An Unexpected Romance

Three weeks have passed since I’ve spoken to Levy and Halloween is fast approaching. Each day I received flowers. I did one of three things with them every time. A) threw them out…B) gave them to someone else in the office…C) gave them to one of the mothers in the ward…

Nova keeps asking if everything is alright and I always give the same answer…“Of course.” Steph is barely around with teaching and then Allen. Levy hasn’t tried to contact me since I left the bakery that night, but I haven’t tried to talk to him either. I never go into ‘The Cookie Corner’ anymore. I pass by everyday though on my way to the work and Ollie always waves.

I’m depressed; I admit it and I know it’s self-inflicted. I admit I might be slightly stubborn, but grrr…I don’t know…

“We are going Halloween costume shopping!” sang Nova after jumping up off the couch.

“Oh, good! I need one. Allen’s taking me to a Halloween party,” Steph said while grabbing her jacket.

“Too cute. I’m taking Charlie here trick-or-treating!” Nova cheered. I gave him a no-way-look, but he just shook his head and threw my jacket at me. “We are going baby doll, whether you like it or not.”

Begrudgingly I followed them and in no time we ended up at a nearby Party City.

“How about I just be a nurse and wear my scrubs?” I asked trying to pry Nova away from all the sluttish costumes.

“No, Charlie,” Nova said while picking up a costume that was labeled ‘Derby Darlin’ Sexy Jockey’. “Oh, this ones kind of cute.” I just pretended to gag.

“I’m going to get this one,” shouted Steph, with a really pretty Greek goddess costume in hand. She then turned toward the register leaving me sulking and Nova texting.

“Nova, who in the hell are you talking to? You’ve been texting all day,” I said exasperated.

Nova quickly replied, “No one!” and then shut his phone and slid it into his pocket.

Whatever…

“This one for sure!” Nova exclaimed while holding up a semi-cute Native American costume. “You did that whole big Native American research project in high school right?”

“Yeah,” I chuckled. “I tracked buffalo migrations and everything.”

“Well, it’s perfect and I’m getting Buzz Lightyear,” Nova said while heading toward the cash register.

“Why Buzz?” I questioned, wondering his motives.

“Well, I know a couple people being cowboys, but do you remember the red-head from the club?” he asked, to which I nodded. That was the one he left me for and then I had to deal with…mystery man. “Well, he’s being Woody! Oh, and he’s coming with us!”

“Yay!” I cheered cynically. This earned a sharp glare from Nova as he paid for his and then I paid for mine. With that done, we met Steph in the car and were soon on our way back home.

So, another week passed and Halloween was on Friday. The unit was all decked out in pumpkins and cute little black cats. Nova wouldn’t shut up about trick-or-treating, but that was just like him to get overly excited about a holiday. The flowers still came and I still gave them away, but something new started to come everyday. They were these little cards that had a romantic quote on the back and a few words on the front. By Thursday, I had four.

#1 I’m Here Now
"Only you, you're the only thing I'll see forever. In my eyes, in my words and in everything I do." ~ West Side Story

#2 She’s Broken Down
"If I tell you I love you, can I keep you forever?" ~ Casper

#3 Just Look Into Her Eyes
"I would rather fight with you than make love to anyone else." ~ The Wedding Date

#4 You Can See That Something’s Missing
"The hardest part of love isn't loving someone, but having the courage to let them love you back." ~ The Wedding Date

And then today, Friday October 31st…Halloween…I received another with more than just a quote on the back. Someone’s elegant scrawl left a message.

#5 But You Know What Time Is Mending
"I'd rather die tomorrow than live a hundred years without knowing you." ~ Pocahontas

I’m here, my Pocahontas…and I’m not going anywhere

Very, very creepy is all I have to say, so I tucked the cards away into my purse and left the Hospital with Nova to get ready for trick-or-treating. But the cards still lingered in my mind.

Are they from Greg because this is just becoming toomuch!

