}{}
Chapter 15
"That's so beautiful," Emma said tearing up at Manny's story. "I love happy endings."
"Aww Em. It looks like things are going to work out for both of us," Manny said as Sean walked up to them taking Emma's hand in his.
"What are you girls talking about?" Sean asked.
"Nothing," Manny answered smiling as Craig hugged her from behind.
"We better get going," Sean said tugging Emma in his direction. "Leave these two love birds alone."
"Bye guys," Emma said following Sean. "I'll talk to you later Manny."
"Bye," Manny said giggling as Craig kissed her cheek.
"""""""""""""""""""""""""
Manny and Craig walked hand in hand up the stairs to Craig's apartment. Craig let go to grab his keys from his pocket. He quickly unlocked the door then flung it open much to Manny's surprise. He picked her up and carried her over the threshold causing Manny to squeal.
"Craig! We're not married yet!" she exclaimed with a big smile.
"I know. I'm just practicing," he said swinging her around before putting her down. There was an awkward silence that followed. They both knew what they wanted to happen but didn't know how to start. He laughed at the situation which caused her to smile. He took off his glasses then pulled her close to him. He kissed her......gently at first then more passionately as she squeezed him tight. They threw off their shoes clumsily never letting their lips part. She pulled off his jacket and he unzipped the back of her dress. She unbuttoned his shirt and pulled off his belt. They fell to the couch and Craig paused to whisper, "I love you."
Manny smiled and whispered back, "I love you too."
"""""""""""""""""
Morning came and Manny awoke to Craig getting dressed. "Baby, where are you going?" she asked trying to open her eyes. She read the clock. 4:30A.M.
"It's a surprise. I'll be back soon. I promise. Go back to sleep Beautiful," he said kissing her forehead. She smiled at the gesture then quickly listened to his request. "I love you," he said to her before leaving.
"""""""""""""""""
".......Ashes to ashes and dust to dust......" The old preacher's words rang in Manny's head as she closed her eyes. It all happened so fast. She could hardly believe it. The sun burned into the back of her neck causing her to feel this stinging sensation that made her realize she was alive........at least her body was. She opened her eyes and looked around. Everyone looked so sorrowful. A few people met her gaze with sympathetic looks which caused her to add "irritated" to her list of emotions. Her mind raced, thinking of how black was a terrible color to wear to a funeral. Who made the rules on these colors? Why couldn't it be sky blue or lime green? Why black?
"Manny......Manny!" a voice said nudging her from behind. She awakened from her thoughts. "You're supposed to give a eulogy.......remember?" they said shaking her arm. She pulled it away violently and shook her head so she could focus on what was going on. The voice now had a face. Emma. She grabbed Manny's arm and led her to the front. Manny hadn't spoken for days. Now, everyone expected something meaningful and profound to come from her mouth. She burst into tears. The crowd fed off this energy and started crying harder. She fought to say something. She loved him. She should at least say that. She owed it to him.
"He was my best friend," she began through her tears. She paused. When she realized her crying was never going to stop, she continued. "He was my first love...and after five years he could still make my heart stop. I don't what I'm going to do without him. What am I going to do?" she asked crying uncontrollably. "Why?!!!!!!" she screamed to everyone and no one all at once. "Why God why?!" she cried falling to her knees. "I love him so much!" she yelled through her sobs. "Why did you have to take him away from me?! What did I do?! God why!?" She buried her face in her hands and Emma knelt down to hug her only to get pushed away. "Why'd you leave me?!" she gasped. Manny could hardly breath but she managed to get up and run as fast as she could away from the crowd......away from her sadness......away from the sympathetic looks........
Chapter 15
"That's so beautiful," Emma said tearing up at Manny's story. "I love happy endings."
"Aww Em. It looks like things are going to work out for both of us," Manny said as Sean walked up to them taking Emma's hand in his.
"What are you girls talking about?" Sean asked.
"Nothing," Manny answered smiling as Craig hugged her from behind.
"We better get going," Sean said tugging Emma in his direction. "Leave these two love birds alone."
"Bye guys," Emma said following Sean. "I'll talk to you later Manny."
"Bye," Manny said giggling as Craig kissed her cheek.
"""""""""""""""""""""""""
Manny and Craig walked hand in hand up the stairs to Craig's apartment. Craig let go to grab his keys from his pocket. He quickly unlocked the door then flung it open much to Manny's surprise. He picked her up and carried her over the threshold causing Manny to squeal.
"Craig! We're not married yet!" she exclaimed with a big smile.
"I know. I'm just practicing," he said swinging her around before putting her down. There was an awkward silence that followed. They both knew what they wanted to happen but didn't know how to start. He laughed at the situation which caused her to smile. He took off his glasses then pulled her close to him. He kissed her......gently at first then more passionately as she squeezed him tight. They threw off their shoes clumsily never letting their lips part. She pulled off his jacket and he unzipped the back of her dress. She unbuttoned his shirt and pulled off his belt. They fell to the couch and Craig paused to whisper, "I love you."
Manny smiled and whispered back, "I love you too."
"""""""""""""""""
Morning came and Manny awoke to Craig getting dressed. "Baby, where are you going?" she asked trying to open her eyes. She read the clock. 4:30A.M.
"It's a surprise. I'll be back soon. I promise. Go back to sleep Beautiful," he said kissing her forehead. She smiled at the gesture then quickly listened to his request. "I love you," he said to her before leaving.
"""""""""""""""""
".......Ashes to ashes and dust to dust......" The old preacher's words rang in Manny's head as she closed her eyes. It all happened so fast. She could hardly believe it. The sun burned into the back of her neck causing her to feel this stinging sensation that made her realize she was alive........at least her body was. She opened her eyes and looked around. Everyone looked so sorrowful. A few people met her gaze with sympathetic looks which caused her to add "irritated" to her list of emotions. Her mind raced, thinking of how black was a terrible color to wear to a funeral. Who made the rules on these colors? Why couldn't it be sky blue or lime green? Why black?
"Manny......Manny!" a voice said nudging her from behind. She awakened from her thoughts. "You're supposed to give a eulogy.......remember?" they said shaking her arm. She pulled it away violently and shook her head so she could focus on what was going on. The voice now had a face. Emma. She grabbed Manny's arm and led her to the front. Manny hadn't spoken for days. Now, everyone expected something meaningful and profound to come from her mouth. She burst into tears. The crowd fed off this energy and started crying harder. She fought to say something. She loved him. She should at least say that. She owed it to him.
"He was my best friend," she began through her tears. She paused. When she realized her crying was never going to stop, she continued. "He was my first love...and after five years he could still make my heart stop. I don't what I'm going to do without him. What am I going to do?" she asked crying uncontrollably. "Why?!!!!!!" she screamed to everyone and no one all at once. "Why God why?!" she cried falling to her knees. "I love him so much!" she yelled through her sobs. "Why did you have to take him away from me?! What did I do?! God why!?" She buried her face in her hands and Emma knelt down to hug her only to get pushed away. "Why'd you leave me?!" she gasped. Manny could hardly breath but she managed to get up and run as fast as she could away from the crowd......away from her sadness......away from the sympathetic looks........