22
Xavier
“Please tell me you're not serious,” I say, holding Nora’s stare and gripping the newspaper tightly.
“Yes Xavier, I am. It’s been months now. I’m fine.” She says pouring herself a cup of coffee. “And you know I’ve always loved coffee.” She smirks while taking a sip of the steaming drink.
“Loving coffee is fine, but one doesn’t necessarily work in a cafe because they simply love coffee.” I furrow my brows at her hoping she’s just joking. Farrah walks over from the kitchen with our two plates in her hand. “Farrah, talk some sense into him, please. He’s being such—” Nora pauses as she feels Farrah’s hand on her shoulder.
“Xavier, she’s been back for a while now. You can’t keep sheltering her from the world.” Farrah says, putting my plate in front of me. Deep down I know she’s right. I know eventually I need to let her go back to living her life. I just can’t yet. I feel like I just got her back.
“I’m not sheltering you, Nora. It’s a new city and it’s just not something I feel comfortable letting you do yet.”
“You don’t feel comfortable? What? Letting me live my own life?” She spits angrily. I shake my head which makes Nora even more upset. Her expression is fuming as she sits there poking at her food.
“Xavier, she’s not Lina—” Farrah pauses instantly as her eyes widen. Her mouth parts as I hold her stare. I know she didn’t mean to say that; I can tell by her shocked expression. I haven’t spoken of that name in months. I haven’t heard that name out loud since the day Carl took her back to Chicago. It feels like someone has put a dull Jagger into my heart. Slowly and repeatedly.
Carl and Farrah knew I didn’t want Nora to know about her. Not that I was intentionally keeping it from Nora, I just didn’t want to have to go down that road again. It was painful how everything ended between us. And I didn’t want Nora to know I had feelings for someone I saved while I was supposed to be mourning her. I’ve tried to heal that part of my life, but Farrah just ripped the scab clean off.
Nora’s eyes stay glued on me as I sit there quietly. I feel like I’ve been caught red-handed with nowhere to go and nothing to say, but the truth.
“Who’s Lina?” Nora asks softly as she sets her coffee cup down. Farrah stands beside me. It’s at the precise moment I feel her hand on my shoulder that a tear falls slowly down my cheek. I swallow hard as I hold Nora’s gaze.
“A woman I saved that ultimately led me to find you. That’s all that matters.” I say as I pick up the newspaper again and go back to reading it.
“Wait–a woman you saved? How did you save her?” Nora asks and I fold the newspaper in half knowing good-and-well she’s not going to let this go until she knows everything. She and Lina are alike that way.
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“You’ve told me everything except for one thing… Did you have feelings for her?” Nora asks and I swallow hard because I know my face says it all.
“I did,” I say quietly as emotion fills my eyes. I try to hold it in, but all of those good times Lina and I had together over those several months come flooding back into my heart almost instantly.
“I was at my lowest point in life and she helped me through it. We helped each other get through some dark times.” I say and Nora’s eyes blur.
“Why haven’t you tried to get into contact with her?” She asks as she pulls out her phone. I scoff as I pick the newspaper back up and begin reading it. Nora stares at her phone quietly. Sometimes I swear she missed that thing more than me.
I reread the same sentence of the newspaper article over and over as Lina now occupies my mind. I spent so long trying to forget her and how she made me feel, but the truth is no matter how hard I’ve tried over the last few months—I just can’t.
“She’s pretty,” Nora says quietly a few minutes later. My eyes instantly hold hers.
“What are you talking about?”
Nora lifts up her phone and shows me a picture. My heart skips a beat as I stare at a photo of Lina. Her brown eyes pierce my already fragile heart. Her dark wavy hair is longer than I remember. Before I knew it I held Nora’s phone in my hands as I stared down at the girl that held my hand as we both wandered aimlessly around rock-bottom hoping and praying that we would find our way out. And we did get out. Just not together.
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I walk into the office and smile as I’m greeted by my secretary Juliette. She’s mid-forties and motherly. She reminds me of Farrah in a way. That’s why I hired her.
“Mr. Almasi,” She stands as she hands me a folder.
“Good Morning, Juliette,” I say as I take the folder from her. I make my way into my office and sit down behind my desk. The floor-length windows overlook the beauty of one of my favorite cities. I smile as I look up at the clouds. I hope I’m making you proud.
I used what money was left to buy back my father’s company. I won’t ever forget Lina and I’s conversation in Mexico. She told me that after all of this was over I needed to live a life that would make my family proud. I couldn’t think of a better way than buying back my father’s company. Although I couldn’t be in the same building or city he started the company in, I bought it back and it's mine. I smile proudly looking around the office.
Business is booming and if it continues like this we will be able to expand globally in the near future.
I sit at my desk as Nora’s question from this morning fumbles around in my mind. She wants to work. She wants to get out of the house. I get that, I do. But something inside of me is terrified about anything happening to her. I couldn’t handle it again. Deep down I know I can’t keep her sheltered forever. I know I have to let her live. No matter how hard it is, I have to let her bloom too.