Page 45 of Georgia: Britain's Story: Part 1
“What? I’m so confused.” Like seriously, what the hell? He’s nervous, he’s bouncing the palm of his hand against his leg now.
“I’m so sorry Britain, someone broke into the apartment today. I, uh, haven’t been checking the garage cam or the apartment doorbell cam out of privacy for you. But one of the guys at work wanted to know what my ‘hot date’ tonight looked like, and when they pulled up the feed, they saw Tori entering the apartment around noon. I just checked myself and thatiswhat happened. She left about 20 minutes later. I don’t know what to say except I’m really fucking sorry.” His words send a shiver down my back. It’s the feeling of violation, like you have someone else’s dirt on your skin without giving your consent to be touched.
“Oh, um.” I’m a little bit in shock, honestly. “Okay, I’ll go look right now.” I get up from the table and I know my eyes have glazed over. I’m just going through the motions to get me to the front door. I don’t even realize Liam’s right behind me until I’m halfway up the stairs to the apartment. I instinctively turn to tell him he didn’t need to come with me, but then I remember someone was in my space without my permission, so having him with me is probably a good thing.
We step in the front door and I check the bowl on the entry table, keys are there. I open my wallet revealing all my credit cards, driver’s license, and cash are all there, too. I go to Georgia’s box and it looks untouched other than the notebooks I’ve read through already. I double check the jewelry box, but since I hadn’t opened it yet, I couldn’t tell you if something was missing or not.
I walk through the bedroom into the ensuite. I’ve been keeping my jewelry traveling case in the bathroom. I open it up, and my Cartier watch, bracelets, and earrings are all there. I flip open the pouch, revealing my wedding rings, all still in their spots. If she took something, it wasn’t something of value. I look up and see Liam standing right behind me, arms crossed over his chest. I can’t get a read on him right now, I just know he's not happy.
“Nothing is missing that I can tell. All my ‘valuable’ stuff is still here. The rest is just clothes and shoes, which I could care less about.” He just nods his head and steps back into the bedroom.
“Can you pack a bag for tonight? And then I can have someone come tomorrow and pack up the rest of your stuff, so you won’t have to come back here.” There’s nearly no emotion in his tone, but it's authoritative. This is not up for debate, but I’m going to try anyway.
“I don’t understand, are you kicking me out?” I’m still in the bathroom, frozen.
“I can’t have you stay here, not after someone just violated your privacy and potentially stole from you, and still has a key.” That’s that then.
“Okay, well the closest hotel is in town, so if that’s what I’m going to do, I’ll just pack everything now and leave tonight.”Shortest relationship I’ve ever had. I’m really making a splash back into this whole dating thing. I’m already mentally preparing to check for flight times as soon as I’m in the car. I grab my cosmetics case and begin mindlessly pushing items into it when Liam’s at my back.
“You’re not leaving me, Bambi. I don’t know why you would even think that would be a suggestion. You’re staying at my house now.”Oh.
Liam
“Bambi?” I ask, after she doesn’t say anything for a minute. I’m still right behind her, trying to judge where she’s at based on her reflection in the mirror.
“I don’t know, Liam. I meanthisis pretty new. I don’t know if that’s the best idea, me staying with you, for the whole time.” It is, though, the best idea. I've been wanting her staying at my house since before we were together. I think subconsciously I was probably thinking it the day she showed up at Broken Ridge.
“Well, I won’t let you stay in this apartment, and there’s no other place I want you than with me. If you need, you can choose a guest bedroom and sleep there.” God, I hope she doesn’t do that, but I’d understand if she did.
She’s still looking pensive, undecided. “I think it would be good for me to at least have a room where I can put all my stuff. I don’t want to encroach on your life, or imposition you at all.” Is she kidding right now? She’s not an imposition, she’s a fucking wish granted. While I do wish this wasn’t because of Tori the dementor, I’m not mad if the end result is her in my house, in my bed.Our house, our bed. That wasn’t just a slip of the tongue when I said that earlier. If she wants to do a little role playing, let’s fucking do it. My fantasy is her, with me.
“Baby, I don’t know how to make this more clear, I want you. In my life, in my house, with me. I’m sorry that I put you in this situation, but I’ll never be sorry for wanting you close to me.”
“It’s not your fault that Tori is…deranged,” she says, and a shudder runs through her body when she says ‘deranged.’Fuck, I feel terrible that Tori is fucking with her life. I don’t care about me, but someone messing with Britain feels like my achilles heel. I’ll bleed out for her, willingly.
“It’s my fault that she’s in your life. I’m sorry, truly sorry.” She just silently nods her head in understanding. “Do you need me to grab an overnight bag from my house, so you don’t have to deal with suitcases right now?”
She shakes her head,“Um, no. I think I’ll just pack everything up now, and then I can deal with it tomorrow at your house. No use in dragging this out. It’s just a couple suitcases, and Georgia’s box.”Even better. I want to smile at her because I’m so happy she's staying with me, but I don’t want her to think I'm some sort of sociopath who can’t empathize with the fact she was just violated. So I just nod my head and offer help packing.
“What can I do to help?”
“Can you just take Georgia’s box over and choose a room to put it in?”
“Definitely. Are you okay to be here…alone? I can wait if you want.”
“No, I think I’m good. By the time you come back, I’ll have two suitcases and will probably want some help with those.” She gives me that half smile of hers, the one that tells me everything’s going to be okay.
“Okay, baby, I’ll be right back.” I lean over and place a kiss on the top of her head, and shoot her a smile through our reflection in the mirror. She returns it and my insides squeeze tightly.
I leave her in the bathroom, heading back to the living room for the U-Haul box. I grab it and head towards my house. What would she do if I put it in my room? She asked for her own room, but I don’t know, the thought of her being in my house but not my room stings. As much as that would please me, I can respect her wishes, though. I’ll put the neanderthal in me away that says she should be in my room, my cave.
When I get back to the apartment, she’s standing in the doorway. Two suitcases, a tote bag over her shoulder, and a pillow under her arm. She sees me looking at the pillow and says, “Yes, I travel with my own pillow. I’m old.” I laugh. She’s not fucking old. She still looks like a 25 year old. It’s unbelievable that she has two teenagers, and in three years she’ll have adults.
I grab both suitcases and head down the stairs quickly. I never want her worrying over this shit ever again and the sooner she’s under my roof, the better.
I’m closing our front door behind Britain when she asks, “How did she get in? How did she know I wasn’t there? Is she stalking me?” I owe her some answers. I was secretly hoping she’d just move past it, but that’s unrealistic, and unfair.
“She used a key, same way she used a key when she broke into my house. She must have made copies when she was managing the listings. I had a locksmith come change out my locks after that day, but I didn’t even think about doing the apartment. I’m sorry.
