Queenie
After spending the night with him on Sunday, she’d gone straight to work.
Boyd seemed to be having a stressful week, only calling her in the evenings on both Monday and Tuesday.
But he never missed his good morning text.
With an idea spawning, she googled his work address and double checked it with him.
That’s correct. Are you going to send me more flowers?
I might. Would that be okay? Or would you prefer them at home?
It would brighten my day for sure .
Have you eaten today? Remember how horrible you felt yesterday after only eating at home?
After these next two meetings I’ll sit down.
I know I’m mothering you right now. I just don’t want you to exhaust yourself.
You are worried about someone you care about. It is the greatest compliment I could receive from you.
Call me when you get home.
As she walked to her car after work, she made a spur of the moment decision to bring him dinner.
Surely she could find something quick and easy that he could eat between meetings.
She stopped at the grocery store, where she picked out a cute lunch bag and filled it with snacks, sandwiches and a blueberry cupcake.
Once she made it all look pretty—as pretty as she could—and added a small bouquet, she made her way to his office. She followed the signs to the third floor of the building, where a young woman greeted her at reception.
“Can I help you, miss?” she asked, eyeing the flowers and lunch bag.
“I’m looking for Mr. Rickmann. I know he’s busy so I can always just leave this.”
“Let me call him. ”
But as the receptionist picked up the phone, Boyd’s voice drifted towards her from the right.
She twirled to greet him with a bright smile.
Though when he turned the corner, that smile quickly faded.
A cold chill washed over her. There, walking towards her, was Luka; his forest green eyes staring back at her.
“We can talk tonight and—”
Boyd’s eyes found hers and he froze, making Luka follow his gaze. “Queenie?” His focus fell on the flowers and the lunch bag she was gripping rather tightly. “Wh—what’s going on?”
“Queenie,” Boyd softly said as he closed the distance.
“I—you said…” She heard Boyd’s voice, but her attention was fixed on Luka, only able to think of the awful names he used to call her.
Freak.
Frankenstein.
Pirate.
Yes, that one had always been his personal favourite, had even brought a hook for her once and kept calling her Captain Hook. The sinking feeling of seeing her final essays flush down the toilet made her stomach churn.
Something soft brushed over her cheek, light as a feather. “Queenie, look at me, please.”
Her eyes pulled from Luka’s and found herself in another pair of green ones. Only these were the soft, gentle set that she’d fallen in love with. Yes, love. She loved those eyes, the kindness in them had made the last few weeks unforgettable, a dream come true. They’d been her safe haven.
“Blueberry,” she whispered. Clearing her throat she repeated again, “Blueberries. I forgot the blueberries in the car.”
Queenie shoved her gifts into Boyd’s arms and spun for the door.
“What the—”
“Stay here,” she heard Boyd growl as she pressed the button for the elevator.
She’d have preferred the stairs—if she knew where they were.
To her relief the doors opened right away but when she stepped in, Boyd held the doors open.
“I’m sorry and I know you want space right now.
Please text me when you’re safe and sound at home. ”
With that, he stepped back and Queenie could only watch as the doors slid closed.
Her knees felt weak, her lungs fought for each breath.
When she sat in her car and wanted to stick her key into the ignition, her whole arm shook.
She dropped it and let her head fall back, forcing herself to breathe.
She inhaled deeply, holding her lungs still before exhaling again.
Her mind was racing, at war with itself.
She felt as if the strong woman she’d become was all just an act; thrown back to the dark shadow that was high school.
Luka couldn’t touch her anymore. That’s what Boyd had promised her.
Once the panic subsided, Queenie finally started her car and drove away.
She hadn’t even known he was in town. Boyd hadn’t said anything either. But would he have? Should he have? Boyd didn’t owe her any explanation when it came to Luka. She’d known from the beginning who he was.
She shouldn’t have been in that office, if she were honest. But why did she feel so betrayed? Boyd hadn’t done anything wrong, nor hurtful. He’d responded as he should have when Queenie used her safeword, though that didn’t stop the guilt from settling in.