Living Alone Together - Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen.

Waking up like this couldn't feel so right. He didn't want to go back home anymore.

Was there any way to wrap this house up and take it to go? William took a deep breath and sighed.

"My, that was a big sigh. What are you thinking about?" She whispered.
"If it'd be possible to take you all to my house."
"Ha... Good luck with that."
"Wha? It's a pretty good dream. A bit too premature, I guess."
"A bit?" She asked sarcastically.
"OK. OK."
He snuggled back into bed.
As if on cue, James knocked on the door before bursting it open. William chuckled at the courtesy knock. Cora or Pa must've taught him to announce his presence before barging in.

James tapped him on his shoulder.
"What's your name again?" He asked as he squinted his eyes.

"You sure you can't remember?"
"James..."
"No Auntie, that's MY name."

The two adults looked at each other and held in their mirth.

"Little man, can you do me a favor and wait for us downstairs? I gotta get dressed."

He shrugged and walked out closing the door behind him.

A second later, William and Aislinn laughed heartily.
"I want one exactly like him," William exclaimed.
"I'll keep that in mind," she jibed.

They laughed again some more.

When they got downstairs, Aislinn poured herself a glass of milk.
William chuckled and asked if she preferred milk over coffee.
"Milk, of course."
"What about you? I'm surprised you haven't been begging for a cup of coffee all weekend."
"I find it odd, too. Seems like my body doesn't need it. Being around you and James keeps me wired."
Turning to James who sat quietly eating his cereal, he asked, "James, is Auntie always this much of a troublemaker?"

James considered this, frowned, gave a curious look over at Aislinn and answered, "No."

"Hmm..."
"William?" James began. "Will you be here tomorrow when I get back from school?"
"Sorry kiddo. I have lots of work to do. Might have to stay late and finish them."
"Oh right! The deadline for Howard is on Tuesday," Aislinn exclaimed.
"Don't worry, Ace. My mind is constantly working on it."
"Is it? Now how do you propose you cover up that bruise on your face?"
"Shi- ahem. I forgot about these bruises."
"Guess you'll have to brief Damien on this."
"I guess..."
"What do you mean, you guess?"

Just then Cora walked in.
"Hey guys. Going out again?"
William and Aislinn held each other's gaze.
"I'm going to go home," he answered; answering Cora and informing Aislinn.
Aislinn nodded, "You'll be ok alone? You'll try not to get beat up again, I hope?"
"I'll try my best not to."
"Great. See you at work tomorrow, then?"
She kissed him squarely on the lips.
"Tomorrow," he kissed back.

Ruffling James' hair, he said to be good and gave Cora a nod goodbye.

On a second's hesitation, he spoke.
"One thing before I go. Cora... Can I talk to you for a second?"
"Sure..."
"Can you please talk to Travis? Do you think you can say something to stop him from obsessing with your sister?"
Cora nodded, "I'm seeing him tonight."
"Ok. I'm just worried, he'll do something."
"He'd never hurt her."
"I'm not just thinking of her," he said.
"Oh, you mean you?"
"No. I mean you, Pa and James," he corrected.
"Oh," she said in surprise.
"I'll talk to him."
William gave her a small smile.
"Well... I'm I guess I'm off... Bye."

Meanwhile, Travis was outside the house waiting for his chance. Once he saw William leave, he went straight for the house and saw her.
She was taking out the trash.

Travis crept up behind her and encircled his arms. For a split second she surrendered in his arms, but stiffened right after.
She turned around quickly in his arms to see who it was.
"Travis..." She whispered softly.
This made him ache for her more.
"I need you. Please, take me back. I want a future with you. Every time I see you, it just makes me wish-"
Tears filled her eyes as she shook her head.
"Travis... I'm not..."
"Please," he pleaded as he squeezed her in his embrace.

"Trav-"
"I know. I know I've done stupid things, but can't we start over? I've given this a lot of thought and I'm sorry for the way I've treated you. Whether that night was a mistake or not. I hurt you and your sister, too."
His eyes began to well up and her heart broke into pieces for him.
"Travis..." She answered softly, "We're not hurt anymore. You have to move past this. It's been years now. You need to leave and go back. We can't have you hurting the people in our lives. Physically or emotionally. Just stay away. "

"No, Cora. Please. Let me stay."

Cora gasped. All along she thought he had mistaken her for Aislinn.
She stuttered as she froze in his arms, "you... You... knew it.. It was me?"
"Yes."
"Travis, if this is some stupid ploy to get to my sis-"
He shut her up with a kiss.
When he leaned back, he said, "It's not a ploy. I don't know why I've been blinding myself for too long."

Tears rolled down her cheeks and she shook her head.
"I can't accept this. You've been attacking my sister's boyfriend within the past two weeks. How could you have changed your mind so quickly?"

She made the move to get out of his arms, but he held her in a vise grip.
"Travis. You will not hurt me!" She exclaimed in panic.
"I don't want to," he whispered softly leaning his forehead down against hers, his arms turned limp. She stopped moving. Stopped breathing.

Could this be real?

Cora couldn't fight her skepticism.

Raising her hands to his upper arms, and looking his wary face in the eyes, she said, "Travis. You should go. You're just confused. Go home... I mean back to the city you came from. Far away. I don't want to be a whim, or mistake again. And I can't have you hurting anymore people."

"I'm sorry," he pleaded.
"Don't apologize to me, Travis. Just leave," her heart was breaking for this man. But she knew deep inside, that she'd only be second to Aze when it came to Travis.
"You'll find someone right for you out there. Just open yourself and be that great guy I met five years ago."
"I don't know who I am anymore. It's so frustrating, Cor."
"I know. But we're all over it, Travis. Now, you've got to move forward."
He nodded.
"So wise."
"I'm a mother now... Or have you forgotten."
"No... I haven't."
"He's a clever little rascal," she smiled.
"Does he look like me?"
"Thank God, no."
"Hey... What does that mean?"
"It means you're not his father," she laughed.
"That's bittersweet news."
"Mm... So, what are you going to do now?"
"I'm going to try to clear my head," Travis sighed.

Cora reached up on her tiptoes to give him a deep kiss goodbye.
"No, that's not confusing at all, Cor." He gave her a lopsided smile.

All he needed was ruffled hair and he'd be irresistible to deny. But, he wasn't hers. She would not give into the tempting offer to be with the man she secretly harbored feelings for. She had kept more secrets than she'd care for. It's how it would have to be.

"Goodbye, Travis."
"Goodbye, Cora."

Reluctantly, he let her go and turned around to leave.

Cora turned to go back into the house. When she got in the door, she walked into Aislinn.
"You scared me, Aze!" Cora exclaimed.
"Do you love him, Cor?"
"I don't know," she sobbed.
Aislinn reached out to give her twin a shoulder to cry on.

That night, Cora told her the whole truth. About Travis, Tony and James.

Aislinn got into work the next morning feeling drained.