Chapter Thirteen
It had been a long and agonizing week for Greg. Both he and Lilly had avoided each other as best they could, Greg more than Lilly. It hadn't been easy. Greg's heart gained a new tear every time he laid eyes on the beautiful young woman. She had gained such a hold on him that Greg could barely breathe without being reminded of her. It was torture of the worst kind.
~*~*~
There were nights when Lilly cried herself to sleep remembering that awful Valentine's Day. She realized now that she cared for Greg, but it was too late for her to do anything about it. Greg offered his heart to her that night, but instead of embracing it, Lilly had thrown it on the ground and stomped on it till there was nothing left. She knew that Greg would never accept any weak attempt at an apology that she tried to give, so what was the point. It would simply be better if she tried to move on and forget that night and what had transpired.
But every time she saw him, her heart would break and tears would once again spring to her eyes. She knew it seemed like she was avoiding him, but Lilly simply did not want Greg to see her cry. She hated herself with a passion, she despised what she had done to Greg, and Lilly simply wanted to die.
~*~*~
"Hey Lils." Lilly smiled slightly at the sound of the comforting voice.
"What's up Kyla?" Lilly asked her best friend in the whole world.
"Oh nothing much, just flying down to Vegas on a business trip." Kyla replied nonchalantly.
"You're kidding!" Lilly exclaimed.
"Nope."
"You know that you have to come and stay with me or awhile."
"I would be upset if you didn't expect me to." The two girls laughed.
"Oh man, it's gonna be so great to see you again." Lilly said, "you don't know how depressed I am right now."
"What's wrong?" The concern in Kyla's voice touched Lilly.
"Just some issues of the heart." Lilly replied.
"Well don't you worry, I'll be there before you know it and we'll tackle this problem head on together."
"Thanks Kyla."
"What are friends for?"
~*~*~
For once, the lab was quiet and still. There hadn't been a whole lot of cases lately, and it almost seemed to Greg that it was simply the calm before the storm. It had almost an eerie sense to it, like a big thunder cloud was about to roll in at any second and lay siege on the peacefulness that had fallen upon them all.
Greg sat in the lab, doing nothing in particular, but trying to remain out of Lilly's way. The door was open, and Greg could watch the people walking by. Suddenly, a woman stopped in front of the doorway. Greg's eyes traveled up her slim legs that were clad in a pair of tight denim jeans, up her trim waist to her stomach that was barely covered by a black form fitting tank top that showed her womanly curves, then finally up her pale slender neck to her face. Her eyes were the color of ivy, her lips were a deep, natural shade of red, and her skin was pale and freckled. The last thing that Greg noticed, but the thing that stood out the most was her hot pink hair that feathered out around her face, covering her cute little ears.
"Can I.........can I help you?" He asked flustered.
"Yeah, I'm looking for Lilly Carter. Is she around?" the woman asked, her voice was husky and sounded like the waves of the ocean breaking on the shore.
"Um.........I don't know where she is right now, but I do know that she's here." He said.
"Guess I'll have to find her myself then." the woman smiled, and her whole face lit up.
"Kyla!" Lilly's voice sounded from behind the woman, and Greg quickly turned away when she entered the room.
"Lils!" the woman exclaimed hugging Lilly.
"When did you get in?" Lilly asked.
"Just a little while ago, I thought I'd stop by here and surprise you."
"Well I'm surprised." Greg looked over his shoulder at the two women. The smile on Lilly's face made his heart ache. He had seen smiles much like that on her face when he had still been her secret admirer.
"Oh, hey Greg." Lilly said. Greg could hear something hidden within her voice. Something he had never heard before.
"Hey Lilly." Greg said trying to keep from looking at her lest his eyes betray what he was feeling.
~*~*~
Lilly's heart pleaded with Greg to look at her, to forgive her, and to allow her to explain. Kyla stood beside her, the confused look in her eyes evident. With a look, Lilly silently told her that she would tell the whole story later. Kyla smiled and nodded her head towards the door indicating that she would wait in the hall. Lilly was grateful for her friend's perceptiveness.
Gathering together her courage, Lilly approached Greg cautiously. He refused to look at her. Anger flared within her and Lilly wanted nothing more than to grab hold of him and shake the stubbornness from him.
"Greg," She said slowly walking towards him, "we need to talk."
"What about?" Greg asked harshly, "I have nothing to say to you."
"Listen to me please." Lilly pleaded, hating the way she begged.
"Why should I? It's not like you have anything to say that's worth hearing." The animosity in his voice shook Lilly to her core. It amazed her that so much hate could reside in one person.
"Please Greg."
"Go away, I have work to do." Greg brushed past her to the door, which he held open for her.
"No." Lilly replied, firmly standing her ground, "Not till you listen to me."
"You want to talk, FINE, let's talk about the way that you made me feel like I was no better than a bug! Or that my feelings meant NOTHING to you! Or, better yet, let's talk about the way that I loved you so much that I was willing to take a risk on telling you, then you tore my heart out and stomped on it! Yeah, let's talk Lilly."
