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A few hours passed and Ephram and Madison had finally finished organizing everything. It was completely dark outside as the clock turned 10:30.
"That's all of it." Madison said
"Yup, it almost looks like your office again." Ephram said as he broke down the last box into a more manageable size. "Don't let me forget to take this with me and I'll get rid of them for you."
"Thanks that'd be great. You've been a real lifesaver today."
"Don't mention it."
"What do you say I order some food for us, the least I can do is feed you."
"Sure, why not."
"Great anything specific you'd like?"
"No, whatever you order will be just fine."
Madison went and picked up the phone and ordered them pizza. They ate together again avoiding this growing tension between them. Each wanted to do and say things that they knew they shouldn't, so they didn't which left a few awkward silences. Later Ephram tells Madison that he'll call her and that they'll hang out and catch up more soon. Madison agrees and says that they'll definitely get together again.
As they both lay in bed that night they began to wonder if the other has feelings for them or if their just being friendly. Ephram thinks that Madison may still have feelings for him and is determined to make her fall in love with him again and falls asleep dreaming up ways to make her his again. On the other hand Madison is restless through the night unsure of how she should act around Ephram the next time she sees him. Unable to sleep she gets up and walks in to the bathroom where she spots his jacket and sweater, which brings a smile to her face. She picks them up and brings them to her face where she's consumed with his scent and is reminded of a day four years ago.
Flashback
Madison was sitting in her house reading a book as she heard the doorbell ring she got up and went to the door and reached for the doorknob. In front of her stood her boyfriend which brought a curious smile to her face and before she got the chance to say hello his lips consumed hers in a heated hungry kiss. She was caught completely off guard and was enjoying her surprise. Ephram while continuing to kiss her moved them out of the doorway and back into her living room.
She remembered how good it used to feel to have him kiss her.
His kiss was passionate, like he needed her but yet gentle at the same time. The soft warm touch of his hands moved from her face through her hair as he reached for her back closing the small space between their bodies. They stood in her living room wrapped in each others arms seeking something. Madison could feel Ephram trying desperately to find a satisfaction which didn't come, she thought he needed more.
In between his kisses she got out, "Sweetie" but then he kissed her again and then moved his kisses to her cheek and then her neck. Madison stood in ecstasy with her eyes closed biting her bottom lip absorbing the moment. She wasn't sure what to do, what they should do, as the thought entered her mind Ephram gave his answer.
"I... I..."
"Shh..." she said as she leaned her forehead against his for a moment and then took both his hands in hers, kissed him lightly on the lips and with a smile on her face lead him out of her living room to a place she wasn't sure they were ready for. But he followed saying nothing.
The door to her room opened and once inside Ephram closed it. They walked to the edge of her bed and she kissed him leaving her lips on his for a long moment before sitting down on the bed. She looked up at him and could see he wanted to say something but couldn't seem to find the words. She removed his jacket and let it fall to the ground, then decided to let him make the next decision.
Madison stood in the bathroom remembering the way he looked at her that day, she wanted him to be there right now looking at her with those clear eyes.
He began to unbutton his shirt and half way down Madison lifted his hands away and continued for him. She undid the last button and then stood and ran her hands back up his chest, sending chills through his body and was about to remove it when Ephram closed his eyes, let out a sigh and licked his lips and said, "I... can't."
She immediately stopped and waited for him to say something. He didn't instead he took her hand and led her back out into the living room where they both sat on the couch where it was safer. Where they didn't have the temptingly inviting bed right in front of them, where it was easier to say what he knew he had to.
"I can't, I mean we can't"
Madison had wanted him so badly that day wanted to be that close with him but left the decision to him and never interrupted his words, or tried to change his mind. Never pressuring him to do anything he didn't want to do.
"It's not that I don't want to, because I do. I want to with you, only you, always you. I must sound really stupid and weird but doing this, this way will make me just like every other guy. I want to respect you and us and do things different, our way. I mean when it's right. You know?" He said nervously hoping to get understanding which he did when Madison nodded her head giving him reassurance.
He took her hand and kissed it, "I want to share this with you but I think we have to wait, I need to wait because loving you the way I do now seems like the best thing. I mean, loving you that way should wait until we do something else which won't come for a while. You get what I'm talking about?"
"Yea." She answered back softly.
"So?"
"Okay." She replied back slightly louder than before and with a reassured tone.
"Okay?" Ephram couldn't help but question her response.
"It's okay. It's actually what I want now too, I didn't realize until now how you felt. Now that I know, I see. I understand things and its better this way."
Madison remembered the relief on his face when she told him that those years ago. He had been so great; she respected him on such a higher level after that day and still did today. That he could see what was best for him and them and wasn't afraid to tell her his feelings. He had always been that way; open with her, something she'd never had and hadn't had since then.
"Okay, right so..."
Madison smiled at him as he started to talk.
"Well umm... here" he kissed her on the lips softly, "now I should probably go because if I stay then I'm not going to be able to control myself."
