She smiles and moves closer to me, leaning in, her mouth against my ear, her hand coming up to shelter the soundwaves from rippling away before I can hear them.
“Jez, tell me something about yourself that nobody else knows.”
She moves to pull away but I grab her arms and pull her hard against me, my hand coming to brace against her back, the other hand tangling in her hair.
She’s burning hot against me, her legs in between mine.
Her face glistens from the spotlight refracting[R6] off the perspiration.
Like a halo.
My angel.
“I love you. You’re the only person I’ve ever loved. And the only person I will ever love. You’re my all.”
And then I kiss her.
Like I’ve always wanted to kiss her.
Like she’s always wanted to be kissed.
With a ten thousand strong crowd cheering us on, and a string trio playing in the background.
It’s hard to finish the concert after all the excitement, but we get through it, and it’s pretty clear that it’s my best concert to date. Aching wrist and slightly stiff fingers and all.
We’d pulled out the big guns since it was our first public performance for 8 months with guest performances, the most popular being by Anca and Cadence. And of course, it all ended an encore that had the four of us guys and the two of them, and the last-minute addition of Noemie, that almost blew the roof off.
We stand there, as the last of the notes of the song, grinning at each other, the seven of us on stage like we were always meant to end up together like this, a musical tour de force, joined by the simple and pure love for music.
The lights shut off for the second time that night, this time I’m prepared for it. I grab Noemie’s arm and lead her off the stage, down the stairs to the green room.
Her skin is buzzing with static, excitement.
I slam the door closed behind us, and it’s finally just the two of us, staring at each other like it’s the first time we’ve ever seen another human being.
I say the first thing that pops into my head.
“You are one fucking crazy loony ass woman!”
She throws her head back and roars with laughter.
And it’s the best sound I’ve heard in my life.
I join in, laughing so hard I bend over, clutching my aching stomach muscles, that I barely notice when she jumps into my arms.
“What kind of woman am I again?” She asks, grinning at me.
“You’re my kind of woman. The exact type. The prototype. And the mold has now been broken.” I say, wrapping my arms tight around her, reassuring myself that she’s really here and not just one of the many hallucinations I’ve had of her over the months we were apart.
She giggles but I silence her with a kiss and her body melts against mine in an instant.
There’s a tiny purr in the back of my throat and it’s so endearing I pull away from her mouth and gently nibble on her throat, wanting to feel the hum against my lips. She complies and it send shivers down my body.
“I missed you so much,” I tell her.
And she nods.
“I’m sorry, I pushed you away, but I had to…I needed that time. So much happened that day, and the months before it, as much as I loved you, wanted to be with you, I think I…maybe the both of us, needed time to deal with that, instead of just focusing on us.”
And she’s right. Of course she’s right.
“And now?” I ask.
“Now, I’m all yours. Working brain and all,” she grins tapping on her temple. I brush her hand away and press my lips to her forehead.
“You remember everything?”
“I think so, it didn’t all come back right away. But, remember how I just kinda knew that you called me Toilet Girl?” I nod. “Well, it’s like I just knew things. And at first, it was a little confusing, because instead of making me feel like I remembered, it made it feel like I had new holes in my memory. But everything filled out eventually.”
“It was good for me too,” I admit to her. “I mean, it was excruciating, but I had to focus on my recovery. And my apology.”
She raises an eyebrow but doesn’t say anything.
“I should’ve believed you. I didn’t. But I should’ve. I’m so sorry.”
She presses a finger to my lips.
“No, I owe you an apology. It was asking too much. There wasn’t any reasonable logic as to why you should’ve believed me. I didn’t even really believe me. I was just going on…knowing myself.”
“And I should’ve known you…yourself.”
She shakes her head. “Shhhh, it’s over. We’re good.”
“Promise?”
She nods.
I sink into the couch and pull her into my lap, she hooks her arms around my neck and kisses me, deep and long.
When she finally pulls away, I sigh, completely content.
“So, um, I know I gave you the jacket back, but actually, it is mine You gave it to me as a birthday present, remember?”
“Yeah, but you broke up with me.” I say, patting the sleeve of my jacket, affectionately.
“Technically, you broke up with me first, and since you didn’t ask for it back then, it’s mine. Hand it over, buster.”
I laugh and pull it off and drape it around her shoulders. She sighs happily. And I know in that moment, I’m probably never going to win another argument again.
“So, you remember about the cake confession do you?”
“Yes! I remember that you are a dirty cake thief.” She shakes her finger at me.
“Just so you know, I admitted it to Anca, recently,” I say proudly.
“Oh?”
“Well, okay, she made me admit it. She already knew, of course,” I laugh.
“And she loves you anyway?”
“Eh, what can I say, I’m irresistible to women,” I shrugs.
“Especially fucking crazy ass loony ones?” She pokes me hard in the chest.
“Those ones just can’t get enough of me.”
“Oh, shut up and kiss me again.”
And who am I to refuse?
“So, what do you want to do, now that you’re finally here in Paris?”
“Oh, I think you know what.”
“The Eiffel Tower? There aren’t dancing fountains here you know!”
She pouts a little, but then grins. “I’m sure you’ll think of something to make up for it.” She jumps up and grabs my hand pulling me to my feet.
“You know what, Emmie? I think I have just the thing.”
I reach into my pants pocket, and feel the ring box that I’ve carried with me, since the day I went to see her in Maine and smile.
The End