Ellie stirred in her sleep and suddenly opened her eyes. The room was rather dark though some day light was piercing under the curtains that covered their window. Still blinking a little with heavy eyelids, she turned her face to read the time. The clock on her nightstand flashed 10.30 am in huge red letters. A patter on the window could be heard. It was raining, she could tell by the incessant drumming tone against the glass. That type of weather invited to stay in bed, especially if you had been out at night as they had and thus, Ellie pulled the covers up and tried to turn around but she was unable to do so. Chris had an arm over her waist and a leg over hers, entrapping her body. Ellie rolled her eyes and smiled softly and remained in the same position but closed her eyes to try to sleep a little more.
Chris's slight snore and the constant beat offered by mother nature were distracting though and Ellie opened her eyes in the next few seconds. She elbowed Chris softly to make him turn and he did so, setting her free and stopping the snore. Still, there was nothing she could do about the rain. The noise was deafly for the rain was falling incredibly strong. Ellie decided to leave the bed because she knew she wasn't going to back to sleep. Carefully, she pulled the covers away and slid out of bed gently without disturbing Chris who was profoundly asleep. Once up, she pulled the covers up again and tucked it well around him for he was sleeping completely naked. She put her slippers on her feet and then tip toed out of the bedroom towards the bathroom.
First thing, Ellie sat on the toilet for her morning pee, flushing the toilet right after. Then, she washed her hands and grabbed the rubber band that was near the glass that had their toothbrushes in it. Ellie rolled her hair in a massive bun and imprisoned it with the black rubber band. She felt her stomach roaring, warning her it was time to have something to eat, but she needed to wash away the sleep from her face. For a few seconds, Ellie stared at her image in the mirror, noticing the huge black bags under her eyes. She needed to take care of it. She opened the door of the cabinet and grabbed her detox scrubber and washed her face with it. Ellie scrubbed her face in circular movements so her skin could profit properly of the treatment. Two minutes later she rinsed her face and dried it with one of the white towels hanging right next to their basin. Then, she grabbed the eye revival mask and applied some under her eyes. That would help reduce the bags and the dark shadows. Like that, she went out of the bathroom and headed to the kitchen.
As passing by their living room, Ellie looked at the windows and realized it was raining incredibly strong. It seemed like a shower was running over their windows. Only water could be seen running down over it and the view was hardly perceptible. It was uplifting though, the sound of heavy rain outside contrasting with the comfort inside the apartment. Seattle was incredibly cold at that time of the year and yet inside their apartment was incredibly warm.
At the kitchenet, she grabbed the milk from the fridge and the cereals from the pantry. Then, she grabbed a bowl from the cabinet and poured some cereals in it and then poured some milk over it. Ellie returned the cereals and the milk to their places and opened the drawer to grab a spoon and went to the window to see better outside. She liked to do that, to have breakfast while watching the street if Chris wasn't with her. Usually, if they had the time, they would sit to have breakfast together and they'd talk. As she stopped by the window, she noticed how the sky was tar black. People outside, running from one side to another trying to escape the shower that was falling. Some were adventurous enough to have stepped outside without an umbrella, those were the ones running faster which caused Ellie to giggle alone as she chewed a spoon of her brown cereals. There were puddles near the sidewalks and in the park. The roofs of the cars danced with sprays. The sound of rain was beautiful if one would stop to hear how it sounded different depending on it was tapping and soothing even. Ellie stayed by the window and let the rain drops entertain her ears until she finished her morning meal.
It was during it that she remembered the events from the past night. After putting the bowl and spoon in the dishwasher Ellie grabbed the phone that was left randomly on the couch and dialed Brenda's number. She sat when she heard the call beep and pulled her legs up on the couch, embracing them with her free arm. At the fourth beep, Brenda answered it.
"B?" Ellie said straight away when she realized the call had been answered.
"Hey!" Brenda greeted on the other end and sat on her canapé by the window. She too loved to watch the rain falling outside. "I thought you were still sleeping."
"No..." Ellie giggled. "I guess I woke up with the sound of the rain and then I couldn't sleep anymore. I feel tired though." She yawned.
"Did you get home that late?" Brenda asked her looking around for the rubber band that she had let fall on the floor meanwhile
"Around 3 am, but with the pregnancy everything turns harder." Ellie laughed. "Chris was snoring a little..."
"That bad?" Brenda laughed loud too, finally tying up her hair and sitting straight again.
"He was finished when we got home." Ellie started to tell her. "When we came back inside the bar, he had a couple of beers and those were his death sentence."
"He was already pretty lost..." She commented.
