Cookie Dough

"I see you got home before me," Angel commented. She placed her pickle tub and drum sticks on the kitchen counter and joined Collins out on the fire escape.

"How was drumming?" Collins asked her. He had just light a cigar and was taking long, slow drags from it.

"Fine," she shivered. She leaned up against the cold metal of the balcony and looked out into the city. It was January, and last night's snow was covering all of the rooftops.

"Cold?" Collins asked her.

"A little," Angel answered, resting her head on the taller man's shoulder.

"This'll warm you up," Collins set the cigar between her dainty fingers. She took a small breath, then let the smoke spill from her lips. Then she passed it back to him.

*BEEP BEEP BEEP*

"What's that?" Angel looked around.

Collins ran inside faster than Angel had ever seen him run. "Cookies!" he screamed.

Angel laughed and stepped inside. "And they say I'm the feminine one," she giggled.

Collins opened the oven, and then quickly, without thinking, he reached into the oven with his bare hands. He had barely touched the cookie tray when he screamed and leaped back in pain.

"Collins baby!" Angel laughed, she handed him an oven mitt. "Use this honey."

He slipped the fabric on and lightly hit Angel on the head, making her laugh. "These would have been helpful before I burned my hand," he grumbled. Angel laughed again, shrugging her shoulders.

Once the cookies were safely out of the oven, Angel set them out on a cooling rack. "I can't believe you made cookies," she smiled. "I didn't know you baked."

Collins hugged her from behind. "I don't. Mimi made them when she was over here earlier."

"Mimi came over? I must have been gone a while," Angel said.

"Yeah… Hey Ang?" Collins asked. Angel was busy washing the cookie tray in the sink.

"Yes honey?" She looked up from the sudsy pan.

"Were you really out drumming? Because I went to your usual corner after work, and you weren't there… please be honest with me Angel," Collins ran his thumb down her nose lovingly.

Angel sighed. "I'm sorry Collins…"

Fear entered Collins faster than he thought was possible. "Angel?" he asked, his voice ready to crack.

"I… I realized this morning that I… I'm sorry Collins but I can't ignore my feelings… and I just- I just don't love you anymore," Angel sighed impatiently. "Look… I'm just going to leave… I'm sorry… I can't go on like this for one more day…" Angel ran into her room and came out carrying her suitcase.

Tears fell down Collins' face. "But Angel… no… I can't live without you… please don't leave me…" he whimpered helplessly. "You can't leave… Ang…"

"Look Thomas… I'm sorry I guess… But you deserve to be with someone who loves you back…"

"But Angel! You're the only one I want… I love you…" Collins pleaded, but Angel was already out the door. "Angel! Wait!" he chased her down the cement stairs, but soon he stopped cold at the bottom of the stairs. A man got out of a cab and pulled Angel into a kiss. She got in the cab with him, and Collins watched, his heart breaking more every second. "Angel…" he whispered, but she didn't hear him.

Collins woke up in a cold sweat. He realized he was in his bed alone, and looked around frantically. He hurried and got up. "ANGEL!" he shouted.

"Collins?" He let out a sigh of relief when he heard her voice. He walked into the kitchen, and without saying a word, pulled her into a tight hug.

"Good morning honey," Angel smiled. "I made cookie dough," she gestured toward the bowl in her hand. "Remember that one time when I tried to make cookies but you just ended up eating all the batter?"

Collins nodded, and then almost on instinct, stuck his fingers in the bowl and ate the bite of dough. Angel laughed. "Yes, so I decided this time I wasn't even going to try to bake the dough. So we can just eat this." Collins' face light up, but instead of diving into the tasty batter, he took the bowl out of Angel's hands and set it behind them on the counter.

"I love you Angel," he said to her, running his fingers through her curly short hair. "I couldn't live without you."

Angel nodded, "I know," she said playfully. Then she walked around him and got two spoons out of the kitchen drawer.

Collins stood frozen. "You didn't say it back," he said, worried. "Do you… do you still love me Ang?" Collins asked nervously.

Angel looked up immediately, shocked. "Of course I love you Collins, how could you not know that? And," she laughed, "I'm pretty sure last night was the very definition of 'love.'" Then Angel walked over to where Collins was standing. She wasn't wearing heels, so she had to stand on her tippy toes to kiss him. "I love you Collins," she said confidently.

"I love you too," he smiled. "I'm sorry," he pulled away from her. "I just… I had this dream that you didn't love me, and you left, and… and… there was this other guy… and Mimi made cookies…"

Angel put a finger to his lips. "It was just a dream honey, I would never leave you… And I will always love you. And besides, Mimi hates to bake."