Chapter 9: I'm Right Behind You
They were silent as they walked side by side. Will's heart made its presence known by pounding every single cell inside his chest. Karen wished that her constant glances to his direction were left unnoticed. When they reached the edge of the lake, Will went towards the small tree where an old looking boat was tied to. He held his breath as he offered his hand to Karen.
"Here you go sweetie," trying to sound as calm and normal as he helped Karen step onto the small boat.
Karen found herself holding his hand a second too long before she finally let go. It was a misty late afternoon and the sun trying to let go of the remaining light that it has. The lake has turned silent. Two swans occasionally made tiny waves in the glass like water. Will rowed the boat slowly, taking all the time in the world and of course, Karen did not mind. Their knees brushed once in a while and Will found himself clearing his throat every time it happens and Karen seemed to look more and more fascinated with the tiny waves that her fingers made every time it touched the water. The silence broke when Karen said;
"I never thought I'd end up someday in an old raggedy piece of wood in the middle of the lake, with a gay guy who could not even swim to save his own life," Karen laughed.
Will just smiled and replied "Don't worry Karen, I won't let anything happen to you."
The seriousness of his tone made Karen look up to him and say "That's really sweet honey." They looked at each other, their eyes locked and both of them recognized a familiar feeling, a feeling of overwhelming love.
Will could not take it any more, he grabbed Karen's hand and kissed it. He held on to it as he broke down, all of those years pretending, holding on to whatever grain of self control that he has to stop himself from grabbing Karen, kiss her, and tell her how much he love her. It really hurt to keep it all inside, nobody knew except the flickering streetlamps outside the Walker Mansion. He remembered everything as if it only happened yesterday.
HE was walking absentmindedly one hot afternoon. His hands were restless and kept on finding its way in his pocket. His eyes fixed on the ground he's walking on, lost in his own thoughts. The buzzing sound of traffic and the people walking past by him seems all too far away. All that he could think of is her: how she talks, the way she smiles, how she winks at her whenever he hands her drink. Then he stopped in front of a glass door.
"Can I help you Mr. Truman?" the door man asked.
"Is Miss Walker in today?"
"I'm sorry but she just left about fifteen minutes ago. But she didn't take her limo so she couldn't be too far away."
"Oh, OK. Thanks."
He was really depressed. He really thought he would see her that day. Last night, he stayed up all night trying to make up a story about his legal concerns about the Walker Inc. just to have an excuse to be able to talk to her. Now he just has to imagine her looking at him, just the two of them talking, and him pouring her a second drink. Another empty day, without her.
His feet found his way inside a bar. It was old but well maintained and only two people were sitting in the corner. The bartender seemed busy attending to a lady surrounded by empty wine bottles, holding a martini in one hand and a piece of olive in the other. She started talking to the bartender as if she they were old friends.
"I saw that damn fool again yesterday. He was yapping and screeching like a girl who lost a lollipop, talking nonstop about how our business in Cambodia should be legalized. He even said that we should not hire seven year old children as test dummies for dog vitamins. Oh! He really lost it this time."
"Maybe you should get a new lawyer," the bartender said.
"Whoa…what's that? What's this? What's happening? Are you talking to me?" Karen asked as she looked over her shoulder, looking for the person the bartender might be talking to.
The bartender shrugged his shoulders and continued wiping wine glasses.
"Anywho, that son of a bitch thinks he's sooo cool. Ooooh, I'm a lawyer, hear me say my three hundred dollar words" her hands making exaggerated movements as she spoke.
"He's really starting to get into my nerves…" she continued:
"I HATE HIM!"
Those three words echoed inside the bar. Every single person looked at her. She bowed her head down, and even though Will couldn't see her face, he knew that she was crying.
"Pour me another martini and keep it coming…"
Will felt like he was stabbed in the chest after hearing those words come out of her mouth. Why? How could she hate me?
He wanted to approach her. He wanted so much to ask her.
"Why?" he whispered.
He wanted to move but his feet felt like it was glued to the floor. He knew that their 'friendship' has a fragile foundation and he wouldn't want to risk rocking it.
Two hours had passed and after countless refills of martini and a bucket of olives later, she stood up, winked at the bartender and said, "See you tomorrow Smitty."
"Take care Mrs. Walker."
She walked out of the bar, not knowing that Will was silently following her. Karen was walking faster than the usual and seemed afraid of the flickering street lamps.
You're almost there, don't be afraid. I'm right behind you.
"What are you doing Will?" Karen asked. One of the paddles slipped into the water but Will didn't seem to care.
"I need to tell you something."
"Well, sure honey, what is it? Is everything OK?" She looked at the paddle bobbed in the water.
"No…I need you to promise me one thing."
Karen's confusion showed clearly in her face. "Promise you one thing? OK, what's that honey?"
Will looked at her with such longing that Karen held his face. "Tell me…"
At that he kissed Karen's lips and whispered:
"Don't ever leave me again."