"Now imagine after drinking." Ellie giggled again. "I had to make him sing so he wouldn't fall asleep in the car."
"Poor guy!" Brenda exclaimed but Ellie could perceive her mocking tone and laughed quietly.
"I have to prepare him a strong coffee and give him an aspirin. Otherwise he's going to have a tough day." She said. "But I am not calling because of this." Ellie's tone changed and she made a pause. "I want to know what happened after. You said you were going away but then Jerry and Stone did not come back either."
"I know nothing about Stone..." Brenda breathed. Her tone had changed too, Ellie could tell. Suddenly, she had lost her giggle and her voice came out heavy.
"What happened outside?" Ellie asked her.
"We kissed." Brenda told her quietly.
Ellie's eyes goggled. "What?" She asked louder than she wanted. Ellie then covered her mouth with her hand and then spoke lower. "What the fuck happened? Did he go home with you?" She asked, remembering Chris had said that maybe they were together. Though drunk, maybe he had been right.
"No!" Brenda exclaimed promptly. "Ellie!" She exclaimed again. "No... of course he isn't here. I pushed him away!"
"So, who kissed who? Did you kiss him?" Ellie asked.
"He kissed me and I wanted to resist it..." Her voice fainting in the end.
"But you didn't." Ellie concluded.
"No." Brenda confirmed. "I kissed him back. I kissed him and I liked it and I realized how much I missed his kiss..." She puffed. "... that's when I pushed him away and entered my car and left right after."
"So..." Ellie made a pause there. "You kissed him..."
Brenda nodded though Ellie couldn't see her. "I did and I liked it..." She whimpered in the end. "I fucking liked it. I love that motherfucker..."
Ellie giggled. "B... what are you going to do?" She asked after. "I mean... you cannot continue a relationship now that you know how you really feel."
"Why did I have to see him?" Brenda protested. "Everything was fine!"
"Clearly everything was not fine, B." Ellie intervened. "You were fooling yourself. You were tricking yourself into thinking you are in love with a man that clearly you are not. You need to heal..." She paused abruptly and that made Brenda curl an eyebrow.
"Do I sense a or?" Brenda then asked her.
"...or hear Jerry." She said in a low tone for she knew she was going to be yelled at.
"Are you out of your mind?" Brenda raised her tone.
"I knew you were going to react like that." Ellie told her. "I mean... I also don't know."
"Yeah... you don't!" Brenda continued. "Ellie, you left Chris for a lot less. It cannot even be compared. Chris was caught by a crazy girl and you saw a kiss between them and you left him and the house and it took you a month to tell him you were pregnant!" She ranted and Ellie let her speak. "Jerry fucking cheated on me. He had sex with another woman for real. For fucking real!"
"I know, B." Ellie said. "I am sorry..."
"I don't know what to do!" She then said sounding exasperating. "I want to hate him... hate him... and I love him..." She cried, this time the whimper was real. Brenda was crying.
"Oh, B." Ellie breathed. "What can I do to help you?" She asked.
"Nothing." Brenda sniffed a little. "Just hear me out..."
"Anytime. You know that." She said.
"He called me this morning, but I hung up the second I heard his voice." Brenda told her.
"Maybe you should hear him for real." Ellie advised. "I am not telling you to forgive him or anything, B. But maybe if you hear him, it will bring some clarity of mind. And I know this cannot be compared to Chris but remember how you used to tell me to hear him."
"I don't want to be near him..." Brenda retorted. "El... I want to fall into his arms..."
"Oh B." Ellie whispered. "I know how you feel..."
"Besides..." Brenda said cleaning her eyes. "... what would he tell me? That he was drunk like he told me at the bar? Is that even an excuse as if there was an excuse! We had been together for almost a year. We had a steady relationship and one day I enter his apartment, to which he had given me the keys, and he is sleeping there with another woman. This is something hard to forget or forgive."
"I get you." Ellie nodded. "I know it's such a hard situation for you and him..."
"I swear he was at the back of my mind. I hadn't seen him in ages and I thought I was free..." Brenda said. "And I am not... the minute he tries to sweet talk me..." She shut up.
"Don't punish yourself." Ellie told her. "No one can control feelings."
Brenda nodded hearing Ellie's words. "That is so true." She breathed. "I have arranged to meet with Ralph today." Brenda added later. "I need to shower and get dressed."
"Ok." Ellie told her. "Call me if you need to talk."
"I will." Brenda agreed. "Now, go brew some coffee and grab an aspirin for your man." She ended up laughing.
"Yes, I will." Ellie laughed too. "I love you, girl."
