Part 5

Tess was cleaning up in front of the cafe when she saw a familiar face, smiling and looking at her with a pair of lovely eyes. She forgot everything for a second, but then it hit her. She remembered all the sorrow again.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, as he was still smiling at her.

"I'm here to talk to you Tess," he answered.

"I don't think that we have anything to talk, Nick!" she shot back and headed back inside the cafe to protect herself.

"Yes, we do have something to talk about!" he said, he stopped her by seizing her arm. He noticed her flinching not only at the harsh sound of his voice but at the threatening physical contact. He continued, releasing his grip slightly and talking softly. "At least I have something to tell you."

"I don't want to listen!" she cried, trying to set herself free. She really didn't want to listen. Because if she did and although everything was all right this time, she knew that he would hurt her again... and again... And she didn't think she could handle that.

"But you need to listen," he said, "Look, I don't know what you think happened exactly but I can tell you it isn't how it looked."

"You don't owe me an explanation, Nick. It's okay, just let me go!" she begged.

"No!" he shouted, "Stand still and listen!"

She turned around to look in his eyes as he stopped talking. They gazed at each other in silence for a while until he broke the silence and continued.

"She's just a friend," he explained quietly, looking away.

"Nick, I said it was alright," she said, trying to hide the disappointment in her eyes. "You don't have to lie to me about it."

"But I'm not lying, Tess" he said insistently, "Why wont you just listen to me, you fool? That's the truth!"

She knew he was getting angry but she didn't care.

"Don't make such a big fuss! Why are you shouting? I don't deserve that!" she said, her

voice rising as she too matched his angry shouts.

"Goddamn it! Listen to me!" he exploded. "She was just a friend, for God's sake!"

"Just a friend you're going to spend the rest of your life with," Tess shot back as angry tears filled her eyes.

"Just a friend, Tess. And I won't see her again. Ever. Why would I want too? Look what she caused!"

"She caused nothing, Nick! You caused this!" Tess exclaimed. Her eyes were full of tears and anger that threatened to spill over. But no! She wouldn't give in. She wouldn't let him win.

"Tess, you're not listening," he said, deadly quiet, a sure sign that he was giving in. "Man, you're unreasonable."

"Tell me why should I listen, huh?" Tess asked. Temporarily, she had forgotten the pain and she was now ready to fight this battle to the end.

"I'm trying to take you home, you Goddamn stubborn thing!" he shot back.

"I'm not coming back, Nick!" she said, determined. Her tone signaled that this conversation was over.

Nick took a few steps towards her, tried to take her hands, but he hesitated when he saw her eyes.

"I love you," he whispered, "Believe me, she was just a friend."

She looked his eyes deeply and knew that he was telling the truth. There was no need to continue this argument. There was no way she even could.

"But your mother told me that she was your new girlfriend" she explained, biting her lip and looking down at the ground.

"And that's why you left without talking to me, right?" Nick asked, with a small smile on his face.

"Yeah, I guess," she muttered, still looking down. "I mean, what would you have done?"

"But you would have talked to me if Mum wasn't there. What would have you told me then?" he asked, curious.

"Well," she started, pausing for a second, and then eventually letting go of the words. "I would have told you that I wanted you in my life forever. That I loved you so much and that I always had. And then I would have apologized for being so paranoid. You know-"

She was interrupted by his passionate kiss. At first she hesitated, but then decided to kiss him back, longingly and fervently.

"Tess, I want you back," Nick said, smiling at her when they stopped kissing.

"I want to be back too," she admitted. "But I don't know if I can come back with you just yet. It's just moving way too fast for me. Maybe, I should stay here for a little while longer..."

"No!" he objected. "I wont have it."

"No?" Tess asked, surprised. Her blue eyes had widened and Nick nearly laughed despite himself. She looked like a porcelain doll.

"That's right, 'no.' I won't let you stay here. I mean, I cant. I don't want this to happen again. I want to marry you, Tess, as soon as I possibly can. So, you're coming back with me," he ordered, looking so serious and determined she had to smile.

"Oh, wow!" she laughed to him. His face was serious back and she stopped laughing. For a second. "Okay. If it makes you happy."

"What? Doesn't it make you happy too?" he asked.

"Of course it does!" she exclaimed, starting to laugh happily again. "But first I have to pack my bags."

"So," he said. "Hurry up! I don't have, nor can I wait forever."

She looked up at him and she smiled.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," he said. "Now, bags!"

She went to walk away but he pulled her back for one more kiss.

"Now you can go," he whispered into her hair.

"oOo"oOo"oOo"oOo"oOo"oOo"oOo"oOo"

"Why didn't you come to me Liz?" Harry exclaimed.

"I don't know" she admitted. "It seemed so real. It seemed there was no need to ask. I didn't think that your mother would lie to me. So I believed her."

"God! Yes, it may have seemed real but you didn't have to go and find someone new," he yelled. he was really angry now, he felt he could punch the woman and he had never set a hand on a woman in his life.

"Actually, Marj found him for me. And I didn't want him at all. But it just happened, you know. These things do," Liz cried as she tried to hide her shaky hands.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, confused.

"He was nobody, Harry," Liz explained.

"'Was'? So you're not with him anymore?"

"No, I'm not. As I said Harry, he was nobody. I have always loved you. You believe me, don't you?" Liz asked, worried. "You have to believe me, Harry."

"Yeah," he said. "Yeah of course I believe you. And I'm sorry about my mother. If I had of known..."

"It's okay Harry. I've forgotten it already," Liz smiled. "So is everything alright now?"

"Yes, it is. If it's okay for you too," Harry smiled back.

"So does this mean?" Liz asked, excitedly, leaving the last words blank for him to fill in.

"It means that we're together again" Harry answered as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm so sorry for every mean word that I've said to you Harry. I was-"

"Shh... It's okay. I'm sorry too. Don't worry about it anymore" he comforted her. "Come on, let's get going."

"Okay," Liz giggled softly.

She stopped him just before they crossed the road.

"So, does this mean you're my fiancé again?" she asked hopefully.

"Yeah baby, I guess I am," he answered and then kissed her on the forehead. "I guess I am."