Lauren Ash || A Tig Trager Love Story

3

About eight o'clock my mother headed off to shower and get some rest. I left the Golden Girls playing on the television as I waited for Alex.

I didn't have to wait too long before there was a knock on the door. I walked up and checked quickly that it was Alex before opening the door.

"Come in," I said softly.

"How's your Ma doin?"

"Today was a good day. Doctors think she's getting better but still don't know what's causing her problems," I said.

He just nodded as he worked his boots off so he wasn't tracking dirt through the house.

"Ren," he said softly as we walked to the couch.

"Alex," I said.

"Thanks," he said. "I had a meeting with JT and Piney today after lunch. Kozik and I are going to prospect. They told me you didn't give up any info on me."

I shook my head a bit as we sat together on the couch. "It's your story. Didn't think it was my place to tell."

"I still appreciate it," he said.

I just nodded and it fell silent.

"Ren," he started, earning my undivided attention again. "I don't really know how to say this, but I'm going to try my best. You're it for me. You've just been in my head nonstop the whole time I was gone. What I would say when I saw you again. What you were doing. Who you were doing. I just couldn't stop thinking about you. We almost didn't come down here. We'd heard there were charters in Washington closer to Kozik's home, but I couldn't bear the thought of not coming back to you Ren. You're the only person who knows the shit I've been through and still stuck around."

"The feelings mutual," I said. "I tried to move on Alex. I just couldn't. I wanted to. God, did I want to. I was so happy you were getting the fuck out of here and I couldn't. I was angry too for a while but I never would've let you into that. I would never hold it against you. So I tried whoring around and it just wasn't my thing. I went on a few dates with that Oswald guy but he wasn't you. And my heart wanted you."

"Come here," he said, pulling me into his side and holding me. Just like he did the first night we really talked.

Our friends had kindly locked us in a closet together and conveniently fallen asleep. We were both pretty tired but we had started talking and neither of us wanted to end the conversation. We had a lot in common and we were getting pretty close.

"Come here Ren," he said, patting the floor next to him. We'd sat down on opposite sides of the closet not too long after we realized we were stuck in here for the night. We'd found a light switch inside the closet so they were now turned off. That and the solid closet door meant there was no light at all in the small space. I slid over to his side and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders before he continued telling me about himself. I fell asleep there on his shoulder and that was the position they found us in the next morning when they finally unlocked the closet door.

"Will you be my girl?" Alex asked after a bit. He was clearly thinking about something.

"What about prospecting?"

"I can handle you and the club," he said. I nodded and he placed his hand on my cheek gently. He turned my face towards his.

"I love you Ren," he said. "You don't have to say it back, but I needed you to hear it."

He kissed my lips gently and every nerve in my body lit up, feeling finally like the missing piece of me was brought home.