Girl on the Bench [Completed]

Hi

Rosa

We walked over towards an empty table and chairs next to the lake. I walked behind Dominic and Lee, watching how Lee supported Dominic without even touching him. The muscles flexed under Dominic's white t-shirt as he moved the metal frame forward. My eyes flickered down to his leg and, to me, there was no discernible difference between the two. His black jeans hugged his hips and I noticed that he'd lost weight. I felt my eyebrows furrow in worry. Lee pulled out a chair, Dominic gripped the arms with both sides and sank down releasing a small puff of air. Lee sat next to him and I grabbed the seat opposite Dominic and rested the bag on the table. 

Dominic smiled slightly, "What you got in there, Rosa?"

I grinned, "Lemon drizzle, black coffee and a new Red Velvet brownie I've been trying out, I thought I could use you and Lee as my unwilling test subjects."

Lee laughed as I pulled out the containers, "Rosa, you're spoiling us. I wish I'd known you owned a cake shop when Dominic was still in the hospital!"

Dominic said nothing but took the thermal cup of coffee I offered him and took a sip then sighed. 

"Good?" I asked, placing a slice of lemon cake and a large wedge of the brownie on a plate in front of him.

"Brings back some nice memories," he said, his eyes locking with mine. 

Lee stood up abruptly, making us both jump, "Sorry guys, my beeper just went off. I better answer it."

"I didn't hear your beeper," Dominic said.

"Yeah, I have it on vibrate. I'll just head back in, see you shortly. Thanks for the coffee and cake, Rosa."

Lee leaned over, pecked me on the cheek and jogged back to the centre clutching his coffee and cake to his chest. 

Dominic frowned at his retreating frame, "Ever feel like that guy is just setting you up all the time?"

A burst of laughter shot out of me, "You have no idea."

We sat in silence and sipped our coffees. Dominic inhaled the lemon cake and began on his brownie.

"Rosa, this is amazing," he said with his mouth full. 

"Do they not feed you here?" I joked, watching as he shoved another chunk into his mouth.

"Not like this," he swallowed and took a gulp of coffee. "I almost feel normal again."

Silence descended on us again and I fidgeted with my fingers, one of us was going to have to start this but who was it going to be? Me, I decided. I need to take control of this, I needed to get a jump start on whatever he was going to say. I needed to know what he was thinking..

"I'm sorry."

I blinked up at him, my mouth ajar, "What?"

Dominic blushed and rubbed his chin. He had his hair cut and beard shaved, his eyes were fixed on me. 

"I'm sorry. I was a complete dick to you, Rosa. I never said thank you for sitting with me at the hospital, for being there when Lola wasn't. I acted on instinct and pushed you away because, well, look at me. I'm not the same guy I was when we first met. I don't want you to be burdened with me and instead of talking to you about it, I pushed you away before you could do it to me."

Dominic tore his gaze from mine and looked out onto the lake. I opened my mouth to talk then closed it. I hadn't expected him to say that. 

"I..I didn't have a good childhood, Rosa. When I met you, I was trying to save my sister from drugs and pay a debt that kept getting larger with each day. I was miserable and then, there you were with your smile and your laugh and I didn't know that I could fall for someone so much that when you left, it felt like a physical pain in my chest."

Dominic rubbed his sternum with his fist and I mimicked the gesture, it was where I'd been hurting too.

"I don't expect you to forgive me, I don't expect you to stay but I just wanted to thank you. Thank you for letting me love you and for showing me that I could love."

He ran his hand through his hair and glanced at me, "I guess that's all I needed to say."

A hard lump formed in my throat, tears filled my eyes. I swallowed, "Do you want me to leave?"

Dominic turned back and looked at me then he reached out and threaded his fingers through mine. 

"No, I really fucking don't," he growled. 

I blinked as Dominic stood up and inched his way around the table to the chair next to me. He reached out and held my hand, his hand was shaking. I think mine was too. 

"Rosa.." he whispered as he reached out and cupped my cheek with his other hand. I closed my eyes as he leaned forward and kissed me gently, like I wasn't real and I might just disappear. I tugged my hand away from his and reached up, around his neck and pulled him closer to me. He made a small noise in the back of his throat as we kissed harder, trying to explain how we felt, how we meant to each other. 

"Oh my.."

"Oh look! My diabolical plan worked! What am I doing with my life being a physiotherapist when I could be taking over the WORLD!"

"You're a complete idiot, Lee."

"You say that Lols but the proof is staring you right in the face. They.are.kissing.each.others.faces.off. I AM A KING, BOW BEFORE ME FOOLS!"

We broke apart to see Lola standing with Lee, both wearing grins on their faces. I blushed and looked at my jeans. Dominic's hand fell onto my thigh and he squeezed it softly. I looked up and saw him. Dominic. The real one, the one who told me he loved me that night at the party, the one who kissed me in his loft, the one who fell asleep curled up behind me with his face buried into my hair. He smiled and rested his forehead against mine.

"Hi," he whispered.

"Hi," I replied.