Kings and Queens of Promise
No Way Out.
I took a deep breath as I stood on the front steps, staring at the front door.
“You can do this,” Alex said, giving my hand an encouraging squeeze. I took a deep breath before knocking on the door. For a brief moment, I considered running, but then the front door opened and it was too late.
“Hey, Em,” Pierre said softly, gazing at me intently. He was a complete mess. His face was unshaved and unwashed, he had dark circles under his eyes, and his hair was a greasy mess. He made a move as if to embrace me, but hesitated. “What are you doing here?”
“We need to talk,” I said solemnly.
“You got this?” Alex asked me.
“Yeah. Go get coffee or something: I’ll call you when I need to be picked up.”
“Alright,” he said, giving me a brief hug before walking back down the drive.
“Um, come on in,” Pierre said, stepping aside. Wrapping my arms around myself, I stepped into the house, trying not to flinch as he closed the door behind me. The house was a mess, with take-out boxes and beer cans everywhere. “So, what did you want to talk about, exactly?”
“Not like this,” I said, shaking my head. “You’re a mess. I want you to go upstairs, right now, and take a shower. Thoroughly. And shave. This facial hair isn’t working for you. Go.” Pierre looked like he was going to protest, but I gave him a gentle shove, just using my hands. Then he left me alone to his house...or, technically, Syn’s house.
Wanting to keep myself busy, I went into the living room and began picking up all the take-out boxes. I nearly screamed at the state his kitchen was in. It took me almost 45 minutes to clean the living room and kitchen, and Pierre still hadn’t come back. Without anything better to do, I went out onto the back deck, which was right over the beach. I sat by the railing, looking out at the ocean. After ten minutes, the glass door slid open and then closed again and, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Pierre sit on the chair next to me. He was so close that I could smell him, a mixture of Bar-Ba-Sol and Old Spice.
“So, um...we need to talk.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yeah. So...” I sighed, wondering where on earth to start.
“You know I’m sorry, right? I mean, I know that doesn’t count for much, but I hope it takes at least a tiny chip off the wall you’ve put up against me,” he said, not looking at me. I glanced over at him, seeing what almost looked like a different man. His tousled hair was still damp from his shower, and his face was clean-shaven, showing his tanned skin. Instead of his pajamas, he now wore a plain gray shirt and jeans.
“Why did you do this to me, Pierre?” I finally asked. I wondered if, after three months, I was going to finally get an answer.
“I...I don’t know. I wasn’t thinking, I guess. You were...the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen. Not to mention you were smart and so sexy and you liked manly things, like motorcycles and power tools. Being who I am, with my powers, not only can I bend other people’s emotions, but I am extra-aware of my own emotions. I was all-too aware of my feelings for you and I thought that, maybe, if I bent your emotions at first, maybe...maybe, eventually, I wouldn’t have to. But it completely backfired and there is absolutely nothing I can do to make up for that. I should have just tried to impress you in the normal, non-power way.”
“I’m not as mad about that as I am about you taking advantage of me. I liked you, Pierre.” I sighed, staring out at the water. It was a warm day, so I was enjoying wearing a tank top while I still could. “But after that...and this...” My hand instantly touched my slightly swollen stomach.
“Em, I know you can’t stand me,” Pierre sighed, turning in his seat so he was facing me. I turned slightly, but not as much. “And I know it’s going to take you a long time to forgive me,” he said, taking my hand, “but I want to be there for you and the baby.”
“Thanks, Pierre, but you don’t have to be involved.”
“I want to be,” he said, gazing into my eyes. In those two brown orbs, I could see a faint shimmer of hopefulness. With a sigh, I removed my hands from his.
“I’m moving back into the mansion tomorrow, and if you want to help your case, you’ll do whatever it takes to get Syn to let you move back in as well, without telling him that I want you to be there. And, if you want to be involved with the baby, you have to promise to accept the fact that friends are the most we will ever be. Can you promise to accept that?”
“I can try,” he said.
“That’s not good enough,” I breathed, standing up and leaning against the railing. Pierre got up as well, standing just behind me. I fought not to tilt my head back as he began to play with my hair. I managed to keep my composure and I heard Pierre sigh.
