Simple Complexity

Part 8

'That's you....that's you telling me you love me...'

The engineer nodded a little, her eyes welling with tears.

'Every time I said it, yeah, that's what I meant.'

'You've been saying that-'

'For years.'

Erin smiled; they were still gazing at each other.

'I'll keep telling you for years.'

'Me too.'

Erin pushed her face back into Holtz's their lips touching, grazing, kissing softly, their tears mixing, lips salty and hands on cheeks.

Holtzmann pulled away, taking in a shallow breath, her eyes leaving Erin's.

'What...what about....'

Erin looked down too, knowing Holtz meant Josh.

'He, he's not ...he..I will....Jill. I... It's you, it's always been you.'

Holtzmann nodded, 'Why did you never?'

The woman shook her head, 'I don't think I can answer that, I don't know Jill. I don't.'

Erin smiled through her tears, choking on them a little and she sniffed hard.

'I guess I had to nearly die huh?'

'Holtz.'

Erin leaned down again, their lips touching, fingers siding against cheeks, exhaling softly.

'Why didn't you Holtz? Why didn't you say anything?'

'You mean my silly romance and displays of affection weren't obvious enough?'

They both laughed softly.

'No, coz that's just you, that's just us.'

The blonde attempted a nod, 'I just wanted to make you happy, make you smile. It wasn't enough...for me I mean...I wanted more...more of you...but I settled. But then..then..'

'Then...him.'

'Yeah.'

Erin reached into her coat pocket pulling out the Swiss Army knife, and Holtzmann smiled, Erin pushing see it into her hands, clasping her palms over it too.

Holtzmann looked down at their hands the back up at Erin.

'It's complex, yet simple,' she inhaled a little, ' And as you know it can save a life, well three, from an inflatable marshmallow man.'

Erin laughed, rubbing Holtz's fingers, she smiled, letting tears run down her cheeks.

'It's just my little good luck charm.'

'It didn't bring you good luck when you cut yourself with it.'

Erin smiled, 'It did. You took care of me and kissed my finger better.'

Holtzmann smiled.

'I gave it to you because you don't need anything fancy or technical Er, you just need simple complexity. I'm simple complexity. I gave you me Erin, all those years ago, even if I was the only one who knew.'

'It's always with me, always. Because you gave it you me. You are always with me.' Erin paused, 'I always wanted you with me. I always need you.'

Holtzmann let her eyes fill with tears, allowing them to cascade down her face and Erin leaned into her, the knife being left on the covers as their hands cupped faces and slipped to the back of necks, their lips pushing softly against the others'.