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Post by Peter on Nov 2, 2009 15:28:06 GMT -5
He walked down the street, a small backpack on his shoulder as his brown orbs took in the sights of New York. Part of him missed Maryland terribly, all the memories from his entire life was there. The moments with Eloise, and Charlie. How they first met at the school's carnival, a smile came to his face as he walked closer to the church.
Taking a seat in the back row of pews. His eyes surveyed the beautiful architect that went into this chapel. One of the Father's came out from the back rooms, smiling at him. "Hello, can I help you with anything?"
Pete shook his head. "Just taking it in, father." He replied softly, his eyes glued to the cross that hung from the top balcony. "It's beautiful in here. Peaceful."
"That it is, that it is." He walked back, sitting beside Pete in the pew. "Have you come for confession?"
"Forgive me father, for I have sinned. It's been several months since my last confession." Peter started softly, his head bowed. "And what is your confession, son?"
"I haven't moved on from a relationship I had when I was a teenager. Everywhere I go, I see her. I've tried, several times to move on. But.." He sighed softly. "I'm afraid I can't love anyone besides her." |
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Post by eloise on Nov 2, 2009 16:03:21 GMT -5
It was a call from her sister that did it. Vanessa, the only religious one in her whole entire family, had called early and asked when she had lost gone to Mass. Eloise didn't even know how to respond. Mass? She didn't even know where the nearest church was, let alone when it held Mass. Hell, Eloise hadn't been to any Mass since she was...eleven? Possibly even younger? Peter went sometimes. Often enough. Eloise shook her head. He was off being a Navy officer, not thinking about her. She was in New York. With Charlie. It was far past time to forget about him. He didn't want anything to do with her. It was better this way. As it was, she already missed Charlie and she had only been away from him. She had left him with Andrua because the younger woman just loved the kid. Eloise didn't want him to have to sit and wait and be bored while she was...doing whatever she was doing. Confessing, apparently, according to Vanessa. She might just grab a program and ditch, though. Find out what time they held Mass so she could lie to Vanessa. God, she was so going to Hell. The heavy door creaked as she pulled it open. Listening to the click of her heels on the tiled floor, she sighed at the doorway of the line of pews. What was she even supposed to confess to? Bless me Father for I have sinned. It has been eons since my last confession. My sins? Well, let's see. I had a baby out of wedlock but so far its been the best decision I've ever made in my life. The father? Oh, well, see, after a great year and a half relationship --I totally thought we were gonna get married, silly me-- he went off to college and I never heard from him again. I know, right?Somehow, she didn't think that would go over well... |
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Post by Peter on Nov 2, 2009 16:27:18 GMT -5
"I see." replied the father quietly as he rubbed his chin. A soft chuckle escaped him as he laid a hand on Peter's shoulder. "My son, it is not a sin to love someone with all of your heart. But to keep holding onto something that has already left, will bring you much pain."
Peter sighed, nodding softly as he heard the door open. He didn't bother to look. He let out a siry laugh for a moment. "I know father, it's just that... It ended without a chance for closure. I wrote, and wrote. Every day for a year. Never once was there a reply. My real confession, father, is that with this woman.. We had a child out of wedlock."
Father Brown was quiet a moment. "Five hail marry's. And, I hope to see you in my pews on Sunday, my good son." He replied.
Peter did a quick cross, bowing his head as he took to his feet. "I will." He walked towards the candles, taking one and lighting another for Eloise and Charlie. Something made him turn, and when he did, the candle slipped from his hands. The glass hit the carpeted floor with a soft thud. "E-El-Eloise?"
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Post by eloise on Nov 2, 2009 16:50:11 GMT -5
Carding a hand through her hair, Eloise looked toward the confessionals. Occupatio. Well. That was a good enough reason to duck out, right? She turned in hopes of finding a bulletin. Maybe she would drop in a few Sundays a month. At least bring Charlie once or twice; give him some religious education so he could make a decision about it himself, when he was old enough.