Tears sprung to Lilly's eyes as Greg's words cut into her. She bit her lip and tried to control her rising emotions.
"I'm sorry that I did that to you." she said softly, forcing herself to talk around the lump in her throat, "I never meant to hurt you." With that she fled out the door and down the hall, Kyla close behind her.
~*~*~
With a weary sigh Greg slumped down in his chair. Instead of a weight lifting off his shoulders, it felt as if another ton had been added when he had yelled at Lilly. He had seen her tears, and it had taken everything in him not to throw his arms around her and comfort her. He buried his head in his hands and tried to rid himself of the weariness that filled him.
"You alright man." Greg looked up. Nick stood above him, arms crossed in front of him and a concerned look in his eyes.
"What do you care?" Greg asked, more harshly than he meant to.
"Oh come on Greg, get over yourself." Nick said sternly. Greg looked at him shocked.
"What the heck are you talking about? If anyone in this office needs to get over themselves it's YOU!" Greg yelled.
"ME! I'm not the one that shoved Lilly's apology back in her face! You did that!"
"Why do you even CARE? Now you're free to make a move!"
"I care because you're my friend." Nick's tone turned from one of brutality to friendship, "And besides, Lilly and I are not anything other than good friends. She made it quite clear that that's all she wants to be."
"Oh please," Greg scoffed, "You expect me to want your castoffs?"
"Lilly is not a castoff! She cares about you Greg, why can't you see that?"
"Yeah right, if she cares about me so much, then why did........." Greg broke off as he became choked with emotion.
"She got scared Greg, she didn't know what to think." Nick said gently.
"Get out." Greg said weakly, not wanting to believe what Nick was saying.
"Okay."
~*~*~
Tears streamed freely down Lilly's face as Kyla held her. They sat in Lilly's living room, the shades drawn closed and no lights on.
"You want to talk about it?" Kyla asked kindly.
"It's a long story." Lilly replied between sobs.
"You're my best friend," Kyla said, gently brushing a stray strand of hair out of Lilly's face, "I have all the time in the world."
~*~*~
Well folks, there it is, the latest chapter in this story. There is still a WHOLE lot more chapters to come. Please review and tell me what you think.
Still to come in LILLY OF THE VALLEY: What's going through Greg's head? Is he gonna forgive Lilly? Will it be soon? Does Lilly have the guts to make another move to win Greg back? The answers to all these questions and more in the upcoming chapters of LILLY OF THE VALLEY.
It had been a long and agonizing week for Greg. Both he and Lilly had avoided each other as best they could, Greg more than Lilly. It hadn't been easy. Greg's heart gained a new tear every time he laid eyes on the beautiful young woman. She had gained such a hold on him that Greg could barely breathe without being reminded of her. It was torture of the worst kind.
~*~*~
There were nights when Lilly cried herself to sleep remembering that awful Valentine's Day. She realized now that she cared for Greg, but it was too late for her to do anything about it. Greg offered his heart to her that night, but instead of embracing it, Lilly had thrown it on the ground and stomped on it till there was nothing left. She knew that Greg would never accept any weak attempt at an apology that she tried to give, so what was the point. It would simply be better if she tried to move on and forget that night and what had transpired.
But every time she saw him, her heart would break and tears would once again spring to her eyes. She knew it seemed like she was avoiding him, but Lilly simply did not want Greg to see her cry. She hated herself with a passion, she despised what she had done to Greg, and Lilly simply wanted to die.
~*~*~
"Hey Lils." Lilly smiled slightly at the sound of the comforting voice.
"What's up Kyla?" Lilly asked her best friend in the whole world.
"Oh nothing much, just flying down to Vegas on a business trip." Kyla replied nonchalantly.
"You're kidding!" Lilly exclaimed.
"Nope."
"You know that you have to come and stay with me or awhile."
"I would be upset if you didn't expect me to." The two girls laughed.
"Oh man, it's gonna be so great to see you again." Lilly said, "you don't know how depressed I am right now."
"What's wrong?" The concern in Kyla's voice touched Lilly.
"Just some issues of the heart." Lilly replied.
"Well don't you worry, I'll be there before you know it and we'll tackle this problem head on together."
"Thanks Kyla."
"What are friends for?"
~*~*~
For once, the lab was quiet and still. There hadn't been a whole lot of cases lately, and it almost seemed to Greg that it was simply the calm before the storm. It had almost an eerie sense to it, like a big thunder cloud was about to roll in at any second and lay siege on the peacefulness that had fallen upon them all.
Greg sat in the lab, doing nothing in particular, but trying to remain out of Lilly's way. The door was open, and Greg could watch the people walking by. Suddenly, a woman stopped in front of the doorway. Greg's eyes traveled up her slim legs that were clad in a pair of tight denim jeans, up her trim waist to her stomach that was barely covered by a black form fitting tank top that showed her womanly curves, then finally up her pale slender neck to her face. Her eyes were the color of ivy, her lips were a deep, natural shade of red, and her skin was pale and freckled. The last thing that Greg noticed, but the thing that stood out the most was her hot pink hair that feathered out around her face, covering her cute little ears.
