Chapter Eleven

Reunited

With her eyes harboring a dangerous mixture of varying emotions, Theresa inched towards Fox repeating, "You're alive," in a hoarse murmur. Her legs trembled slightly beneath her as her body fought against the overpowering shock flooding her veins. Sensing something peculiar about the emotions swimming in Theresa's captivating brown irises, Fox watched Theresa intently as he tried to decipher her expression. He tried to pinpoint specific emotions that were evident in her eyes, but to his dismay Fox became acutely aware that his attempts were in vain. One moment he thought he saw relief, but the next Fox thought he saw resentment. Doubtful as to what he saw in Theresa's gaze, Fox refrained from attempting to read her eyes. As the time slowly ticked away, Fox decided that Theresa would reveal her emotions soon enough. He stood still, almost statuesque, as he waited anxiously for Theresa to make the next move.

Theresa blinked away tears as her fingers began to Fox's face. They traced the outline of his eyebrows, his nose, and traveled down to his lips. Theresa wanted to make sure that Fox was real and not an illusion concocted by her wild imagination. With each touch Theresa felt the buildup of emotion within her threatening to explode. As it all came rushing back to her, a typhoon of memories hit Theresa with an unexpected emotional blow. Her mind traveled back to the funeral and swam through the thick pool of sorrow and grief of that nightmare of a day. She relieved the pain of her shattered heart as the images of the casket being lowered into the dark grave flashed in her mind. Her nose detected the scent of the freshly dug grave; her ears perceived the thud of the dirt clods hitting the coffin mixed with the sound of sniffling individuals, while her eyes began to cry a flood of more tears.

She clearly remembered the looks of pity from countless numbers of individuals throughout the course of the funeral and the days following her living nightmare. She remembered the feeling of her strength seeping out of her body and feeling the impact of her knees hitting the grass beneath her as she fell to the ground due to her anguish. Theresa remembered every detail regardless of its importance, and stood back away from Fox attempting to decimate the cloud of memories hanging over her.

Disappointment clouded Fox's eyes as he watched Theresa step away from him. While her fingers had been tracing the contours of his face, Fox immersed himself in Theresa's mesmerizing eyes. He saw the swell of emotions mixing within them and wondered what Theresa was thinking and feeling as she explored. Fox's arms twitched beside him as he fought the urge to mirror Theresa's movements. He wanted to touch her, to hold her tightly against him, but instead Fox waited.

When Theresa stepped away from him, Fox regarded her with questioning eyes. Theresa would not allow Fox's eyes to probe her own, so she looked away while hugging herself in a futile attempt for support. Fox finally reached out to her- his arm extended as an invitation, but rather than accept it, Theresa only stared.

"Theresa," Fox spoke her name entreatingly. She looked up bewildered as tears filled her eyes.

"I thought you'd be happy to see me," Fox said frowning. "Theresa, what's wrong?" He asked desperately wishing Theresa would say something other than, "You're alive."

Theresa walked towards Fox with her hand slowly rising. Fox assumed that Theresa was going to trace his features once again, but to his surprise she slapped him hard across the cheek. Shocked at Theresa's gesture, Fox rubbed his stinging face watching her with wary eyes. "What was that for?" He asked.

Theresa went over to the couch and covered her face with her hands. Sobs broke through her lips as she coped with reality. Fox breached the awkward silence with the clearing of his throat. "Theresa," He said quietly. "Tell me what's wrong."

"I can't." Theresa gasped as she covered her mouth to muffle the heartbreaking cries escaping her tired soul.

"Maybe you should read this," Dylan said quietly as he entered the room. Fox looked at the letter Dylan held in his hands. "What's that?" Fox asked as he took the letter and turned it over in his hands. "It's something you should read." Dylan said softly before leaving the room.

Fox opened the letter and noticed that it was in Theresa's handwriting. He looked up to see that Theresa's sobs had subsided and her eyes were fixated on the note.

"You wrote this." Fox stated simply as he held up the letter. Theresa nodded slowly only looking at the flimsy paper Fox held in his hand.

"Do you want me to read this?" Fox asked hoping that Theresa would not erupt in tears. He hated to see her cry, and hated it ever more that Theresa would not allow him to comfort her.

Theresa looked away and pressed her lips tightly together. "Read it out loud." She said in quiet and eerily calm tone.

Fox swallowed nervously, afraid of what the letter contained. "My dearest Fox," He began.

