'Til Death Do Us Part - Part 38

Buck was starting to regret coming on this vacation. Nothing was working out like he had hoped. First the hotel, then the truck, and now Shirley Sue wasn't talking to him. His earlier attempt to reconcile with her had been met with a cold stony silence, but maybe now he would have better luck.

Buck gripped the wooden rail as he walked down the stairs. He froze as one of the steps creaked under his weight. The sound dragged out for what seemed minutes, drowning out the faint babble of the television. Why did even the slightest noise seem to become amplified to an ear popping volume in the darkness? He lifted his foot from stair and it creaked once again. Just what he needed, a landmine in every step. It's a wonder anyone could move up or down these stairs without waking the entire house. He carefully crept the remainder of the distance. As he went, he tested each step with only a fraction of his weight and avoided any stair which threatened to cry out.

A deep sigh left his lips as his heel connected with the hardwood floor of the mud room. To his left, bright flashes of colored light reflected off the white walls from the living room. He peered around the doorway to the living room. The gray upholstered couch created a barrier between him and the television. The space behind it provided a path to the empty dining room. The nearby windowpane rattled as a gust of wind tried to gain entry. The sound of gunfire playing from the television drew his eyes back to the couch. A pair of feet poked out over one arm of the couch, pointing toward the unadorned ceiling.

Go on Buck, tell her what happened. She can't stay mad at you forever. Buck shook his head. He knew it wouldn't be that easy. What was he supposed to say to her? Sorry about talking with Aura and not telling you about it? No, that would certainly not get him out of the dog house. She would glower at him with those baby blue eyes and he would shrink away from her gaze, like a leaf caught in bonfire.

Buck's heart raced as the chime of the grandfather clock sitting in the back corner reverberated through the living room. He counted along in his head as the chimes signaled the time: nine, ten, eleven, twelve. The sound of the clock reminded Buck that the night was wearing on and that he would have to say something to her eventually. He wished for some kind of inspiration to strike, but instead was cornered by nagging voices telling him that anything he said would be wrong and that there was no way to fix what was broken. After what seemed like forever, but couldn't have been more than three minutes, he took a deep breath. He felt words vibrating his vocal cords as they left his mouth. “Can we talk for a minute?” He listened to the voice. It sounded strange, like he had a bubble in his throat which distorted his voice.

The feet withdrew from the arm of the couch. A moment later a head popped up over the back of the couch. He tried to find something in her eyes that would reassure him in his mission, but all he saw was a dim reflection of light. The darkness smoothed out her face and masked her expression. For all he knew, there could be a look of bloodlust in those eyes and he would never be able to see it. The television light blazed behind her head like a halo, simultaneously illuminating her hair and masking her face. Little stray hairs at the top of her head danced in the light, waving back and forth as though they were unaware of the tense air which filled the room.

Buck was on the verge of breaking the silence which hung between them when Shirley Sue spoke. “What do you want to talk about?” she said. The cold edge which had attached itself to her words earlier had evaporated, leaving soft, but tired tones.

“I know I should have told you about Aura. I'm really sorry you found out that way,” Buck said. “It was just that, well, after what happened at breakfast I was worried that you'd get jealous or hurt. I talked with her long enough to find out her name and got away from her as quick as possible.”

“A part of me wants to stay mad at you. I feel betrayed. The worst case came to my mind, that you really did know her when we were at the diner, that you'd been hiding something with her all along. I hope I'm not making a mistake by trusting you.”

A few notes to an old song popped into Buck's head as he stood there staring at Shirley Sue. “I only have eyes for you, Shirley Sue.” It sounded cheesy to him, and he wasn't exactly sure what had motivated him to say it.

“Come on you goofball,” she said. “A few more cheesy lines like that and you might just win me back over.”

Shirley Sue motioned for him to sit down beside him. Her expression broke and he could see her white teeth reflecting what little light they caught. He took a seat next to her. Shirley Sue leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. Buck felt the warmth of her body seeping into his. A sigh of contentment escaped his lungs as he huddled closely to his partner.

Shirley Sue yawned. “Just promise me you'll try and be more open with me in the future, Buck,” she said.

“I promise.”

“Seal it with a kiss?”

Buck leaned over and gave her a quick peck on the lips. “That good?” he said.

“Maybe you should try another just to make sure.”

Buck smiled. “I think I can do that,” he said. He leaned down more slowly this time. The moments stretched out as he drew closer to her. He could feel the heat of her breaths as his lips drew nearer to hers. There was a feeling on his lips, like electricity was radiating out from her mouth.

The front door creaked open and Buck and Shirley Sue jerked apart.