"Me too." Brenda responded.
After hanging up, Ellie went to the kitchen and turned the coffee machine on. She filled the water deposit and then poured six full spoons of coffee powder inside the filter for she knew Chris would need a strong coffee. When the coffee machine was set, she let it to brew and went to the bathroom to have a shower. First, she pulled the mask under her eyes away and looked in the mirror, acknowledging its immediate effect. She looked decent already. Then, she freed her hair and she stepped inside the tub and opened the water, pulling away as the cascade started falling from the head shower still cold. It was only a few seconds until she could feel the warm water caressing her feet and she stepped under it. Her body came alive as the warm water fell over her it and Ellie took her time taking care of her long hair, by leaving her cocoa mask to hydrate her hair while she washed her body with the body gel with the same scent. When she was done, she grabbed a towel and rolled it over her hair and dried her body with the other towel that she pulled of the rack. She put on nothing but her bath robe and went to the kitchen to check on the coffee. It was done and she turned the machine off.
In a faster pace, she came back to the bathroom and pulled the towel over her head away so she could brush her hair and after she began her beauty routine by applying eye cream around her eyes and the daily moisturizer. Finally, she brushed her teeth and then grabbed an aspirin from the drawer under the basin's cabinet. She took it with her back to the kitchen where she poured a large cup of coffee and filled a glass with a bit of mineral water. Ellie put it all on a tray and went back to their bedroom. Chris was still sleeping and she put the tray carefully on the chest drawer. Then, she untied her robe and let it fall on the floor, entering under the sheets right after. She dragged her body closer to his gently. Chris had his back turned at her and his body curled. Ellie spooned with him, feeling the heat of his body warm up hers and she wrapped an arm around his waist. Then, she started spreading kisses over his shoulders. He didn't react at first but with each time her lips landed on her skin, Chris started to become more aware and she felt him stretch and take a deep breath.
"Is it late?" He finally asked her still sounding very sleepy.
"It's almost noon." She said, continuing to spread kisses along his back. "I brought you coffee." Ellie told him.
"Thanks, babe." He told her turning on his back and Ellie took the opportunity to lay her head on his chest. His arm pulled her more to him and Chris kissed the top of her head. "I feel awful..." He complained right after.
"You were finished last night." She giggled. "I also brought you an aspirin."
"I fell asleep, didn't I?" He asked rubbing his eyes but a smirk showing across his lips.
"Yes." She giggled and then placed a kiss on his nipple.
"Fuck..." He breathed. "I am so sorry, babe."
"It's ok." She told him, raising her head to see him through the poor light that pierced form under their blinders. "Can I bring you the coffee?"
"Yes, please." He told her. "But kiss me first." He said with a soft smile on his lips.
Ellie bent over him and pressed her lips against his, taking her time doing so. Then, she pecked him quickly a second time and got up.
"You smell incredibly good." He said.
Ellie walked up to the window. "Can I open this a little bit?" She asked first. "It's that cocoa gel you like." Ellie added.
"Sure." He told her, but as Ellie pulled the curtains away from the window, he closed his eyes. "Holy shit..." Chris complained.
"It's not that light!" Ellie said walking up to the chest drawer.
"It is to me!" He covered his face with the covers for a few seconds and then pulled away again. "I had a rough night!" He complained with a cute smirk on his lips.
"Oh..." Ellie laughed. "You bet you did."
Though it was a dark day, the light was still bothering him and Chris blinked a couple of times until he was able to keep his eyes opened. It was when he could do so, that he saw her grab the cup of coffee and saw her completely naked. He narrowed his eyes a little and he smiled.
"Wow..." He blurted with his groggy tone that made her smile as she turned around to come back to him. His lips curved in a sleepy smile. "That is quite a great view..." He told her, accepting the cup from her hands and siting on the bed, leaning with his back on the headboard.
"I thought you would like it." Ellie winked.
"I love it." He winked back.
"I called Brenda." Ellie told him, sitting on the bed facing him. "She sounded so sad..."
"What did she say?" He asked blowing his hot beverage but with his blue eyes set on her. "I bet it was rough on both of them..."
Ellie shrugged. "They kissed..."
"They still have feelings for each other. I mean.." He took a sip of his coffee. "I know Jerry does because he told me so when we were outside having a smoke."
"He fucked up badly." Ellie said. "You have to agree on this."
Chris nodded. "He has. I agree with you." He paused and looked at her again. "But he regrets it and maybe he has learned the lesson and now things would be different."
"It's not like he did something that it's easily forgiven." Ellie argued.