A soft noise drew her attention toward the alcove of prayer candles. "E-El-Eloise?" She finally looked at the person there. No. It couldn't be. He was in Anapolis. Or on some boat somewhere being a Naval officer, whatever rank he had earned. Her mind immediately flipped through the titles he could have earned (Probably nothing much higher than a Lieutenant or Lieutenant Commander.) before she shut it off. She didn't care. She didn't care, she didn't care, she didn't care...
Once she squared away the reality that he was in fact standing in front of her, she had to deal with why. It couldn't be to see her. He wouldn't ignore her for seven years and then suddenly hop a couple hundred miles to find her. Either way, she really should say something instead of just staring like some brain-dead idiot.
"Peter," she greeted, keeping her voice casual. "What're you doing 'round here?" She kept the accusation, the bitterness, the hurt from her voice even though she wanted to throw it all in his face. She could do that later.
If he stuck around this time to let her, that was.
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Post by Peter on Nov 29, 2009 17:48:45 GMT -5
"Peter," she greeted, keeping her voice casual. "What're you doing 'round here?"
He smiled, walking over and wrapping her into a hug. "I'm here on leave of the academy." He told her softly. "Look at you.." He smiled. "You look great, El.. really." He gave another smile. Though, he wondered why she had never replied to any of his letters.
And, that look in her eye.. "What're you doing here?" He asked, slightly surprised to see her in the big apple. "Wow.." He shook his head, smiling at her. "It's really great to see you, El.."
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Post by eloise on Nov 29, 2009 18:01:27 GMT -5
She took his hug with a bit of shock, just going through the motions. Oh, he was just gonna greet her like it was nothing, then? "Thanks..." she trailed, unsure. "You look good too." She swallowed awkwardly, head falling to the side.
"What're you doing here?"
"I'm helping out at Biella Chateau," she said, not really stopping to think if he had heard of that or not. She was still thrown by the warmth in his greeting. She was under the impression that he wanted nothing to do with her. After all she had written all those letters. She had had his son...
"I'm sorry, hang on." Eloise was losing her level-head, which she hated. But under the circumstances, she thought it was understandable. "What the hell?" Cursing in church? Just add it to the list, huh? "I hate to linger on the past but I wrote to you every day, Peter. I had your son. And you never wrote back or contact me or anything! And you're just gonna...talk to me like nothing happened?" She wasn't mad, not really (okay, a little). More confused. Really confused.
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Post by Peter on Nov 29, 2009 18:08:18 GMT -5
"I'm sorry, hang on." Eloise was losing her level-head, which she hated. But under the circumstances, she thought it was understandable. "What the hell?"
His brows furrowed as he looked at her. One minute, she was thanking him, telling him he looked good too.. And now, she was cussing at him? In a church no less? He blinked. "I hate to linger on the past but I wrote to you every day, Peter. I had your son. And you never wrote back or contact me or anything! And you're just gonna...talk to me like nothing happened?"
"I.. Eloise.." He breathed out, starring at her. "I did.. I wrote you 365 letters. I wrote you everyday for a year." He shook his head at her. "I loved you, El.." He paused. "I still love you." He said softly.
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Post by eloise on Nov 29, 2009 18:16:04 GMT -5
"I.. Eloise.." He breathed out, starring at her. "I did.. I wrote you 365 letters. I wrote you everyday for a year."
She listened to him brow furrowed. She had never gotten any. Not a single letter. She wasn't sure if she believed him or not... Peter had never lied to her before. But...how could he explain this. "I never got one," she replied, eyes locked on his. "I never got one, Peter. How did that happen, huh?" She wasn't accusatory, just dejected. This was just bringing up the hurt that she had felt all those years again. She could remember being seventeen and crying because the father of her child didn't want anything to do with her anymore.
"I loved you, El.." He paused. "I still love you."
She shook her head swallowing. "We were just kids," she said softly, looking to the ground. She still loved him. Of course she still loved him. "It was a long time ago, you know?" She licked her lips and forced herself to look up again. He couldn't still love her. He had to have moved on...
