Say You Love Me [COMPLETED]

EPILOGUE: I LOVE YOU TOO

Stifling a harsh expletive, Adam Crighton awoke with a start as the phone beside him rang shrilly in his ears. Groggily, he rubbed his hooded eyes which were still swollen with sleep and sat up glancing at the clock on the wall. Who the hell would be calling at this ungodly hour?

“Hello?” he nearly barked in the phone, his voice warning the person off that it might better be something urgent.

“Goooood morning sweetheart. I won’t ask you how you are feeling this morning because I think I have a pretty good idea,” replied the jovial voice from the other end of the receiver.

What the hell was going on? Was he dreaming? It was like some déjà-vu except in a reverse position. Rhea was calling him so early in the morning and repeating the exact words he used to wake her up when she was in a foul mood.

Adam frowned at the date his clock was showing. It was two days after he had been released from the hospital and he could not believe he had not socialized on for so long except for attending Mr. Wilson’s funeral. He must be hallucinating after taking so many tranquilizers. He raised his eyes heavenwards in an exasperated manner although he knew nobody could see him and slammed down the receiver with a disgusted sigh. Surprise, surprise! The phone rang again almost immediately.

It could not still be a dream now, could it?  “What do you want?” he asked cautiously still not believing what he was hearing.

“You know what I want, sweetheart.”

Okay, his mind was playing a dangerous game with him. He flung aside the quilt from his body and stood outside his balcony to peep in the opposite house. But he could see no movement around and blamed his lovesick imagination over again.

Damn Adam Crighton! Damn himself to hell and may he never come back. His case was getting worse just when he had believed that he was finally moving on and getting over his ever present depression.

“Rhea…’ he began. “Is that you?”

“Who else would it be stupid?” she asked laughing and he frowned as the sound resonated in his ears sounding a bit bizarre. “Of course it’s me. Or maybe you’ve managed to have another girlfriend in my absence?”

It was weird. Rhea was joking about their relationship; a subject which had been taboo between them before. It was definitely a dream. But she laughed again and Dam whirled round to see standing in his bedroom wearing her sleeping attire.

In a daze, he disconnected the phone and flung it on his bed and watched absent-mindedly as it did a small somersault before settling in. His mind was like mush and there was only one sentence vibrating over and over again.

Rhea was in his bedroom. Rhea was in his bedroom. Rhea was in his bedroom. Rhea was in his bedroom.

“What are you doing here?” he asked breathless as if he had just run a marathon. His heart was beating so fast that he feared it would just jump out of his chest and fall at her feet.

She smiled at him and there it was. That sparkle he had seen in her eyes was now more flagrant than ever giving her grey eyes an ethereal glow. She looked more beautiful than ever.

Rhea smiled feeling free for the first time in her life. The expression on Adam’s face was priceless; he looked like a kid who was about to be given a much-awaited Christmas gift but could not believe his luck yet.

“I’m doing what I should have done ages ago. I have finally accepted the fact that I love you too Adam. I have always loved you but have been too afraid of my past to let go of my wounds.” But Rhea was puzzled to see no transformation in Adam. There was no happiness, no shout, and no joyous reunion as she had expected.

And it was a hard blow to her heart. Had he finally stopped loving her? Was she too late?

“You’ve got to be kidding right?” he asked incredulously.

She shook her head still unsure as she waited for his impassible expression to change in to something. Anything was better than this impenetrable mask he was wearing. Anything else. Maybe it was the shock which was making him so unreactive.

“Adam…”she said approaching him on the balcony. “I love you,” she said with so much conviction that her eyes brimmed with tears. “I have always done and will always do. No matter what. I’m sorry for everything. For hurting you so much. For being so stup…”

Within seconds, she was in his arms and he was kissing her like there was no tomorrow. It felt good, oh-so good. It was like she had returned home and was finally at peace. Every part of the puzzle had settled and her heart felt light. Adam Devin Crighton was here to protect and love her. He would never hurt her; not even if his life depended on that.

“Oh you stupid stupid fool,” Adam was saying. “I’ve known all along that you loved me too. Except you were too stubborn to realize that. And you had me wrapped around your little finger running roller coaster ride emotions.”

“I know,” she wailed. “I’m so sorry for that. It was not easy for me to let go of the past. I was so wrapped in my sob state that I never wanted to be hurt again. But then I realized that nothing mattered more than you guys. When I believed somebody was threatening my family, I realized that I was part of you. And nothing could ever change that.”

Adam cuddled her closer. “You have nothing to fear as long as I’m here. I will love you till the end of times.”

**** THE END ****