Petals in the Sun

Chocolate for the Soul

Week Five, Day Two

"So what happened?" I asked, breaking the silence in the garage.

Jack stopped with the wrench for just a moment to look back at me. It was clear he was still a bit bashful from the kiss I gave him.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I mean what happened to your home. Who burned it down. What happened to your brother, and where is he now? What happened to the tribe, how did they fall apart -"

Jack shook his head with a bit of contempt for the first time. "I don't know," he answered. I don't know, I don't know, I don't know. And that's for all your questions, because I just don't know."

He dropped the wrench and got to his feet, "Bike's fixed," he grunted before storming inside the house.

***

Three successive knocks came on the door. "Hey," he said on the other side of it.

"Yea?" 

"I'm sorry. About earlier this morning, I mean. I-" 

His words were muffled and blocked by the door. I could barely catch a word after 'I'm sorry.'

"Jack, I can't hear you." I called out.

"Well-"

Inaudible once again.

Oh Jack, "Just please come in. It's fine."

The doorknob twisted and the door slowly swung open. It revealed a different Jack. One without his white war paint. Funny enough, his eyes were closed as if he wasn't mentally prepared to see a woman in a bathtub, lathered in bubbles. He had wine in one hand, and a case of chocolate in the other.

"You're naked, aren't you?"

I rolled my eyes. "Are we really going to make a big deal out of this?"

"I have chocolate," he said, eyes still closed tightly.

"For fucks sake, Jack. Open your eyes please."

Lucky for me those daring eyes found mine, and I felt my heart somewhat a flutter. Who was this?

"You're looking... different," I said.

"I'm starting to run low on my paint. Need to start conserving it," he shrugged.

"Well, you did say something about chocolate?" I notion for him to come over, making myself as inviting and warm as I possibly cared to. "It'd be a shame to waste them."

"Agreed," he said. Jack made his way to my side, bracing himself alongside the short walls of the tub.  I could sense the tension in him, though I held the same sensation in my shoulders.  

"Found them in the basement outback," he said. "Didn't even notice there was a basement until today. Turns out there's enough food and supplies to last us for months."

I took a shy bite. Delicious. The thick chocolaty overcoat was rich and crunchy followed up by a soft center composed of fudge and caramel. 

"This is perfect," I whispered. "I love chocolate."

"I figured," he said. He gave a kind smile as he lifted the wine bottle and examined it. Without giving much though, Jack uncapped the top and poured the oaky red into my mouth, waterfall style. I laughed as some of the red spilled into the tub. 

I watched as his eyes trailed down my chin, and towards the water that concealed my nakedness. I could feel my cheeks burning a bit, so I naturally stared down at the bubbles. Look away, look away... don't do anything stupid, K. I focused on the red wine that began to fizz at the clear bubbles in the tub. For whatever reason, watching the water dilute the heavy red was the only method I chose to ease the tension.

"Chocolate?" he asked awkwardly.

Jack, I smiled. "Yes, please."

He put the wine bottle down and didn't bother taking up the box of chocolates this time. He moved closer alongside the tub and leaned over. He reached out his big brawly hand and brushed my bangs aside. He held the chocolate in one hand, but used his other to caress my chin. 

He titled my head up ever so slighty. I had to close my eyes 'cuz if not, my embarrassment would surely be on display. My cheeks ablaze. His lips met mine, and awoke something inside of me that had been asleep for years.

My breathing became heavy and jagged as we took more and more from each other.  I grabbed him by his necklace and before he knew it, he was in the tub alongside me. And I next to the only man that ever cared about me, for the first time in my life. Our bodies interlocked and pressed up against each other. The water filling in between what little space was left between us.