“If it means I can help take care of you and our baby, Em, I’ll do it,” he said softly. “I’ll do anything I can to take care of you.” His hands traveled from my hair to my shoulders, gently kneading the tense muscles there. “But you have to promise, as the mother of my child, you will let me pamper you.”
“I could use a little TLC,” I shrugged. I intended to make the most of his I’ll-do-anything attitude. I was surprised as his arms gently wrapped around my waist, hesitant, as if he was afraid to touch me. As he had every right to be. Slowly, unsurely, he lowered his head to rest against my shoulder. Somehow, I was comforted knowing that he was so ready to atone for his wrongdoings. So willing to drop everything for me. Resting my arms on top of his, I leaned my head against his and enjoyed the moment.
“Have you seen a doctor yet?” he asked quietly.
“Yes. The baby is healthy.”
“What are you going to do when it gets here? Buy your own place? Stay at the mansion?”
“That depends on how the next few months go,” I sighed. “For now, I plan on staying at the mansion. Brian says it’s okay.”
“Brian? Since when does he go by Brian?”
“Since he decided to be a decent person, I guess,” I shrugged. Pierre scoffed, straightening up.
“Yeah, right.”
“People can change.”
“Right. This is the guy that showed your bra to everyone and got you drunk off your ass.”
“People have done worse things to me,” I said pointedly. At this, Pierre responded by stepping away from me. I sighed heavily, realizing I’d killed the moment: for that one instant, things seemed almost normal. But, of course, nothing about my life would ever be normal again.
“Are you hungry?” Pierre asked after a long, rather awkward silence.
“I’m pregnant, remember? I’m always hungry.”
“Do you have any rules about what you can and can’t eat?”
“I have a list, but I left it at home,” I admitted.
“Well, how bad can spaghetti be? I’ll make some. You can come inside or stay out here. I’ve got over 1,000 channels on my TV,” he joked. I shrugged and followed him inside, making myself comfortable on his couch and turning the TV to Animal Planet. What? I love Meerkat Manor.
I sighed internally as I thought about the situation I was in. Wasn’t this just what I’d been trying to avoid for the past 7 years? And yet, here I was. And what’s worse? The fact that I just might not be in this situation if Pierre hadn’t been involved. As much as I wanted to forgive him, it would take a long, long time before I came anywhere close.
“You can do this,” Alex said, giving my hand an encouraging squeeze. I took a deep breath before knocking on the door. For a brief moment, I considered running, but then the front door opened and it was too late.
“Hey, Em,” Pierre said softly, gazing at me intently. He was a complete mess. His face was unshaved and unwashed, he had dark circles under his eyes, and his hair was a greasy mess. He made a move as if to embrace me, but hesitated. “What are you doing here?”
“We need to talk,” I said solemnly.
“You got this?” Alex asked me.
“Yeah. Go get coffee or something: I’ll call you when I need to be picked up.”
“Alright,” he said, giving me a brief hug before walking back down the drive.
“Um, come on in,” Pierre said, stepping aside. Wrapping my arms around myself, I stepped into the house, trying not to flinch as he closed the door behind me. The house was a mess, with take-out boxes and beer cans everywhere. “So, what did you want to talk about, exactly?”
“Not like this,” I said, shaking my head. “You’re a mess. I want you to go upstairs, right now, and take a shower. Thoroughly. And shave. This facial hair isn’t working for you. Go.” Pierre looked like he was going to protest, but I gave him a gentle shove, just using my hands. Then he left me alone to his house...or, technically, Syn’s house.
Wanting to keep myself busy, I went into the living room and began picking up all the take-out boxes. I nearly screamed at the state his kitchen was in. It took me almost 45 minutes to clean the living room and kitchen, and Pierre still hadn’t come back. Without anything better to do, I went out onto the back deck, which was right over the beach. I sat by the railing, looking out at the ocean. After ten minutes, the glass door slid open and then closed again and, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Pierre sit on the chair next to me. He was so close that I could smell him, a mixture of Bar-Ba-Sol and Old Spice.
“So, um...we need to talk.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yeah. So...” I sighed, wondering where on earth to start.
“You know I’m sorry, right? I mean, I know that doesn’t count for much, but I hope it takes at least a tiny chip off the wall you’ve put up against me,” he said, not looking at me. I glanced over at him, seeing what almost looked like a different man. His tousled hair was still damp from his shower, and his face was clean-shaven, showing his tanned skin. Instead of his pajamas, he now wore a plain gray shirt and jeans.
