The Heart Can't Make It Alone (Completed)

Chapter 11

Here's the next update. I included an end of chapter recap for chapter 10. Read, comment, and vote!

Chapter 10

"Did I do something wrong?"

"Nope," she answered, going into the bathroom and closing the door behind her.

He sighed and ran his hand over his face when he heard the shower start. The last couple of hours had been almost perfect up until now. Things quickly went from bad to worse when he heard crying and sniffling coming from the bathroom.

"Goddamn it," he said, rolling his eyes as he stood from the bed.

He walked to the door and knocked.

I guess it's time we had that talk.

***

Chapter 11

"Doll? Are you OK?"

No answer.

"Baby, can I come in?"

No answer.

Before getting Val's spoken permission, Joe entered the bathroom, finding her seated on the in-shower bench with her face buried in her hands. He stepped into the shower and pulled her washcloth from the towel bar. After lathering the towel with soap, he began to wash her body in silence, her soft cries the only thing audible aside from the spray of the water from the shower faucet. Once he'd finished cleansing her, he pulled her from the shower and dried her body.

"Get dressed and get in bed. I'll be out in a minute," he said, kissing her forehead.

She nodded, leaving the bathroom without a word.

***

Out of everything that happened between Joe and Val on today, the thing that hurt the most was what he'd said soon after they had made love-at least love is what she thought it was until he opened his mouth and spoke.

Thank you. I needed that.

"You fucking needed that? Well, I'm glad to be of fucking service to you," she whispered to herself as the tears continued to stream down her cheeks. The hurt she felt turned into anger, convincing her to pull a duffle bag from her closet and throw it on the bed.

"I know what else you fucking need," she said, pulling out a pair of shorts and a t-shirt from her dresser.

She quickly dressed and started to fill the bag with random clothing items.

"You wanna use me? Well, fuck you, Joseph!" she exclaimed to herself through intermittent sniffles and gritted teeth.

Although it was late, she called her mother to advise her that she'd be over within the next half-hour.

"I'm comin' over, Mom."

"Is everything OK?"

"No, it's not," she said, sniffling into the phone.

"Honey, what's going on?"

"I just need to get away from here for a while. So, can I come over, please?"

"Of course you can."

"Thanks, Mom. I'll see you in a minute," she said, throwing a couple more t-shirts into the bag.

"Alright. I'll be waiting, sweetie."

Val ended the call and continued packing her bag. If it was her will, she'd be gone before Joe got out of the shower.

***

As Joe showered, he recounted everything that had happened over the last two hours. Granted, he was a bit brazen with his sexual foreplay right through Val's first orgasm, but she didn't seem to mind. Besides, the second time around had been nothing but love-making, at least that's what he thought and had tried to convey to her. He wanted her to know for sure that he still loved her. He'd even said it several times during the act.