To Set You Free

I circle a stain on the bar top with my finger while I let Eric ramble on about his job. I'm not paying attention, instead my head is replaying events from last night. I had my opportunity to end all communications, to go back to something safe, something normal, without any hurt feelings. But I blew it, I let the wrong part of my body make decisions for my brain. Whether the part of my body making the decisions was my heart or my manhood, I still have to figure out.

"Tommy, earth to Thomas," Eric is leaning on the bar opposite from me with a white towel hanging over his shoulder.

"What?" I asked dumbly.

"I asked what happened when you went outside to talk to Miss. Elena. Were you even paying attention to me or are you so caught up with your petty melodrama?"

"It's not good," I shake my head from side to side.

"Tell the unlicensed psychologist your problems?" Eric said in a mocking way.

I take a deep breath, where to start? "Well we kissed, again. Only this time I didn't want it to be just a kiss, ya know?" I smirk while I recall the kiss. I missed the way Elena's body fit perfectly against mine.

"Are you serious? How did that happen?"

"Well we hugged because I knew something was wrong, then she started crying and called me an idiot! Then Elena went on this rampage about I can't string her along-"

Eric cuts me off. "She's right."

"Comments and questions at the end of the interview," I snap.

"Sorry," Eric holds his hands up defensively, while he lets out a hearty laugh.

"So anyways, she started yelling at me about her kids and that I have Quinn and then she had to go and bring up the damn past," I shake my head again. "Then I started yelling about how even before I got here, I always thought of her. Every time I close my eyes lately, there she is, looking all pretty and being amazing," I close my eyes and I see Elena. She is smiling a wide smile that she makes when she is truly happy. I haven't seen her smile like that since we first met.

"Comments and questions time yet?"

"No. But fast forward a little bit and I'm pushing her up against the wall acting like a horny animal. Thank god, we stopped, even though I didn't want to. But after that I asked her and Wyatt and Kinleigh to go out of state with me. She said yes, and we're heading down to Florida this weekend."

"One, what in the world are you thinking? Two, she works this weekend."

"She's calling off tonight."

"What if I don't let her off?"

"I'll pay you."

Eric smiled in disbelief. "Okay, back to the important part. What in the world are you thinking?"

"I miss her. I want to get to know her again. Right now, I just remember old Elena, the one that I wanted to fix, the one that was mine. I can't get to know her again being in this town, where everything is a memory. I might just be having these feelings because I still see the old her, but once I know the new her my feelings will go away. And everything will be right in this world."

"What about Quinn or Wyatt and Kinleigh?"

"Quinn doesn't need to know. She won't find out. If media gets a hold of this, Elena is a cousin or something. Quinn isn't that bright, she'll believe me. And Wyatt and Kinleigh are cool. I met them, and I think it'll be a fun weekend, just the four of us."

"The four of you together, like a family. On a family vacation."

I looked at Eric. Parts of my brain thought that he was hinting at something, but I laughed it off. "It'll be nothing like that, they are not my kids so it's not a family."

Eric nods, "Whatever you say man. Have fun and I can't wait to see what happens when you get back."

I look at him again. What he said sounded like a forewarning. But a forewarning to what?