"Babe..." Chris started and then paused to have another sip of his coffee. "Sometimes people do things without thinking and they regret it the minute after. Jerry drinks a lot as you know and sometimes other things are added to the alcohol. I am not sure he did that fully conscious."
"That is not an excuse, Chris." Ellie said right after. "Imagine I'd get drunk and really high on something..." Chris nodded following her. "... then I would bring a guy here, to our bed and you would find this guy here, how would you feel?"
"I don't know..." He shook his head. "Hurt, obviously. It is even hard to imagine so..." He shrugged looking at her. "I get her..." He ended up saying.
"I don't think she is going to forgive him." Ellie told him. "Even now... she went to have lunch with Ralph."
"It's a mistake though because clearly she doesn't love him." Chris added. "It is not our place to interfere." He cut the subject and drank a little more of his coffee.
"Now it is not our place to interfere but yesterday you did not let me tell her he was going to be there or try to save her from that awkward situation." She laughed low.
"It's different." Chris said, resting the cup on his night stand. Then, he looked back at Ellie. "They needed to see one another."
"What for?" Ellie curled an eyebrow. "Chris... I think they hurt one another even more."
"To conclude what Brenda concluded for example..." He made a pause."... that she is still in love with him. Other than that, they have to resolve it on their own." Then, he reached for her hand and pulled her to him. "Now... sitting naked right in front of me..." He smiled.
"What? Is it doing something for you?" Ellie joked, forgetting the subject in seconds.
"Very funny." He kissed her lips. "I think we have something pending from last night." He breathed against her lips. "And this cocoa scent is driving me insane..."
"Aren't you hungry?" Ellie asked him giggling.
"For you." He responded promptly.
His lips searched for hers for a brief peck and then he started exploring her neck, feeling her skin reacting to his tender caress.
"Chris..." Ellie gasped as he wet her neck with juicy kisses, sending shivers down her spine.
"What?" He asked as his hands cupped her breasts and he massaged them, arousing her even more.
"Nothing." Ellie told him, closing her eyes.
"Your skin is so soft." He whispered pecking her lips after and noticing how Ellie had her eyes closed, just feeling his fingers pinching her hard nipples. Her lips slightly parted and her respiration was a little heavy already. She liked that a little too much. "You like it when I do this?" He asked brushing his lips on her ear and still letting his thumb and index fingers pulling her nipples softly. Ellie bit her lower lip and simply nodded.
"But softly...." She said trying to sound firm, but her voice showed all her arousal by coming out hoarse. "They're sore."
"I know, babe." He told her, kissing her lips, and guiding her hand under the sheets, down his abs and he stopped on his crotch.
"Hum..." Ellie smiled as she felt him so hard.
"All for you." He breathed.
Ellie's hand tugged around his erection and she stroke it lightly, full length as she knew he liked it and Chris threw his head back in delight. He let himself enjoy her touch for a little while, meanwhile Ellie's eyes watched his reactions in pure ecstasy. She adored she could pleasure him that much.
"Fuck, Ellie..." He said opening his eyes.
With a tender gesture, he made her lie down on the bed, and he rolled over her, supporting himself on his arms not to fall over her belly. His lips searched for hers and they kissed passionately, tongue with tongue, for the first time that morning. They kissed slowly, profiting of all the time and love they had to do so. As the kiss evolved, Ellie felt her heart starting to race even more. Her entire body aching for his that very instant, but Chris had other plans. He stopped the kiss and parted from her. Then, she saw him slid down the bed and then, taking his hands to her knees, he made her straddle in front of his tired blue eyes. Chris smiled at her and she gasped in anticipation and as he buried his face between her legs. Her back arched as splashes of pleasure hit her instantly and Ellie ran a hand over her hair and closed her eyes, letting a low moan escape her lips as Chris worked on her expertly with his tongue.
"Oh Chris..." She contorted her hips a little as she felt her pleasure peaking quite fast.
"It's ok babe..." He responded with a soft smile on his lips that she didn't see. He knew she was going to come soon.
He decided to insert a finger in her, for Ellie was already too lubricated and he began to pull in and out, and at the same time, he let his tongue run up and down her slit and clit, pleasuring all her sensitive spots outside too. Her inner muscles were tightening around his finger and he decided to keep that steady rhythm.
"Oh my God..." She whimpered feeling a sudden urge to expel something from inside of her. "Chris..." She moaned his name and her back arched a little more.
"Let go, babe." He told her, just to come back to pleasure her the next second.
