Page 47 of Make Me Forget
You’re Already There
Mara - One Year Later
Seeing him again hurt. Just staring across an empty parking lot as he tried to fit his keys into the door of his beat up old truck stung. I warred with crossing the black concrete, new and smooth as water. Would he want to talk to me? After everything that happened? After what we meant to each other and what we—I—lost?
He exited the lot and headed toward the hotel. I followed on my bike down the road until he climbed out of the truck with a curse and a bag of fruit. In the year we’d been apart, he’d definitely grown surlier. Doubtful he’d recognize meeither.
I swept my long hair into a bun at the top of my head to keep it from sticking to my neck. I’d gained about ten pounds of muscle from riding a bike around town, and I no longer had a sallow, sickly look about me. More importantly, in the sunny heat of the south, I changed my denim and leather to long skirts I could tie up to ride in and tanktops.
Would he like the changes in me? More importantly, why did I care somuch?
The reasons I left, I was in a bad place then, and instead of talking things out with him, I ran. He had every right to assume I might do something to hurt myself. Hadn’t I considered it for a moment before deciding against it? Too close for comfort, my doctor wouldsay.
I rode up to the cute little boutique hotel and strapped my bike to the wrought iron decorative framing on their cafe window. Checking to make sure Murphy was long gone, I sidled up to the check in desk to smile at my friend Marisol. She was the manager of the local inn and one of the few people who could stand my drywit.
“Hola, Marisol. I need afavor.”
“Aye, chica, you always need a favor.” She leaned in, her dark eyes glittering. “Tellme.”
“That guy, the stranger in the truck who just walked throughhere.”
Marisol fanned herself dramatically, and I waited for her to finish so she could fully appreciate the eye roll I gave her. “Tell me what room he’sin.”
She eyed me with a nod of respect. “Girl going after what she wants. Getit.”
She wrote a number on a slip of paper and handed it to me before loudly proclaiming, “Certainly Madam, the water dispenser it one floor up right off theelevator.”
I gave her a wink, waited ten years for the elevator to come down, and took it up to the fourth floor where Murphy stayed. Only four rooms up there, all suites. It would seem he upgraded his taste in the lastyear.
Instead of charging out, I slipped my head into the hall and made sure no one would catch me. Then I walked up to his door and lifted my hand toknock.
Just as my fist would make contact with the wood, I froze. Doubts chased each other through my head, each worse than the last. What if he hated me? Thought I was fat now? Didn’t like my hair thisway?
I stood in paralyzed fear before rationality slipped back in. This town had embraced me in a way my home town had not. If Murphy stayed or left, I’d still have a home. I was dependent on no one. On that thought, I squared my shoulders and knocked hard on hisdoor.
A few second passed, and I caught the sound of socks scuffing on carpet before he wrenched the door openwide.
He gaped at me for aheartbeat.
Thentwo.
Complete silence I couldn’t let stand. “Hi.” Damn I hoped he remembered me…I hadn’t changed thatmuch.
He seemed taller somehow, still rocking the five o’clock shadow and bed hair, his bulky built frame stretched to a long and lean frame of a runner or aswimmer.
I let him drag his eyes from the tips of my red nails to my low messy bun. “Oh no, they got youtoo.”
Not the greeting Iexpected.
He dragged me in the room by the wrist and pinned me against the closet door. Also not the greeting Iexpected.
“This place reminds me of the town in that movie where they turned all the wives into robots,” he said it in a whisper, the words and air trapped in the tiny spaced between ourchins.
A few seconds passed, and he swallowed heavily before stepping back. “It was a joke. You look different.” He turned and headed back into the room. I suspected he wanted me to followhim.
His suite was huge and overlooked my little town. I crossed to the window and peered out at the sun baked streets. A pang of pride hit me before I forced myself to turn and facehim.
“How did you find me?” he asked, his mouth flopped open like he wanted to add more, butresisted.