“Why did you do this to me, Pierre?” I finally asked. I wondered if, after three months, I was going to finally get an answer.
“I...I don’t know. I wasn’t thinking, I guess. You were...the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen. Not to mention you were smart and so sexy and you liked manly things, like motorcycles and power tools. Being who I am, with my powers, not only can I bend other people’s emotions, but I am extra-aware of my own emotions. I was all-too aware of my feelings for you and I thought that, maybe, if I bent your emotions at first, maybe...maybe, eventually, I wouldn’t have to. But it completely backfired and there is absolutely nothing I can do to make up for that. I should have just tried to impress you in the normal, non-power way.”
“I’m not as mad about that as I am about you taking advantage of me. I liked you, Pierre.” I sighed, staring out at the water. It was a warm day, so I was enjoying wearing a tank top while I still could. “But after that...and this...” My hand instantly touched my slightly swollen stomach.
“Em, I know you can’t stand me,” Pierre sighed, turning in his seat so he was facing me. I turned slightly, but not as much. “And I know it’s going to take you a long time to forgive me,” he said, taking my hand, “but I want to be there for you and the baby.”
“Thanks, Pierre, but you don’t have to be involved.”
“I want to be,” he said, gazing into my eyes. In those two brown orbs, I could see a faint shimmer of hopefulness. With a sigh, I removed my hands from his.
“I’m moving back into the mansion tomorrow, and if you want to help your case, you’ll do whatever it takes to get Syn to let you move back in as well, without telling him that I want you to be there. And, if you want to be involved with the baby, you have to promise to accept the fact that friends are the most we will ever be. Can you promise to accept that?”
“I can try,” he said.
“That’s not good enough,” I breathed, standing up and leaning against the railing. Pierre got up as well, standing just behind me. I fought not to tilt my head back as he began to play with my hair. I managed to keep my composure and I heard Pierre sigh.
“If it means I can help take care of you and our baby, Em, I’ll do it,” he said softly. “I’ll do anything I can to take care of you.” His hands traveled from my hair to my shoulders, gently kneading the tense muscles there. “But you have to promise, as the mother of my child, you will let me pamper you.”
“I could use a little TLC,” I shrugged. I intended to make the most of his I’ll-do-anything attitude. I was surprised as his arms gently wrapped around my waist, hesitant, as if he was afraid to touch me. As he had every right to be. Slowly, unsurely, he lowered his head to rest against my shoulder. Somehow, I was comforted knowing that he was so ready to atone for his wrongdoings. So willing to drop everything for me. Resting my arms on top of his, I leaned my head against his and enjoyed the moment.
“Have you seen a doctor yet?” he asked quietly.
“Yes. The baby is healthy.”
“What are you going to do when it gets here? Buy your own place? Stay at the mansion?”
“That depends on how the next few months go,” I sighed. “For now, I plan on staying at the mansion. Brian says it’s okay.”
“Brian? Since when does he go by Brian?”
“Since he decided to be a decent person, I guess,” I shrugged. Pierre scoffed, straightening up.
“Yeah, right.”
“People can change.”
“Right. This is the guy that showed your bra to everyone and got you drunk off your ass.”
“People have done worse things to me,” I said pointedly. At this, Pierre responded by stepping away from me. I sighed heavily, realizing I’d killed the moment: for that one instant, things seemed almost normal. But, of course, nothing about my life would ever be normal again.
“Are you hungry?” Pierre asked after a long, rather awkward silence.
“I’m pregnant, remember? I’m always hungry.”
“Do you have any rules about what you can and can’t eat?”
“I have a list, but I left it at home,” I admitted.
“Well, how bad can spaghetti be? I’ll make some. You can come inside or stay out here. I’ve got over 1,000 channels on my TV,” he joked. I shrugged and followed him inside, making myself comfortable on his couch and turning the TV to Animal Planet. What? I love Meerkat Manor.
I sighed internally as I thought about the situation I was in. Wasn’t this just what I’d been trying to avoid for the past 7 years? And yet, here I was. And what’s worse? The fact that I just might not be in this situation if Pierre hadn’t been involved. As much as I wanted to forgive him, it would take a long, long time before I came anywhere close.