Chris began to hear a slickly sound as he fingered her, a watery sound forming could be heard and Ellie was incredibly tight that moment. Her moans were so loud that it was only arousing him more. His cock was so hard, he thought he was going to come with her. Under him, Ellie could no longer be still, and her hips rocked against his mouth completely taken by pleasure.
"Oh fuck, yes..." She gasped and then just her erratic breathing could be heard. "Don't stop..." She cried out. "OH God..." She whimpered again. "Chris..." She called his name almost faintly and then her body tensed, the muscles on her thighs and belly began to tremble and water began to run down her thighs. Ellie squirted. Chris kept fingering her watching how she was coming so much, her body still contorted, and her muscles cramped around his finger. Ellie wet the covers intensely and only when he felt her calm down, he stopped and pulled out of inside her. He let her rest a few seconds because she was still breathing heavily and sometimes her body still cramped.
"Holy fuck..." He smiled crawling over her to kiss her lips.
"Take me." She offered feeling ready for him again.
"Already?" He asked but he was dying to have her. Ellie just nodded.
Chris kissed her lips, letting his tongue invade her mouth. Breaking the kiss, he made her turn around and then pulled her ass up. Ellie realized he wanted her on her fours and she complied with it. He grabbed his aching cock in his hand and pointed at her entrance, pushing in. Ellie was still so tight that he thought he was not going to last.
"Shit, El..." He cursed beginning to pull in and out of her slowly, trying to control himself.
"You're so big..." She moaned feeling him entirely inside of her, giving her pleasure like no one else.
"You're too tight." He responded.
"Please... fuck me good." She asked. Chris rolled his eyes at the back of his head crazy with what she was making him feel. "Come on, Chris..." Ellie teased him even more.
"I am not going to last." He warned her. Everything inside of her was warm and tight and driving him insane.
"Just fuck me." She said looking at him. Her pupils so dilated with pleasure, that Chris pulled out and then in quite roughly.
"Ooh..." He moaned at the sensation, feeling the bottom of his stomach catching fire and his groin becoming intensely pressured.
He began to ram into her strongly, keeping Ellie in place by using force around her hips. The noise of his body clasping against her as his balls hit her filled the four walls of that room, but soon that sound was accompanied by their loud moans. Chris let his full length caress her inner walls until it tilted the end and Ellie was in pure delight.
"Oh babe... that's it." She cried out gripping onto the sheets strongly, almost ripping it out of the bed.
"So good..." He hissed in between his teeth and missing breathing. His hips rocking her in a rough and intense rhythm. Perspiration appearing around his temples. His erection about to explode. "God... this is feeling so fucking..." He paused to feel it. "... good..." He said out of tempo.
"I'm gonna come again..." Ellie warned him for the fire between her legs let her know she was so close one more time.
"Babe..." He moaned. "Fuck..." He cursed in the end feeling her walls caressing him insanely. "This is insane..." He let his true thoughts out.
"Faster, Chris." She asked and she felt the grip of his fingers tighter around her hips to support her better.
After that, Chris picked up a fast and raw pace that sent them both escalating the peak. With every thrust the headboard of their bed hit the wall in a steady rhythm.
"Like this?" He teased her completely out of breath.
"Yes..." She responded.
Her body coming back and forward as he did her and that's when he felt her crushing him inside, making him want to explode right there. His erection became so tense that he had to let out. While Ellie was coming strongly around him, Chris was brought to the boiling point and he released his first gulf of cum almost involuntary. A grunt escaped his throat.
"Oh my God..." Ellie was finally able to cry out after the first intense bolt of energy, but Chris was unable to say anything, he simply let his mouth opened while he let all his accumulated fluid get free and release the pressure on his member. His whole body was pure pleasure, his mind had become blank as if only his groin existed that moment.
"Fuck...yes..." He said when finally he started to slow down and opened his eyes, finding Ellie already calm, looking at him with a smile on her lips. He smiled back.
"That was intense." She said realizing how long it had taken him to release all his pleasure out.
Chris pulled out of her and approached her lips and kissed her. "It was phenomenal." He said. His heart was still beating fast. Then, he looked in Ellie's eyes and felt like melting. A hand caressed her face. "You are the love of my life..." He told her. "I love you so, Ellie."
"I love you too." She said sitting and then kissing his lips.
"I need to fucking take a piss like crazy." He said getting up and running to the bathroom.
Ellie threw herself on the bed and pulled the covers up but straying from the spot she had wet earlier. She knew she had to change the sheets. It was a minute later that Chris entered the bedroom again and slid inside the bed as well, embracing her.
"It's wet!" Ellie complained.
