Brief Encounters

Chapter 34

When the name flashed up, Eryn stared at it for moment unbelieving her eyes. She pressed the answer button “Taron” she whimpered breaking his heart, as he heard her pain he answered “Where are you, I’m coming to get you” he said. Eryn closed her eyes relief flooded her pained body. Giving him the hotel details, she explained that Henny was with her. He was surprised and impressed that henny had flown out. He hurt that Eryn had felt she had to call her, and he wasn’t there. But he got his car keys and told his Mam he was going to pick them both up.
Tina was going to drive home, but Taron wouldn’t allow her to make the journey twice in one day. Insisting she stay in the guest room. Tina reluctantly agreed but warned Taron she would be staying in her room so that he and Eryn would talk properly. He nodded and headed out. Eryn told Henny of the call as soon as she finished. The ringing phone had disturbed both of the sleeping friends. “Did I fly out for no reason Ren?” Henny teased “Oh god, Hen I don’t mean to drop you, oh god babe” Eryn felt awful, She had been desperate and her best friend had dropped everything, flying 9 hours at no notice and now her she was abandoning her, because suddenly her boyfriend, fiancé? Had become suddenly available again. Henny laughed, “You need to talk to Taron, I will be here if you need me, don’t worry sweetie” she grinned. Eryn tried to hug Henny, but the pain was restricting her movements still, so Henny moved to Eryn to fill the Gap. “You are the best friend ever, you know that Hen, I mean that. Please say you will stick around, I’ll cover this rooms cost or another if you want or come stay with me and Taron… well” she trailed off “That’s if things are still ok with us” she stuttered.
She was glad he was coming to get her, but it didn’t mean he wasn’t still going to say he couldn’t be with her anymore, he might be coming to take care of her out of some misplaced loyalty or need to do the right thing and really it was still over. Her mind went into overdrive. “Stop over thinking” Henny muttered. “I see those cogs turning from here” she said sleepily. Henny threw off the duvet and pushed her feet into her trainers. Getting Eryn, a robe, she helped her tie it and put her trainers on for her. Grabbing all her stuff and putting it into the bags she had, she was ready when Taron got there.
As if by magic, he knocked right at the exact moment, Henny finished. She went and opened the door. Taron swallowed “Hi” he breathed as Henny pulled him into a hug “Babe I am so sorry about what happened” she said into his ear, “Sort it out thought yeah” she continued as she pulled out of the embrace and he nodded. Walking over to Eryn “ready? He asked and Eryn nodded. She stood tentatively and Taron was shocked by her condition. “Babe you should be in hospital, there is no way you ought to be in this state” he said “I just want our bed” she whimpered. Taron looked at Henny, who shrugged. “Okay” Taron agreed, but made a mental note to call a doctor once he had her settled to come check her over. Taron and Eryn said goodbye to Henny and promised to call in the morning.
The car journey was awful, Taron almost diverted to the hospital three times, Eryn was in so much pain and tears rolled down her face at every stop and bend. Taron did all he could to make the ride steady and not make any sharp jerks or sudden moves, but it was difficult to do anything about the bumps in the road surface. They were both relieved to finally pull into the car park. Taron held her tightly, with her bag over his shoulder as they walked gently and slowly to the lift and into the apartment.
Shutting the door behind him with a kick of his foot, he managed to get Eryn settled and comfortable in the king size bed. She let out a massive sigh as she finally felt relief from the pain, it was still there and strong. But the journey had almost been unbearable and she had almost agreed to go back to the hospital. But she wanted to lay with Taron, just them and she knew that wasn’t going to happen anywhere else. As Taron put her bags in the lounge ad got her a drink. Tina nipped into the bedroom, she sat next to Eryn and hugged her. She reassured her that she’d not been too hard on Taron and explained for him about his phone and why he’d not called or texted her.
It made sense, now Eryn knew. Taron wasn’t one to sulk and ignore you, even if he was upset or mad at you. Tina hugged her son and kissed them both before making a tactful exit to her room. Taron handed Eryn a mug of sweet tea and the painkillers she was due. He plumped the pillows next to her and sat against the headboard, waiting for her finish her drink. “I shouldn’t have left” he said finally. “I shouldn’t have told you to” she replied looking at her mug and not Taron, he too focussed on a mole on his arm as he spoke. “You didn’t come home” he said sadly, Eryn could hear the hurt in his voice. Closing her eyes momentarily, she put her mug down and slowly, carefully turned her body to his. He looked up at her, his eyes were blood shot and tired, she stroked his cheek and he shut his eyes, revelling in her touch. “I thought you had left me” she admitted quietly.
Taron took her hand and held it, “Eryn I didn’t ask you to marry me, so I could just leave when something bad happened” he was sad that she had even thought he would do what she had said. “Even with this on your finger, you can’t trust me to not leave you?” he said it sounding like a question, more than a statement. “Everyone leaves me eventually Taron, don’t you understand that” Eryn didn’t mean to sound angry, she couldn’t explain to Taron how it was to never had anyone to rely on, to learn from the day you were born that you were utterly alone in the world. “I do trust you won’t leave me; I believe it. The fear is just always there” she admitted.
He nodded. “Well, your home now” he said, “You are staying?” he asked suddenly unsure. “If you still want me, still want to be part of my madness, my mess” she whimpered again. “Always Eryn, Always Always Always” he grew louder and firmer with each repeat of the word. Eryn raised her eyes to look at him. As he returned the small smile she had developed. He moved to gently pull her to him, as she rested her head on his chest, the familiar smell of him filling her nostrils. Her hand rested on his heart as she felt it beating beneath. He rested his chin in her head. “It’s not anyone’s fault” Eryn said “you didn’t get my text” she realised and told Taron about the discharge paperwork and what it said.
“So, it had nothing to do with what happened?” he said, and Eryn shook her head. Taron kissed the top of Eryn’s head. “If they said it’s no one’s fault, you need to quit feeling guilty now Eryn, the same goes for anything that Phil has ever done or said, that is on him and him only.” Taron was speaking firmly, and Eryn knew he was right. She nodded, kissing Taron’s chest. “I want to be a Mother Taron, I want you to be a father and I wanted to give that to you so, so much” she said looking up at him. “I know, I know. I wanted that, want that all too” He could she how much this meant to her and ached to know how to fix it.
“Eryn I left because I was so angry, I want to fix this and I can’t and I hate that so much” he admitted “I thought my anger would scare you, that you would see it and think I was just like Phil, I’m sorry I left” he again dropped his head, ashamed of his actions. But glad he had spoken up. “I could never be scared of you Taron” Eryn spoke confidently, and Taron looked at her with sad desperation in his eyes “No matter how angry you get” she told him. Seeing his face, she leaned forward to kiss him, but pain shot through her. Taron instead kissed her; his lips quivered with emotion as she pressed harder. Slowly taking everything, she could from his lips, she breathed deeply into him as their lips separated.
“I will never leave you Eryn, I promise if I walk out, I am still here, and I will come back” He placed his hand on her heart as he said “I’m still here”.