*Unedited...off to work!
Chris POV
Once my family is settled in I grab the food from Mila and head back to Opal's house. I stayed away a couple of hours more than I had originally planned, giving her the space she desired. I'm hopeful that when I return she'll be in a better state of mind. If not mind, then maybe mood.
I know I shouldn't want her to rush through her grieving process. And I'm smart enough to know that for anyone else it would take some time to pick up the pieces. But, for Opal, I know this is going to be a much longer process for her than I've ever been witness to.
But in just a couple days time, I'll be back on shift in Atlanta. And I won't be here to make sure she eats or takes care of herself. I've been in contact with several precincts within a 30 mile radius, but there's just no openings.
With the pasta and brownies secured in the back seat I send off a text that I'm sure will be ignored. I just want to give her a heads up that I'm headed her way.
Sometimes I think I could now drive this route with my eyes closed. How quick of a turn my life has taken in just a few short months.
For that matter, how much has changed since the day before yesterday.
*Flashback*
"I can't believe he fell asleep on me," Opal says again as we drive back to her house.
Opal managed to get back to the hospital with just fifteen minutes left but poor Pops conked out on her within the first five minutes.
"In his defense, he did have a long day with several tests," I remind her. "Not to mention the amount of shameless flirting that man did." She giggles at the reminder of the Ladies Man he claims to be. "He tried to rope me in a couple times with the older, more attractive brother bit." She cocks her brow at me, teasingly. I hold my hands up in defense. "I stood my ground though. Told him there's no way I can handle more than his granddaughter."
She playfully slaps against my chest as she keeps one hand on the wheel. "I swear I can't win when the two of you are together. You become this old-man tag team that has just one job."
I angle my body towards her a bit, a smirk across my lips. "And what job might that be?"
"To drive me absolutely bonkers," she laughs out. "How that man hasn't drove me to drink is beyond me."
"Because you don't want your stomach pumped," I remind her.
"Sometimes, I think I'd suffer for it." She guides the car up her driveway, putting it in park. I hop out quickly, going straight to her door to open it for her. "Ya know, I'm pretty positive the driver never has her door opened for her."
"Well, I'm pretty positive you just haven't been with the right guys," I tell her as she stands. I push the door shut behind her before my right arm wraps around her waist, leaning her back against the car, as my left arm leans up against the car.
Her eyes dance, full of light and wonder. "Whatcha doing, Sergeant Evans?"
My head drops at her words, resting my forehead against hers. I breathe her in deep, a slow smile growing. "One of these days, you're gonna ask me that question and my answer is going to be 'you, Ope,'" I chuckle lightly as my right hand moves to cup her cheek.
"Sounds fun," she teases before slipping out from under me, skipping to her front door.
I give a cross between a hearty groan and a laugh as I chase after her. I don't quite catch her until we're inside the house. My right arm goes around her waist as I lift her up into a spin, her back against my chest. The shrieks of joy that emit her lips are enough to make my heart soar.
"Oh, I promise it'll be fun," I set her back on her feet but remain holding her against me, "Among other things," I whisper over her ear. She leans her back further into me, humming at my words.
"Two more weeks," she says light heartedly.
I spin her around in my arms, almost causing her to trip in her heels. I catch her easily as she stumbles into my chest. "What about two more weeks?" I taunt her. "Something exciting happening in two weeks?" I try to come across serious, like I have no clue about our impending nuptials.
"Something life changing," she tells me with a smirk.
"Life changing, huh?" I contemplate her words. "New job?" I ask.
She cocks her head to think for a moment. "I guess you could call it that."
"New title?"
"Most definitely," she says mischievously.
"Will there be food?"
She chuckles lightly at my turn of questioning. "Only the best ever."
"Final question," I start, "am I invited?"
"Oh, Sergeant." She places her lips over mine in a bruising kiss before pulling away. "You're the star of the show."
I can't control the fact that the woman just made my eyes roll into the back of my head with one kiss and a few words. "Two weeks is too long."
"It'll be here before we know it," she insists, laying her head against my chest. My hands roam along her back, before stopping and holding her tighter against me. "I can't wait to be your wife."
Those are words that I'll never get use to hearing from her. I'll never fully comprehend at what point I successfully chipped away every last piece of her built up walls. I will forever be grateful for the giant leap of faith this woman took with me. And the man that encouraged her every step of the way.
"Thank you," I whisper over the top of her head, causing her to pull back slightly and look up at me.
"For what?" she asks quizzically.
"Your love," I replied. My eyes dart back and forth between hers, an idea springing to mind. "It just does something to me. Sends a shock right through me," I act out the words, "I can't get enough."
Opal's head drops in shame as my smile widens. She lifts her head, her eyes dancing again as she parts her lips and sings back to me. "And if you wonder, about the spell I'm under, Oh it's your love."
I give her the biggest, cheesy smile I have as she pecks my lips. "Come on, Shirley. Let's get you fed and to bed."
I attempt to turn the handle to the house, finding it locked. My message went unanswered, just like I figured it would. I shuffle the pasta dish, stacked with brownies over into one hand while fumbling for my keys that I so stupidly put into my pocket.
"Opal, I'm home," I call out from the foyer, closing the door with my foot, locking it back in place. Taking the food to the kitchen, I glance down the hallway towards her bedroom. The door open completely.
Setting the food on the counter, toeing off my shoes, I walk down the hall. "Opal?" My head pops into her room. The bed is made, clothes picked up, but the room is empty. I call out for her a couple more times as I move back through the house, checking the backyard.
I notice her purse is gone from where she usually has it next to the entry table. Where could she have gone? I had the car.
I dial her number, putting it on speaker while I put away the food. When she still doesn't answer me, it dawns on me. I grab the food once more, and pile back into the car.
When I reach his house, I see her sitting on the front porch steps, her purse next to her. Her face is blotchy and red, her eyes more tired than I've ever seen them. I sit down in the small space next to her, my arms immediately resting on my knees. "What are you doing here?" she asks, her voice raspy and strained.
I attempt to choose my words wisely, afraid she'll get more angry if I say the wrong thing. "Checking on you," I answer, looking out onto the street in front of us.
I notice her head move slowly, back and forth, out of the corner of my eye. "Go home."
"Have you gone in yet?" I question, ignoring her previous words.
She doesn't speak, instead looks up at the bright blue sky, slightly shaking her head again. "No," she whimpers.
For a split second, she looks over to me. If i hadn't already been looking at her, I'd have missed it. I take the opportunity and run with it. "What can I do?"
Her eyes are brimming with tears again, dull pools covering her usual bright brown eyes. This time she holds my gaze. "I don't know."
A strong sense of deja vu comes over me as I realize how similar this moment is to the one when I originally met Pops. Opal afraid to go into the room, scared of what she might find.
But, there's a couple of very important differences this time. She has me in a bigger way than she did then. She need not be afraid that I'll run for any reason at this point. However, the flip side is that she no longer has him. He won't be on the other side of that door when she does finally open it.
"I can go in with you, or I can sit here and wait. But," I finally reach out to her, wiping away the tears from one side of her face, "you don't have to do this today."
She sniffles but nods her head. "I have to take clothes to the funeral home remember."
I take a deep breath, letting it flow from my mouth. "You can tell me what to get and I'll grab it. You don't have to do this until you're ready. Seriously."
She drops her head, resting it on her arms, hiding from me. "There's a suit, it's navy. Should be on the left side of his closet. He said he wanted to wear that one for the wedding. Grab it with a white dress shirt. He only has one."
"Okay," I pat her back before I stand. "Keys?"
She lifts her head, but looks out into the small yard. "It's unlocked. I just couldn't turn the handle."