"It was you." He laughed and kissed her neck. "Are we going to stay in bed the whole day?" He asked her.
"Don't you want the aspirin?" Ellie asked instead. "Are you feeling alright?"
"After this, I am feeling phenomenal." He responded and Ellie laughed loud. She turned on her back and looked in his eyes.
"It's raining a lot, maybe we can stay in bed the whole day." She told him.
Chris took a hand to her belly and caressed it, then he pulled the covers away and bent over it, kissing her belly countless times in a row. Ellie tugged her fingers in his curls as he did so and smiled.
"Hey there baby girl." He whispered still running his hands over it. "Are you alright in there?" He asked and Ellie laughed a little louder.
"I guess she is." She said.
"I love you too baby Heaven." He said and Ellie's eyes flickered with tears as she heard him. "I am your daddy, sweetie."
"She knows you're her daddy." Ellie said cleaning her eyes. Chris looked up at her and dragged his body up, staying face to face with Ellie. "I bet she loves you too."
"Do you think she knows?" He asked her, pecking her lips.
"You sing to her every day." Ellie stated. "She knows your voice."
"The book says so." Chris said.
"What Heaven doesn't know yet..." Ellie paused to pull his wild unruly hair off his face. "... is that she has the most amazing daddy ever. She is so lucky to have you... but she will find out."
Chris kissed her belly one more time and then looked up at Ellie. "You know what we could do?" He asked and Ellie shook her head as she heard him. "We could go out for lunch. It's been a while since we have been to that Italian we love." He told her. "What do you think?" He offered her his loving smile in the end.
"Are you sure?" Ellie began to say and then looked outside. "It's raining so much..."
He pulled his body up until he was face to face with her and kissed her lips.
"Come on, babe. I am leaving after tomorrow." He said, looking in her eyes. "We can take the car...it won't be hard. I bet there's no traffic..."
"Ok." Ellie agreed. "But first, have something to eat." She insisted. "You haven't had anything since you woke up."
"Alright." He kissed her one more time and then got up and extended his hand at her so he could help her up.
"Eat and have a shower and I'll take care of this messy bed." Ellie pointed out at her wet sheets.
"That's all your fault. Nothing to do with me." He smiled.
"Chris!" She tapped him on the shoulder. "Stop!" Ellie giggled right after and he made an innocent look.
"Am I lying?" He teased her still.
Ellie rolled her eyes and turned her back on him, grabbing a sheet to pull it off the bed. She was determined to leave him without an answer. Still, Chris grabbed her hand and made her turn around to look at him again. His smirk made her roll her eyes one more time and though she wanted to look annoyed, the smile on her lips was giving her away, and he laughed low.
"I am right." He told her.
"You are impossible." She pecked him twice in a row. "You know that, don't you?" Ellie pinched his nose softly while he still laughed.
"No... I just know how to do stuff." He said vainly.
"Well..." She smiled back. "I won't deny that." She said in a low tone, but Chris grabbed her face between his hands and looked in her eyes.
"What was that?" He defied her to repeat her words.
"Forget it." She said with a smile. "I won't feed your ego again."
"Come on, babe..." He insisted while pecking her. "Show me love." He joked and Ellie started laughing and wrapped her arms around his neck, making him slid his hands off her face and resting them on her hips.
"You know how to do stuff." She whispered against his lips and then smooched him. "Now go get ready Christopher Vain Cornell."
"I won't take long." He said.
Chris kissed her lips before disappearing. Ellie heard the water in the shower running in the next few minutes while she ripped the sheets off their bed and pilled it on the floor. Then, she grabbed a new set of sheets and started making the bed. When done, she put on her robe and grabbed the sheets of the floor and took it to the laundry lounge, leaving it in a basket for dirty laundry. After, she came back to her bedroom and went straight to her wardrobe and opened the doors. She started looking around her clothes to choose what to wear and decided to grab the black cotton dress with a huge pocket around her belly area and then grabbed her thick black tights. She put it on the bed and went to her lingerie's drawer and she chose a black lace set. She put it on immediately and then sat on the bed to put on her tights. Ellie got up to pull it up on her legs and then passed her dress over her head and adjusted it over her body. From there, she looked at the mirror above the chest drawer and turned on her sides to study her looks. She liked it.
Then, she stared at her shoes rack to decide what to wear on her feet and she grabbed her green ankle Doc Marten for she was going to wear her green coat and it would match perfectly. Finally, she decided to put on some mascara and eyeliner just to enhance the grey of her eyes. She braided her hair and finished with a few drops of her favorite perfume. As she is resting the bottle on the chest drawer, Chris came in naked, with his hair wrapped on a towel.
