Chapter 2

I stood staring at her. She was just as beautiful as the last time I had seen her, months before. Her appearance, or style perhaps, seemed to have changed during her absence though. She was wearing bell bottom jeans and All-Star tennis shoes with a white cotton blouse that flared at the wrists. And of course, there was the ever-present eyepatch, covering the spot where her right eye had been lost during our junior year of high school. Perhaps the biggest change, though, was the bright ginger highlights in her honey blond hair. She had pinned her red and gold locks back with two hair clips that featured a daisy on each of them. Finishing the look were two thin, bleach blond braids framing her face.

For a moment I thought I might be dreaming. The last time I had spoken to her she had still been in Duluth, with no plans of leaving, but now here she was standing in our living room. I finally managed to say, “Erica?”

With a nervous little smile, she said, “Yep. Its me.”

Shaking my head, I sat the groceries down where I stood and then walked to her slowly. “How? How are you here? I thought you were staying at school for spring break. And how did you find our house?”

“I drove through the night last night to get here, and I called and spoke to Mira when I got to Council Bluffs this morning. She told me how to get here. I wanted to see you. I needed to see you.”

“Where’s your car?” I asked.

Erica giggled at this and said, “Mira let me park it behind your house.”

I stood staring at her for a moment more, a rising tide of emotions threatening to sweep me away. When I could no longer contain them, I reached out, grabbing Erica in a tight embrace, a flood of tears cascading down my cheeks. “Oh god, Erica, I’ve missed you so much.”

I heard her sob as she wrapped her arms around me and said, “I’ve missed you too.”

We stood there clinging to each other for what felt like minutes. I couldn’t help myself as I took her face in my hands pulling her lips to mine. They were just as sweet as I remembered, even mingled with salty tears. I heard Mira moving past us with bags of groceries, but I ignored it.

Finally, I said, “Let’s go sit on the porch.”

We made our way out the front door of the old farmhouse that Lyric and Mira had purchased years before. I guided her to the wooden swing that was hung at one end of the porch and we both sat down. Neither of us spoke as I gently rocked the swing back and forth. Erica scooted closer to me and laid her head upon my shoulder as I wrapped one arm around her, pulling her in.

After a few minutes Erica spoke quietly. “I’m so sorry, Harm. I’m sorry that I almost let all of this go. That I was so focused on everything else that I almost lost the most important person in the world to me.”

She moved slightly as she reached into her pocket. After a few seconds I felt her slip something into my hand. Looking down I saw that it was her bracelet that I had made for her as a gift for our first Valentine’s Day together as a couple. It was broken, and laid across my palm in a long, limp strand. I rolled it over between my fingers looking at it.

“Why did you take it off? Do you not want it anymore?”

“Yesterday I was rushing to a lecture and as I was hurrying to enter the lecture hall the door handle caught it and snapped it right off of my wrist. I just stared at it. I know it sounds stupid, but in that moment, I realized that I was doing all I could to break our relationship, just like that bracelet, and I wasn’t even trying. I just walked back to my dorm room and cried. It was like I finally saw the distance that I had put between us. I knew I had to come see you. I’ve been so stupid, Harm. Can you forgive me?”

I squeezed her tightly and kissed the top of her head. “Of course, I can forgive you, but what happened? Where have you been all these months?”

Erica just shook her head. “I’ve been so wrapped up in my classes, and studying, and study groups, and deadlines, that I just shut everything else out. I kept telling myself ‘Harm will understand,’ but I never bothered to ask if you did. I can only imagine the things that went through your head. If our roles had been reversed, I would have been shattered.”

Erica cleared her throat and took a moment before speaking again. “I know I just showed up unannounced here, but I’d like to spend spring break with you. I want to try to start repairing our relationship. Do you think Lyric and Mir would let me stay here this week?”

I nodded fervently. “Don’t even worry about them, I live here too, and I say it’s fine.”

She looked up smiling and said, “Thanks, Harm. I love you so much Bella Chica.”

