SEPARATED: CONCLUSION TO UN-RELATED (4 page)

“That’s only three months. If I can stand it, then you certainly can.”

“I don’t know if I can. I’ve never been in love before Abby. I’m going to be miserable without you! You have no idea…”

He stopped talking when I looked up at him with raised eyebrows.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I guess this isn’t new to you.”

“Yes, actually it is. Because this time, I know you’ll be back…for me.”

“Okay, you’re right, you can come to me in a year… it’s only one more year.”

We settled in next to each other again. I rested my head on his chest, trying to take in his scent. Neither of us said anything, and finally he pulled my face up to his and kissed me. It was a soft kiss, one that almost made me cry. He was leaving and it was finally hitting me. And even though he had just offered to stay, I knew he couldn’t. I suddenly felt the pain rip through me like a knife. I looked into his eyes as mine filled with tears. “Don’t cry. I love you, I’ll be back. You know that, right?”

“Yes,” I sobbed, unable to stop the grief.

He wiped away my tears and kissed me again, and again. He didn’t stop, and soon I had stopped crying as I was only able to focus on his lips…his mouth and his hands which were, for the first time, exploring my body.

I was clinging to him, praying he wouldn’t stop, knowing this time, it would be impossible to turn back. He kissed my lips and then trailed kisses down my neck. He unbuttoned my pajamas and exposed my bare breasts.

He stopped and looked at me for a minute and then focused on my eyes. “Abby, I think now’s the right time…is it?” he asked, actually waiting for my permission.

I could only nod and pull him to me. Every second was heaven and after he had finally made me his, he looked down at me and saw that I was crying…again.

“Oh God, are you okay? Abby, what’s wrong? Did I hurt you?” he asked, worried about me. When I didn’t say anything, he whispered, “Are you sorry?” 

He started to roll off of me and I quickly pulled him back, holding him tight. “Yes,” I said staring up at him through my tears.

“Oh, God, I knew I shouldn’t have…”

“Kellan, I’m only sorry that we waited…and now you’re leaving!” I said and sobbed in his arms.

He sighed in relief and said, “Well, we still have tonight.”

I pulled him down to me and whispered, “And tomorrow morning.” He was kissing me again and every second was magical…

An hour later we were wrapped in each other’s arms, reeling in the afterglow and I watched as the angel in my favorite snow globe seemed to dance on the clouds, mimicking exactly how I felt at that moment.

We fell asleep sometime after three…I think. I knew it was late and I knew he had a long flight, but I woke up early and as I looked down at him I knew we were almost out of time. “He can sleep on the plane,” I said to myself and decided to wake him up.

I kissed his cheek and nuzzled his neck, but he was pretty much out. I got out of bed and ran into the kitchen to make us something for breakfast, thinking he might need his strength. I made us both some scrambled eggs and toast and climbed back into bed with him. He woke up this time with the movement of me getting back into bed.

“Good morning,” he said and stretched.

“The best,” I smiled down at him and kissed him.

We ate breakfast and talked for a while, but it wasn’t long before the dishes were on the floor and I was on him. 

We had just finished making love again and I was straddling him, looking down at the man I loved.

“I can’t believe I talked you out of going to USC! What was I thinking?”

“That you love me and you don’t want me to quit, now.”

“If we had made love before you’d asked me, my answer might have been different,” I teased.

“You’re not making this easy on me,” he grinned.

“No, I can tell it’s a very
hard
decision for you,” I smiled.

“Yeah, well, that’s been an issue for a while now. You drive me crazy. Abby, if you want me to stay, I will, and you don’t have to feel guilty, because I don’t want to leave.”

“What I want…is you.”

“I think you’ve
had
me…a few times.”

“Hmm, but your plane doesn’t leave for another three hours,” I grinned.

“Come here,” he said and pulled me down to him. 

“TYLER! Just what the hell do you think…?” Joe shouted, but stopped, completely in shock when he realized it wasn’t Tyler in my bed.

Kellan protectively pulled me over to the side of the bed and covered me with a sheet. He looked down at my terrified expression and whispered, “It’s okay, Abby. Remember what I told you. They’re not going to do a thing.”

“The hell I’m not! You better get out of that bed and face me like the man you think you are!” Joe ordered.

“Get out, Joe. We can
chat
after Abby and I get dressed.”

Joe threw Kellan’s pants at him and said, “NOW! Abby, get dressed!”

He walked out of the room and Kellan said, “I’m sorry we were interrupted.” He kissed my cheek and stood up to put his pants on. I was still frozen in bed, hugging the sheet to me. I hadn’t expected them home until the next day.

Kellan pulled his pants on and said, “Abby, I told you, it’s okay. She won’t let him do anything. Do you trust me?” he asked.
             

I looked up at him and said, “Of course. How can you ask me that?” I stood up and ran to him, dropping the sheet on my way.

He was standing next to my bed, wearing only his pants and holding my naked body against him when Nancy came barging through the door.

“I had to see it for myself! You’re in big trouble!” She looked first at me, and then her glare stopped on Kellan and she said, “Both of you!”

Kellan grabbed a blanket off the bed and wrapped it around me. “Get out, Nancy!”

“Not this time! You’re going to jail!”

I was shaking and I clung to him, terrified.

“Really? Hmm, well, then maybe we should ask for adjoining cells. Abby’s not going to press charges against me. We love each other. So, how long can I
really get: A year…at the most, eleven months off for good behavior and a spotless record? Not to mention high honors at Yale? Hmm, but what about you? How much time do you think
you’ll
get?” he asked, calmly and with raised eyebrows, knowing he had her.

