LeilaChristopher studied my face for a long time. I was already thinking about how I would apologize for sticking my big nose into his business. I had no experience in families or death or anything. I licked my lips, feeling very nervous.“Wow,” he finally said.I really felt like an ass. I had overstepped. I had made him speechless, and it wasn’t in a good way. “I’m sorry,” I gushed. “I shouldn’t have opened my big mouth. One psychology class does not make me an expert.”“No, no. You’re amazing.”“I am?” I squeaked.He nodded, getting to his feet. “You are.” He stepped close to me, his hands resting on my hips.“Not that I’m begging for compliments, but why do you say that?”“Because you very accurately said exactly what I’ve been feeling. This past year has been a mess. It’s just like you said. My life in general is still there, but it’s jumbled. It’s like nothing fits right. Nothing feels right. I think Olin is feeling the same way. We have our health and each other and all our th
ChristopherAfter my last class for the day, I headed to the coffee shop to grab myself a quick pick-me-up before heading home to do some homework. I liked having homework. I liked having something to do. Olin still wasn’t talking to me, which had kept me up most of the night. It had been a tense morning with him not talking to me but making sure I knew he was there with the constant slamming of doors and banging around.“Christopher,” I heard my name. Leila was waving to me from a bench, a coffee in her other hand.I grabbed my coffee and sat down on the bench beside her. “Hi,” I greeted.“He saw!” she blurted out.“What?”“The dean. He saw the hug.”I nodded. “I know.”“He saw me hugging you and now he wants to see me in his office!”I wanted to be sympathetic and I did understand her plight, but my emotions were already taxed. “Leila, it was a hug, not a handjob. We were fully clothed. I didn’t have my tongue down your throat or my hand down your pants.”Her mouth dropped open. “Yo
Christopher“Why? You’re not acting very respectful.”“How so? Tell me exactly what it is I’ve done to make you so angry?”He rolled his eyes. “Did you forget I caught a woman in your bed?”I held up a finger. “No, you didn’t catch a woman in my bed. She was fully dressed and met you in the kitchen. Secondly, I’m an adult.”“And that gives you the right to bring home strange women? Please, let me know if that’s how we roll now because there’s a chick at school that is into me. If we are having sleepovers, I’ll invite her.”“She’s not a strange woman. It was one woman. One woman I happen to respect and like being around. You can be pissed at me, but I won’t let you be disrespectful to her. She’s done nothing to you.”He glowered at me. “I can’t believe you brought a woman home—to your bed.”“Olin, you are the one that told me I needed to start dating. I do it and now you’re mad at me for doing it?”He shook his head. “I didn’t think you’d bring them home! This is our house! This is whe
LeilaIt was earlier than usual that I was out of the house, but I had a coffee date. I had texted Kami last night, asking her if she could meet me. I needed advice from a neutral party. I felt like I was sinking fast and I needed her to throw me a lifeline. I was on the fence and needed her to push me one way or the other.I felt discombobulated. Like nothing was right. Everything was all jumbled. I wasn’t in the same predicament as Christopher, but we were both facing challenges. Challenges that stemmed from us being together. I knew the quick and easy solution, but I didn’t like it. I wanted Kami to tell me what to do. I didn’t want to make the decision.I ordered my coffee and a strawberry and cream cheese Danish before taking a seat next to the window. I sipped my coffee, staring out at nothing. I saw Kami pass by and a second later a cool breeze flooded the shop. She sat down across from me a minute later with an iced coffee and her own Danish.“You look a little rough,” she com
Leila“Good morning,” I greeted Dean Johnson confidently.“Come on in.”I tamped down on the butterflies in my belly. I wasn’t going to let him see how terrified I was. I schooled my features, keeping a smile on my face as I sat down, daintily crossing my legs and waiting for him to speak.“Thank you for coming in today,” he started. “I was hoping we could have a conversation about what I saw yesterday.”“What did you see yesterday?” I asked innocently.He cleared his throat. “The embrace in your office.”“Embrace?” I asked, wrinkling my nose. “The hug I gave a man who was struggling with something very private and very big? I always have an open door with my students. They know they can talk to me about things going on in their personal lives as well as questions about a class. Aren’t we supposed to be there for our students? Didn’t you recently hold a meeting and encourage us to be mentors and sources of support for our students?”He nodded. “I suppose I did, but I don’t know what I
ChristopherI had decided to go home before meeting Leila for dinner. I wanted to check in with Olin and test the waters. I had almost told Leila I couldn’t meet her for dinner but figured I had better have a conversation with her.I heard the door open and close and sent up a silent prayer that he was in a better mood. He came into the kitchen and dropped his backpack on the counter before tossing his keys on top of it. His body language was telling me he was still pissed.“How was school?” I asked.“Fine.”“Did you get a chance to talk to Jen?”He scoffed. “Why would I talk to her?”“Because you like her and want to find out where she’s at,” I answered.He rolled his eyes. “I don’t care where she’s at. She can keep seeing the other guy. I don’t care.”“You sure about that?”“Yes.”I took a breath. “I have a dinner tonight. I’ll be home by nine.”“Bringing your newest lady home?” he sneered.“No. We’re having dinner.”He shook his head. “Sure. Whatever. Should I run out and buy anoth
ChristopherLeila’s eyes shone. “It was good. I went in there cool, calm, and collected. I was confident and stood my ground. I felt like I was facing a tiger, something I had been terrified of for too long. God, it felt good!”“Good for you,” I told her. “I knew you had it in you. You have this meek, quiet persona, but deep inside, you’re a lioness.”Her shoulders went back. “I did feel like a lion. A roaring lion. A respectful, quiet lion, but roaring nonetheless.”“Did he ask about me?” I asked, knowing I was likely the topic of conversation.“He did,” she answered, but didn’t seem bothered by it.“And did you tell him about us?”She grimaced. “Not exactly. He doesn’t need to know. I don’t feel like what we are doing is wrong. I am entitled to a personal life. Not everything I do has to be public knowledge. He’s not my father, even if I get the feeling he thinks he is. I’m an adult and I can make my own decisions.”“Wow. That’s a change and good for you. Seriously, you look like yo
LeilaI could just go home, I told myself. I could take a left at the light and never hear what he had to say. That wasn’t exactly mature, and it wouldn’t prevent him from saying what he had to say at some point, but I could put it off.Putting it off didn’t make it go away. I had messed with the guy’s head one too many times. I had tried to be honest with him from the very get-go, but it wasn’t enough. He was not the kind of man that had to wait around for a woman. He was handsome and successful and wealthy. There would be many women lining up to sink their claws into him.I should have seen the prize I had right in front of me instead of diddling around and freaking out about the stupid dean. If only I would have grown some damn balls a week ago. I could have saved whatever it was we had a week ago.I couldn’t now. I knew it as certain as I knew the sun would rise tomorrow.I parked my car in the spot next to Christopher’s truck in front of the marble slab creamery. I had told him I