I know you're waiting for Leddie, be patient, and Lorie will be back.
The promise Hollywood Heights
At the Zoo chapter 8
Linda sits next to Eddie.
"You have to be strong, you have a son to worry about."
Eddie runs his hands through his hair, something he does when he's upset.
"I know, that should be me, holding her hand, setting our wedding date, kissing her, I love her, I made a promise I didn't keep, and I lost her."
"I'm so sorry Eddie, we both know Lorie is to blame."
"I'll never know why she did this, why hurt me like this?"
Meanwhile….
Loren and Cam had dinner, they're sitting at the park.
"How about a summer wedding?" Cam asks.
"What about June?" Loren asks, not paying much attention to what Cam is saying.
"We could have a July or August wedding; I'd love for you to pick which month."
Loren doesn't know what to say, her heart isn't in this wedding to Cam, she wants to talk about something else, she regrets accepting his proposal. "I think August will be the perfect month for our wedding."
He leans in to kiss her. "Mrs. Cam Phillips you have exactly 7 months to plan our wedding."
"Yes I do, let's tell Mom and Melissa."
They arrive, and find Nora in the garden, Mel is watering some plants.
"Hi mom, can we talk?"
Nora looks at Mel. "What's up?"
Cam's smiling from ear to ear. "We have a wedding date."
Nora smiles, she looks at Loren who has no facial expression, seems they're planning a funeral instead of a wedding.
"When's the big day?" Nora wonders.
Cam looks at Loren; he thinks she'll tell them. "It's going to be in August."
"We have 7 months to plan it." Mel adds.
"Yes we do, Cam, I'm really tired, I think we better call it a night."
He smiles and leans in to give her a quick kiss. "No worries babe, you have time to plan our wedding, see you later."
He looks at Nora and Mel with a huge smile. "Bye." He leaves closing the door behind him.
Mel and Nora looks towards Loren. "Are you kidding me?" Mel asks.
Loren tries to walk away, Nora stops her. "You can't marry him."
"Why not?" She glares at them .
"Because you don't love him, I wish you could see how miserable you look." Nora glares right back at her.
"You're not in love, you better stop or you're going to be miserable for rest of your life."
"What am I supposed to do? I already told him I'd marry him."
Mel looks directly at her. "You're in love with Eddie, face it, end your engagement to Cam, and fix things with Eddie."
Loren takes a few steps away. "It's not that easy Mel, a lot has happened since Eddie left, he has a son, a busy schedule, I don't belong in his world anymore, it's easier with Cam, I'll learn to love him."
Nora shakes her head. "Are you listening to yourself?"
She stands her ground. "I'm going to marry Cam, either you'll help me with this wedding or I'll do it alone."
She walks into her room and slams the door behind her.
Mel looks at Nora. "She's going to be miserable."
"I know but it's her choice, we said what we had too, all we can do is support her."
Mel frowns. "I'm going to try and figure out what to do with this whole mess, it's not fair to Cam, he doesn't deserve this, and neither does Loren."
The following morning, Nora and Mel get up, Loren isn't home, she's at Eddie's, sitting in the back deck, enjoying her green tea and looking through her schedule. She's typing on her iPad.
Eddie walks into the kitchen to get coffee, he notices someone's sitting outside on the deck; he looks through the window, It's Loren.
He opens the sliding door. "Do you want any coffee?"
"I have tea, thanks." Her eyes directly on her iPad.
"How long have you been here?"
"About an hour, I was able to get some schedules ready for Alex and two other kids."
Eddie sits across from her, she's typing something in her iPad, she can feel his eyes on her, he looks at her, she's more beautiful today, he remembers their days behind the cottage. Time spend talking, their first kiss and planning their future.
Loren doesn't want to look at him, she knows he's looking at her, he'll know exactly what she's thinking, he was good at reading her thoughts. She pretends to write; she finally gets up. "I'm going to get Alex ready, excuse me."
"Why do you do this Loren?"
She sighs. "Do what Eddie? I'm your son's teacher, what do you expect me to do?"
He gets up and gets closer to her. "I still love you Loren, I always have, I don't know what happened to us, we went our separate ways, my feelings haven't changed."
Loren's quiet, he holds her chin and searches for her eyes. "Do you still love me?"
"I'm engaged, I'm going to marry someone else, please stop this."
"You didn't answer my question Loren, I know we're still in love with each other, I can feel it." He's very close to her, she can smell his cologne, he smells so good. He continues. "There's no way you're over me that fast, I can see it in your eyes, they betray you."
She moves away from him. "There's nothing between us anymore, what we had ended years ago, I'm going to marry Cam, I have to get Alex, excuse me."
