DUNCNEY WEEK 2023: DAY 5

(9.14) Day 5: Movie Scene

Duncan always knew he and Courtney would find their way back to each other.

Courtney was parked outside a two-story house she had been to numerous times, yet it felt alien to her. Her thoughts raced as she stayed seated in the car with the engine still running. She cut the car and stepped out with whatever courage she had left. The sun instantly blinded her as she took in the massive shutters and wrap-around porch. It was just how she imagined it years ago.

Her head snapped as the sound of footsteps overtook her. There he was, the same as always, yet slightly different. Duncan stood a few feet from her, saying nothing. The only indication that it was him, not some apparition, was the sweat beads down his forehead from whatever he had just been doing and the cold beer he gripped. The two stared at each other, the only sound coming from the running waters from the lake nearby and the wind between the trees.

Courtney took a breath and decided to break the ice. "Hello. I saw your picture in the paper, the one with you and the house."

Nothing. Duncan said nothing as he watched the woman before him ramble on.

"And I just wanted to come and see if you were okay."

Courtney smiled awkwardly at the man in front of her. She mentally cursed herself for not rehearsing anything better.

"I mean, I wasn't in the neighborhood or anything." She continued. "I just...So, are you okay?"

Duncan stood there, shocked at who was now standing on his property. A property they were supposed to share. He couldn't form any words. He watched as Courtney's lips twitched to say something else.

"Okay, good."

Why wasn't he saying anything? God, she had forgotten how insane Duncan had made her feel. She shook her head as the muscles in her face forced her to narrow her eyes.

"I'm a stupid woman; I shouldn't have come."

This was a horrible idea. For all she knew, Duncan had a wife and children in that house, and here she was rambling and only asking if he was okay. Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic. All these thoughts ran through her mind as she hopped back into the car, cut it on, and swiftly turned into Duncan's white fence.

That brought Duncan out of his somewhat paralyzed state. He casually walked up to her car window and waited as it came all the way down. She didn't look at him as he peeked inside.

"You want to come in?"

She was breathing heavier than usual and prayed he did not notice it. Before anything else could be said, she responded simply, "Okay."

The evening, surprisingly, went by smoothly. No, Duncan did not have a family hiding behind closed doors, and for some odd reason, the tension in Courtney's chest lightened in finding that out. Unfortunately, Duncan quickly took notice of the shining rock sitting on top of Courtney's ring finger. She noticed his gaze and twisted the ring around her finger as she explained how she met her fiancé, Justin, and how he was a big deal in the media. His face could be found anywhere that advertised men's fashion or cologne. Duncan laughed at Courtney's parents' reaction about this Justin guy. Of course, they loved him. From how Courtney spoke about him, Duncan knew the guy had to have a generous amount of money.

Part of Duncan's reason for restoring the house was a fantasy, but somehow, that fantasy became a reality– just with a significant problem he never saw coming. He listened to Courtney talk about college, Justin, and her parents but also zoned out as he took her in. Her hair looked shiner, and he wondered if it was still soft as silk. Courtney's skin seemed to pop from the maroon-colored dress she wore, and if he let his eyes wander without her noticing, he could see how the buttons snug a little too tight down her chest.

The room fell into silence. Shit, had she asked him a question? His eyes scanned her facial expression; she was smiling. If he had to bet, he'd say she had just finished her catching-up story. He smiled at her as he passed her a beer. How many had they had now? Three, or was it four?

"I have to warn you, I'm a cheap drunk," Courtney said with a chuckle as she accepted the beer Duncan offered. "A couple more of these , and you're going to be carrying me right out of here."

"Well, you go slow then; I don't want to have to take advantage of you." He smirked as he continued to drink.

"You wouldn't dare." Courtney held up her hand, "I'm a married woman."

"Not yet."

There was that silence again. Duncan regretted the words the second they came out of his mouth. He felt he came on too hard, yet a part of him was glad he pushed that boundary. He knew Courtney could handle it; she always had. Duncan was suddenly taking in everything about them at that moment. Her eyebrow rose, "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Just memories. This room."

Courtney seemed to take in everything surrounding her—the long walls with intricate trimmings along the top and bottom. The grand piano was just set outside the dining room where they were sitting. She had played on it before. She remembered how Duncan wrapped his arms around her as she played, how his fingers felt as he spun her around the bench to face him. Did Duncan remember it just as vividly as she?

Duncan followed her eyes toward every part of the room and settled them on the grand piano as she did. He could never forget how her lips felt against his when they had kissed against it. He remembered how the vibrations of the keys being pressed made Courtney jump closer to him as they kissed. His eyes drifted to the floor, where he laid his jacket down for Courtney. How she lay there as his hands traced parts of her she had never let him touch before.

"It was real, wasn't it?" Her voice broke in a whisper. "You and me."

Courtney's brown eyes met his blue ones. "Such a long time ago, we were just a couple of kids. But we really loved each other, didn't we?"

He didn't answer her, not because he disagreed, but because some of him still held onto the thought of her being his. They never did finish their little rendezvous that night. Geoff had only barged in as both of them were half naked. If not for the panic in his voice, Duncan might have given Geoff a black eye. Courtney's parents had the town searching left and right for her– they had missed curfew.

