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"Un-break My Heart"
Don't leave me in all this pain
Don't leave me out in the rain
Come back and bring back my smile
Come and take these tears away
I need your arms to hold me now
The night are so unkind
Bring back those nights when I held you beside me
The winds whipped up in the isolated park as
Chris Ramsey made his way out of the security of his car into the
autumn winds. The trees already had begun their transformation from a
rich shade of emerald to fading hues of crimson and burnt coffee. Even
in the air, the scent of summer had past and what remained was a fading
memory of the life that once inhabited this otherwise thriving place.
With a sigh Chris pressed forward towards the swings watching them sway
back and forth ever so slowly with a movement that seemed to be of
their own fruition as the autumn afternoon swept it’s magical spell
over them leaving them to a rhythm of their own.
The world had taken on a turn, a change as the autumn blanketed upon
it, but as Chris stood in the midst of such transformation he found
himself lost, lonely and austere knowing that while the world would
turn time and time again, his heart would never mend, would never know
what it would mean to have love, to feel it like he’d dreamt of so many
times before. This time of year always reminded him of the loss and
what might’ve been here in Port Charles. It seemed that while the world
went on, a part of him was still very lost, still searching for the one
thing he’d let slip away. As the leaves crumbled beneath his feet with
each sullen footstep, he felt his heart ache with the knowledge that
his days would never be complete without her.
Making his way beyond the peaceful park benches, Chris felt the winds
whip up licking around his form as he adjusted his jacket. At first
he’d fought their harsh intrusion upon him, but now as his eyes cast
across the way towards the cemetery, he released his hold on his long,
black trench coat. There was no need to shield himself from the chill
in the air as it was nothing compared to the ache in his heart, nothing
to the knowledge of what he’d lost that had frozen his heart rendering
him isolated from the world around him. He sighed one last time as he
felt a faint drizzle of rain droplets descending towards him. Tipping
his eyes towards the heavens, he felt the gray sky overhead lingering
with a sadness of it’s own as the rain fell around him. For most
people, this was a sign to retreat, to return at some other time, but
as Chris pressed open the doorway to the quiet cemetery, he knew where
he belonged and why he was here.
Slowly Chris made his way towards the tiny head stone. A surge of anger
washed over his body as he thought of the carelessness that was put
into such a reminder of her. He’d have given her the most grandiose of
tributes, yet her husband chose to do nothing, to give a minimal of
tribute to her in her passing. As the rain fell, Chris dropped to his
knees beside her burial feeling his own tears well in his eyes, though
they were shielded by the sudden storm above. Laying his head upon the
ground he stretched his arms out as if to embrace the body that lay
beneath.
“I miss you Eve,” he confessed his voice a deep, profound whisper as
his heart ached to hold her, “I miss you more and more each day.” He
paused as if waiting for a response that would never come to him as he
held onto her memory closing his eyes as he lay beside her grave.
“I tried so hard to keep going, to pretend that I could do this, hell,
to be that independent man that I always swore myself to be, but
without you, I’m nothing. I’m naked to the pain that losing you has
brought to me,” he touched the soft, damp grass as tears stung at his
face, “I’ve never felt more isolated in my life and now when I need you
the most, when I’m ready to tell you everything, to keep from hiding it
from you, you’re gone. Eve, I tried to joke about how I felt about you,
but even now months after you’ve gone, there is no one else that comes
close to you,” he pressed his fingers through the moist blades of grass
feeling as though their tears mirrored his own as he held her memory
close to him, “there is no other love like the one I felt for you. You
were my soul mate Lambert and with you gone, a part of me is gone with
you. I’m empty inside without you.”
The thunder rolled overhead as Chris slowly moved himself up into a
sitting position. He reached inside his jacket, a faint smile tugging
on his lips as he withdrew the bottle he’d kept hidden deep within his
pocket until now. A hint of a smile overcame his features as he pulled
the cap off the bottle and he touched the ground once again, “I know
this suffers in comparison to the nights we had together, but I came
prepared,” he explained pulling a martini glass out of his pocket and
setting it down on a solid place on the ground before tipping the
bottle of liquid into the fragile glass. Once he’d finished pouring the
drink, he pulled out a few olives to garnish the drink before setting
the bottle aside. He reached for the glass raising it in the air as the
harsh winds picked up around him.
“This one’s for you Lambert,” he said taking a sip of the martini
before setting it down beside her headstone. He reached for the bottle
he’d brought with him holding the neck of it tightly as he raised it to
his lips, “I know this isn’t traditional, but I didn’t have room for
two glasses,” he explained taking a long swig of the martini mixture
contained within the bottle, “you probably noticed it’s not the usual
martini, but well, I’ve taken to the stronger stuff since you’ve gone.