"Can I.........can I help you?" He asked flustered.
"Yeah, I'm looking for Lilly Carter. Is she around?" the woman asked, her voice was husky and sounded like the waves of the ocean breaking on the shore.
"Um.........I don't know where she is right now, but I do know that she's here." He said.
"Guess I'll have to find her myself then." the woman smiled, and her whole face lit up.
"Kyla!" Lilly's voice sounded from behind the woman, and Greg quickly turned away when she entered the room.
"Lils!" the woman exclaimed hugging Lilly.
"When did you get in?" Lilly asked.
"Just a little while ago, I thought I'd stop by here and surprise you."
"Well I'm surprised." Greg looked over his shoulder at the two women. The smile on Lilly's face made his heart ache. He had seen smiles much like that on her face when he had still been her secret admirer.
"Oh, hey Greg." Lilly said. Greg could hear something hidden within her voice. Something he had never heard before.
"Hey Lilly." Greg said trying to keep from looking at her lest his eyes betray what he was feeling.
~*~*~
Lilly's heart pleaded with Greg to look at her, to forgive her, and to allow her to explain. Kyla stood beside her, the confused look in her eyes evident. With a look, Lilly silently told her that she would tell the whole story later. Kyla smiled and nodded her head towards the door indicating that she would wait in the hall. Lilly was grateful for her friend's perceptiveness.
Gathering together her courage, Lilly approached Greg cautiously. He refused to look at her. Anger flared within her and Lilly wanted nothing more than to grab hold of him and shake the stubbornness from him.
"Greg," She said slowly walking towards him, "we need to talk."
"What about?" Greg asked harshly, "I have nothing to say to you."
"Listen to me please." Lilly pleaded, hating the way she begged.
"Why should I? It's not like you have anything to say that's worth hearing." The animosity in his voice shook Lilly to her core. It amazed her that so much hate could reside in one person.
"Please Greg."
"Go away, I have work to do." Greg brushed past her to the door, which he held open for her.
"No." Lilly replied, firmly standing her ground, "Not till you listen to me."
"You want to talk, FINE, let's talk about the way that you made me feel like I was no better than a bug! Or that my feelings meant NOTHING to you! Or, better yet, let's talk about the way that I loved you so much that I was willing to take a risk on telling you, then you tore my heart out and stomped on it! Yeah, let's talk Lilly."
Tears sprung to Lilly's eyes as Greg's words cut into her. She bit her lip and tried to control her rising emotions.
"I'm sorry that I did that to you." she said softly, forcing herself to talk around the lump in her throat, "I never meant to hurt you." With that she fled out the door and down the hall, Kyla close behind her.
~*~*~
With a weary sigh Greg slumped down in his chair. Instead of a weight lifting off his shoulders, it felt as if another ton had been added when he had yelled at Lilly. He had seen her tears, and it had taken everything in him not to throw his arms around her and comfort her. He buried his head in his hands and tried to rid himself of the weariness that filled him.
"You alright man." Greg looked up. Nick stood above him, arms crossed in front of him and a concerned look in his eyes.
"What do you care?" Greg asked, more harshly than he meant to.
"Oh come on Greg, get over yourself." Nick said sternly. Greg looked at him shocked.
"What the heck are you talking about? If anyone in this office needs to get over themselves it's YOU!" Greg yelled.
"ME! I'm not the one that shoved Lilly's apology back in her face! You did that!"
"Why do you even CARE? Now you're free to make a move!"
"I care because you're my friend." Nick's tone turned from one of brutality to friendship, "And besides, Lilly and I are not anything other than good friends. She made it quite clear that that's all she wants to be."
"Oh please," Greg scoffed, "You expect me to want your castoffs?"
"Lilly is not a castoff! She cares about you Greg, why can't you see that?"
"Yeah right, if she cares about me so much, then why did........." Greg broke off as he became choked with emotion.
"She got scared Greg, she didn't know what to think." Nick said gently.
"Get out." Greg said weakly, not wanting to believe what Nick was saying.
"Okay."
~*~*~
Tears streamed freely down Lilly's face as Kyla held her. They sat in Lilly's living room, the shades drawn closed and no lights on.
"You want to talk about it?" Kyla asked kindly.
"It's a long story." Lilly replied between sobs.
"You're my best friend," Kyla said, gently brushing a stray strand of hair out of Lilly's face, "I have all the time in the world."
~*~*~
Well folks, there it is, the latest chapter in this story. There is still a WHOLE lot more chapters to come. Please review and tell me what you think.
Still to come in LILLY OF THE VALLEY: What's going through Greg's head? Is he gonna forgive Lilly? Will it be soon? Does Lilly have the guts to make another move to win Greg back? The answers to all these questions and more in the upcoming chapters of LILLY OF THE VALLEY.