"Fuck... I am cold now..." He said running to the wardrobe.
"Because you were showering." Ellie giggled. "The house is extremely warm."
"Yeah.... yeah..." He responded as he passed a black shirt over his head. Then, he grabbed his black 90 Original sweater and put it on too. "Ellie..." He then called her. "Can you grab me a pair of boxers from my drawer?" He asked as she was closer.
"Sure." She said.
Ellie got up and opened the drawer and grabbed a pair of black cotton boxers that she threw at him. Chris caught it in the air and started sliding his legs inside it. Ellie closed the drawer and sat back on the bed, waiting for him to get ready. She saw him put on a pair of blue jeans and then rolled it up above his ankles and next, he put on a pair of red Doc Martens. Ellie smiled. She loved his rebel and yet sexy style. Finally, Chris pulled the towel off his head and threw it over the canapé and ran his fingers over his locks and then shook his head. That way, his hair was done and Ellie got up.
"Are you ready?" She asked him and he nodded. "Did you eat?" She asked right after.
"Just a yogurt. I am not that hungry." He told her.
"I imagine." Ellie smiled.
"Let me just grab a jacket." He said going back to the wardrobe.
He grabbed a black coat though. Chris put it on and buttoned it, pulling the collars up his neck. It rested around his hips and Ellie smiled walking up to him and holding him from behind.
"Hot." She said as she kissed his cheek.
"You think?" He smiled, pulling her so she stayed face to face with him.
"I do." She confirmed. "You look incredibly good, babe."
"So, let's go?" He pecked her. "I am in the mood for some pasta."
"I hope we don't meet the neighbor outside!" Ellie exclaimed suddenly which caused him to laugh.
"We don't care about him, right?" He asked her while they left the bedroom towards the door.
"I care!" Ellie said grabbing her purse and checking inside if she had everything she needed. "I am mortified every time he tells us something."
Chris grabbed his wallet from the phone table and put it the pocket of his coat. "You shouldn't." He said opening the door and holding it for her to pass through it. "It's none of his business."
"But it embarrasses me."
"It's a normal thing between couples." Chris argued, closing the door and locking it.
"Still..." She breathed as she crossed her arm around his as they were ready to leave.
"We are..." He kissed her temple. "...effusive..."
"Right." She laughed.
As they stepped outside, they ran a little towards their car that was parked, luckily, right in front of the building. Chris was driving this time, but before he started, he turned the radio on. When Pink Floyd began to come out of the poor speakers they had in the car, he began to pull away from the parking space and started driving towards downtown to their favorite Italian. The Pasta Bella was located in the 15th avenue and it didn't take them long to get there. As Chris had predicted with all the rain and being weekend, people had opted to stay home and it was a free traffic drive. The restaurant had its own private parking lot, so they left their car there. Hand in hand, they ran to the door as the rain did not subside that day.
"May I take your coats?" A man came to receive them as soon as they entered the green door that lead to a small hallway decorated with Italian motives.
"Sure." Ellie responded, taking off her coat.
They both gave the doorman their coats and he put it on the hanger. Next, he opened the door that led inside the restaurant, leaving it opened for them to go inside. Resting his hand on her lower back, Chris gently pushed Ellie ahead and followed right behind her. As soon as they looked around, they came to sudden halt. Ellie's heart began to race instantly for Chris.
"Chris..." Ellie whispered his name and looked back to find him stopped on his tracks as if glued to the floor. His eyes set on their table, but he didn't even blink. His chest came up and down quite fast and his breathing became heavy. Ellie could hear him inhale and exhale strongly.
"Sir..." The waiter called him completely oblivious to the event and Chris looked at him.
"We are not staying." He said straight forwardly. "I am so sorry." He shook his head. "We cannot stay."
"Chris." Ellie held his hand to prevent him from leaving. "Please, babe..."
"No, Ellie..." He muttered. "Do not insist. I am not ready."
"It's your mother." She told him.
"No..." He shook his head quite rapidly. "No..."
Ellie looked at the table where Karen and Peter were having lunch and waved with a sad smile on her lips. Peter waved smiling, but Karen waved shyly. Ellie looked at Chris again.
"Your brother is there." She tried to convince him as it would be easier for him to be with two people he trusted.
"I want to leave, Ellie." He told her. "I don't want to stay." His voice choking as he said so and Ellie knew nothing she would say would make him change his mind.
"Your brother is coming here." She said, seeing Peter approaching them.
"CJ." He smiled and held Chris close as he greeted him. "How are you?"
"Fine." Chris said.