Nova decided he’d do my hair and make-up and get me dressed, all to my dismay. After he was done, my hair lay in two braids with my bangs swept to the side. I had light brown eyeshadow and glossed pink lips. The outfit was a little snug, but that’s what I expected from a store bought costume. Nova jumped out of his room the same time Steph came out of hers. Steph looked gorgeous with the purples in her goddess get-up and her hair was thrown into a messy bun, yet it was still elegant. Nova had the full Buzz costume on and scarily enough he could pull it off.

“I’ll see you guys sometime tomorrow, I guess,” Steph said while grabbing her bag.

“Tomorrow?” I questioned and a blush rose to her cheeks. This caused me to chuckle and give her a quick hug before she went on her way.

“Let’s go baby doll, Jeremiah is outside!” I gave Nova a questioning look when he said Jeremiah. “Oh, he’s the cute red-head.”

“Ah, I see. Well, then let’s not keep him waiting,” I said as we locked up the apartment.

Soon enough we were scouring NYC for candy, just like all the other little kids. I’d actually gotten quite a lot, but that may be because Nova dragged us into a pub, where cat calls were common. The guy at the bar was cute and had a bowl of candy. He said we’d probably be the only trick-or-treaters in a place like this so he dumped the whole bowl into my bag.

Jeremiah was extremely nice and when I said I was tired of walking, he gave me a piggy-back ride. My mode of transportation soon stopped though.

“Jeremiah, why are we stopping,” I whined, tired from trick-or-treating.

I guess I’m getting old…Ha!

“Why don’t you get some candy in there Char?” Nova questioned while pointing at the shop we were in front of. It was very dimly lit, but I could still tell it was “The Cookie Corner’.

“Nova, what the hell!” I said angrily as I climbed off Jeremiah’s back.

“Look, Ollie said he was the only one in here tonight since Levy had to go to a party. He also said he missed seeing you around and wanted to talk,” Nova said with wide eyes.

I wonder what Levy’s doing at that party…I bet he’s bothering some other girl who wants to be alone.

Thinking about Levy with another woman made me way too mad for that to be a normal reaction, but I just pushed that aside. “Fine, I kind of miss Ollie too,” I said while pushing open the doors.

As the doors closed, I looked behind me to see Jeremiah and Nova making a run for it. “See ya later, baby doll. You’ll thank me for this!” Nova yelled as he ran away.

“Damn it Nova,” I muttered while walking farther into the shop. “Hello?” I called, but my voice just echoed around the empty bakery. “Ollie are you here?”

“No Ollie isn’t here,” I heard from behind me and then felt a hand on my shoulder. I screamed bloody murder while blindly turning around and slapping who ever was behind me.

“F*ck tiger, you slap hard,” muttered the mysterious person, who I saw as he turned on the light, was Levy. He was sporting a cowboy costume and a red hand mark on the side of his face.

“Oh, that looks like it hurt. Yeah, sorry,” I said sarcastically, not truly being sorry at all. “Why are you here? Where’s Ollie?” he was about to answer my question, when I cut him off. “Ollie was never going to be here. You set this all up didn’t you?” I questioned again, this time allowing him to answer.

“Yeah,” he replied sheepishly. “I needed a chance to talk to you.”

“Well, what about the month I haven’t heard from you. You’ve had plenty of opportunities,” I fumed.

“Charlie, I’ve been trying to get everything together. You know you’re not the only person that has to deal with heartbreak,” he glowered furiously.

“Shut up Levy, if you think I’m gonna throw you a pity party get over yourself. So what, a little girl broke your heart and getting the rebound chick you wanted wasn’t as easy as you thought. Well, that’s all just too bad,” I uttered harshly.

Levy got in my face while nearly screaming, “Nothing like that happened. You were never rebound. Yeah, my heart was broken, shattered even, but I moved on. Something you can’t seem to do.”

“God, I can’t stand you. I’m leaving,” I screeched and began walking toward the door, but my arm was tugged and my body turned to face a crying Levy. Not intense crying, but a few tears were sliding down his cheeks.

“She was my everything. Beautiful blonde hair, hazel eyes and legs that seemed to go on for days. She was so smart and always knew the right thing to say. She was older than me, by nine years, but that never seemed to matter. I was a senior in high school and she was a friend of my older brother. The day I graduated, at my graduation party actually, I proposed to her. The funny thing that she never let me in on, she was married and had been for 5 years,” he finished. Tears were lightly coming down his face and he had taken a seat in a nearby chair.

