I still own nothing. Sad, isn't it?

Chapter 7

He looked around the room a little disoriented, but then he remembered the day before and the night that had led to him being in this strange bed in this strange hotel room. The dream had been so lifelike. He was holding her in his arms and they were dancing. She was wearing a white dress, perhaps a wedding dress? He shook his head. This kind of thinking did him no good at all. He glanced at the clock noting it was only 7:30. He wondered what time they needed to check out by and if she was still planning on accompanying him home. As he was running the day's plan through his mind he realized that the running water had stopped. He looked up and saw her standing in the bathroom doorway wrapped in the plush robe, short spiky wet hair framing her angelic face like a halo.

She was the first to speak, "Good morning, Slugger. Ready to face the day?"

"I don't like being called that anymore," he said. He was beginning to doubt the wisdom of his decisions the previous day.

"Oh, Kevin, I'm sorry. I didn't know." She didn't dwell on the fact or ask for any sort of explanation. She simply began selecting an outfit from her suitcases as she dried her hair with a towel. She glanced back at him and asked, "Did you want to take a shower?"

He wasn't even sure that he was awake, but he knew that water cascading over him would feel great and would definitely awaken his senses. He transferred to the chair and reached behind to get his bag. He always carried a change of clothes and extra necessities, just in case. He started toward the bathroom door as she looked up.

"Do you need anything?"

He thought about his answer for a moment and replied, "I don't need a thing, but I would love it if you would join me."

She dropped the jeans she had been holding and walked slowly toward him. As she did so, she untied the belt of her robe and let it slip silently to the floor. She took his hand and motioned him through the bathroom door. She approached the shower and began running the water as he stopped at the sink, found his toothbrush and glanced at his reflection. He was a bit worn-out looking, but that didn't seem to stop her. She returned to him and began to unbutton his shirt. He glanced toward the toilet, not wanting to spoil the mood, but she just nodded. They finished there and continued toward the shower. As they entered together, she leaned down and kissed him gently on the mouth. She ran her hands through his hair and down his back. The water flowed down over them. He placed his hands on her waist and lowered her to the bench beside him. She sat but then changed positions and crawled onto his lap. She wrapped her arms around him and placed her head on his shoulder, kissing him softly on the neck and collarbone. She felt his body begin to shake with sobs.

"Kev, what's wrong?"

He couldn't control his crying even long enough to answer her. He just held her so tightly as the tears mingled with the flow of the faucet. Finally he composed himself to the point where he was able to speak. "I have never been more sorry for the mistakes of my life as I am at this moment. Being with you is so amazing. I want to hold you forever, I want to give you the world, or at least a wonderful life, and for a minute I imagine that I can. And then I remember that I can't. I can't ever go back. I can't change what happened. I can't control anything. I feel so helpless. So unbelievably helpless. I dreamed last night that we were dancing. I was holding you and we were spinning across a floor that looked like glass, but it was really water, and then we fell through the floor and I lost you. I woke up and you were gone. I mean, I know where you were, but all that I had for that brief minute was gone. And now I'm rambling on like an Allman Brother, but every time I start to think I'm going to be okay, that my life is going to be worth living, I get a glimpse of what is could have been, what it should have been and it makes me so depressed all over again."

"Kevin, I didn't mean to upset you."

"No. It's not your fault. I have to face this. I have to deal with what happened and get on with my life. I can't keep looking back. I have to accept that this is my life."

"Being here with me makes you look back. I didn't even think about it. I was only thinking of how much I wanted to see you. Please forgive me for not considering your feelings."

His hands traced the line of her neck and shoulders as he began to speak. "Beth, I don't blame you for anything. I wanted to see you, too. I wouldn't have stayed if I didn't. I've been making steps, so to speak, but it's time to really move on."

She reached for the shampoo and began to lather his hair. He took the bottle from her hand and returned the favor. They continued to wash each other until every inch of their bodies was squeaky clean. She finally stood to turn off the water and grabbed two towels from the rack. She threw one at him, pulled his chair beside the shower, and began to dry herself.

"Do you want me to bring your bag in here?"

"Please."

Fifteen minutes later, he emerged from the bathroom as the bellman was loading her luggage onto a cart. She turned to ask him if he needed anything from downstairs before they ate breakfast. She moved to the left revealing a tray sitting on the table. He wheeled toward her, took her hand and kissed it. She tugged on his hand and kept it in hers as they continued to the table. She lifted the silver dome from the tray in front of him to reveal a huge stack of blueberry pancakes and whipped cream. "If I remember correctly, these are your favorite."

He looked across at her and smiled. "Definitely," he grinned as he dug into his breakfast. She worked on her omelet as she watched him savor the meal. "I think that these are the best pancakes ever," he commented when he noticed her eyes on him. She laughed and took a drink of her juice.