Heros Passions Series

Chapter 12 -Lips of an Angel

“Lips of An Angel”

2011 © All Rights Reserved

Chapter 12

I stood there staring numbly in the mirror at my ragged reflection and sighed.  I looked worse for wear and it was more than evident that I was tired from lack of sleep. 

In a little less that two hours I would finally be on my way out of this town and more importantly away from Charlie.  Rejecting Charlie was the hardest thing that I have ever done in my entire life, but I truly believe that it was the right thing to do.  This time, I am certain that I made the right decision and now I just needed to figure out how to pick up all the little broken pieces and move on.

Turning around with a new resolve I grabbed my small bag and raised my head up high in order to save face and headed out the door.  Time to get this show on the road, I thought to myself.  As soon as the words, 'You may kiss the bride' were said I planned to high tail my butt out of the church and head for greener pastures.  Somewhere to start anew and once and for all put Charlie out of my mind. 

Words are always easier spoken than done.  Stepping out into the hall the first people that I happened to see were Ella and Charlie standing outside Charlie’s door embracing each other.  Ella looked up at the same time and our eyes locked.  My heart ached for what once was but with steely determination I pushed those feelings back and swallowed the tightening knot that was building in my throat.  I offered her a smile and without a word I turned on my heel and headed down the hall. 

There would be no more good byes.  No see you laters.  All of the words that needed to be said were spoken in the confines of a darkened truck  the night before.  Charlie was in good hands with Ella, that much I was positive.  I handedly assured myself that fact too as I walked down the stairs of the all too familiar house and readied myself to leave not only this house but my childhood town once and for all.

“Heather”

At the bottom of the steps I froze when I heard that voice.  It was the voice of the one person that has been hell bent on me leaving from the second that I arrived.  I couldn’t make myself turn around; I hated to see the accusations written all over his face.  I hated it because they were well founded and Rio had every right to damn me all to hell and back.

Gathering what strength I had left in me and prayed that he wouldn’t cut me down to the bone once again I replied weakly, “Yes Rio?”

For a moment there was no sound.  No movement, only thick tension that spanned the area between us.  Shocking me, a hand gripped my shoulder and lightly squeezed.  I never once heard his movement when he closed the distance between us.

“I’m sorry” he whispered.

Closing my eyes I soaked in those two words.  Words that I never expected to hear from Rio, words that I was sure I didn’t deserve from anyone, least of all Rio Mendez. 

“What you did last night Heather has to be one of the most selfless acts that I have ever witnessed.  I know that you still care for him; I can see it in your eyes every time that you look at him.  I don’t know your reasons for walking away all those years ago but it nearly destroyed him and it nearly killed me watching him day after day.  Charlie told me that you wanted him to move on and for that Heather-“