Come Back to me:Short Story (5 page)

I shook my head. “Never. There’s never been but one girl that I’ve wanted to be with like that, and she’s sitting in front of me right now and hopefully will be for eternity. “

Now tears did roll down her cheeks. I kissed them away. Then stood, pulling her up to me. I ran my lips down the side of her neck, feeling a shiver. I smiled. Her hands ran the length of my stomach then up my arms. I knew she was nervous by the slight tremor in her hands. My stomach was cutting flips also but I wanted to make her as comfortable as possible.

I kissed her a few minutes longer,savoring the taste of her lips, then slipped my hand behind her, touching the zipper on that damn dress. I paused looking to her for permission; she smiled and nodded, then landed a few kisses on my chest while I moved the zipper all the way to the bottom of the track. I held the dress by the strap with the other hand making sure it didn’t automatically drop, fully exposing her. I slipped each strap off, one by one, kissing each shoulder then moved down her chest. Keeping a hand on her waist I leaned back to admire her fullness. She was perfect and I leaned in to whisper as much. I lightly ran a finger over the bulging flesh her bra couldn’t contain. The reaction my body had to her was almost becoming painful, but I wouldn’t rush. Looking into her eyes, I finally let the dress drop to the floor. She easily stepped out the pool of fabric around her ankles.

She rubbed her against mine,our tongues gliding against the others in a smooth motion.  Containing myself was getting almost unbearable.

Chapter Fifteen: AnaLe
e

I could tell Jayse was holding himself back for me and I loved him even more for that. I was terrified, not by being with him but this was all new for me.

I let myself do what came natural which was kissing. We did a lot of it but when I slipped my tongue against his that last time I felt a throb begin and from the feel of Jayse I could tell control was about to go out the window.

Jayse picked me up and I wrapped my leg around his hard body. He made two steps and we were falling back onto the bed. Not being able to wait anymore, I slipped his shorts off as far as I could, then he took over. After shedding everything that served as a barrier between us, Jayse  covered my body with his, pressing gentle kisses against my neck then met my lips. My body was quivering with excitement .

“Ana?”

I nodded knowing what he way asking.

He kissed me while I felt pressure then pain that followed with each movement. He didn’t complain while I held him tightly,waiting for the pain to ease. Even asking me several times if I wanted him to stop. But I refused.

A few moments later the pain eased into something different. It felt nice.  I fully understood why they called it making love. The love I felt for Jayse at that moment was overwhelming. It made my chest hurt. Even though I would miss him while he was away I’d have this moment to keep me sane.

Afterward, we lay silently holding each other until I knew I had to get home. My mother would be waking up soon and even though I was no longer in high school and was now legal, she would have my ass for staying over with a boy. Especially if she knew what we’d been doing.

The next few weeks flew by. I spent as much time with Jayse as possible. During the day we would stay in and watch a movie or others we would just lay in his room talking .At night we would find ourselves back in his room, occasionally enjoying each other’s heat. I’d never felt closer to Jayse, but sadly our time ran out and we were facing the day of his departure. I’d made a promise to myself not to cry and make it harder on him but it was beyond difficult. I found myself constantly blinking on the ride to the airport. His parents and my mother were standing back giving us some privacy. I knew any minute the tears would start but I pushed them back a little longer.

He held me tight while I took in everything I could about him. The way he smelled. How his hair started slightly curling on the tips. The clothes he wore. His smile.

“God, I’m going to miss you.” He whispered against my ear.

To my regret, I felt the tears trying to push through once again.

“I'm already missing you now.” I said with watering eyes. Three hard blinks cleared  most of them.

I felt our family moving closer. I knew his parents wanted some time with him but I didn’t want to let him go.

Pulling back, he dug in the side of his bag. “Hey, there was one thing before I go. “ He looked over his shoulder at his approaching parents, then at my mother.

He pulled out a small box and to my surpise, slowly went down on one knee. I looked around finding the smiling faces glowing with approval.

“ AnnaLee Marianne White. I know this is a horrible time to ask but I want to spend the rest of my life with you and if you’ll have me when I get back, I want to know if you’ll be wife . “He popped the velvet box open, revealing a small,square stone ring.

I broke the promise to myself. I burst into tears, putting a hand over my mouth. Getting over my initial shock, I pulled him to me,wrapping my arms tightly around his neck. “Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you!”

He slid the ring onto my finger then kissed it. “You think this will be enough to keep you waiting for me?” He smiled.

I smiled back.” I’ll always wait for you, Jayse.”

“Forever?” Jayse kissed my lips.

“Forever.” I said,wrapping my arms around him,again,holding him close.

The intercom announced his flight was boarding. After he said goodbye to his parents I snuck in another hug and kiss, then he was walking to his terminal. He turned around while walking backwards.

“I’ll see you soon, An.” 

I blew him a kiss watching while he caught it.

" Soon." I whispered,letting sad tears roll down my face.

