Chapter Two #4
I tilted his chin up. “I don’t mean to be rude or come across as uncaring.
I’m going to be with you until the last breath leaves my body.
I’m having trouble understanding what all the fuss is over a stupid piece of paper.
” At this point, I wasn’t sure who I was madder at.
Myself, for acting like a selfish prick, or Alex for continually beating the marriage horse to death.
“I’m sorry. I’m tired and this probably isn’t the best time to have such an intense conversation. Table it for another day?”
He agreed, but wasn’t thrilled about it, so I plopped down on his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
I guess now was as good a time as any to tackle the stuff in my father’s room.
Donating his clothes was the easy part, I had no use for any of it considering how much larger than me he was.
Overall, I hoped to find some sort of journals or records detailing his trips abroad, possibly even documents outlining what all these knick-knacks he’d collected were and where they came from.
Anything to give me insight to the man it felt as though I hardly knew.
Overwhelming was the best way to describe it after sitting on the floor in my dad’s room for several hours, surrounded by random notes and obscure diagrams that I couldn’t make heads or tails of, that covered the floor around me. What was all this about? Was he trying to tell a story?
Sliding the watch from the box, I flipped it around, and turned the dial to check and see if it still worked then depressed the button on the top of it and…
“What the fuck?”
Sprawled out, flat on my back but the ground beneath me was no longer covered in papers but in pine needles that poked through my clothing.
The contents of my stomach rushed forth, hurriedly I rolled onto my side, depositing what felt like everything I’ve ever eaten and fell back.
The gleam of sunlight through the canopy of trees reflected off the watch, catching my eye.
When I reached for it, I accidentally depressed the button again only this time I found myself back in my father's bedroom. I scurried across the floor toward the trash can, scattering the papers I’d so carefully organized with my feet, and dry heaved.
The sweat ran down my face, marring the ink on the papers beneath me. I couldn’t breathe.
What. The. Actual. Fuck.
I dropped the watch into the box like it had burned me and shifted tasks, needing to get as far away from whatever the fuck just happened.
Mind-numbing shit like bagging up my dad’s clothes.
An hour later, I had the bags loaded into the truck and drove down to the homeless shelter to donate them.
But that was only a temporary fix. My thoughts again wandered to the watch and the unexplainable experience I’d had.
The car behind me honked their horn, scared the shit out of me, but woke my ass up.
Along the way home, I spotted Alex’s favorite ice cream parlor and decided to pick up dessert to smooth things over.
HIs weakness for chocolate peanut butter ice cream, having used it as a dinner substitute a time or two, may get me back in his good graces, though I wasn’t sure I really deserved that.
I was truly an asshole to him. The list of problems I had was ever growing.
“Alex?” I called out as I opened the front door.
“Yeah?” he hollered.
“What do you want for dinner?” I asked, quietly slipping the ice cream into the freezer.
“I’m good with whatever.”
Well, that wasn’t any help, but I did need to make amends for my bitchy behavior.
His favorite shrimp and pasta meal would hopefully help.
I went out to our garden and cut fresh herbs.
Gardening was a Zen for me and being sustainable was a huge plus.
After I picked the herbs, tomatoes, and lettuce for dinner, I went inside to wash and chop them.
I was deep into it when Alex came up behind me and slid his arms around my waist. I jumped and squealed.
“Charlie?” he asked, linking his fingers through my belt loops.
“Yes, my love?” I murmured, drying off my hands.
“I’m really sorry about your dad. He was a good man, and I know you miss him.” He buried his face in my neck.
I spun around, on the verge of tears for the millionth time. “Oh Alex, I’m so sorry. I’ve been such a pissy bitch. This hit me harder than I expected. Everything you’ve done, being there for me… I just, I love you so fucking much.” He held me, kissing the top of my head while I cried.
“I know, baby, and I’m sorry too. I could’ve handled things much better today.” Alex tilted my chin up and pressed his lips to mine.
How could something so simple be felt so deep?
“Come on, let’s eat. I got you a surprise for dessert,” I said, reluctantly pulling away from him so I could set our plates on the table.
“Hmm, does that dessert include you naked and ass up?” He playfully waggled his brows.
“Ha-ha, no. But thanks for making me laugh. I needed that more than you know.” We finished dinner and Alex inhaled his ice cream, even gave himself an ice cream headrush. But even that bit of time that lightened my day couldn’t take my focus off the issue that plague me.
The watch and where my father get it from.