It was her pet name for me; Spanish for “Beautiful Girl.”

“I love you too, baby,” I said, placing a hand on her cheek, rubbing it with my thumb and kissing her tenderly.

After a few minutes longer we went back inside and helped Mira finish putting away the groceries I had brought home. I told her about my plans to let Erica spend the week with us, and she said it was fine.

Around seven that evening Lyric came home and upon seeing Erica his eyes lit up and he wrapped her in a tight hug, lifting her off of the floor and spinning her around. Erica squealed with laughter at his reaction.

“Oh my god Erica, it’s so good to see you!” he practically shouted. “I was tired of having to listen to Harm belly ache about how much she missed you!”

“Aw, I’m sorry,” she replied frowning.

I rolled my eyes and said, “It’s not been that bad. Don’t listen to him.”

“You guys are in luck. Mira and I were planning on spending the weekend at that B&B she likes so much over in Omaha, so you’ll have the place to yourself.”

Mira looked at him, clearly confused. “We were?”

Lyric grinned and said, “Oh did I forget to mention that? Surprise!”

She just shrugged and smiled. “Well, ok then.”

Lyric walked over to Mira, giving her a kiss, and then turning back to us said, “You aren’t allowed to go missing like that again, Erica. Harm’s impossible to live with when she’s in a mood.”

“Oh, please,” I huffed.

***

That night we slept in each other’s arms, and for the first time in months I rested peacefully through the night. The next morning, we walked downstairs to find Lyric loading luggage into Mira’s car. After twenty minutes Lyric and Mira were prepared to leave, and we exchanged goodbyes.

Before walking out of the door Lyric leaned close to me and whispered, “You owe me one, Sis. Don’t break that bed, it’s an antique.”

“Geez, come on, man,” I replied, causing him to snicker.

“Okay, we’ll see you guys Sunday afternoon.”

After they had left Erica and I walked to the kitchen to find some breakfast. She offered to cook, but I said that she shouldn’t have to cook while on vacation and that I would take care of everything. This was probably not the best of ideas because my cooking was the one thing that had not improved since leaving my hometown of Harle, Kansas. After forty-five minutes or so I presented Erica with a plate of blackened pancakes and even blacker bacon.

“I’m sorry,” I said, looking at the sad plate of food in front of her, “I guess I need to work on my cooking skills.”

I could tell she was putting on a brave face as she said, “Oh, I’m sure its fine.”

Noticing my lack of food, she asked, “Aren’t you going to eat?”

“Not that crap,” I replied, “I’m going to have some raisin bran.”

Erica looked at me, mouth agape, and started to laugh. “But you were going to let me eat this?”

“If you don’t, you’ll hurt my feelings,” I quipped, with the most innocent look I could muster.

“Well prepare to have your feelings hurt, Harm. Now where’s the cereal?”

I couldn’t help but laugh as I fetched two bowls from the cupboard, milk from the refrigerator, and cereal from the pantry.

As we sat there eating our breakfast, I asked Erica, “So what would you like to do today?”

“I don’t care, as long as it’s with you.”

I smiled and said, “Same. I’ve missed you so much, baby.”

Erica took my hand in hers and said, “I’ve missed you too. It’s not the same without you around.”

Continuing she said, “I don’t know what there is to do in Council Bluffs though.”

Twisting my mouth up in thought I said, “There’s the scenic overlook.”

“Oh? Is it pretty?”

“Well, you have a perfect view of an airfield.”

Erica snorted with laughter at this.

“We could go sit by the lake. I could get some bread to feed to the geese.”

Erica smiled and said, “That sounds like fun. It’s a perfect day for it too. Nice and sunny.”

An hour later we were sitting on the blanket I kept in my trunk for emergencies underneath a tree along the shore of Lake Manawa. We laughed as a whole flock of geese joined us, each waiting their turn for a bite of bread. After the bread was gone, and our newfound friends wandered away, I reached over and began to lightly stroke Erica’s back with my fingertips. She responded with a smile and a murmur of pleasure.

