Unload [un-lode] verb
1. To relieve of something burdensome or oppressive; unburden
Six months later, as they lie wrapped up in the comfort of his sheets, he kept his promise.
After a night that can only be described by both as phenomenal, he grabbed his phone and tapped the screen effortlessly. She was in too much of a sated daze to notice until he gently thrust the phone in her direction.
"Listen," he commanded gently. Curious, she brought the phone to her ear. Within a second, she was horrified to hear a hapless, slurred version of her voice.
"Freeeeddie! Why're you not theeere? Oh, I guess you're there there, just not pickin' up. Ugh! 's so loud in here, so I have to shout! DOES MY VOICE SOUND WEIRD? I think 't sounds weird. Fre-he-ddie, this's the wooooorst time for you not to pick up because I just remembered how much of an idiot I was…or am…I dunno. I jus' miss you and I should have never broken up with you and I still cry sometimes when I think about it. Soooo stupid. You'rrrre th' best guy ever and I had you! You were right there and I just let you go because I was scared or something. I just…I want you back sooo freakin' bad and NO, that's NOT the margaritas talking! I'mma get you back, Freddie. I'm getting you back and I'm KEEPING you this time. 'n guess what? When I get you back…I'mma do you, Freddie. I'mma do you alllll night long. F'r days. Okay, Wendy is looking at me all crazy and Sam's tryin' to grab my phone - wha' hey! Sam! Sam, gimme -"
The message ended abruptly while the recording gave Freddie the option of saving the message or deleting it for good. Mortified, Carly looked expectantly at him, still holding on to the phone and not at all surprise to find the smug smirk etched across his face.
"Well," he shrugged. "You kept your word!"
Unload [un-lode] verb
2. To discharge (cargo or a load)
Mrs. Benson set the final box down in the middle of the empty living room.
"That's the last of it, sweetheart," she sighed, tenderly rubbing her lower back. "Was Paige really so bad that you had to move clear across the state?"
Freddie chuckled as he handed her a cold bottle of water from the cooler. "Mom, I already told you that Paige wasn't a bad person."
"You really haven't said much about the break-up beyond 'Mom, I'm moving out,' so help me to understand," she sighed. "Everything was fine between you two a week and a half ago!"
"It was."
"So what changed? She was a lovely girl."
After a brief pause to think, Freddie shrugged and bent to retrieve a beverage for himself. "I didn't feel like carrying a dead relationship anymore."
Mrs. Benson rose her eyebrows at the first hint of honesty from her son regarding the sudden break-up. "Dead? That's a terrible thing to say, Freddie. She loved you."
They sat on the couch simultaneously and stared at the blank wall. "I loved her, too, mom, but it seemed like both of us were just passing the time with each other until we found something better."
"Really?" his mother asked. "So she wasn't too upset?"
Freddie chuckled lightly. "She was upset about the inconvenience of it all, but, ultimately, this is the best decision for both of us."
They sat in silence for a moment. He could practically hear his mother searching for more understanding, so he continued.
"She said, "I hope you two figure it out.'"
Mrs. Benson turned to face him, confused. "What?"
"The last thing she said just after she made it clear that I needed to be gone before she returned from her mother's," he explained. "She told me 'I hope you two figure it out.' I think the weight was getting to her, too."
Just before she could express her disbelief, Freddie's phone buzzed with an incoming text.
From: Carly
Unpacked? :D
Apr 15, 12:02 am
Freddie grinned, then replied.
Getting there
To: Carly
Sent: May 06, 3:03 pm
A/N: Just wanted to show everyone that I didn't disappear. :o)
I did, however, do the following the past couple months: move, got pregnant, and beta-read a couple of novels for a friend (which I will never do again). Needless to say, my "me" time dwindled considerably.
I'm tweaking the upcoming chapter for "iHit the Open Road II," as well. I hopefully be able to publish that in the upcoming weeks. I just wanted to get this out beforehand to get myself back in the mindset of writing again, kind of like when you start exercising again after not doing so for a while. Consider this a warm-up, if you will. :o)
I hope you're all doing well! I've missed this.
Hollaatchyagirl,
Phunky