A Fight For Love

Chapter 3

“Ericson, what is that?” Desiree asked as she looked at Taylor who was standing with his muscular back to her. Normally, just the sight of him standing under running water was a picture to relish but this time, her eyes never left the bruise.

“I bumped into a shelf. I was just being silly and not looking where I was going,” Taylor said as he turned around.

“You bumped into a shelf? Just how low was that shelf? And how exactly did you bump into it? The bruise is on your back!” she asked as she looked into his eyes.

“I was carrying some supplies and the area was too small for me to turn around. I was doing the whole walking in reverse thing and there was this low shelf. It was one of those supply closets that look like the owner went on randomly adding fixtures until he was satisfied. And then, bam! It happened,” he said as he looked at her. She kept her expression neutral, but she was not convinced and she knew that it was all over her face. He took a step out of the bathroom and took her hand in his before drawing her into the bathroom. “Come here baby. Just stay here with me,” he said as he held her close to him. He wrapped his arms around her as they stood under the running water. “It is nothing for you to lose sleep over,” he said in a whisper. She closed her eyes and leaned against his shoulder.

“If you say so,” she said in a low voice.

“Well, I do say so,” he said grinning. He slowly loosened his grip around her and caressed the sides of her body. His hands softly brushed against the sides of her bre*sts. “I am okay,” he said again before he wrapped his arms around her once more.

After they took a shower, all Desiree wanted to do was stay in bed all day and they would have done that too if Taylor didn’t complain of starvation. He wore sweat pants and she wore one of his shirts before they made their way downstairs.

“I don’t know what to call this. It’s too early for lunch and way too late for breakfast, let’s be continental and call it brunch” Taylor said as he took four eggs from the fridge and a bacon pack. Desiree smiled at him.

“Brunch?” she asked. Taylor looked up at her.

“My, we’ve become domesticated without even knowing it,” he said.

“What? All we have to do is make the normal breakfast and some sandwiches. Just make sure you cut the crusts off and voila,” she said as she set the coffee maker.

“Well, I never thought I would see the day that Taylor Mason Ericson ate anything called brunch,” he said as he beat the eggs in a bowl. Desiree turned around and looked at him.

“Wait, your middle name is Mason?” she asked.

“Yeah, why?” he asked as he looked at her.

“How is it that I never knew that?” She asked as she took two mugs from the cabinet above her head.

“Well, maybe it is because I am not entirely proud of that name. Mason was my grandfather, a drunk, ignorant, bas*ard. He was a bit violent from time to time but he was a war vet. People thought he was the best thing since sliced bread but they had no idea what the man behind uniform was like,” he said. “I was proud of the name until I found out what he was like. I kept it on the down- low and, even in service, I was only known as Taylor Ericson,” he said as he fried the eggs and bacon. She looked at him and smiled.

“The man I know, the Mason who stands in front of me now, is one I am proud to call my man,” she said.

“That’s a relief because if I was anything like him I would have had you dragged from my truck,” he said.

“What do you mean dragged? Was he a member of the Klan or something?” she asked.

“He always said no, but many of the views that he expressed in private were a bit too similar to what the Ku Klux Klan believed. In retrospect, I can’t believe that it seemed so normal at the time,” he said embarrassedly. “The only family I had was my mother and grandmother, and when they died, the military became my new family,” he said.

“Brothers in arms,” Desiree said. Taylor looked up and smiled.

“Yeah, brothers in arms. But I now have a new family, one that I would steal, kill or die for,” he said, looking at her intensely. She smiled and then pointed at the pan.

“I would kiss you but those strips of bacon are about to become too well done,” she said before turning around to pour the coffee.. Taylor served the eggs and bacon onto two plates as Desiree made some toast, before they both made their way to the living room. “So, what’s your plan for today now that you’ve had two cancellations?” she asked as they ate.

“Nothing much. I do have to run a quick errand but that’s about it,” he said.

“Cool, I have nothing to do. Maybe I can come with?” she asked.

“No, I might take a while, maybe a couple of hours even. You could just wait for me here or maybe…I could pick you up at your place when I’m done,” he said. Desiree looked at him and frowned.

“Don’t you want me to come with you Mason?” she asked in a child-like voice.

“Don’t call me that,” he said looking at her with mock severity. “But seriously though, you will be bored out of your mind. I am doing you a favor,” he said before he took a bit bite of his crispy bacon.

“Fine. I’ll go back to the apartment and get a few things,” she said, sipping at the lukewarm coffee. “Do you know when you’ll be back?” she asked.

“I will be done by nine latest. I’ll let you know if anything changes,” he said.

After eating, they both got dressed and got in the truck. After Taylor dropped her off he kissed her goodbye before he drove off. She was still thinking of Taylor’s bruise when she got to the apartment. Rochelle was still there, as promised, bumming out watching TV. She looked at Desiree when she walked in and smiled.

“You certainly took your time at the Royale,” Rochelle said as her sister walked towards her.

“I took a detour after seeing Leon. I went to Taylor’s,” she said.

“I thought you said he was working,” Rochelle said. Desiree took a long deep breath and sat down.

“I thought so too, but he had cancellations,” she said as she caught a glimpse of the flowers she had asked Rochelle to dispose of earlier. “What the hell, Roch? I thought I told you to get rid of those damn flowers,” she said as she got up from the couch and walked to the kitchen table where Rochelle had put the flowers. She took the flowers, crushed them, and tossed them in the bin with a flourish.

“Wow, someone is in no mood for flowers today, huh,” Rochelle said awkwardly as she looked at Desiree who was walking towards her. “What exactly happened with Leon? Because I could have sworn that you were in a more positive mood when you left,” she said. Desiree took a deep breath and looked at her.

“Trust me, my mood is awesome. But it has nothing to do with Leon I think my warning has finally begun to sink into his tiny brain” she said.

“What warning? Start from the beginning,” Rochelle said confusedly.

“I went to the Royale. I saw him, and he…” Desiree’s words trailed off as she took another deep breath.

“What? What did he do?” Rochelle asked, her voice a little too eager.

“He kissed me,” she finally said. Rochelle’s eyes grew wide.

“He what?” she asked surprised.