The morning after our fight, Claire was returning the movies she borrowed from Henry. She unlocked my door, and it hit me on the side as she pushed it open. She screamed. I have a feeling she thought I was dead. I felt like I was. I wanted to die. I had no idea how long I had been lying on the floor, but I obviously spent the night there.
That was not like me. I am not that girl. I’m not the girl who can’t live life without her man. Or the one who cries at the drop of a hat, but there was something uncontrollable about my feelings for Henry. It was almost as if I was addicted to him.
“Elaina! What are you doing on the floor? What’s wrong?” She sat down next to me. I grabbed her and sobbed into her shoulder. “What’s wrong? You’re a mess!”
“We had a fight…” I choked out. She was taken aback by my sudden outburst of sobs, something she never really saw from me.
“Oh no. How bad? Well, obviously bad. I mean, look at you.”
“He won’t let me in. He keeps me at arm’s length and I don’t want that. I want all of him. Yesterday, I told him we need space if he can’t open up to me.”
“Oh, honey.” She embraced me with the strength that I didn’t have, and rubbed my back.
“And, on top of that, I think he’s a man whore.”
“You think he’s cheating?”
“No… I don’t know. But I have a feeling he has been with more women than Charlie Sheen.”
“Elaina, all men are whores. Anyone that good looking probably has women throwing themselves at him on a constant basis.”
“Some chick at his gym just had to tell me he used to fuck one of her friends. Just the thought of him doing the things he does to me with someone else makes me want to throat punch him.”
“Elaina, you can’t expect him to be a virgin at his age. How old is he, anyway?”
“I have no idea. I never asked after he told me he doesn’t really celebrate his birthday.” I wiped my nose with my arm. I was a classy kind of girl. My etiquette was stellar. “You should have heard the hurt in his voice when I said I needed space.”
“He loves you more than you realize. I see how he looks at you. He lights up when you walk in the room.” There was a knock at my door. “I will get it, just in case it’s him.”
Claire opened the door and gasped. I looked around her legs and saw the biggest arrangement of red roses and pink lilies that I had ever seen in my entire life.
“Delivery for Elaina Cooper.”
“Yes. Thank you.” Claire grabbed the flowers and closed the door. “Elaina…these are amazing.”
“Oh, god.” She handed me an envelope that read, My Elaina. I slowly peeled it open with my trembling hands, and, for some reason, I decided to read it out loud.
My dearest Elaina,
I’m so lost, but all I know is that I love you so very much. My heart aches knowing that I may never hold you again. You are the first woman that I have ever cried over. After our fight, I spent the better part of the morning locked in my office, trying to get hold of myself. I’m hoping for the pain to subside in my heart, but I have a feeling it will never go away unless I know that you will be mine again.
You’ve made me feel things that I have never felt before. You bring me to my knees. You are the first woman that I had ever made love to. The first time we were together, I couldn’t believe what I was feeling after only knowing you for 24 hours. You opened the floodgates for me. I want nothing more than to make you happy. You are everything that I need, and I hope that you will see that I’m everything you need.
I’m not very good at this whole letter thing so I don’t know what else to say, but I’m sorry and I can only hope that you forgive me. Please call me. I will wait an eternity for you.
I love you, and I’m lost without you,
Henry
“Elaina, no man would write that if he wasn’t serious about his relationship. You need to go to him.”
“You think he means it?”
“Good god, woman! Yes! Go clean yourself up, get in your car, drive to his office, and make that man’s pain go away. Look at you. You obviously feel the same. I will take care of these flowers and lock up for you. Now go!” I jumped up from the floor and ran to the bathroom.
After I cleaned the tear stains from my face, I ran out of my apartment and ran to the elevator. I impatiently pounded on the “garage” button until the doors closed. I was nervous and antsy. The twenty minute drive would be the death of me. As soon as the doors opened, I bolted out to my car and drove like a lunatic to his work.
I pulled into the blood bank parking lot, and saw that Henry’s truck was there. I thanked my lucky stars because I had the thought that, just maybe, he wouldn’t be there. I haphazardly parked my car next to his. I left my car in haste, and blew through the doors of the facility. There were a lot of people lounging in the waiting area.