Lingering Kiss

Chapter 20

Fred knew Mia was gone after a couple of days passed and he hadn't heard a thing from her. Her number was discontinued, Josie wasn't disclosing anything much less Izzy; they were sworn to a secrecy of some sort. All he could get out of both of them was 'Mia's got a lot to figure out'. Nothing he could do with that information but it ate him alive.

While Andre thought up ideas for the new AFTech branch in Leicester, Fred tried to get his mind on the right track. He worked as much as he could to help get everything set up but she was always on his mind. Every night, he'd lay in bed and the kiss replayed in his mind over and over again like a broken record.

It was the last memory of her and as much as it was his best, it hurt even more when he thought of how he had let her walk away without even being aware that it was the last time he would get to see her, to hold her, to be consumed by her essence. He couldn't think, he couldn't sleep, he couldn't drive by the café or the library, he couldn't breathe without thinking of her. She was had taken over his mind completely and every day was a struggle. He didn't know what to do with thoughts of her, was he supposed to try and get over her when everything in him wanted to go to her and demand answers.

It got to a point he used every resource he had to find out where she was but nothing. Months passed and he was back in Seattle while Andre ran the Leicester branch so he and Isabelle could be together. He and Josie met up at Harper's once in a while to catch up and all he could get out from her was 'Mia's fine, move on.'

One year later, Mia joined Josie on the couch. It was the weekend and Mia visited Josie as often as she could during the weekends. They hadn't heard a thing from Izzy since she left for the surprise getaway with Andre. They hadn't disturbed her for twenty-four hours since they were supposed to arrive and Josie and Mia had reached their limit, they needed to know what was going on with Izzy. Just as Izzy answered their call, she yelped.

"Are you alright?" Josie who had heard the yelp asked.

Izzy looked from Andre's arm around her to her phone with a smile.
"Hey, sorry, Andre kind of took me by surprise."

"Hey Iz." Mia said as she took a seat beside Josie.

"Hey you." Izzy said. "I thought you were going to call last night when you got to Josie's place."

"Hmm, I did call. Someone was just too busy to accept my call." Mia said.

"Oh." Izzy frowned. "I'm sorry, I haven't checked my phone since we arrived here."

"How's everything going?" Josie asked.

"Good...great actually." Izzy looked at Andre beside her on the bed and back at her phone. "I have news."

"Okay?" Mia and Josie said, not sure what to expect.

"I don't know when but you girls would have to come back."

"Why?" Mia asked.

"You said everything is great." Josie added.

"It is, that's why you'll need to come back." Izzy said with a smile as she lifted her hand for them to see.

It took only a moment before Mia and Josie screamed which in turn snapped Andre from his conscious state.

"When did that happen?" Mia asked happily.

"Last night, before we left Leicester."

"Oh, my goodness, it's so pretty." Josie said. "We're so happy for you Iz."

"Yea. We wish we could be there to celebrate with you." Mia said.

"You will be." Izzy said. "Andre and I haven't talked about dates but as soon as we do, I'll let you know. You girls must be here throughout the whole thing."