She walks away, Eddie watches, he doesn't believe her, he knows she loves him as much as he loves her, he knows one thing, he isn't going to give up on her. This doesn't end here; he'll make sure of that.
Loren stands outside of Alex's room, tiny tears flow down her cheeks, she still loves Eddie, more than ever, she never got over him, he was her first love, she wipes the tears, and composes herself, she walks into Alex's room, he runs to hug her. "Hi Loren, I'm ready."
"Let's get your lessons started for today."
"I love you Loren, you're a great teacher, I'm learning so much."
She didn't expect to hear him say that. "I love you too, I love being your teacher sweetheart."
She smiles, that beautiful little boy who looks exactly like Eddie made her day.
They head towards the deck and Loren begins her lessons. A few hours later she leaves to tend to the other 2 boys she's tutoring.
Weeks later…
Loren arrives with a surprise for Alex. "How would you like a field trip today?"
His eyes lit up. "Really? Where are we going?"
Loren kneels down to his eye level. "We're learning about animals, what about a trip to the zoo? We can look for the entire alphabet while looking at all of the animals."
"I love the zoo!" Alex yells out.
"Let me go and tell Aunt Linda." Loren heads toward the kitchen. "I thought a trip to the zoo would help Alex understand the alphabet, is it ok to take him?"
Linda smiles. "He loves the zoo, that little boy talks non-stop about you all day."
"He's a pleasure to work with."
"I'll let Eddie know, go ahead, how long will you be gone?"
"I don't have the other boys today, maybe until 3, I hope that's ok?"
"Sure Loren, call if you need anything."
Loren gets Alex ready and they leave for the Zoo, half hour later Eddie stops by the house to pick up something Jake needs.
"Where's Alex and Loren?"
"She took him to the zoo."
He smiles. "Really? He loves the zoo."
"That's exactly what I told Loren, it's a lesson about animals and the letters of the alphabet."
Linda notices Eddie demeanor changes. "What wrong sweetie?"
"Alex should be our son, I know she'd be an amazing mom, I know Alex loves her."
"You can't give up, you're an amazing young man, your parents would be so proud of you, you're only mistake was marrying Chloe, don't give up on Loren, I know she still loves you."
"She's engaged to marry someone else, the day that happens I'll die, I'll probably leave the country, and never step foot in this area again, I can't bear to watch her marry someone else and bare his children."
"Please listen to me, she still loves you, I can see it in her eyes, her eyes light up when she sees you, she tries to hide it but she can't fool me at all Eddie."
"Are you sure?" Eddie wonders.
"I'm sure, give her time, I know she'll come to her senses and stop this wedding, she doesn't love this guy, she's isn't excited about planning her wedding."
"I hope you're right, I need her, she fills the void in my life, I felt alive when she was my girl." He looks at his Aunt. "I need her."
"It's getting late, go and give Jake those papers and hurry back, you have to be here when she gets home with Alex."
He smiles. "I love you; you've always been there for me."
"Your mom was an amazing sister, I know she'd want me where I'm at right now, by your side, and I'll always be here for you."
Eddie hugs his aunt. "Thanks, I'll be back soon."
He's happy, his Aunt gave him hope, what she said has to be true, Loren belongs with him and no one else.
Hours later, Loren's getting Alex ready to go home, they spend the whole day looking at the animals, he'd say what letter of the alphabet begins with the animal's name.
"Did you have fun?"
"I did Loren, thank you for the Hotdog."
"You're very welcome."
They're walking towards the exit when one of the zookeepers loses control of the cart he's driving.
Loren's holding Alex's hand, she hears screams coming from behind, she turns around and sees the cart coming their way at high speed, she pushes Alex and the cart hits her, it knocks her to the pavement near Alex.
People come running to tell her help is on the way, she looks at Alex. "Stay right here Alex."
"Hey lady, we called 911, hang on, keep putting pressure on your leg, it's bleeding." Someone yells out.
She tries to sit up but her leg really hurts. "You were very brave, that cart was about to hit your son, you saved his life." A lady tells her.
The paramedic's arrive, Loren's in pain. People ask if she's ok, many saw her heroic moves to get Alex out of the cart's way.
The paramedics take Loren to the hospital; Alex is taken in a police car to the hospital following the ambulance.
Eddie's home, he looks for Loren and Alex. Linda appears with the phone in her hand.
Eddie notices. "What's wrong?"
"There was an accident at the Zoo, some runaway cart hit Loren, she's in the hospital."
"What? How? And Alex?"
"The officer said he's fine, Loren saved his life, but she's hurt."
Eddie grabs his keys and runs out the door with Linda in tow.
Loren's our hero! Chapter ends here today.
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