Miss Miller

chapter 8

I wake the next morning to an empty bed. All that's left is her scent on the pillow next to me. I reach my hand over to the empty space where Lou once lay the night before. I'm confused, it's only 9am. I check my phone and see no messages. I quickly get up and exit my bedroom to see an empty apartment. My heart aches for her softly. I go back into my bedroom and collapse onto my bed. I look to my left and see a note on my bed side table.

"Sorry sweetheart, I had to leave...I will miss you, speak later"

I hold the letter to my chest, relieved she didn't up and leave without saying anything. I get on with my day, Lou not leaving my mind. I hope she's okay. I have Uni from 11am until 5pm today. I meet Jess for lunch in the nearest cafe.

"How did it go with Lou last night?" Jess asks

"It went really well...she cooked for me and we fell asleep, it was nice...she left before I was awake which was a bit gutting"

"Yeah she left at like 7am, she said she had business stuff going on...not to be nosy but do you know her age?"

"She's 35 isn't she?" I remember reading it somewhere online before my interview with her two weeks ago.

"Yeah...its a big age gap. Just be careful, she has experience...you don't, we don't even"

"I know...I know" I take a sip of my coffee "she's hard to read, one minute she's loving and showing me attention.. then she's a big cold and distant"

"Very mysterious" Jess jokes

I bat her arm "enough" we both laugh. We make our way back to uni to finish the rest of our lessons. We agree to meet at 5:30pm. We grab chinese food on the way home. As we turn onto our street, arms linking into each other since its a bit cold. I see Lou, standing outside. Pacing back and forth. She looks upset. We get closer as she looks at me.

"Where have you been?" She walks closer

"I was at uni then we grabbed dinner, whats wrong?" I unlink from Jess and signal for her to go up to the apartment. I place my arm around Lou's shoulder "Tell me what's wrong"

"I've had some bad news..." she looks down at the ground "my mom died"

I wrap my arms around her, having to go on my tip toes slightly. She leans into me with quite a bit of wait "I'm so so sorry" she berries her head into my shoulder.

"Come in, I'll make you some tea" my hands rubbing up and down her back.

She pulls away "I can't, I'm sorry...I shouldn't have came...I just didn't have anywhere else to go right now"

I pull her closer again "don't be silly, I'm here...always...now come get some tea"

She finally agrees to come up to the apartment. I put a pot of water on to boil. Her normal charm gone, replaced with sadness. I tell her to take a seat on the sofa and I'll bring her tea through. A phew minutes later it's ready. I walk through to find her on the phone. She looks up at me with blood shot eyes.

"Thanks Debbie, I'll see you later"

She finishes the conversation, leaving me to wonder who Debbie is. I brush the feeling off. It's not important right now. I place my hand in her back again to show her comfort. She leans forward and places her head in her hands.

"Are you going back to Australia?" I ask

"Her funeral was today, I only found out through an aunt today that she passed" her voice breaks as she finishes the sentence.

My hand makes its way up to her shoulder, squeezing slightly "Oh baby, I'm so sorry...would you have wanted to go?"

"I don't know" she wipes her eyes "We never really got along much" she laughs slightly "she was a pain in the ass"

"Was she?" I laugh slightly

"Oh yeah, a total chaotic mess but she was my mom...I'll be okay, thank you for the tea"

I smile at her and she look round at me with a smile. "I'm here for you"

She nods. She shakes her head slightly and stands up "I better go, you must be tired from Uni...I'll see you in a phew days?"

"You don't have to go" I try to stop her

"I need to, thank you for listening"

She places a kiss on my cheek before leaving. Jess comes out her room.

"Is she okay?" She asks while leaning against her door frame.

"I don't know...she seemed upset then she rushed off..."

"Not much you can do for someone who doesn't want to stay"

I nodd and say goodnight to Jess, I'm going to have an early night. I send Lou a text telling her I'm thinking of her before I fall asleep.

*****************

I wake the next morning in my empty bed. Everything suddenly feels empty when she's not here. I reach out for my phone and text Lou. "I hope you are okay, remember I'm here for you.. Gwen x" she replys straight away asking to see me. She says she's 5minutes away. I agree and go to unlock the door for her. I quickly run to brush my teeth before she comes in. She creeps slowly through the the front door.

"Hey love, I brought you and Jess bagles" she says quietly while placing them down on the kitchen counter.

I speed out my room "thank you, that's so kind...how are you?"

She takes me in her arms "I'm fine, thank you for last night and thank you for the text...it was sweet" she puts her hand into the bag and pulls out a bagle for me. "Do you have much planned for today?"

"No, I was meant to have Uni but I'm not going...I was going to maybe go for a walk in the park" I take a bite at of the bagle.

"Mind if I join you" She slowly looks up at me

"Of course not"

I quickly make my way to my room and get ready to go out. I lead the way out of the apartment as Lou follows. She has a car instead of a bike this morning. She drives us to the park. She parks up and quickly runs around the car to open the door for me. We walk over to a coffee stand where I buy us coffee. She did try try pay for them but I insisted.

We walk slow around the park, stopping at the pond to watch the ducks and birds. They all look so busy...in their own little worlds. I look over at Lou "you okay?" I smile lovingly

She nods "Yeah I'm fine" she smiles back.

As we continue to walk I feel her hand coming down to mine, she places her fingers inbetween mine. I enjoy the moment in silence. I feel nothing could ever feel better than this. I look up at her. She looks at me. She stops me from walking and pulls me around to face her. She puts her hands on each side of my face as she pulls my lips to hers, I'm heistant at first until I feel her lips touch mine. Suddenly the park falls away, I've never gotten lost in a kiss like this before. My heart keeps missing beats and my hands cannot bring her any closer. I taste her and realise I was starving. I have kissed before but it never burnt me alive. Maybe it lasts a minute...maybe it lasts an hour. All I know is that kiss meant something different to all the other kisses I have had in the past. And even if I did not know until now, I have been waiting for her forever.

---------------------------------------
Author

Thank you so much for reading 💛