“Mitchell, please don’t be upset. I just, we just, there are things we need to talk about. It’s an important night for him and he wants a friend there with him. We haven’t seen each other in a long time. Please, please, please don’t be mad.” She was saying as she followed him out to the side of the pool. Even in the afternoon the air was already chilly, especially for Florida. Wrapping her arms around herself to try to ward off the cold chill she felt she stood there staring at his back waiting for an answer.

Finally he turned to face her; his eyes were expressionless and empty. “I’m not mad. I just wish you would have said something to me first, asked or something.”

“I would have but the connection…” He raised his hand slightly signaling her to stop talking. And she quickly did. She knew how he hated to be interrupted.

“I understand. It is just we have been spending so much time together. I enjoy taking care of you and doing things with you. I guess I’m just a little jealous of someone else getting some of that time.” He stopped talking for a second and just when she thought he was finished and it was safe to speak up he took a deep breath and turned to face the pool once again. “But, I am not jealous about or upset with you for wanting to spend time with your friend. Just jealous of the time he will get to spend with you. I hope he appreciates you the way I do.”

Brianna didn’t really know what to say. The whole situation with Nick and Mitchell was confusing at best. “Mitchell, I… I’ll only be gone for a few days. Things have just been, well, difficult. I… I’m gonna miss you too.”

Just then the breeze picked up and Brianna felt goose bumps break out up and down her arms. Mitchell seemed unaffected by the chill and continued staring at the water. “You should probably go finish your work so you can leave tomorrow. That is when you were going to leave, right?”

“Right. Yeah, I guess I should. You gonna come in?” Brianna couldn’t understand why she felt so defeated.

“I’ll be there in a minute. You go ahead to do your work. You don’t need any distractions.”

“Okay.” Was all she could say before slowly turning and heading back inside to the study. Once there she spotted her cell phone on the chair at the computer desk. Picking it up she dialed Nick’s cell phone and left him a message saying that she would be there to see him. She told him when she had a flight scheduled she would call back and give him the information. Pressing the End button on her phone she turned back to the computer to try to finish her assignment before it got too late. Tomorrow was after all going to be a busy day. A few minutes into her research she heard the front door shut and then a car start up and pull away. Mitchell had left the house. He had left her all alone in his house for the first time.

<~ Chapter 86 or Chapter 88 ~>

In the End

Karina 2003