The Connection

Yanking her arm away from Zacky Liss stumbled backwards looking up into his eyes.
“Yeah right,” She muttered

“Ask the guys if you don’t believe me,” Zacky said exasperated “No one will ever mean as much to me as you do.”

Rolling her eyes, Liss remembered the assessment she made years ago. “Men are full of shit, and will do anything or say anything to get in your pants.” That was that. However, the longer she starred into Zacky’s honest eyes; the more she began to doubt her thoughts.
*
Brian was on the phone with Leanna, making plans all the while soothing the sobbing widow.

“I know its hard Lee; we’ll get through this together. We are all here for you Lee.” He sighed running a hand down his face. “Why don’t you come over?” He asked hopefully “There some people here you would like to see.”

Leanna agreed and soon Johnny was sent out to pick up all the women not currently present at Brian’s home.

Hours later the women crowded in the living room, all crying, and sobbing together while the boys made a hasty getaway to the basement. Leanna sat in Liss’s arms, happy to be reunited with her friend, while Leyna rubbed her back. Silent tears falling down each of the faces in the room. Michelle sat on the couch with Val across the room, who sat observing the woman that once held her husband’s heart. Lacey sat on the floor leaning against the couch beneath Leanna. She too, tried to comfort the sorrowing woman.

“I'm glad you guys made it,” Leanna said whispering into Liss’s arm.

“We wouldn’t miss this,” Lyss mumbled into her hair “We loved him.”

“He loved you.” Leanna said fiddling with her wedding ring still proudly adorning her hand.

“He loved everybody,” Leyna added.

Moments later, the boys wandered back upstairs and into the living room. Brian took a seat next to Michelle as Matt seated himself next to Val, giving her lips a quick kiss, and he couldn’t stop his eyes from wandering over to Leyna who didn’t even bother acknowledging his presence, or piercing stare. Johnny pulled Lacey into his lap on the floor and Zacky sat alone on the loveseat. The group sat in silence and were once again reminded about Jimmy. He was always the one to fill the silences with his loud rampages and awkward body movements. This memory was all too real for Leanna, as she sprang from the couch running to the bathroom to rid herself of the bile rising up in her throat. Her love was taken from her at the young age of twenty-eight. It simply was not fair. Val and Leyna held back Leanna’s hair as she emptied her bodily contents into the toilet. Both women sharing a sympathetic glance towards one another.

Night came quickly; Val and Lacey took Leanna to her parent's home. Michelle went to the grocery store with Brian’s credit card to get what she needed to make dinner for the entire group, and Leyna offered to tag along.

Liss asked Zacky to take her to the nearest fax machine, which in turn ended up being his house, where she was expecting to get a fax from work.

“You’re really into your job, huh?” Zacky asked pulling out of Brian’s driveway.

“It is my job, so yes I'm into it.” Liss sighed looking out her window.

“Ok, gosh shoot me for trying to have a conversation,” Zacky defended taking a left.

Sighing Liss looked over at her ex lover, “I'm just a little bitter Zacky, that’s all.” Sarcastically smiling and turning back to her window.

Inwardly groaning, Zacky stopped at a red light. “I'm sorry.” He tried looking at her silhouette in the streetlight’s dim glow that cast in through the window.

“I know,” Liss said looking back at him after a few seconds. Her phone suddenly vibrated in her hands distracting her from Zacky.

“Hello?” She began as Zacky continued to drive yet stealing a few glances at her occasionally. “Steph, I'm almost at the nearest fax machine, give me a minuet okay?” Liss snapped shocking Zacky at how vicious she could sound. “Yes, I wanted both papers, the one in the manila envelope.” Pausing Liss took a deep breath, “Then tell Kelly to pick the one with the smaller ass,” Sighing Liss hung up the phone, rubbing her forehead.

Giving her an odd look Zacky asked, “Do I want to know?” He slightly chuckled as she rolled her eyes

“Fashion week is coming up and we are working on the Christian Siriano Spring Collection show and casting models is just ridiculous,” She sighed for the millionth time that night “These damn interns bother the shit out of me,” Liss stated dropping her phone onto her lap.

“Well here we are,” Zacky, announced pulling into a long driveway.

After receiving many documents through Zacky’s fax machine, Liss bit her lip as she scanned over each one. She looked so beautiful in Zacky’s eyes, just sitting on his sofa in her black skirt and black cami, her jacket hung carefully over the arm of the couch, and her plump lip in between her pearly whites. She was so focused and so alert as her eyes scanned the pages, writing a few notes here and there. Walking into the living room and plopping down beside her, Zacky leaned his head against the back of the couch to get a better look at Liss’s face behind her papers. Failing to capture the young woman’s attention Zacky sighed and began to pick at his nail, the black nail polish chipping.

Peering at Zacky over her thick-rimmed black glasses, she noticed that the fool still wore nail polish. Something she had always found silly. The fact that they were chipping only made matters worse. Placing her paper on her lap she stared at the man seated before her.

