Exquisite (43 page)

“You gave me my sister back.” She
shook her head letting the hair fall back over her shoulders. Then her eyes met
his again. “For so long I denied myself any kind of contact or emotion when it
came to Carly. No one could get through to me.” she paused and blinked up at
him. He could see tears forming in her eyes and she let them fall as she went
on.

“Not my mother or father. Not the
psychiatrist they sent me to and not even your mother.” she pulled in a deep
sob like her heart was hurting and he felt his ache as well. “But you, you got
inside and gave her back to me. For that alone I
have
to fight for you.”

He moved a little but she shook her
head and took a couple of steps back and held a hand up, “No, please let me
finish.”

Blinking wet eyes up at him he
nodded at her, becoming frustrated at not being able to talk, but not really
knowing what he would say anyway. He watched as though he were seeing it in
slow motion as she reached up and unbuttoned the top three buttons of her
shirt. Reaching behind her, to the desk, she clutched the small bouquet of
tulips and stepped forward to him again.

He knew what those represented, and
knew where she was going. What he didn’t know was if he was ready to hear it,
but he knew as he stood there he had to let her say it if they were ever going
to move forward. Holding the bunch of colorful stems to him he shook his head
once. She kept her hand extended and raised her eyes to his.

“A very amazing woman came into my life
when I was twenty three years old.”

Swallowing and licking her lips she
blinked up at Mason and he could see her eyes shimmering with the pain of her
emotions but he could also see pleasure in her memories. He gripped the
sunflower between his hands and held onto it for dear life. She still held the
flowers to him but he couldn’t bring himself to take them.

“She took me into her shop and sat
me down. She gave me a cup of hot chocolate and told me that she had a family
of her own.” Pausing Lena finally pulled the tulips into her chest, keeping her
eyes on his, that were now also filled with tears. “A daughter and a son. Two
children who she loved very much.”

She blinked and closed her eyes for
a moment swallowing a deep breath. Regaining what little composure she had her
eyes found his again and she whispered.

“Some of her last words to me
Mason, were ‘
I believe in fate and I believe you were supposed to walk into
my life, so Mason could walk into yours’
I know she can’t be wrong.”

Stepping in close enough that his
pants rubbed against her own he watched as she reached out and took one of his
hands. He let go of the sunflower and allowed her to bring his palm up to her
chest where her shirt was unbuttoned. Looking at him with eyes full of tears he
saw his hand tremble through his own blurry vision. When she had his hand over
her heart she moved even closer, so she was between his legs. Him holding a
sunflower, her with a bunch of tulips. Her face turned up to his and her was
streaked with tears when she whispered.

“I love you Mason.”

He sucked in a deep breath and
tried to pull his hand back. Looking down where it was pressed over her heart
he could feel it racing beneath his palm.

“Look at me?” she whispered. He
dragged his eyes up to focus on hers and he could feel a tear escape and slide
down the side of his own face. He clenched his jaw and waited, stubbornly
silent, trying to keep a cap on his emotions.

“I love you. I’ve loved you since
before all of
this
turned bad.”

He watched her swallow and then she
continued. “I wanted to tell you that night we were supposed to meet. “

If it were humanly possible he was
sure he would’ve felt his heart finally break in two. Knowing everything that
he’d been going to say that night, and now hearing she had been feeling it too
his emotions took over and he felt like he was dying on the inside at
everything they’d lost. His hands started to shake and he swallowed again,
trying to hold it together.

“I never wanted to hurt you. I
wanted to tell you about your mother so many times. I begged her to let me.”

Blinking up at him she stepped back
and let his hand go. He felt it drop down to his side and he felt as though a
hole was starting to gape open in his chest as she moved away from him.