Looking at her I said, “I don’t think I’ve told you yet, but I really like what you’ve done with your hair. I think the braids are cute.”

“Aw, thanks Harm! I wondered what you would think. My roommate helped me with it.”

I reached up and gave one of her pencil thin braids a playful shake, eliciting a giggle from Erica.

Rubbing my leg, she said, “I know I keep saying it, but I’m so happy to be back with you, in person. Phone calls only work for so long.”

“I hear you. I’ve wanted to touch you, to kiss you, so badly these past few months. I would have given anything just to hold you again.” I replied.

Smiling she said, “Well, I’m here now.”

After a moment, her smile turned mischievous, and she said, “Hey.”

“Hey what?”

Biting her bottom lip and grinning, she raised her hands, waggling her fingers at me.

“What are you doing?”

Suddenly she leaped at me, pushing me back onto the ground and playfully holding me down, tickling me.

“Hey!” I shouted trying to squirm away unsuccessfully. Failing at this I grabbed her by the sides, trying to tickle her back.

Erica screamed with laughter and attempted to wriggle out of my grasp before leaning in and biting my arm.

“Ow! No fair!” I shouted, causing her to laugh that much more. We wrestled back and forth like this for what seemed like an hour. It must have been a sight, the two of us rolling around on that ugly plaid blanket on the lake shore, squealing and laughing like a couple of insane people.

“Ok, ok,” I finally said breathlessly as we collapsed, tangled up together. I laid my cheek against hers, panting, and wrapped both of my arms around her, pulling her close.

After a moment I felt her lips brush my neck, gently kissing me. I moved one of my hands down to her waist, caressing the silky bare skin beneath her shirt. Erica gently bit my neck, sucking lightly and I moved my hand up and tangled it in her hair, encouraging her to continue, with a sigh.

She moved from my neck to my lips, kissing me intensely, letting her tongue gently circle mine. Then taking my bottom lip between her teeth, she pulled at it with a flirtatious bite. After a few minutes she stopped and quietly said, “Maybe we should head back to the house.”

***

The rest of our afternoon was spent quenching the desirous hunger that had been consuming both of us for seven months since we had last seen each other. It seemed like time had stopped its passage while we were entwined together in my bed, sharing kisses and caresses; sometimes sweet and sometimes desperate and feral. I remember looking up from between Erica’s legs and running my hands up the length of her trembling body, gently squeezing her breasts, as she arched her back and harshly whispered, “Mmm, god, Harm, please don’t stop.”

After a while, the light began to dim in my bedroom window, and we both laid there together, a tangle of arms and legs, enjoying the deep, peaceful warmth of contentment and exhaustion. Erica smiled blissfully and said, “God, I’ve missed that.”

I chuckled and said, “You and me both.”

We held each other in silence for a few minutes, as I listened to Erica’s measured breathing. After a time, she kissed my shoulder and said, “I love you so much Harm. I promise we won’t go months without seeing each other ever again. No more taking you for granted. You’re my everything, and nothing could ever replace you. Let’s promise each other that after this week is over, we will do all we can to keep our relationship strong.”

I tilted her lips up to mine, kissing her. “I promise. I’ll even come see you in Duluth when I can.”

Her eyes lit up at this, and she eagerly said, “You will?”

“You bet. I’d like to see where you go to school.”

“All my friends would love to meet you. I swear they must get tired of me talking about you.”

I looked at her and said, “Really? You told everyone about me?”

“Of course I did, silly. Like I said, you’re my everything. I want the whole world to know how lucky I am.”

I grinned at this, remembering the days when we first confessed our love to each other and how scared she had been of what people would think. Now she was telling anyone and everyone about us.

Glancing over at my alarm clock I said, “I suppose we should get up and find something for dinner.”

Erica looked at me with a playful smile and I felt her slip her seeking fingers down the length of my body and through the damp, curly hair between my legs again, before saying, “Later.”