"Why don't you join us?" Peter offered. "Mom would love that."
Chris shook his head rapidly and Ellie realized he was more nervous than he should be and that could trigger his attacks. It was time to stop.
"No... Peter..." She interfered. Peter turned to look at her. "It's better if we go. Chris wants to go."
He nodded and then turned to Chris again. "At least wave at her." He asked.
"Wave?" Chris asked as if that was the most difficult thing in the world.
"Pete!" Ellie exclaimed as almost reprimanding him.
Chris looked at Karen sitting at the table with the same blue eyes as his, looking at him and they stared at one another for a few seconds. Ellie noticed his eyes watering and she held his hand. Shyly, he rose his hand and waved and Karen did the same. It had been seconds, but Ellie could see how broken he had become in those seconds and her heart ached for him.
"Let's go." He said right after and ran out of the restaurant, leaving Ellie behind.
"Chris!" She called but he left anyway.
"I am so sorry, Pete." She told him. "I try..."
"It's ok." He held her tight and kissed her temple. "Go to him."
Ellie smiled and waved at Karen first and then grabbed their jackets for Chris had left his behind. Then, she got out of the restaurant and ran to their car where he was waiting for her.
"Chris..." She said as she closed the door and wrapped an arm around him.
"I am sorry, Ellie." He told her not looking at her.
"You don't have to be sorry, babe." She bent over him and kissed his cheek.
"I can't..." He shook his head and then looked at her and that's when she saw the eyes she loved so much filled with tears.
"Babe." She breathed and pulled him to her for a tight hug. "It's ok. It's ok." She repeated while she felt his shoulders shake as he cried a little stronger. "Oh babe... if I could ease your pain."
"I am so weak." He said.
"You are not, my love." Ellie said with her lips pressed on his temple and a hand caressing his hair. "Don't be so harsh on yourself."
Chris pulled away and cleaned the tears from his face. "I don't know why I can't face her. I swear!" He paused. "I resent her but at the same time I understand everything she has done. I know she had six children and it was hard to give us all attention and then she separated from him and I know it was for us..."
"Breathe." Ellie instructed him for he was heaving and extremely nervous. His hands were shaking and his voice was coming out choking. "It's alright, babe. When you feel ready. In your time... no one is pressuring you."
"You must be so disappointed in me." He said.
"No!" She exclaimed and kissed his lips. "I am not. Chris..." Ellie looked in his eyes. "I know what you have been through. I know your story. You don't disappoint me at all. I just think it would do you some good to relieve your heart of some burdens but if you feel like you are not ready, then you are not."
"You wanted to stay." He told her.
"Because I thought it would be easier for you since Peter was there. Just because of that. At least, you waved at her." She smiled. "Chris... breathe slowly, babe." She said again as she noticed he was still heaving and she didn't want him to have an anxiety attack for it would turn things a lot worse. He would associate it with her and it would be harder for him to reconnect.
"I am ok." He kissed her. "I ruined our lunch though." Chris whispered.
Ellie smiled. "Let's go home." She proposed. "It's cold. It's raining. We have just a day and half until you leave so we should be cuddling and kissing."
"You don't mind?" He asked just to be sure.
"No." Ellie smiled at him. "I just want you to calm down, ok?" She looked in his eyes and he nodded.
"I am fine, babe. Don't worry." Chris tried to rest her.
Suddenly, he curled an eyebrow and Ellie notice him looking over her shoulder at the window.
"What the fuck?" He blurted and Ellie looked back.
"Hey!" Ellie exclaimed with her eyes wide opened.
"That's Jerry and Brenda!" Chris pointed out. "Didn't you say she was having lunch with her guy?"
"They're fighting." Ellie breathed.
"They are." Chris confirmed.
It could be perceived by their body language. Not minding if it was raining upon them. They were drenched. Hands waving in the air. Fingers pointing at one another. Sometimes their voices could be heard as they spoke louder. Heads shaking constantly.
"Poor Ralph." Ellie said as she remembered Brenda was having lunch with him. "He must have learned something new today and not pleasant."
"You better call her later." Chris said starting the engine. "I bet she needs to talk."
"Let's go home, babe." She told him.
Before leaving, she looked at the couple oblivious to the fact that they were being watched. Jerry was trying to hold her hand and Brenda was pulling away.
"She is crying." Ellie said, turning to Chris.
"Being in love with someone who cheated on you is not easy and knowing you lost the woman you love because you did so is even worse." Chris told her.
"You're right." Ellie looked outside as Chris drove away. "Somehow, I hope they find their way."
"They will." He responded.