Love Heals

Emilio squeezed her tightly and swallowed over the lump in his throat. “I really think we can do both; we’ve been doing great. Just… don’t shut me out anymore. I get worried that I’m losing you. I panicked, Rach.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t want to worry you.”

“Rachel Collins, I love you. Now let me help you.”

“You want to help even when I feel like shattering into a million pieces?”

“Yes, even when you feel like shattering into a million pieces. You can break on me, Rach; I’ll pick you up and help put you back together. Every time.”

*****

The bed dipped beside him.

The bed dipped.

What the hell??

There was someone laying beside him. He didn’t remember coming home with anyone the night before. Then again, he didn’t remember much about the night before now that he tried. He knew he went out after practice – usual bar, usual crowd – but then things got a bit blurry.

What was clear though was that there was someone moving next to him in the bed.

Sh*t!!!

It couldn’t be Rachel, she was in London for the week, helping Dr. Poe with her consultations at Chelsea FC.

OK, this was not the time to panic, he told himself. He opened one eye.

 Relief.

 He was at least in his own apartment. So far so good. And there were his pants and shirt on the floor. And his boxers . . . yep, he was laying there naked. In his bed. With someone.

He could of course just roll over and look, but somehow the prospect seemed too frightening to consider. It’s one thing to think you’re an asshole who can’t remember what you did the night before; it’s another to have it confirmed by facing the body in the bed next to you. He decided running away was the better option.

Sliding out of the bed with as much stealth and grace as his throbbing head could muster, and yeah it was throbbing right now, he headed for his bedroom door, pausing only to grab his underwear and feel in his pants pocket. Once he was out of the room he stopped to drag his boxers on, palmed the phone he had removed from his pocket, and headed for the kitchen.

Coffee. Coffee would make everything better.

OK, it wouldn’t get the person laying in his bed out of his bed and his apartment, but it might help with his head at least.

While the coffee was dripping, Emilio tried to decide what his next move should be. It seemed that his next move consisted only of staring at his phone laying on the kitchen counter. Not all that helpful really. He knew what he wanted to do. He wanted to call Ruby. Ruby had been in that group that went out last night. That much he remembered. Maybe she would know who Emilio wound up leaving with. But he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear Ruby laughing at him – and boy would she laugh…maybe even tell Rachel! Though they weren’t as close since Emilio had switched allegiance. The whole thing was a mess. But then again, with the distance developing between him and Rachel of late, Ruby had become his go-to person of late and he needed advice. Badly.

Emilio grabbed his phone, furiously punched in the one and pound sign that would connect him to his friend and waited. Why was it taking so long for her to answer? Of course Emilio could think of a lot of reasons why but –

“What?”

Ruby’s mumbled greeting was the best thing Emilio had ever heard in his life. There was something like relief in just knowing she was on the other end. Lifelines indeed.

“Ruby?”

“Yeah. Emilio? Where are you? Why are you calling?”

“Sorry it’s so early.”

“Is it?” There was a pause and then “It’s after noon. That’s early for you?”

“Well you were asleep weren’t you?”

Ruby sighed into his phone. “Point taken.”

“Ruby – last night. . . .

“What about it?”

Was that tension in Ruby’s voice? Hard for Emilio to tell. “I think I did something really stupid.”

“Oh yeah? What?”

“There’s someone in my bed.”

“Someone ? You don’t know who?”

“I was sort of afraid to look.”

“You don’t remember what happened last night?”

“No. Nothing.”

“Oh.”

“What ‘Oh’??? What does that mean???”

“Nothing.”

“What do I do now??”

“Tell me you’ve never been in this situation before.” Emilio could just see her laughing on the other end, enjoying this far too much.

“To be honest, no, I haven’t. One night stands, yeah. Before Rachel. But I knew who they were in the morning.” Emilio could hear the smirk in Ruby’s silence. “Or at least I remembered the night before.”

“I say you just go back into your bedroom and have a chat.”

“A chat??” Emilio tried to tell himself he hadn’t gone all shrill and sit-comish there but he wasn’t convincing himself. He’s sure he wouldn’t be able to convince Ruby either. No point in even trying.

“Yeah. Maybe introduce yourself.”

“Funny. You’re loving this aren’t you”

“Yes.” Ruby said emphatically. And then added “ and no” in a slightly softer tone. Even in his panic Emilio appreciated that.

“Do you know who I left with last night?”

“Ummm . . . yeah.”

“Who?”

“You honestly don’t remember? You’re not just yanking my chain?”

“Why would I do that? Do I sound like I’m yanking your chain?” Emilio’s voice made it clear this was no joke.

“No.”

“So?? You gonna tell me?”

“What?”

“Who I left with. Do you know her name?”

“I know her name.”

“Well what — Wait a minute. You know her name?”

“Yeah. Nice gal. And you really should go back in there and talk to her.”

“Wait, wait, wait. I’m still stuck on the part where you just said I left last night with some girl and you didn’t stop me. Aren’t you and Rachel supposed to be friends? How could you?”

“That hard to believe?”

Emilio took the phone from his ear and just stared at it for a minute, trying to process both what he had done and Ruby’s reaction to it. Slowly, he returned it to his ear.
“What does that mean?”

“It means what it sounds like it means.”

“Helpful. Really helpful.” And then a thought occurred to Emilio. “Oh God! It was Madison wasn’t it? I left with Madison?”

“Madison?”

“That cute chick from reception.”

“That cute . . . ? What? You think she’s cute? She’s in a long term relationship!”

“Well so am I and I left with someone last night.”

“And now you have?”