Chapter 9
Together Forever. Really!
Again, here I am writing a stupid disclaimer. But I figured out why I still do it. I REALLY don't want to get sued. I just don't need that. I have enough problems already without a plagiarism lawsuit.
So, here it is. Chapter 9. I've been working on this story for months, and this is the second edition of Chapter 9, but now I think I've finally got the ending.
Unless, of course, someone wants me to write more, in which case I will.
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Rick woke when Evelyn rubbed his shoulder and whispered in his ear. "Rick, honey, we're back."
He roused himself and lifted his head from where it lay on Evelyn's lap, sitting up straight. "Ok." Rick, Evelyn, Ardeth, and Jonathon exited the car. Ardeth glanced around, and then noticed some of his men standing nearby with horses.
"This is where we part ways," he said to Rick. "Safe journey, sadik." He grasped Rick's shoulder and Rick did the same.
"You too, my friend," Rick said softly. "And thank you. For everything."
Ardeth smiled, and walked to his horse. He mounted, and his men followed suit. "We will see each other again, O'Connells!" he shouted. He jerked the reins, and his horse reared. Then the desert nomads rode gloriously off into the sunrise.
"Show off," muttered Jonathon.
Rick and Evelyn smiled. He slipped an arm around her, and they headed into their hotel, Jonathon trekking off to his room alone.
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When Rick and Evelyn reached their room, they were exhausted. Neither had gotten any real sleep during their ordeal, and they were ready for a nice long night of rest. Without a word, Evelyn changed into a white nightgown, and Rick into a pair of soft cotton pants.
They lay down on the bed, and snuggled close. Evelyn rested her head on Rick's bare chest, breathing in his scent. He stroked her hair softly and kissed the top of her head. "This," he whispered, "is what I wanted to do yesterday."
"Me too."
They lay in silence for a few moments, and then Rick chuckled.
"What's so funny?" asked Evelyn.
"I just realized that you swore." He chuckled some more.
"What? I did not!"
"Did too. And I quote: 'Don't you dare point that thing at me after I came all the way here to save your sorry ass.'"
Evelyn looked at him with a mixture of embarrassment and indignation, and Rick burst into laughter. Soon enough, Evelyn had to join him.
"Well," she managed through bursts of laughter. "If you hadn't gone and pointed a lethal weapon at me, I wouldn't have done it."
"So you admit it! Evelyn O'Connell admits she used a dirty word! Call the presses! It's historical news!" he said loudly in triumph.
They laughed some more before settling down. After a little while, Rick noticed Evelyn was crying.
"Ev? Honey, what's wrong?"
"I was so scared," she sobbed. "I was so scared you were dead, or you didn't love me, or-"
"Shhh. It's ok. I'm alright. We'll be together forever, and I'll always love you," Rick soothed. "Just go to sleep, angel."
Evelyn nodded. "Ok." She hugged him closer. Breathing deeply, she calmed. Rick was beside her. He was alive and safe and he loved her. Life was good again.
"I love you, Rick," Evelyn murmured as she drifted off to sleep.
"I love you too, Evelyn." And then Rick, too, slipped away to dreamland.
----------
All done. And that, I think, was well worth the effort.
Together Forever. Really!
Again, here I am writing a stupid disclaimer. But I figured out why I still do it. I REALLY don't want to get sued. I just don't need that. I have enough problems already without a plagiarism lawsuit.
So, here it is. Chapter 9. I've been working on this story for months, and this is the second edition of Chapter 9, but now I think I've finally got the ending.
Unless, of course, someone wants me to write more, in which case I will.
-----------
Rick woke when Evelyn rubbed his shoulder and whispered in his ear. "Rick, honey, we're back."
He roused himself and lifted his head from where it lay on Evelyn's lap, sitting up straight. "Ok." Rick, Evelyn, Ardeth, and Jonathon exited the car. Ardeth glanced around, and then noticed some of his men standing nearby with horses.
"This is where we part ways," he said to Rick. "Safe journey, sadik." He grasped Rick's shoulder and Rick did the same.
"You too, my friend," Rick said softly. "And thank you. For everything."
Ardeth smiled, and walked to his horse. He mounted, and his men followed suit. "We will see each other again, O'Connells!" he shouted. He jerked the reins, and his horse reared. Then the desert nomads rode gloriously off into the sunrise.
"Show off," muttered Jonathon.
Rick and Evelyn smiled. He slipped an arm around her, and they headed into their hotel, Jonathon trekking off to his room alone.
----------
When Rick and Evelyn reached their room, they were exhausted. Neither had gotten any real sleep during their ordeal, and they were ready for a nice long night of rest. Without a word, Evelyn changed into a white nightgown, and Rick into a pair of soft cotton pants.
They lay down on the bed, and snuggled close. Evelyn rested her head on Rick's bare chest, breathing in his scent. He stroked her hair softly and kissed the top of her head. "This," he whispered, "is what I wanted to do yesterday."
"Me too."
They lay in silence for a few moments, and then Rick chuckled.
"What's so funny?" asked Evelyn.
"I just realized that you swore." He chuckled some more.
"What? I did not!"
"Did too. And I quote: 'Don't you dare point that thing at me after I came all the way here to save your sorry ass.'"
Evelyn looked at him with a mixture of embarrassment and indignation, and Rick burst into laughter. Soon enough, Evelyn had to join him.
"Well," she managed through bursts of laughter. "If you hadn't gone and pointed a lethal weapon at me, I wouldn't have done it."
"So you admit it! Evelyn O'Connell admits she used a dirty word! Call the presses! It's historical news!" he said loudly in triumph.
They laughed some more before settling down. After a little while, Rick noticed Evelyn was crying.
"Ev? Honey, what's wrong?"
"I was so scared," she sobbed. "I was so scared you were dead, or you didn't love me, or-"
"Shhh. It's ok. I'm alright. We'll be together forever, and I'll always love you," Rick soothed. "Just go to sleep, angel."
Evelyn nodded. "Ok." She hugged him closer. Breathing deeply, she calmed. Rick was beside her. He was alive and safe and he loved her. Life was good again.
"I love you, Rick," Evelyn murmured as she drifted off to sleep.
"I love you too, Evelyn." And then Rick, too, slipped away to dreamland.
----------
All done. And that, I think, was well worth the effort.