Page 26 of Lucy
“I love you, Abel.” I knew when she said it, she meant it in more ways than one and the sentiment was mutual.
“I love you too, Luce.”
“Do you ever regret what happened between us? You know…the reason why we’re sitting here having this conversation in the first place?” She sniffled and took a drink of whiskey.
“Nah. I mean, sometimes I wonder if we just went through with it would things have been different but I’m glad we decided not to.”
“Wanna know a secret, Abel?” She took another drink and I could tell she was careening toward being drunk.
“What?”
“I wish all the time that I kept the babies. I wish I told Nora or someone about it because sometimes holding that secret between us is too big and too heavy.” My throat got tight listening to her. I tried to blink away the stinging in my eyes.
With my head held down and my eyes closed, I whispered, “Sometimes I wish you kept them too.” Silence blanketed us. It was scratchy and hot.
“We made the right choice not bringing our kids into this world though. We made the right choice, right Abel?”
“Yes, baby. We made the right choice. I need you to know that I’ll always love you more than I should and I’ll always want you in ways I shouldn’t but to avoid another painful situation like that we have to cut it out now. I can feel things heating up between us again and it’s not good.” Lucy nodded in response. “You can’t keep giving Lauren shit. She can sense there’s something more between us.”
“I’ll be nice but only for you.”
“That’s all I’m asking, Luce.” She climbed over the middle console and wrapped her arms around my neck. She smelled so good and her skin was so damn soft. I fought the urge to peel the clothes from her body. Instead, I hugged her.
We’d make it through this.
We had to.
**