Chapter Sixteen : AnaLee

I keep staring at the same picture. Jayse was smiling broadly at the camera while I looked at him full of love. He looked so happy. I looked happy. This is one of the main pictures I’ve stared at for the past three years.

After a box full of letters, I never heard from him again. No one ever heard from him again. I kept the things I had left of him in an old shoe box in my closet. Pulling them out to reread his words as I stared at his face. A face I use to be able to touch.

As much as I hate to even think about it, my mind keeps trying to guess step for step what might’ve happened.

Was he thinking about me as joined the other soldiers in the back of the truck? Was he scared? Was it quick? I had tortured myself with those questions since the day the Broadsons had the soliders arrive on their doorstep.

Jayse had only been gone fourteen months when he was heading back to their camp along with fifteen other soldiers and a suicide bomber stepped in front of their path, blowing himself up along with the men in the truck.

Just like Alicia, there was no body in the casket at the funeral. There was nothing left of him to send to the family except the few things he kept in his station. One of those things being the picture I held in my hand. I’d stare at it for hours, dreaming up what he thought when he looked at it.

Jayse’s parents showed up at our house that day to break the news. I laid on the living room floor screaming and crying for hours until Jayse’s father carried me to my bed. Before he left, he placed a kiss on my forehead …just like Jayse would have, whispering so softly I almost didn’t hear him over my cries.

“He loved you. Always remember that.”

I didn’t come out of my room for two weeks along with barely eating. My mother found me one night on the floor laying on one of Jayse’s old jackets with pictures spread out beside me. My room was a wreck from the mad spells I’d have,throwing and breaking things. I was angry at the world, angry at Jayse for going but most of all angry at myself. The damn shiny ring stayed on my hand at all times. I slept and showered with it on. In the back of my mind I knew I should be worried about it tarnishing but all I could think about was if I pulled the ring off my finger it would officially be over. That, maybe as long as the ring stayed on he would find a way back to me. Part of me didn’t feel like he was really gone. I’d wake up screaming in the middle of night thinking it had all be a horrible nightmare, only to find it was my reality then I’d cry until morning. I’d lost a good fifteen or more pounds within the few weeks after his death and with my already thin frame, I looked like death.

“Oh AnaLee.” My mother crouched down on the floor beside me.” You can’t keep living like this.”

“I can’t live at all anymore. Not without him.” My body shook.” It h-hurts so bad to even breath.”

She laid on the floor next to me careful  not to disturb the pictures ..” Honey.”

“Mom please  ...just let me wallow in my pain for one more week. I can’t stand the thought of doing anything without him beside me...or anywhere.” I stopped to sob. “I feel like the world has dimmed without his smiling face.”

My mother held me the rest of the night while the pain kept me awake, screaming out for Jayse.

Three years later and the pain was still as fresh as it had been since the day I’d lost him. I don’t think losing your first love would actually ever stop hurting, but I’d once hope, with time I’d learn to cope. Losing Jayse would never stop hurting though, and.my heart ached for him daily. I eventually had to move out of my mother’s house, I couldn’t walk out my front door without breaking down on the door step. It’s still hard to visit. She usually comes to see me once a week. I took a job at one the many title loan businesses, doing filing most days or collecting money. The pay was decent ,not spectacular but it kept the rent paid on my small apartment. The Honda was still going so luckily I hadn't had to worry about a replacement …yet.

My life was supposed to be so much different by now. I might still be living here and still have become an employee at the high interest rate company but Jayse would’ve been with me and that would have made those things bearable... Everything was miserable. I smiled only when I had to which was usually at work with a customer. Jayse’s mother would visit me when she could but I had seen less and less of her over the years. I think I was just as much a reminder of painful memories to her, as she was for me. I loved her but it just hurt too much. All I could hear was the words she said to me the day Jayse was lost to us forever.

“He’s gone, AnaLee. I’m so sorry.”

Those words haunted every single nightmare. Those words were my nightmare.

I should have just asked him to stay. I could have dealt with resentment but his death had shattered me. The ring still sat on my finger never going any further than the tip.

I still wanted to be his wife. I told him I’d wait on him forever …and I would.

Chapter Seventeen: Nurse Mandy

The man stirred. After years of being in a coma and he finally moved.

When he started gagging, I quickly pressed called for the doctor and began removing the tube from his throat.

“Sir? Can you hear me? My name is Mandy. I’ll your be nurse for the day. The doctor should be in arriving soon."

Dr.Rombashi stepped through the door a moment later.

The man groaned. His hands fumbled around, trying to grasp the other wires attached to him.

“Sir, we will remove those in a moment, if you’ll just be patient.” I said urgently.

“Mr. Truman? Do you know where you are?” Another groan. “You were in an accident. You’ve been in a come for almost two years.

Twenty-two months with no activity had taken its toll on his body.

He shook his head.

“Yes, an explosion.  You’re very lucky to be alive, Mr. Truman.”

Mr. Truman made a flutter of movements

The doctor and I shared a look of confusion.