Consider Me
"Come inside." Sasha said still feeling the effects from Abraham's statement. Could be 30 years for us here. That's still too short
He walked into her house and before he closed the door behind him, he grabbed Sasha enfolding her in his large embrace and kissed her deeply. She started to resist, but she discovered the conviction in his kiss. A strong commitment as strong as the man holding her. He broke the kiss gently, more than she could have imagined a berserker capable of, but he released her quickly and stepped back.
"Please forgive me Sasha, but I felt compelled to get that in before you eventually kick me out."
She turned and walked carefully into the living room considering he had just started a fire, and she was wading through the flames. "Ah, sit down, please."
"If you don't mind, I'd rather stand."
His nervousness made her capable of being calm in this curious situation. He had kissed her. What exactly did he want? She looked at him a bit puzzled, and noted his clasped hands behind his back. The consummate soldier.
"Relax Abraham." She said resisting the urge to laugh. She had never seen this man so out of character before.
"I can't. If I do, none of what I have to say'll make sense."
"Okay." She smiled instead of laughing like she wanted to. He was serious, and she would respect that.
"Sasha, you have given me much food for thought, and I always seem to put my foot in every conversation I have with you, prompting you to call me an idiot on nearly every occasion, and I have deserved every syllable of said word, but I now stand before you a different man. I choose to fish instead of cut bait here so I'll get right to it. I have deep feelings for you Sasha, and not those of a man who sees the proverbial glass as half empty." He stopped comforted by the smile on her face.
"Go on." She said knowing there must be more.
"I can sometimes be an insensitive bastard, which I exhibited earlier in the week, and I plan to talk to you about that at a later date. I am a single man with nothing to give you but me. I told you just outside that you have choices too. Please consider me to walk with you through this life. You have within you something I thought was lost to me forever; hope for a future. Thoughts of you have been with me for months now. They're not to be shaken, and I don't want to try."
Abraham shifted nervously from one foot to another. Sasha smiled at him again.
"If you have something to say, I sure wish you would get on with it." He said sternly.
Sasha did laugh this time and looked down at her hands and then back up to his eyes.
"You had my attention when I first saw you in those dress blues."
Abraham smiled, then that quickly faded.
"So you had me here sweat'n bullets, runnin' out of words to say, and making a fool out of myself to one of the most endearing creatures to ever walk God's green earth." Abraham fumed looking at the wall behind her head.
Sasha tilted her head to the side and grimaced a smile.
"Would it help if I told you that kiss was on point?"
He looked down into her eyes and smiled.
"It might, it surely just might." Abraham said as he put his arms around her and kissed her again.
He released her and inhaled deeply.
"I need to go. My watch is after yours and I thought I'd catch a little shut eye."
"I'll see you when you come to relieve me then."
"You most certainly will. I was going through some music Olivia had on a disc and I found this song I want you to listen to. It seems to sum me up."
He handed her the disc. Written across it were the words, 'Love was My Alibi'
He briefly squeezed her shoulder and left Sasha's house.
She went over the portable CD player and put the disc in. It was a slow song, and as she listened, she understood who he was beneath his rock hard exterior.
Time...'ll be the enemy
When you're locked in a world of pain
Days go floating by...
It just doesn't change
It just stays the same
Then you came along
And showed me how to start
Now the sun shines in my heart
The sun shines in my heart
I was so lost, now I'm found
The song they used to sing
On a Sunday afternoon
Love was my alibi
For all the life lost
Now u made love my reason
You made love my truth
You made love my truth
And the sun shines in my heart
Time... is now a friend to me
You make me feel adored
When I look into your eyes...
It's like I've never been
Never been loved before
You showed me the way
Showed me how to start
Now the sun shines in my heart
The sun shines in my heart
I was so lost, now I'm found
The song they used to sing
On a Sunday afternoon
Love was my alibi
For all the life lost
Now you made love my reason
You made love my truth
You made love my reason
You made love my truth
And the sun shines in my heart
Time...
Time...
Sasha stood by the CD player while the song played. She was moved beyond what she thought she could ever be again. When it ended, sat down in the nearest chair.
"Abraham. Who knew?" She said out loud with tears in her eyes.