"I still can't accept that you're gone. I can't accept the idea that your body is buried underneath the ground. I can't accept that I'll never see your handsome face, your friendly smile, or your gorgeous eyes. There are a lot of things that I can't accept right now."

Fox stopped reading to look up to see Theresa's expression. She sat still appearing as though her thoughts were millions of miles away in a realm she could only access.

"Our relationship began as friends and it has stayed that way from the beginning. You've always been so good to me, Fox. I still laugh thinking about the night we first met. You scared me to death that night when I woke up to find you standing there shirtless."

Fox chuckled softly as his own memory of the night replayed in his mind.

"Despite our odd first meeting, you became a good friend. I've never forgotten what you told me that day of Miguel's wedding. 'Keep it up, even if you have to fake it sometimes.' Truth be told, I've never forgotten anything since that night we met." Fox paused as he looked at Theresa with a sincere gaze. "Neither have I Theresa. I've never forgotten the moments we shared together." He said with quiet earnestness.

Theresa eyes softened as a small smile settled upon her lips. Fox returned the smile as his eyes returned to reading Theresa's outpour of emotion.

"Memories have been flooding my mind endlessly. All I can think about is you, and the fact that I never expressed my love for you."

Fox nearly dropped the paper as his eyes repetitiously went over the last seven words. 'I never expressed my love for you.' Fox blinked rapidly as the words sank in. 'Theresa loves me.' He thought as the words warmed his suddenly rapidly beating heart. For so long Fox had yearned to be loved, but instead he was repeatedly rejected by his family and was only offered cold indifference instead. For a long time Fox pretended that he did not want love and did not need love, but as he clutched at Theresa's letter he realized that being loved was his buried dream that finally came true.

"I suppose my love for you has always been hidden deep within me. And for so long I remained oblivious to it. I know hearing me speak of Ethan perturbed you and I regret ever uttering his name, or obsessing about him the way I did. I acted like a complete fool, but you still put up with me. You didn't leave me or abandon the way Ethan has."

"I could never abandon you, Theresa." Fox said. "Never." Theresa's chin trembled. "Keep reading," She whispered as she rubbed her palms together.

"I feel so alone Fox. I know my family has been trying to console me, but it's not enough to combat the regret and pain that has come over me. My life's falling apart. It's spiraling down to nothing."

An expression of regret settled over Fox's features while his heart shattered after reading Theresa's forlorn words. Immediately Fox reprimanded himself harshly for allowing Theresa to be subjected to so much grief. Tears stung Fox's eyes as he immediately walked over to Theresa and enveloped her in a strong embrace. "I'm sorry." He whispered in her hair. "I should have told you what was going on. I shouldn't have allowed you to believe that I was dead."

Theresa clung to Fox tightly cherishing the feel of his arms around her. "Oh God, Fox!" Theresa cried. "I didn't mean to slap you. I was just so overwhelmed and"

"And what" Fox said pulling away as he held Theresa's face in his hands.

Theresa took a deep breath. "When I touched your face, I was reminded of the grief and sorrow that I wallowed in the day of your funeral and the days after that. I was angry that you" Fox tried his best to wipe away the tears that streamed down her face.

"You were angry that I put you through that." Fox said his own vision becoming blurred with his own tears.

Theresa nodded slowly. "I was so heartbroken when they told me that you were dead. I didn't want to believe it, but everyone kept saying that you were gone. At time I felt like I couldn't handle it and I wanted you so badly to comfort me. Nobody can console me like you can, but you weren't there" Theresa's voice trailed off.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Fox repeated as he pulled Theresa close to him. "I should have explained everything. Oh God, I'm such an idiot!" He sputtered. As Fox clung to Theresa, the sound of ruffled paper prompted Theresa to pull away. She reached for the letter Fox still gripped in his palm and read the last few sentences aloud.

"You've always had this amazing unexplainable way of consoling me. Somehow you completely understand me. You know me better than some of the others have. The sad thing about it is" Theresa stopped reading and looked at Fox through tear-filled eyes.

"What?" Fox asked. "What's the sad thing about it?"

"I was going to write, 'You're gone,' but I never did." Theresa said placing the letter on the table beside them.

"I'm not gone, Theresa," Fox said taking a hold of her chin. "I'm here, and I'm not going to ever leave you again."

Theresa reached up and stroked Fox's cheek. "I'm glad," She said as relief washed over her. "Because I don't know what I would do without you."

"And Theresa" Fox said as his brown eyes locked on hers.

"What?" Theresa whispered.

"I love you too."