“These flowers,” she held them up.
“They’re your mother.” she turned and moved back placing them on the desk and
walked back over to where he was slumped against the door. She waited silently,
patiently for him to move, he finally worked out. He pushed off the door and
stepped aside. She reached out and took hold of the door knob unlatching it.
She twisted it and opened it a crack, then stopped to look at him standing
glued to the spot clutching her sunny yellow flower and whispered, “Thank you
for sharing her with me. I loved her too.” and with that she walked out the
door.

Three days later Lena still hadn’t
heard from him. She’d run over everything she’d said in her mind a hundred
times. There was nothing she’d change and there was nothing she had left out.
She’d told him everything, opened herself up and placed her heart in his hands.
Now she just had to be patient. She had just finished showering and climbed
into bed when her phone buzzed. Picking it up she felt a grin creep onto her
face and her heart start to beat faster.

Langley:
You still
awake Doctor?

Yes. Why? Do you need medical
attention?

Langley:
Not sure
about medical attention but I’d like your attention.

Scooting down in her bed she text
back.
Well you have it. What’s going on Langley?

Langley:
I have a
problem.

Grinning to herself she wrote back.
Don’t worry it happens to all men.

Not a minute later the phone
vibrated.

Langley:
Trust me
THAT is not a problem.

So defensive :P
.

Lena giggled and waited eagerly for
his response.

Langley:
Watch
where you stick that tongue Dr O’Donnell.

:P
.

Lena knew she was being immature
but at this point she couldn’t help it. He was flirting with her. He hadn’t
initiated any kind of romantic behavior with her for so long it was a seductive
feeling. She knew she’d been the one pushing the last few times they’d been
around one another so when he wrote.

Langley:
My
problem is I can’t stop thinking about you.

Lena felt completely justified in
sighing like a school girl.
Good thoughts?

She stared at her phone almost
willing it to produce the answer she wanted.

Langley:
Not all
of them.

Frowning she let out a disappointed
breath.
Oh.

Quickly it beeped.

Langley:
Some are
very VERY bad.

Feeling her tummy clench and her
thighs tighten she wrote back as calmly as she could.
Oh yeah? Like what?

Reaching over she turned her
bedside light off imagining him in his big bed facing the wide window with the
city lights illuminating the room.

Langley:
You, fuck
me boots and a smile.

Breathing deeply she wrote back.
Excuse
me they’re called thigh high boots.

Her phone beeped.

Langley:
They’re
called wrap your legs around my waist and fuck me HARD boots.

Grinning she wrote back.
Langley
!

Then she jumped as the phone
started to ring loudly in her hand. Looking down at it as though it was on fire
she let it ring once, twice and then a third time. Finally answering it she
pulled it to her ear and said softly.

“Hello.”

“The next time I see you I want you
to wear those boots.”

She shivered at his deep voice
drifting through the phone.

“I don’t know Mason. I told you my
terms the last time we were in the same bedroom.”

She heard some rustling and knew he
was in bed. Closing her eyes she waited listening to his breathing.

“Well, things have changed since
then.”

“Have they?” she asked hopefully.

“Yes Lena. Everything’s changed.”
he paused then asked softly, “Did you mean everything you said to me the other
night?”

Swallowing deeply she nodded and
then realizing he couldn’t see she answered, “Yes. Every word.”

He took a deep breath and she heard
him sigh and say softly, “Then everything has changed.”

There was a long tense silence and
then she said softly, “I’m supposed to go by Precious Petals tomorrow to get
some paperwork from Rachel. Will you be there?”

“No. I have to go by the
restaurant, but I’ll give Rachel my spare key. Just take it and let yourself
in. I should be there at around 6pm.”

Lena closed her eyes and prayed to
whoever was listening that this was really happening.

“Ok. I’ll be there.”

“Lena?” he asked and she clutched
the phone tight.

“Yes?”

“Wear the boots.” and with that he
hung up.

Mason was standing in his office
the next day when Rachel came in. “Hey you.”

He looked up and she smiled at him
as she leaned against the door. “Hi.”

“So I’m going down to see Lena
today.”

