Flooded Hearts
He couldn’t seem to hold her close enough as if he was afraid if he loosened his arms around her she might disappear. Toni’s arms were wrapped around his waist holding him as tightly as she could. Saying nothing they both cried in each other’s arms. After awhile the sounds in the kitchen, water still running in the sink, overflowing onto the floor, the clock on the wall above the table, the timer on the oven beeping over and over began to filter through to them and they pulled apart, just a little to look into each other’s faces and wet eyes.
Toni looked down at the puddle forming around her bare feet, Richie turned off the water.
“Now I’ve got a bigger mess to clean up,” she sniffed.
“No…we do,” he lifted her chin, “we, Toni.”
“Yes, oh Richie I’ve been such a fool.”
“No..no let’s don’t go there Toni, we’re starting from right now, this minute. I love you.”
“I love you.” His hand moving behind her neck he kissed her, long and lovingly. “I don’t deserve you Richie.”
“No you don’t, you deserve somebody better than me, but I’m so happy Toni to see you here.”
“It’s where I belong, where I want to be.”
“It’s going to get better Toni, I promise you that. I’ve done a lot of thinking and soul searching over the last couple of days.” She placed her fingers on his lips.
“So have I and I know where my heart lies, it’s right here in you.”
Richie took a ragged breath, “What IS that noise,” he looked around.
“The oven,” Toni stepped out of her puddle and turned off the oven. “We’re flooded,” she nervously giggled.
“Throw a towel on it.”
“My pretty little kitchen towels?”
“I’ll buy you some more…Toni.” He choked up.
“Never again Richie, never again.” Her arms went around his neck, “I love you so much.”
“I’ll do anything you want Toni, anything.”
“No, no Richie there are two of us here, you want one thing and I wanted another we have to come together…you already have a son let’s do something about that, both of us.”
He looked at her a moment, “You’re right, we can do anything together, we can do something about Michael. I need your help.”
“You’ve got it, all I have.”
“I want to take you somewhere.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I know but I want to, I wanna go somewhere with you.”
“We’ll talk about that but Richie I know where we can go right now.”
“Upstairs.”
She smiled, “I thought you’d never ask, I thought I’d have to stand in this puddle all night.”
“Come with me babe, I’ll get you off your feet.” He grinned and took her hand. Wet foot prints followed them down the hallway to the staircase.