“Oh,” I said.

That’s fantastic…after his huge speech all I can say is Oh…

“She said it was just a fling, a fling that lasted three years. Her husband didn’t know, and she said he never would. The two of them moved to Florida the day after I proposed. Her husband had thought it was some prank I was pulling. I ran away after that. Took all my stuff and moved in with my cousin. He lived in Ohio. I did nothing, but mope for about a year. But then Ollie came to visit and told me how much I’d hurt my parents by leaving. So, I went back and realized that the one first love I felt with her was nothing compared to what I believed true love should feel like,” he continued sadly, but ending with a hopeful expression lighting his handsome face.

There was a long silence between the two of us. I walked toward him and gently rubbed my thumb to try and erase some of his tears. “I’m so sorry Levy,” I breathed.

“Do you feel it tiger?” he questioned suddenly.

“Feel what?” I asked.

“The spark,” he said.

He felt it too…

“Yeah, I do,” I answered finally after a stream of quiet. There was no use lying now. He cupped my face in his hands.

“Then why’d you lie when I asked you that first time? When you ran away that morning?” he queried curiously.

“I was scared,” I replied like a small child. He chuckled slightly at the meekness of my voice, which brought a smile to my face.

“There’s that sparkle,” he said thoughtfully. “Here, sit right here.” He then rushed off into the back, only to come back with an acoustic guitar. “I wrote you a song, would you like to hear it?” the way he asked made him sound frightened that’d I’d turn him down.

“Yeah, I’d like that a lot,” I said with a small smile.

“Okay, here goes…” and then he started strumming and as soon as his beautiful voice touched my ears, my smile widened.

I was ridin' down that open road

The wind was blowin' on my face but I'm here now, yes I'm here now.

And I don't even know what I've been doin', everybody's wonderin' where I've been

But I'm here now, Yes I'm here now

And she's broken down, just look into her eyes, you can see that something's missin'

She's broken down, just look into her eyes, you can see that her heart's broken

Here they come all the young all the old and everybody else who is told

That I'm here now, yes I'm here now. And as everybody gathers around, oh it's where we can

still hear the sound of your guitar

And she's broken down, just look into her eyes, you can see that something's missin'

She's broken down, just look into her eyes, you can see that her heart's broken

And I said, why, why? Yea I said, why, why? And I said, why, why did you have to go.

Cause we're broken down, We're broken, broken down

Yea she's broken down, and she hit the ground

And she's broken down, just look into her eyes, you can see that something's missin'

Yea she's broken down, just look into her eyes, you can see that her heart's broken

But you know what time is mending ohhh

“So…,” He said as he finished.

“So…you know you’re a big goof that writes love songs for the girls you like,” I quipped.

“Excuse me, is that supposed to be an insult, my little tiger lily,” he retorted sounding like the cocky Levy I had come to know so well.

“Maybe,” I said childishly.

“Well, then. I’ll just have to take all this candy,” he said and then grabbed my bag, bolting off into the back.

“No, anything but the candy,” I cried out while laughing. I then ran after him trying to get my Halloween treats back.

“Anything?” He questioned with the candy held out of my reach, while I tried to jump for it.

“Well, there’s a limit on anything,” I replied jokingly.

“Kiss me,” he whispered so quietly I almost didn’t catch it.

“Well, bend down a little Jolly Green Giant,” I chuckled. He did as I asked and I cupped his face in my hands while bringing him closer. Our lips brushed slightly and a tingle shot throughout my body. I guess he couln’t take the anticipation bacuse soon enough he dropped the candy and pulled me forward with his hands wrapped around my waist.

His lips were amazing. Soft, yet determined. After a few minutes I pulled back to refill my lungs. We were both slightly out of breath, but he had that smirk.

“My charm worked on you,” he said in a sing songy voice.

“Na-uh,” I argued, just to argue. My smile was still in place so there was no hiding it.

“Ya-huh! I got the power,” he screamed causing laughter to spill from mine and his own lips.

I never really liked Halloween before…but know…hmmm