"I should go."

Duncan didn't argue with her. It was probably best if she headed out. Still, he wanted more time with her before she ran off to be married to some self-centered prick. Courtney was taken aback when Duncan asked if she would return tomorrow afternoon, not from the request but from the last word that left his lips. Please.

She smiled at him as she got out of the driveway.

Courtney wasn't sure how often she changed that morning– or why. All she knew was that she was going to see Duncan again. There was nothing wrong in wanting to look her best. They were friends, and friends could look nice for one another without it meaning anything. She dusted the skirt of her pale blue dress before slipping into her shoes. This was just a friendly encounter, nothing more, nothing less.

When Courtney arrived, she noticed Duncan by the dock. She made her way down the wooden surface, and his head turned to face her as he heard her shoes clicking. Within seconds, they were inside a large canoe Duncan swore was safe to sail in. The lake stretched for miles, and Courtney appreciated every second of their little adventure. They talked about how all the beautiful birds settled around the area for spring as Courtney threw chunks of bread onto the water bed. Nature was breathtaking if you took the time to appreciate it.

"You're different." She said as she settled back into her seat as Duncan rowed forward.

"What do you mean?"

"Just the way you look." Courtney took a split second to eye him up and down. His muscles were prominent through his white shirt, courtesy of the rowing. His hair had overgrown slightly, and his stubble was starting to show. "Everything."

"You look different , too, but in a good way."

Duncan meant it. Courtney had gone from being a pretty teenage girl into a beautiful woman. He had hoped she knew just how much she glowed.

"You know, you're kind of the same though."

"Yeah?" Duncan said with a tease in his voice. He laughed as Courtney nodded.

"And you really did it."

"What?"

"Everything. The house… It's beautiful what you did."

"Well, I promised you I would."

Their hearts skipped a beat.

Thunder rocked the skies as the two stared at one another. As rain sprinkled down on them, Duncan quickened his rowing to get them out of the water. The sprinkling soon turned into heavy beats of rain hitting every surface of them and the lake. They were drenched by the time they reached the dock. Duncan had no time to help Courtney as she practically jumped out of the canoe and marched down the wooden boards. She swiftly turned as Duncan was tying the canoe into place.

"Why didn't you write me? Why?"

Duncan stiffened and turned his head. The rain was beating down harder now. Their hair was matted onto their faces as Courtney opened her mouth again. She sounded angry and almost hurt when, in reality, it was he who deserved to feel that way.

"It wasn't over for me. I waited for you for seven years." She shook her head as if trying to shake away tears that rimmed her eyelids. "And now it's too late."

Courtney watched as Duncan rose from his position to stand right in front of her. His eyes searched hers in disbelief as he contemplated what to say. Who was she kidding? Courtney needed to see and speak to him to form some closure for all those silent years.

"I wrote you 365 letters."

Now, it was Courtney's turn to look in disbelief. Surely, he had to be lying. This had to be some sort of sick joke to save face. Courtney searched for any sign of deceit in his eyes but could not find any. "I wrote you every day for a year."

"You wrote me?" She choked out.

"Yes." He took a step forward, the rain puddling around them. "It wasn't over. It still isn't over."

Within an instinct, Duncan had his arms around Courtney, and she him. They crashed their lips together as all the tension between them snapped. He had written to her. He had wanted her. He had loved her so much that he reconstructed their dream home. Courtney had not received one letter from Duncan, but that was the least of her concerns. Duncan's hands gripped onto back as she entwined her fingers through his hair. The mixture of rainwater and sea salt mingled throughout their kisses.

Somehow, they made it back into the house. Somehow, Duncan had pinned her against the wall and ripped the clothes that clung to her. Somehow, Courtney had wrapped her legs around Duncan's waist as he hoisted her up the stairs. Somehow, the two had rolled around on the sheets, floor, and any room surface that supported them. Somehow, Duncan and Courtney had returned to each other with just as much raw passion as they had once had.

The following day, Courtney woke up to the sun shining through the window. She turned to her side, hoping to find Duncan, but he wasn't there; in his place was a single rose. She picked it up and held it to her nose with a smile. Everything about the night before was perfect. It was everything she had ever dreamed of, and not once had she stopped to think about anyone else's opinion.

Right now was a different story. The ring on her finger seemed to lose its shine as she inspected it. Justin. She had forgotten all about her fiancé. Courtney scrambled for her belongings. She needed to leave. Clearing her mind was of the utmost priority. She needed to talk to Justin; she just needed to be honest with him, and hopefully, everything would fall into place. This thing she had with Duncan was irresponsible. They hadn't even spoken about a future– just straight to the bedroom. Justin was her future. Courtney shoved the horrible feeling that thought gave her. She would be fine.

There was no sign of Duncan as she descended the stairs to the front door. It was quiet, which meant he was out in town. She contemplated leaving a note, but a knock on the door occupied her mind. She could not answer Duncan's door– but something pulled her toward it.

