Apartment For Three

Chapter 24

The day had finally come. The months of writing paid off. My work was being regarded as something worth while. Finally my story was being seen as something worth sharing to the world.

I felt like I was in a dream as I walked down the sidewalk. But something stopped me dead in my tracks.

There he stood, the dimmed cloudy sky light touching his curly hair. He smoked a cigarette as he wished someone goodbye. When he locked eyes with me, he stopped right in his tracks.

"Paul." I said quietly. He forced a grin, walking over reluctantly. There was a silence between us as we stood there. Neither of us knew what to say.

"I've been thinking of you all the time." Paul admitted. "Constantly."

"Were you thinking of me while you were with your wife?" I cocked my head to the side. His blue eyes looked down at his feet with guilt. I walked off and looked at the street.

"Adele— I need to speak with you." He said hectically as he followed behind me. "Adele won't you listen. I'll grab a cab with you just to get time for you to hear!"

"Damn it, why didn't Marlon just pick me up." I muttered under my breath as I walked in the other direction toward Paul for a cab. He still hassled to get a hold of my attention.

"I'm leaving her!" Paul finally let out. There I stood, my thumb stuck out to get a cab driver's attention. In that moment his words froze me, I didn't move an inch. He came up behind me, his lips going toward my ear. He knew he'd gotten me. "It's all over. I just needed a moment to think things over... hey it wasn't an easy decision to make!"

"It shouldn't have been a decision to make at all." I swiftly turned around to him. "You should've been honest. And stayed with your wife."

"I needed time to find myself. To know what I wanted. And I didn't even know what I was looking for when I walked into that open house. But I found you. I wanted you." Paul held me close to him. "And I would've been a fool to pass up a chance to get to know you."

"But your wife..." I shut my eyes.

"My wife is soon to be my previous wife." Paul told me as his hands held my shoulders. "You and Marlon... you're my here and now."

I stood there in front of him, teary eyed. I wanted so much to not give into his words. But in my mind I remembered all of the moments he and I spent together. How he always believed in my career and in everything I'd ever done. Paul was always there for me. I couldn't deny that.

"What did you mean when you said Marlon was meant to pick you up?" Paul asked as he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

I was snapped out of my thoughts, gripping my purse with two hands. "Oh... Marlon? He'd bought this little convertible for himself."

"A car..." Paul shook his head as his blue eyes looked off into the distance, pondering. Then a smirk spread on his face, he rubbed his chin. "I... does he still have that little motorcycle of his? The one he'd ride all times of the night?"

"He does, but I guess he's moving onto bigger and better things." I managed to laugh. A silence fell between us again. We'd looked away from each other, avoiding contact or any intimacy in the conversation.

"I want to see you. The both of you in one place." Paul placed his hands on both of my shoulders. I looked away from his eyes as he spoke to me. "I need both of you to hear me out."

"And what difference will it truly make, Paul?" A tear fell down my cheek, feeling cold in the winter air. I tried to keep my voice from cracking. "This is all too complicated."

"What's clear is that I want to be with you and Marlon." Paul clenched his jaw. "And I need a chance to show you that."

My heart couldn't take anymore. Without a word I began walking off from Paul. As he watched me walk off, his mind raced in a panic. The fear of losing us again was far too great. And so he called to me again. "Hey!"

I could've ignored him. I could've kept walking, gotten a taxi a few blocks down and never looked back. But I stopped. And when I turned around to face Paul, I listened. He'd already walked up to where I stood.

I prepared my emotions for the profound and moving words that were about to escape Paul's lips. My heart still partially belonged to him, and at any moment I was ready to give in.

"I have to go to California." Paul said frankly. My face relaxed. That's not at all what I expected to hear from him.

"What does this have to do with me?" I asked. Paul stood there for a moment at a loss for words. Annoyed by him, I rolled my eyes and began to walk off.

"Wait!" He shouted again, this time grabbing my arm. I swiftly moved my arm from his grip, refusing to entertain his tactics. Paul cleared his throat. "A film studio over in California has their eye on me. They're making a biblical film. It's important for me to make it over there if I want a real shot at it."

"Good for you." I nodded. Once again he grabbed my arm to prevent me from walking away.

"I can't afford a plane. In fact, I can't afford a lot of things without the support of two other people. And there's no taxi that's going to take me across the damn country. So I've come up with an idea..." Paul spoke as the grip of his hand strongly held onto my arm.

"Oh joy, an idea." I rubbed my temple to ease the aggravation I was experiencing from this.

"Why don't we all drive over to California together? Marlon's car is brand new, it'll do the trip swell!" Paul suggested.

I glared at him. Then I laughed out loud. Only to laugh a little harder. "Let me get this straight. You have to go to California so you want us to drive you? We don't even speak to you!"

"I know that." Paul lifted a hand. "And I know you don't want anything to do with me but I figure it'll be a great chance to finally hear my side."

I got silent.

"Come on, Adele. All those months we spent together. Now you're acting as if I'm a stranger? Aren't I the man you were falling for?" Paul reminded me. "Well... at least one of 'em."

"Fine." I answered Paul. "We'll give you a lift over to California and that'll be your chance to say your piece. But this doesn't mean we'll suddenly be in love affair mode—"

Before I could finish speaking, Paul wrapped me in a tight hug. He smiled as his chin rested on the top of my head. "I know you'd like the idea."