Heros Passions Series

Chapter 3-Lips of an Angel

Chapter 3 (Charlie)

I found myself standing there in the middle of the yard watching the disappearing tail lights as Heather pulled further and further away.

A tornado of emotions whirled around me.  Confusion, hatred, love.  Why after all this time has she come back?  Why did she leave in the first place?  Why do I even care?

“Charlie”

I turned around at the sound of Ella’s voice to see her standing up on the porch looking down at me.

“Are you okay?” she asked with a hint of concern displayed on her face.

“Okay?” I mindlessly repeated the word in my head.  Now that really was the million dollar question of the day, am I okay? 

Nothing with Heather had ever been smooth and easy.  Even when we were together as a couple we were more like fire and ice.  When things were good, they were hot as hell and but when it came to a disagreement of sorts it was like two stubborn bulls butting heads in a rodeo, neither willing to give in.  

 There was just so much intense history between the two of us.  So much passion.  Once upon a time I thought that we would spend the rest of our natural born lives together.  I would go into the marines, she would go of to law school and then we would have babies while living our happy ever after.  

But none of that happened.   None of it ever came to fruition because she walked away.  Heather walked away from me for no rhyme or reason and never once dared to look back, until now.  

That was one particular fact that I needed to keep at the forefront of my mind during Heather’s unexpected return.  She was a woman that once owned my heart and that within itself made her a very dangerous woman to me now.  So, back to the original question, am I okay?

Hardly.

“Charlie?” Ella called out questioningly.  This time she was moving down the steps of the porch to meet me in the yard.

Shaking my head to clear the last remnants of my thoughts I strode towards her and wrapped her in my arms.

“I’m fine” I lied only wanting to reassure her.  I squeezed Ella’s small frame against my body and breathed in the fruity scent of her shampoo.

“That was just an old friend from school and her arrival caught me slightly off guard” I told her thinking that had to be the biggest understatement of the year.  Leaning down I then pressed a kiss on the top of her head.

“Mmm” she answered with her face pressed against my chest.  “She was pretty.” she added and wrapped her arms around my neck.  

For several minutes it was quiet, all you could hear was the crickets chirping on a late spring evening.

“Was she an old girl friend?” Ella finally asked breaking the comfortable silence between us.  Her voice wasn’t accusing, just curious.

I let out a long sigh as I held her in my arms.  “Yes” I answered her truthfully and tensed as I waited for her reaction.  

Would Ella get pissed and walk away?  Would she be jealous and throw a fit?   Or would she understand that Heather was just a part of my past, a past that is long over and done with?

“You two were very close weren’t you?” Ella said still holding tightly to my neck.

I hesitated before answering her.   Choosing my words carefully I finally said  “Yes, we dated three years in high school and talked about marriage.  We had made lots of plans, but then she left me." I added while pushing a stray curl back behind her ear,  "Crushing my dreams in the process.” I finished barely above a whisper.