She couldn't help hoping, though. Couldn't help hoping that they still had a chance...
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Post by Peter on Nov 29, 2009 18:20:57 GMT -5
"I never got one," she replied, eyes locked on his. "I never got one, Peter. How did that happen, huh? We were just kids," she said softly, looking to the ground. She still loved him. Of course she still loved him. "It was a long time ago, you know?"
Hurt, anger, and despair mixed together in his eyes as he starred at her. "Well I did write you, El.. I don't know why.." He trailed off. Of course.. his mother. "Of course it was a long time ago.. We were just kids, but we loved each other.. didn't we?"
He took a step forward. "it wasn't over, it still isn't over.." He told her, taking her into his arms and capturing her lips with his in a deeply romantic kiss. Of course he still loved her.. How could he stop?
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Post by eloise on Nov 29, 2009 18:28:47 GMT -5
"Well I did write you, El.. I don't know why.." He trailed off. Of course.. his mother. "Of course it was a long time ago.. We were just kids, but we loved each other.. didn't we?"
She twisted her arm behind her back, hand pulling at her hair nervously. She shrugged and sighed. "Yeah, we did. That's past tense, though, Pete. It's..." Too late. She wanted to tell him it was too late. But was it? Was it, really? She still wanted him desperately, wanted him to be a real father to Charlie, wanted him to be with her. But she didn't want to set herself up to get hurt again. Especially now that Charlie was older. She couldn't start something up with Peter just to have him leave again. To confuse Charlie as well as her, this time.
"It wasn't over, it still isn't over.."
"Pete," she started, shaking her head. Before she could get further, though, she was in his arms, being kissed. She sunk against him easily, falling into the kiss. It had always been that way with him and her. His kiss just..made her lose her mind. Whether they were at the park, in the cafeteria, at the beach or, apparently, in a church seven years later. Her hands held onto his shoulders tightly, as if keeping him from leaving again.
Regaining her senses, she broke the kiss. "I still love you," she admitted in a whisper. Pressing her face against his neck, she held him close. "But I don't want to."
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Post by Peter on Nov 29, 2009 18:33:58 GMT -5
"I still love you," she admitted in a whisper. Pressing her face against his neck, she held him close. "But I don't want to."
His brows furrowed as he held her in a hug. "But I want you. It's not gonna be easy. It's going to be really hard; we're gonna have to work at this everyday, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, everyday. You and me... everyday." He said, gripping her tight. Now that he found her, he knew the certain pain he'd feel it he happened to lose her again...
"Be with me. We can be a family.. We can, El.. We can, because I never wanted anything more than I want to be with you, and our son.."
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Post by eloise on Nov 29, 2009 18:44:45 GMT -5
"But I want you. It's not gonna be easy. It's going to be really hard; we're gonna have to work at this everyday, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, everyday. You and me... everyday."
She was crying. Eloise hardly ever cried and she was crying. She forgot how damn good it felt when he hugged her tight. She never wanted him to let go. Keeping her face against his neck, she wiped her eyes. Everything was roiling inside her. She wasn't sure which was was up and all she knew was that Peter was here and she loved him. She still loved him and he still loved her. And she really, really loved being in his arms.
"Be with me. We can be a family.. We can, El.. We can, because I never wanted anything more than I want to be with you, and our son.."
Charlie could have a daddy. He was so good about not making a big deal of only having a mom. But she knew. Of course she knew; he longed for a father. And with having only sisters it wasn't like he even had an uncle to look up to. Charlie could have his real daddy...
Her fingers played in the short hair at the back of his neck as she thought it over. He was right, it would be hard. They would have to work. Because there was still a lot between them, with trust issues and what had happened... But she was willing to work for it. She was willing to make it happen because he seemed so willing as well. "Okay," she said, coming off the end of her tears. "Yes. Let's be a family. I want you. Let's make it work, please." She pressed another kiss to his lips, this one tender and tentative and hopeful.