The exact shade of brown eyes stared back at her. Not so much in disbelief but in disappointment. Courtney closed the door behind her and stood face-to-face with her mother. She stayed quiet as her mother lectured her on the stupidity of it all and how Justin was making his way into town because he had not heard from her all weekend. Before her mother left, she dumped a stack of sealed envelopes onto Courtney's lap. She said nothing as she pulled out of the driveway.

By the time Courtney moved from the porch, Duncan was back. The smirk on his face faded as he noticed Courtney. He knew he saw some familiar cars in town; he should have just put two and two together. Duncan felt like drowning as he watched Courtney take a bag to her car. She was leaving. She was leaving him again.

He shut the door just as she opened it and leaned against it. This time, it wouldn't be such a mediocre breakup– or whatever they could call what they just had.

"Interesting morning?"

Courtney didn't meet his gaze as she muttered that Justin was in town. Duncan scoffed and looked down at what she was gripping onto.

"I see you got my letters. Finally." Her head turned to look anywhere but at him. He could laugh at the bullshit wall she was trying to force up. "What are you going to do, Courtney?"

"I don't know."

"So, we're back to that now?" He laughed as her head snapped to finally look at him, "What about the past couple of days? They happened; you know!"

"I know that they happened, and they were wonderful, but they were also very irresponsible."

Duncan ran his hand through his hair as he listened to Courtney ramble on with her bullshit excuses.

"I have a fiancé waiting for me who will be crushed when I tell him."

"So, you make love to me and then go back to your husband?"

"I made a promise to a man; he gave me a ring, and I gave him my word."

"And your word is shot to hell now!"

Now Duncan was fuming. He was so angry he could punch the window right out of her car. Everything coming out of her mouth was an excuse. Whether she liked it or not, Duncan knew her through and through. He knew precisely why Courtney was trying to save face.

"This is not about keeping your promise, and it's not about following your heart; it's about security."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Money! He's got a lot of money!"

"Now I hate you, you smug bastard." Courtney's voice raised as she stomped her foot in disbelief. How dare Duncan insinuate such a horrible thing? She loved Justin and needed to make things right with him.

"Well, I hate you." Duncan snapped back at her. "If you leave here, I hate you."

"You wou–"

"Hate you if you leave here."

Courtney was fuming at the sudden interruption. Duncan drove her insane, and she was thankful this was happening. She needed to be reminded of his short temper and his irrationality. This was why they never worked.

"You're bored," Duncan yelled into the air. "You're bored , and you know it."

"You wouldn't be here if there wasn't something missing."

"You arrogant son of a bitch!"

He was taunting her by entering her mind and picking everything she suppressed apart. There was no way Courtney would let Duncan think he had any upper hand.

"Look at us, we're already fighting."

"Well, that's what we do!" Courtney scoffed as Duncan laughed like nothing was new or wrong with their dynamic.

"We fight. You tell me when I'm being an arrogant son of a bitch, and I tell you when you're being a pain in the ass. Which you are 99% of the time."

The eye-roll Courtney gave was something that Duncan pointed at as to say, See, I told you!

"I'm not afraid to hurt your feelings. They have like a two-second rebound rate, and you're back doing the next pain-in-the-ass thing."

"So, what?"

Duncan had to be delirious if he thought a relationship like this would ever work. Courtney didn't need to worry about things like this with Justin. It was simple with him but with Duncan? Everything was a challenge when it came to Duncan.

"So, it's not going to be easy. It's going to be really hard. And we'll have to work at this every day, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, you and me, every day."

Courtney was shaking. Everything Duncan said on paper was perfect; what woman wouldn't want that from their significant other? But Courtney knew fairytales weren't real. She knew somebody would get hurt regardless of her decision. She couldn't be selfish.

"Would you stop thinking about what everyone wants."

It was like Duncan read her mind.

"Stop thinking about what I want, what he wants, what your parents want. What do you want?"

Her head shook as she tried to keep the tears from pouring down, "It's not that simple."

"What do you want?" Duncan repeated but was still answered by a shaking head, "Goddamn it, what do you want!?"

"I have to go." She said as the tears finally broke free. This time, Duncan didn't comfort her. He took a step back and let her go.

Courtney barely made it down the road when she pulled off to the side. Her eyes were red and puffy, and the tears streaming down her face smeared her makeup. Without second-guessing, she reached over and tore open an unopened letter. She had read every single letter twice when she returned to town. She knew who she should be with, who she truly loved. Still, she at least owed Justin an explanation– and to give him his ring back. Although entirely heartbroken Justin appreciated that Courtney was honest with him.

Duncan didn't bother going into the house after Courtney left. Even though she had just arrived and spent one weekend with him– the house felt empty now. He thought about setting it on fire more than once as he leaned against the one end of his fence that wasn't broken. He hated himself for letting her go like that. He should have fought just a bit harder. There was no getting over her. She was his, and he was hers. Just as Duncan was going to race into town to find her, a light shone at the end of his driveway. He turned and squinted as the familiar baby blue car came into view and parked.

Within seconds, Courtney jumped out of the car and ran into his arms. Duncan felt like he was dreaming as he squeezed her tightly, scared to let go of her again.

This was it. This was them, forever.