He nodded and said softly, “Yeah
she told me.”

Rachel moved in and asked
cautiously, “Are you two, you know?”

Grinning he asked innocently, “No
what?”

Rolling her eyes she sighed, “Are
you two back together?”

He shook his head and watched the
disappointment slide onto her face. Then he added. “Not yet.”

A grin replaced the frown and she
asked, “But will be?”

“Fingers crossed.” he said holding
up his hands. He came around the desk and reached out for his sister. She wrapped
her arms around him and he kissed the top of her head.

“I’m sorry I checked out for awhile
there.”

Rachel looked up at him and he saw
a tear fall down her cheek. “I knew you were here Mase, we just had to deal
with things in our own way. I’m just glad you came back to us and I’m glad
you’re bringing her back to us too.” she paused and sniffed then said softly,
“Mom really loved her you know?”

“What makes you say that?”

Rachel gave him a sad smile and
told him, “She use to tell me about a girl, around my age, who would come into
the shop and she was so sad and mom really wanted to help her.”

Mason was quiet not quiet believing
that Rachel had known about Lena all along. It was true, Lena’s life had been
running parallel to his their whole lives and it was as though his mother and
fate had finally made them cross paths. He heard Rachel say his name.

“Mason?”

Looking down at her he smiled,
“Yeah Rach.”

“Some things are just meant to be.”

Nodding he pulled her in tight and
hugged her hard, yeah he thought,
some things were just meant to be.

L
ena arrived at Precious Petals at 4.30pm. She
opened the door and heard the chimes tinkle above her head as she stepped
inside. She took a deep breath and looked around the familiar space. Everything
looked the same but it wasn’t. The most important part of this place had gone,
the heart. Catherine. Looking around she tried to recall a memory when she’d
been in here and Catherine wasn’t. The only one she could come up with was when
she’d gone to hospital that one time, and Mason had been here instead, but he
wasn’t here either. She moved through the aisle and then saw Rachel step out
from behind the back door.

“Lena.” she said smiling over at
her. Not until this moment had Lena noticed how very alike mother and daughter
had been. Rachel may have been on the loud side when it came to her hair and
clothes but the warm smile and the shining eyes mirrored her mother.
This
was now the heart of the shop. Moving over to the counter Lena returned her
smile and reached over to take her hands.

“Hi Rachel.”

“How are you?” she asked grinning.
She had dimples just like her brother and Lena couldn’t help but smile back at
her.

“I’m good. Busy at work but
otherwise good.”

“You look great!” Rachel pointed
out as she leaned over the counter looking her over. “Killer boots!”

Feeling a blush creep over her face
Lena nodded. “Ahh thanks.” Pausing she hiked her bag up on her shoulder and
asked, “So where are these papers you need me to sign?”

“Oh!” she said rushing back behind
the door and coming out with a smile, “Yeah it’s a trip she left you part of
this place right?”

Lena looked at Rachel quickly,
wondering if she was upset about it, but then Rachel nodded. “But it makes
sense, you were here more than us. Mom said you came in every night for years.”

Lena sucked in a breath not knowing
what to say. She wasn’t aware that Rachel had even known about that. Rachel
reached out and took her hand and squeezed her fingers between her own. Then in
a voice far more serious than Lena had ever heard from her she said softly.

“Don’t worry. I never knew who you
were, not until just recently. Mom use to tell me about a girl who came to her
shop. I always thought it was so sad but mom told me she loved it when you’d
visit. She looked forward to 5.30pm when you would stop by and pick out your
sunflower. She told me how proud she was that you turned out to be an amazing
doctor.” pausing Rachel looked her right in the eye and said on a soft whisper,
“She loved you. You’re just as much a part of her as we are. She was so very
proud of you and I’m so glad I got to meet you.”

Lena felt a tear run down her face
as she stood in the store she once thought of as her safe haven and held the
hand of someone she now considered her sister.