When Debbie arrives at the top of the stairs she sees the door is cracked and slowly opens it.
"Hello?" She hears the toilet flush and then sees Lou walking out drying her hands on a towel. "Hi, Lou."
Lou sits on the back of her couch and crosses her arms. "Hello."
"Um, how are you?"
"Why are you here, Debbie?"
Debbie sighs and puts her hands on her face lightly pressing her fingers into her eyes. "Lou, we need to talk. I need to talk to you. Please just listen to what I have to say."
Without a word Lou walks around to sit on the couch in a silent agreement to listen to what Debbie has to say.
After a moment Debbie walks over, her coat hanging over her arm. She looks at Lou as if to ask if she can place them on the table and she nods.
"First of all, thank you for agreeing to listen."
The room is eerily quiet. Debbie takes a deep breath and begins.
"About eleven and a half years ago I met a man named Claude."
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Two hours, one pizza and a few drinks later Debbie finally says all she has to say.
"I know it's a lot to take in and I don't expect you to absorb it in one go, but I just needed you to understand what was going on in my head."
"What I don't understand is why you needed time away from me."
"I had just found out the last person I let get close to me and ended up ruining my life had written his version of the events. And earlier that day I mentioned to Tammy you had given me a key and….it wasn't you I needed time away from exactly. I was terrified that it was going to happen again."
"That was going to happen again? That I would commit identity fraud and frame you?"
"No," Debbie looked into Lou's eyes. How she missed those eyes. She looked at her chin and then up to the slight dip just below her bottom lip. She missed her so fucking much it hurt. "I was afraid that someone I love would tear me apart again."
Debbie sits quietly waiting for a reaction.
Lou studies her for a moment. She slowly takes one of Debbies hands and interlocks their fingers. She looks at their hands for a few moments. She scoots closer to her on the couch.
"Debbie, I would never ever do anything to purposely hurt you." She brings their hands to her lips and kisses Debbie's hand. She leans in and kisses Debbie slowly, desperately trying to tell her without words just how much she's missed her too. When they break apart Lou rests her forehead on Debbie's and says in the softest voice.
"I love you, too."
Tears spill from Debbie's eyes. "I'm so sorry. I know I hurt you because I was afraid you'd hurt me and I know this doesn't justify it, but just… I'm sorry." Debbie kissed her.
After a minute Debbie gets up and without a word she extends her hand to Lou and the blonde silently takes it and lets Debbie lead her to the bedroom.
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Debbie wants to make sure Lou knows she means the world to her and that she will regret having hurt her forever.
Debbie steps into Lou and kisses her. She kisses her with all the love in the world. She kisses her trying her hardest to help stop the pain she's caused. She feels Lou's tears mingle in their kiss.
"I love you so much."
Debbie feels Lou's fingers unbuttoning her shirt. She really wants to show Lou how much she means to her, but understands the importance of letting Lou do as she wants. Lou felt powerless in this whole situation and if this little bit of control helped her heal, she'd let her have it.
Lou's hands start to tremble and she can't undo the buttons. "I thought I'd lost you forever." Lou kissed her again.
Debbie finished taking off her own shirt and then did Lou's.
"I'm so sorry I ran like that."
They finished undressing each other and Debbie walked Lou to the bed and sat her down. She gently pushed Lou's shoulder letting her know to lie back. She kissed nearly every inch of exposed skin on Lou's body. She tried desperately to make up for lost time.
Lou places a hand on the back of her head as she kisses a searing trail down her abdomen. Debbie shows Lou that she loves her. That she's sorry that she ever doubted anything about their relationship. Debbie uses her mouth and her hands to worship the body before her. She makes damn sure that Lou understands.
As Lou comes Debbie's name leaves her lips no louder than a whisper in the otherwise silent room. Lou hugs Debbie's head to her stomach as her breathing evens out. Debbie makes her way back up so they're face to face.
Lou rakes her fingers through Debbie's hair. "I don't want you to ever feel like you're alone in life. I'm here and will be as long as you'll have me. We can face this terrible book he's publishing together. You don't have to do anything alone. Not anymore."
Debbie cried for what seemed like the twentieth time that night. She holds Lou's wrist and kisses the palm of her hand. "I love you and it scares me so much."
"Deb, you can trust me. Do you remember what happened the first time I asked you to trust me?"
Debbie smiled thinking back to the first time she walked into the flower shop.
"Is this your way of bragging about your talents as a florist?"
"Oh, I have many talents, but my talent as a florist is the last one I want to show you right now."
The two of them fall easily back into their old rhythm.