Save Me, Sinners
“David.”
“Carrie.” The shock of seeing her is fresh and I don't know what to say. I just want to rush toward her, lift her in my arms and hold her close.
“David... I'm so sorry.”
“For what?”
“For the article and everything else. But I didn't do it. I didn't write that article. My article was completely different, I can show you if you want. It was Max, my boss, who changed it.”
The tension that’s been in my body since the day that article came out suddenly dissipates. In spite of what Shauna kept saying, I knew that Carrie couldn’t have done this to me. The kiss we shared, the love we shared… it was not fake. The way she closed her eyes when she kisses me and the second or two that she lingers on my lips, tells me she really did feel a lot of things for him. That this isn’t all just an illusion.
“I knew it. Deep inside my heart I knew it. You could’ve never done this to me.” Looking into her eyes, they reflect back everything I feel. The intense longing. I’m lost for words.
Are we back where we started? Has she came to say goodbye? What is this?
“I left because of that and cause I thought you and Lucy had something going on,” she says softly.
“Carrie, there’s nothing between…” I start but she puts a finger on my lips and smiles that smile that I’ve been yearning to see for so long. “I know. Willie told me. Now please, will you just kiss me?”
I don’t need to be asked twice. Carrie stands on her toes, reaching up for my lips and I embrace her, never intending to let go again. Having given up all hope of kissing her, of holding her and of loving her once, I won’t go through that again.. My hand brushes through her hair and I make my claim on her.
She’s mine and I’m going to let that change. Not in a hundred years.
Everything suddenly comes alive. As we part from each other, I stand there, just breathing in the fullness of her.
“I’d love to be held by you all day, but you do have a game to play.” She plants a peck on my lips. That sinking feeling of sitting on the bench comes back again but somehow with Carrie back, I don't feel as morose about not playing as I did earlier.
“The coach hasn’t put me in the starting lineup. I might as well come along with you and watch the game from the stands,” he smiles.
“I've got a feeling that you'll play today. And when you do, I want you to score a goal for me.” she plants another peck on my lips.
“A goal for you? Well, that’s going to cost you a lot. I'm going to need a few hundred more of these kisses for that,” I tell her and she smacks me on the arm playfully.
“Now if you two lovebirds are done here, we have a game to go to,” Willie says, knocking on the door and peeking in.
“I owe you one,” I fist bump Willie on the way out toward the locker room.
“Daddy!” Harry comes rushing toward me, breaking away from Shauna who’s waiting outside the locker room, babysitting the little boy.
“There’s my lad. You remember Carrie, don’t you?” I lift the boy up, but he just shies away and hides his face in my chest.
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“He’s shy sometimes, but he’ll get used to everything,” I smile. “Now, Harry, Daddy has to go and do his job. Will you be fine with Carrie?”
Harry nods.
“We’ll be okay, don’t you worry about us,” Carrie says as she takes hold of Harry’s hand. It’s a pretty picture. The two people that I love the most, standing next to each other.
“Don’t forget to score a goal for me,” Carrie shouts as I head for the field.
I turn around.
“As you Americans say,” I grin, “you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!”
Chapter 102
Considering soccer wasn’t a sport I had any interest in a month ago, the anxiety I’m feeling over the final is a bit of a shock. Thankfully, Harry’s been asking all sorts of questions and has kept my mind off of some of the worries I have for David. Harry’s a delight and I’m happy to see that we’re getting along.