She laughed, "Kay, are you sure?"
He contemplated it, "Definitely, definitely the right thing to do." He stood and walked towards the door.
"Well, I'll call you then." Madison said as she followed him to the door.
"Yea sounds good." She kissed him for a moment and then he broke away, "You're to good at that."
"And that's a bad thing?"
"Umm... not at all." He said as he licked his lips slightly.
"Thought so." kissing him again with more passion.
They were interrupted by her roommate coming in.
"Whoa! You guys I think that's what the bedroom's for, ya know first door down the right. Unless you already..." she began to question with a curious smile sweeping across her face.
Madison decided to speak up and put an end to her curiosity, "No, and that's not what were about, we don't need that. Right?" She asked Ephram as he started to button his shirt.
"Right." He agreed confidently.
Madison's roommate chimed in, "Ya sure, cause I'm telling you its-" she began with a grin on her face.
"I'm-" correcting himself and holding Madison's hand, "We're sure."
"Weren't you just leaving sweetie?" Madison asked trying to get rid of her nosy roommate.
"Yup."
"Okay well see ya." Her roommate said as she broke between them and disappeared into her room.
End Flashback
Seeing his jacket in her bathroom triggered the memory of when she had walked back into her room and saw his jacket on the floor by her bed. That day was one of the closest times she had ever been with Ephram. His body had been so close to hers sending signs and signals of his love. She could still feel the rapid beat of his heart against her and his scent when he had kissed her neck. Since that day four years ago the only man she'd wanted to be with was Ephram, but she couldn't have him, have him in bed with her tonight. So she took his jacket with her to bed and curled up with it remembering all those kisses, touches and feelings from that day and slept through the rest of the night.
Ephram was woken up by the ring of his cell phone. He tried desperately to find it but couldn't and then realized it was in-between the bed and wall and picked it up.
"Hello"
"Hey, Ephram it's me." It didn't register for Ephram for a moment after all it was 6 o'clock in the morning and he wasn't a great morning person.
"Umm..."
"It's your dad." Andy said as if he should have known.
"Oh..."
"Let's not sound too excited now."
"Sorry, wait why'd you call the cell instead of the house phone."
"I didn't think about it, I'm not used to you being home."
"Okay."
"So?"
"So, what?" Ephram responded not really wanting to get into a long conversation with his father.
"Well, I said I'd call to check up on you."
"Dad I'm not twelve, I've been taking care of myself for a long time now you don't have to worry about me."
"Yes, I do. If it wasn't for me you'd be back in New York right now, mopping around."
"Point is?"
"The point is I want to know about Madison, Madison and you."
"Oh, great."
"What can't I be interested? I'm partially responsible for you possibly seeing her again. I mean did you see her?"
"Yes I saw her and your not the reason I saw her. I did it for me."
"Okay so how is she?"
"If you think I'm really going to tell you everything that's going on here you must be going insane."
"Wait, she's there like with you?" His father said shocked.
"NO!"
"Oh."
"See you always jump to conclusions about things you don't know anything about."
"I'm sorry, look I don't want to keep you long but I just wanted to make sure you weren't making a mistake."
"I'm not, I want her back and there's nothing that you or anybody else can do at this point to change my mind."
"No I mean the mistake of running away. If you think you can be happy I want you to be. It's all I've every wanted."
Ephram grew rather silent on the other end of the phone he was a little shocked.
"You still there?" his father questioned
"Yea"
"Well if you can find love with her again then I'm truly glad your there." Trying to give his son a few words of wisdom, "If this is like it was before, that kind of love you can't pass it up again, it'd be foolish. To live your life without love isn't a life at all."
"I know that's what I've been doing." Ephram said deciding to let his dad in just a little.
"I've been doing it for four years and I know how it is, and it sucks. I'm smarter wiser and older now, I'm going to fight, it's all I've really got left."
Andy was surprised at this son's last comment he thought "all he's got left." Before Andy had been sure that Ephram's life in New York had been great, so great that that's why he hadn't come home. But he understood now that his son had just been surviving the best way he knew how, away from the source of pain.
"I'm not going to let her go this time it's not an option for me."
"Well, just take it slow Ephram; just try not to get hurt."
Ephram thought how he had no choice he couldn't take it slow he didn't have time now. He had taken if for granted for so long and now he had to act quickly in hopes that he hadn't waited to long. That there was a cure for him both physically and emotionally.
"Okay, Dad uh well I've got to get going soon so if Delia's around I can talk to her for a sec."
"Oh she's still passed out asleep; we had a long night last night."
Trying to avoid any long explanations and details he was sure his father was ready to give, "Okay, so I'll talk to you all later, tell Delia to call me."
"Alright. Bye Ephram."
"Bye." He said as he hung up his phone and buried his head into his pillow.
He was awake now and didn't really have much hope of falling back to sleep now so he decided to get up and dressed to go do something good for himself. Deciding the gym would be painful but beneficial he began to ready himself and was soon on his way.