“Get out!”

“I have a plane to catch, so I guess you’re going to get your wish, there.”

“What the hell? I told you both to get dressed and meet me in the living room!” Joe
barked, storming back into my room.

“We’ll get dressed and then Abby’s coming with me to the airport. Isn’t that right,
Nancy?” he glared at his former foster mom.

“Yeah, fine. Whatever. If you want to sleep with your
sister
, go ahead.”

He just smiled and pulled me closer. I didn’t understand the dynamics of their conversation, but I could certainly tell Kellan had the upper hand. As I looked up at him I knew without a doubt he was going to be a great attorney.

“Get out, both of you. I want to spend my last few minutes alone with Abby,” Kellan shouted, finally irritated by them.

“The hell we will! She’s only 16 years old. I’m calling the cops!”

“She’s 17 and she was willing. I’ll get off easy, but what do you think they’re going to do to you, Nancy!” he said, facing her now.

“What the hell is he talking about?” Joe asked
Nancy.

She was visibly shaking and said, “Leave them, Joe. Let them go.”

“What?”

“You can’t call the cops!” she shouted.

“Why not? She’s a minor!”

“He’s right, she won’t press charges…she’s always been in love with her
brother
!” she sneered.

“
Nancy, what the hell are you talking about? He’s 20 years old and he had sex with a 16…17 year old girl in our house!”

“Actually I’m 21, so that makes it a felony,” Kellan grinned.

I looked up at him with eyes that said to shut up, but he didn’t seem to care.

“I’m calling the cops!” Joe said and stormed out of the room.

“You gonna stop him,
Mom
?” Kellan snapped. I had never heard him call her mom before, and I knew it was only to make a point, but for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out what the point was.

“JOE! STOP!”
Nancy shouted and ran after him.

I managed to get dressed and I followed Kellan into the living room. Joe was glaring at Kellan and Nancy was glaring at me. “I um, I’ll be back, later,” I said, not knowing why I said anything at all.

“You said you were a good girl. But, you’re a liar!” Joe spat.

Kellan walked over to him and said, “She is a good girl…”

“I’ll bet!”

Kellan backed Joe into a corner and said, “You’re not going to give her any grief whatsoever, Joe! Trust me, if you do, you will regret it!” Kellan backed up and glanced over at Nancy and said, “That goes for you…especially! I still have the pictures, Nancy. They’re locked away, but I have them. If you give her any grief, if I hear anything out of the ordinary from her, I’m going to the cops…”             

“What the hell is he talking about?” Joe asked.

“Fine! Your
sister
will be well taken care of…I promise,” Nancy sneered.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Just leave her the hell alone. Make sure there’s food in the house for her and that she’s safe. Otherwise, just leave her alone!”

Nancy nodded slowly and Kellan backed up and grabbed my hand. “Let’s go, Abby.”

I was shocked by what I had just seen and heard. I followed along obediently to Kellan’s car and stared at him in awe and wonder as he started the engine.

“What just happened?” I asked, completely confused.

“I called her bluff.”

“What does that mean? What pictures? What were you talking about?”

“It doesn’t matter. Like I said,
Nancy won’t do anything to you, I promise. And she won’t let Joe call the cops on me, either.”

“Why did you tell them you’re 21 and it’s a felony? Are you crazy?”

“It’s true, Abby. I can’t legally touch you until your 18 in the state of California; whether you were willing or not.”

“But, why would you tell them that?”

“I told you, I was calling her bluff. Abby, I don’t want to get into it right now, but believe me, she’s not going to do a thing about us.”

“What pictures?” I asked, still lost.

“Do you really want to spend our last couple of hours together talking about
them,
or would you rather come and sit by me and let me wrap my arm around you?”

I scooted over, but said, “I still don’t understand…what pictures?”

He pulled into the airport terminal labeled
rental
car returns
and said, “It doesn’t matter.” He leaned down and kissed me and soon I had forgotten all about the pictures he mentioned…or anything else for that matter. 

We only had a few minutes once we got to his gate. It took forever to get the car returned and I was standing there holding onto him for dear life as they called first class passengers to board.

He was holding me just as tight as I was holding him. “Abby, do you always feel like this when I leave?” he asked, looking down at me.

“How do you feel?” I asked through tears.

“Like my heart’s being ripped out of my chest.”

“Yeah, that’s pretty much it!” I sobbed and held him close.

“I’m sorry. I never knew…”

“Only 88 days until Thanksgiving,” I sniffled.

“Eight-eight days? Really? Don’t forget about me, okay?”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“Yeah, I am. I love you, Abigail Shepard. Maybe I can fly in for a weekend before then.”

I was still holding onto him for dear life and nodded. I was too hysterical to let him go. Finally, they called his gate and he had to go. He kissed me one last time and then said, “Thanks,
Tyler.”

“What?” I asked, looking up at him.

“Hi, Abby.”

I turned my head without letting go of Kellan and saw
Tyler standing behind me.

“I asked him to pick you up for me. He’s going to take you to dinner and maybe to his house for a while. It’ll give Joe and
Nancy time to cool off. Is that okay?”

I nodded, “Okay.”

“I have to go, Abby. I love you. I’ll call you tonight. And, don’t worry about…earlier. They’re not going to do anything, believe me.”

He finally had to pull my arms from around his neck and he walked to the gate. He stopped and smiled at me before getting on the plane. As usual, I ran to the window.
Tyler followed me, but all I could think of was Kellan.