Barbara looked over at Ambrose. He was standing, which surprised and impressed her, but his face was terribly pale. His eyes glazed over as he stared at Jeff.
If I could touch him.
If I could wrap my arm around his shoulders and hold on to him.
She walked over to him.
Jeff cleared his throat.
She looked back at the former hunter.
“If you’re that worried about touching each other, you need to back off.”
Barbara looked at Ambrose. He was taking long deep breaths.
Just one touch.
She reluctantly returned to her previous spot.
Just one touch wouldn’t be enough. I want him so much! I want his touch. All over me.
She quickly looked away from him.
My heart’s beating so fast.
My thoughts…
My thoughts.
They are mine and mine alone. They are coming from my own wants and desires, not from him projecting his wants and desires into my head. It’s a frightening and mortifying thing to want him in such a physical way.
Tomorrow night.
No.
I can’t think of that now. Not when I feel like this. I can’t.
The elevator reached the first floor.
The door slid open.
Barbara beat Ambrose out the door.
Ambrose stopped next to her. He kept a certain distance and he kept his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. “Are you all right, Barbara?”
His voice.
The way he says my name.
His nearness.
It’s enough to make me crazy.
But she nodded. “I’m okay. Just need some fresh air.”
“Barbara. What I told you about my past…”
She turned around. “I’m not going to say it’s okay. I don’t think I can. But you are okay. There is a difference and it’s here.” She held her hand above his heart without touching him.
His body heat.
She quickly pulled her hand away. “You are not that man.”
His phone rang, ruining the moment.
***
Ambrose sighed and answered his phone. “Hello?”
“I heard him. I heard his voice. He—”
“Whoa. Whoa. Calm down. Robin? Is that you?”
“Duh! Who else would this be, ya big dummy?”
Ambrose laughed softly. “So, what’s going on? Are you okay? Are you safe?”
“Yeah. Yeah. I’m fine. Did you even hear what I said? Isellta. I. I spoke to ‘sellta. I called out to him and my ‘sellta answered. And he. Ambrose, he loves me. He loves. He loves…me.”
“So? Are you going to him?”
“Yeah. On Sunday.”
Ambrose scoffed. “And you call me a big dummy. Go now, Robin. Just go. Run. Run to him.”
“I…It’s only one more day. I can—”
“Go.”
***
The command reverberated through Robin’s bones like a gong strike.
Go.
Run to him.
Run to my lovely, sweet ‘sellta.
But.
If I do.
If I go now, somethin’ will happen. I can feel it. I know it.
“Am’rose.”
“Robin, you’ve waited for so long. Go. Don’t worry about me. Don’t worry about what ifs. Just go.”
Robin ended the call.
Sophia looked at her son. “Are you okay?”
He thought about Isellta and nodded.
ambroseandelsie 