It beats the hell out of missing you like I do, and believe me I do,”
he confessed an ache surging through him as he finished off the bottle,
“guess this is for the happy hours we should’ve shared together,” he
murmured feeling a heat rise through his body as the world swirled
around him.
Feeling dizziness overtake him, he lay on the ground beside her grave,
the roaring thunder overhead as he pressed his palm out over the soaked
earth. His hair was now plastered to his face as the rain pounded over
him, but he didn’t care anymore. Being wet didn’t matter, none of it
mattered as he held the woman he loved beside him, even if it was
nothing more than her memory. Nothing could make him leave this moment
as a flash of lightning pressed on in the distance. He closed his eyes
after a moment giving in to his misery as his will to remain a part of
the world without her had slipped away. Nothing could make him believe
this was for the best as the rain violently mirrored his pain rendering
him helpless, haunted by the memory of the one that got away.
“I love you Eve Lambert,” he whispered curling his fingers into the
damp earth beneath him as he closed his eyes tighter giving away the
world that surrounded him as his misery engulfed him and the world
faded into black.
Un-break my
heart
Say you'll me again
Undo this hurt you caused
When you walked out the door
And walked out of my life
Un-cry these tears
I cried so many nights
Un-break my heart
My heart
Take back
that sad word good-bye
Bring back the joy to my life
Don't leave me here with these tears
Come and kiss that pain away
I can't forget the day you left
Time is so unkind
And life is so cruel without you here beside me
Chris opened his eyes realizing the effects
of his alcohol must’ve gotten to him far more than he’d anticipated as
he felt the pounding of cold water against his aching skin. He looked
up at the shower head bursting the icy shower over him and a gasp fell
from his lips. He braced himself against the shower wall feeling the
pounding of the water over his body as he tried to recall how he’d left
the cemetery, let alone ended up in the shower. With his head tipped
down, he contemplated adjusting the temperature controls, but remained
still as the cold had been the one thing to blast him into reality.
“Chris,” he heard a voice call out to him as his hair fell over his
eyes with the cascade of water, “Chris, what’s taking so long?” Perking
his head up he blinked twice realizing he was no longer alone as the
voice grew louder.
“You know I’d just about given up on you seeing as you said you’d be
out in less than twenty minutes and it’s been like half an hour plus,”
the voice continued as the shower door opened to reveal the woman on
the other side of it.
Surprised and unable to believe his ears, Chris tipped his head up
finding himself in nothing short of speechlessness as he realized Eve
was standing before him clad in a soft, white towel that barely covered
her flawless skin. Her shapely legs peeked out from beneath the towel
as Chris felt himself blink in response to her. He had to have had far
too much to drink, he rationalized as his eyes tapered over her curves
taking all of her in. Her long, auburn highlighted hair cascaded around
her shoulders as she shook her head in disapproval at him momentarily.
“Sometimes I wonder about you,” she shook her head as eyed him
intently. Her gazed tapered off over the lines of his body as a soft
smile washed over her beautiful features, “but then again, I suppose I
never could stay too angry with you.”
“E-Eve,” he stammered watching her as she stepped in closer towards him
her smile widening as her finger tips pressed over the top of her towel
tracing the line just beneath the upper swell of her breasts.
“Since you decided to play slow poke, I figured I’d just improvise,”
she explained with one quick tug as the towel dropped to her feet
revealing her brazen form to him as she slid into the shower beside him
leaving no room for protest as her body brushed up against his.
Feeling the icy chill of the water, she nearly leapt into his arms with
a squeal, “Chris, how can you stand this?” she questioned in
astonishment greeted by his shocked silence as she moved over towards
the temperature controls to heat up the tiny shower stall they were in.
Running her hands beneath the stream of water, Chris watched her as the
spray misted over her body glistening her skin with every rush of
water. She tilted her head back allowing her hair to cascade down her
spine as Chris took in the soft, sensual curve of her back. She let out
a tiny laugh feeling the water revitalize her as she turned around to
face him once again, her eyes clouded over with a hint of mischief.
“This is much better,” she stepped in closer to him sliding her arms
around his waist with a hint of laughter, “and here I was afraid you
drowned in here, but you were just bent on freezing to death.”
“Wha--how....” Chris stammered feeling the warmth of her arms around
him as he shifted in her arms, “Eve, what are you doing in here with
me? How did you get in here?”
“Chris, would you relax,” she urged sliding her hands over his body as
Chris let out a sharp gasp of air. Her hands felt so warm, so alive as
she hugged his body closer to hers. Her curves seemed to melt into his
as her eyes searched his, “are you feeling alright?”
“Better than I’ve felt in a long time,” he admitted as he held her,
“but this isn’t happening. You and I here together, it just can’t be
real. It has to be a dream.”
“Does this feel like a dream,” she questioned tipping up on her toes
before pressing her lips over his in a soft, sultry kiss.