He looked up to meet her gaze as she spoke, “Can I do your nails?”

*
Tears spilled out of Leanna’s eyes as Lacey and Val tried soothing her. Leanna lay across the couch as Lacey’s hand rubbed comforting circles on her back and Val brought her a cup of tea. It felt as though her heart was no longer beating in her chest, the never-ending tears began to make her eyes feel numb, and her head ache with blinding pain. It was hard to accept that her love was gone. How was it possible to go to bed with a man so alive, and young, and vivacious, and wake up with his lifeless body? Closing her eyes, she could still see his smiling face, his vibrant eyes, and his adorable laugh. Smiling to herself Leanna peacefully sighed knowing that the image behind her eyes would forever be etched into her memory. Not a day would go buy when she would not remember her wonderful husband.

*

Leyna and Michelle soon arrived back at Brian’s place with dozens of grocery bags and a newfound friendship. Laughing as they paraded into Brian’s kitchen where Johnny, Matt and Brian sat making phone calls and snacking of caloric treats.

“Enough chips,” Michelle said yanking the bag out of Brian’s grasp. “We are making dinner, so shoo.” Lightly patting her fiancée’s behind as she pushed him out of the room, she turned back to Leyna as the two began to prepare a gigantic meal.

“Lets get started,” Michelle said as she began to unpack groceries.

“Let me call Liss, she loves cooking,” Leyna giggled reaching for her phone.

*

“Stay still you big oaf!” Liss exclaimed as she worked on Zacky’s thumb who kept trying to tickle her feet with his free hand. She was currently perched on his sink as he sat on the toilet lid, his hand in hers as she carefully painted the blackness to his nails.

Her phone buzzed loudly on the counter beside Liss.

“Can you get that?” She asked as she added another coat to his pointer.

“Sure,” He smiled reaching for it carefully answering the iPhone. “Yellow! Baker residence,”

Liss rolled her eyes and shoved her toe into Zacky’s ribs, while her other foot was placed firmly on his knee.

“Ouch,” Zacky groaned into the phone.

“Baker residence huh? You guys made up already? Married so soon?” Leyna chuckled into the phone.

“I wish,” he laughed along while Liss stared at him confusedly.

“Who is it?” Liss asked poking him again.

“Ow quit it,” Zacky said giving her a stern look making Liss crack up. “It’s Leyna.” Zacky said putting the phone on speaker.

“Hey Chiquita,” Liss yelled aloud making the man on the toilet cringe.

“Hey love, we are cooking, and I know you love cooking, want to join?”

“I hate cooking,” Liss simply said.

“Alright then you and Vengeance have dish duty,” Leyna threatened.

“Works for us!” Zacky yelled and quickly turned off the phone.

“Hey!” Liss shouted at him

“What?” He innocently asked blowing lightly at a nail she has just finished.

“I hate dishes more than I hate cooking,” She pouted, sending Zacky into a fit of giggles.

*

“I'm stuffed,” Matt announced, laying his fork down, sitting back, and resting his hand across his stomach.

“Thanks for the meal ladies,” Brian said kissing Michelle’s check. The group agreed offering their own sets of thanks and dispersed into the living room as Zacky and Liss began to do the dishes much to Liss’s disappointment.

“This is all your fault Baker,” Liss said pointing an accusing finger at Zacky. He simply smiled taking a stack of dishes to the sink.

*

Johnny sighed as Lacey scratched his scalp while the group sat around mingling, during which Zacky and Liss were still occupied with the dishes. Those two were something else, Johnny sighed.

“So where are you staying for the night Ley?” Brian asked Leyna who sat on one of the couches.

“You should stay with us!” Michelle offered with a smile. “We have plenty of guest bedrooms.” She added and Brian nodded.

“Thanks, but my fiancée’s apartment is a few minuets away,” Leyna explained “I’ll be heading over there soon.”

“Oh crap!” Liss exclaimed walking into the living room with her hands on her hips, exasperated. “I forgot to book a hotel room.”

“Ha-ha, loser.” Johnny jokingly laughed earning a smack on the head from Lacey. “I was kidding babe,” he whispered turning to her.

“You’re staying with me.” Zacky announced

“No its fine, I’ll go find a hotel.” Liss stated whipping her phone out quickly searching for an available room at the nearby Hilton.

“Stop.” Zacky protested taking the phone from her hands and placing it in his back pocket, “You’re staying at my place, its settled okay?” Liss’s hands were propped on her hips as she glared at him making him give out a hearty chuckle.

“Fine, whatever Baker.” She mumbled lowering her gaze away from him.

“What? I'm sorry I didn’t hear that.” Zacky smirked cupping his hand around his ear.

“Thanks,” Liss smiled “I said thank you so much,” Sarcasm dripping from every word that the whole group erupted in laughter at the scene that had unfolded between the former flames.