"Tonight I can write the saddest lines I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too."
-Pablo Neruda
My face ached and I rubbed my face with my sweatshirt sleeves. I sniffled again and took a deep breath. My phone vibrated on the coffee table again and I muted it. More tears slid down my cheeks and I pulled my legs to my chest. The front door opened and Josh's eyes burned into mine.
"Addy...I'm so sorry," I stood up and walked down the hallway, "Please forgive me. I wish I didn't hit him. I just...No, I shouldn't have hit him."
"I'm glad you realized this," I snapped back and he froze in the doorway.
"What can I do?"
"I don't know."
"Okay."
"Okay," I whispered back.
"I know this brought up the PTSD from that night," he whispered and I looked at him through blurry eyes.
"Yeah. It did," he said nothing, and his arms wrapped around my body.
"I'm here, Addy. I'm sorry for hitting him."
"It was a really good punch," I mumbled and he looked down at me.
"You're smiling."
"Yeah, I am. Just please don't beat up some guy at a bar again. It's not the right solution."
"I know. I would blame it on the alcohol, but it was just me being stupid."
"I'm glad that you see that."
"Am I forgiven?"
"Yeah," he kissed me softly.
"Can I take you back to the beach house?"
"Yeah, let's go. I'm sorry for leaving and coming home. I was really angry."
"It's okay."
***
Two months later:
Josh has been on a business trip for two weeks now and I wanted to surprise him when he gets home tonight. I started to cook his favorite dinner, roasted chicken and steamed vegetables.
"My plane is delayed by an hour, babe," I audibly sighed and placed the prepped chicken back in the fridge.
"What time do you land?" I washed off my hands and picked up my phone.
"Around nine," I pressed my lips together.
"I'm sorry, Addy," I could hear his feet hit the ground and a muffled announcement, "Shit. No fucking way!" I heard him shout into the phone and I sat at the table, "They canceled all the flights home," I rubbed my eyes and sighed into the phone.
"When is the next flight?" I heard him sit down and bite his nails.
"Six," I opened my laptop and looked up his flight.
"In the morning?"
"Yeah."
"I just booked it for you. Did you want to stay at the Hampton Inn about two miles from the airport?"
"Yes and thanks, babe. I wish I could be there now. I miss you. These two weeks have been hell without you," I smiled and pulled out the Chinese take-out menu.
"So how's New York?" He started to laugh and I heard him hail a cab.
"You have to come with me next time. You would love it here," I ordered my food online and laid down on the couch.
"When we get enough money, there are a lot of states I want to see," I heard him mumble something and then a car door slammed.
"I'm at the hotel," I heard the doorbell ring and I grabbed my food.
"Thank you and keep the change," I placed the food on the table in front of the couch and put Josh on speakerphone, "My food just arrived," I heard a ping from the elevator and I opened the bag of food.
"What did you order in?" I opened the box of the best-smelling noodles and spicy beef.
"Chinese," I split my chopsticks in half and dug straight into the beef.
"I could've guessed. Crap, I forgot about my Skype meeting. I'll call you later. I love you," I took a drink of water and grabbed my phone.
"I love you too, Josh," I hung up and turned on the T.V. to search for something to watch. I ate the rest of my food and started to watch Friends. I woke up to my phone ringing and I picked it up.
"Hello," I sat up and yawned.
"Hey, you. Sorry I know it's late, but I promised to call," I cleaned up the empty boxes and walked down the hallway. I threw my hair up into a messy bun and pulled back the covers of our bed.
"I missed you a lot," I placed my head on the pillow and the last thing I remember talking about was our 50 states trip. Pounding. Pounding is all I could feel. I sat up and rubbed my head slowly. I walked into the bathroom and splashed some water on my face. I exhaled and looked at the clock on the wall. It was only four in the morning and Josh wouldn't be home for another four hours. I rubbed the front of my head and the room moved around me.
"Woah," I gripped the counter and lowered myself onto the floor. I stuck my head between my knees and prayed I wouldn't start to throw up. I woke up on the tile floor and the coolness of the floor felt amazing against my aching body. I sat up and still felt dizzy. It was almost eight in the morning and Josh would be home any minute. I walked into the kitchen and started a pot of coffee. I looked at the leftover Chinese and smelled the container. Maybe it wasn't fully cooked through. I heard the door open and Josh dropped his bag on the floor.
"I'm so glad this trip is over," he pulled me into a hug and kissed my cheek.
"I'm glad you're home."
"You okay?" He cupped my face and touched my forehead.
"I think the Chinese from last night wasn't cooked all the way."
"You're really warm. Did you take your temperature?"
"No. I didn't think it was anything serious."
"I'm getting the thermometer."
"Josh. It's probably just food poisoning," I stood up quickly and a wave of nausea clouded my vision. I covered my mouth and leaned over the sink.
"You okay?" He scooped up my hair and rubbed my back slowly.
"Yeah. I think it's passed."
"Okay. Let me take your temperature," he sat next to me on the counter and touched my forehead again. The thermometer beeped and he pulled it from my mouth, "You have a fever."
"How high?"
"102."
"Okay. I'll call out of work. You do the same."
"Why?"
"If it's anything contagious, we don't want it to spread to anyone else."
"Okay," I pulled out my phone and called Mike.
"Alright, I'm off work for the next week."
"Me too," I felt dizzy again and Josh helped me off the counter.
"Maybe we should go to the hospital. Have you been able to keep anything down?"
"No, but I think it's just the stomach flu."
"Okay. Let's find a movie," he lifted me into his arms and placed me on the couch. He passed me a blanket and turned on the T.V.
"Sorry, this is what you came home to."
"It's not your fault. Get some rest. I'll wake you up for lunch," Josh pressed his lips against my forehead and I snuggled into his chest.
"Okay," I whispered and my eyes drooped closed.
YOU ARE READING
Majestic
RomanceThings never go as planned. One night and her heart was his forever. Secrets and lies tear them apart, but true love pulls them back to each other in the end, or at least, that's what they were told.
