never dated girls before is because I just didn’t feel any emotion or anything with anyone until I met you. But the moment I laid eyes on you, the moment you looked up at me, I just knew you were the one. You caused my heart to beat faster, but most importantly, you made me smile. Just one look from you and you completely owned me. Maybe our dads are up there in rock n roll heaven, hanging out and having a few beers, and they had a hand in putting us together.”
I smile at our dads hanging out and trying to play matchmaker. I hope they can’t see what I’m about to do.
“It’s almost hard to believe how connected we are. I feel like my life is a movie script. Usually this kind of stuff doesn’t happen in real life. It feels too good to be true.” I let out a small laugh. Adam reaches over and takes me hand, and kisses my knuckles.
“Come here.” He crooks his finger, and I willingly scoot closer to him. He runs his tongue along his bottom lip, leaving a trail of wetness behind. I want to do that. “First of all, you are wearing one too many pieces of clothing.” He slowly starts to unbutton my shirt, dragging his finger lower and lower down my chest. “Secondly, that's because you're letting your head do the feeling." he moves closer, continuing to help me undress. "Here's where the true understanding lies." He moves his hands over my chest, and touches the space near my heart.
He leans down and kissed me and before I know it I’m lost in the world that is Adam. We spend the afternoon making love under that old weeping willow, discovering things about each other we never knew were possible. Right here underneath this willow, is my new favorite spot.
We both lie spent and completely sedated under the beautiful branches of the weeping willow. I look towards the west and the sun is starting to drown in the horizon. The sky is painted an array of pink, orange and yellow. As the last traces of light dip behind the branches of the willow, overcasting the trees below in a solemn landscape of shadows, I feel like the world, as well as myself, are at peace. Adam was right, the sunset is truly amazing here.
Alive Page 12