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Post by Peter on Nov 29, 2009 18:51:51 GMT -5
"Okay," she said, coming off the end of her tears. "Yes. Let's be a family. I want you. Let's make it work, please."
She was crying. He wasn't sure if that was a good sign or not.. But at her final answer, he smiled as she pressed her lips against his. He cupped her face, and vowed to never let her go again. They would be a family, and he'd be the best father there ever was..
He pulled away, bringing her in for another hug. "We will. We'll work at this.. I promise, and our son will have a father, the best father in the world."
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Post by eloise on Nov 29, 2009 19:10:48 GMT -5
"I love you," she said softly. What a freaking day. She had come out under obligation to her sister, so she didn't feel like a total religious failure. And she had under up finding salvation but in something totally different, in the happenstance of meeting Peter. And he loved her and they were going to be a family.
"I always knew you would be a good father," she told him, pulling away a little to meet his eyes. "You were so good that first month..." They had lost so much. Charlie had lost so much. It wasn't fair. It wasn't... It had been his parents! It had been them! They had never approved of her, never liked her. They had kept her and Peter apart! "It was your parents, wasn't it?" she asked, cofirming her sudden revelation.
She was mad at them now. Eloise was a mom and nobody messed with her baby. And they had kept her baby from having a father for the first seven years of his life...They had lost seven years... Everything was slamming into her at once.
Seven years was a long time... She hoped they could make it work. She thought they could; they were both strong. She knew the reality though. She wanted to go into this with her eyes wide open, though. She sighed a little. And how was she going to explain this to Charlie?
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Post by Peter on Nov 30, 2009 5:47:12 GMT -5
"I love you,"
He smiled, a soft laugh escaping his lips as his forehead leaned against hers. "I'll never get tired of hear that. I missed it." He smiled, opening his eyes to look at her. "I love you too, El. Always have, always will." He kissed her forehead gently.
"I always knew you would be a good father," she told him, pulling away a little to meet his eyes. "You were so good that first month..."
Charlie. It'd been so long. No way that he'd even acknowledge him as his dad. He nodded softly in reply though. "How is he? How's Charlie? I bet he's gettin' pretty big for his age, huh?" He smiled. How he couldn't wait to see him.. How were they going to explain that to him? To a seven year old, who never knew a dad?
"It was your parents, wasn't it?"
He licked his lips, nodding. "Yeah.. Soon as I can I'mma call them, and tell them to stick it were the sun don't shine, and that I want my letters. Then I'll.." It didn't matter. Despite their efforts.. here they were. Together..
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Post by eloise on Nov 30, 2009 17:02:14 GMT -5
"I missed you too," she confessed. She had't told anyone that. She had lied to her sisters in all their late-night talks. Talked trash about him along with them all. But truthfully she had missed him so badly it hurt. Deep inside she could feel it, heavy and black. But that didn't matter anymore. Because he was back and he wanted her. He hadn't been avoiding her all those years. Amazing. "I'm happy I found you again." She'd have to thank Vanessa for guilting her into going to the church.
"How is he? How's Charlie? I bet he's gettin' pretty big for his age, huh?"
She grinned immediately at his questions and nodded. "Yeah. He's so great, Peter. Really, the best kid you could ever ask for. A little wild at times but that's healthy for a kid, huh?" She laughed a little, thinking of her boy --their boy. "Never gets out of hand, though. He's so good to me." She licked her lips then and let out a slow breath. "Would you like to see him?" She'd want to go ahead of him first, of course. Explain the situation; make sure he was okay with it. Because as much as loved Peter, Charlie really was first.
"Yeah.. Soon as I can I'mma call them, and tell them to stick it were the sun don't shine, and that I want my letters. Then I'll.."
"Fuck 'em," she said before blushing and grinning behind a hand. Cursing in church...again. Burying her face against his chest one last time, she inhaled. "Forget 'em. We still managed to make it together, not even your parents could prevent it." Eloise didn't really believe in fate or destiny or any of that but... Really, look at them. Was there a better argument for it then the two of them meeting up, seven years later, and working toward making it work?
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