The warmth of her mouth flooded over him filling him with a heat unlike
anything he’d ever known as his arms slipped around her slender form
crushing her to him. Her mouth sought out his, tempting him to give in
to the pleasure she provided him as her tongue danced over his in a
seductive sweep. He squeezed her closer to him still unable to believe
what he held in his arms as she drew back with a frown.
“You’re holding back,” her frown deepened, “why?”
“This isn’t really happening,” he answered matter of fact, “you’re not
really here and somehow I’ve lost my mind.”
“Lost your mind?” Eve repeated reaching out to touch his face, “are you
feeling okay?”
“I’m feeling better than I’ve felt in months which is why I know this
is too good to be true,” he confessed as her finger tips tapered off
over his chest.
“Does this feel too good to be true,” she questioned in a seductive
purr as she brushed her thigh in between his legs massaging his body in
a tempting motion.
Chris sucked in a sharp breath feeling his body’s response to her as he
noted the desire behind her eyes. Dream or not, she’d awakened
something deep inside him with those brief touches and as his arms
draped around her clenching her body tighter to him, he wondered if
perhaps indulging in a fantasy wouldn’t be that bad after all.
“Tell me Ramsey,” she whispered her hand sliding down his body in a
slithering, snakelike fashion while seeking out the root of his
masculinity, “do you feel lucky tonight?” her words were emphasized as
her hand closed over his body stroking him carefully.
“Eve....” he breathed her name feeling a groan building from deep
within him as her fingers enticed him, keeping him at her mercy.
“Don’t tell me you’re worried about company,” she pressed her lips over
the smooth expanse of his chest, letting her tongue linger over the
sheer muscle that lay beneath the surface, “because I can assure you
that Lauren is with her Uncle Jack and Aunt Livvie right now.”
“Lauren?” he repeated drawing back slightly as she looked up at him.
“Our daughter,” she frowned in response to his question drawing back
slightly, “you really aren’t feeling like yourself tonight, are you?”
“No I’m not,” he shook his head, “not at all because you’re here.”
“Well I should hope my being here would be a good thing,” Eve frowned
slightly as she released her hold on him, “unless you wanted some time
alone again.”
“No, no it’s not that,” Chris explained drawing her back into his arms
tightly refusing to let go, “not at all.”
“Then what’s going on?” she eased into his strong hold, “what’s going
on Ramsey?”
“I’m not sure,” Chris confessed honestly as he noted the concern behind
her brown eye, “but I just know this feels right, like where I’ve
always belonged.”
“It’s because you have always been needed here,” Eve tipped her head up
to kiss him once more as she met his confused eyes. Touching his cheek
gently she smiled at him, “I’ll always need you beside me.”
“I love you Eve,” Chris blurted out refusing to let the moment pass him
by as he held her. He cupped her face in his hands holding her as if
he’d never let go as he tried to read her expression, to feel the
warmth of her alive beneath his touch.
“I love you too,” Eve answered in a soft, shaky voice, “I thought you
knew that by now.”
“All I know is that I don’t ever want you to go a moment without
knowing how much I love you,” Chris kissed her intensely holding her
closer as his arms engulfed her.
“Chris, what’s this about? Is it about that little tiff we had
earlier?” she questioned a bit confused by his reaction to her,
“because if it is, I was hoping you’d take my coming in here as a sort
of peace treaty.”
“Eve, it’s not that,” Chris tried to put the words on what he was
feeling. Finally realizing that this moment could evaporate at any
minute, he kissed her feverishly refusing to let go of the magic he
held in his arms.
“Chris, mmm.....now that is much more what I was hoping for,” Eve
murmured trying to catch her breath as they parted, “but I think we’re
going to have to put this on hold,” she explained in between kisses, “I
told Jack we’d be there on time just this once.”
“Forget about Jack,” Chris eased another kiss over her shoulder
squeezing her again.
“You’re the one who made such a big deal about this,” Eve let out a
reluctant sigh as she tipped her head back offering him more of her
neck as his lips traveled over her damp skin, “if we get caught up in
one another, we’re going to be late to our anniversary party.”
“Anniversary party,” Chris’ ears perked up at the words as he searched
her eyes, “you’re serious?”
“You were the one who wanted to make the most of our anniversary. I’d
have been content to spend it here with you just like this, but you
insisted on the party,” Eve let out a sigh as she pressed her head into
his chest easing into the embrace he held her in, “I guess this means
that we need to put this on hold,” she reached for the water
temperature dials, “Now I know why you had it on cold before.”
“Wait,” Chris tugged her back into his arms, “not yet.”
“Chris, we’ll be late,” Eve caught the look of mischief in his eyes.
“So?” he questioned reaching for a sponge that lay on the shelf before
him. He dipped it beneath the shower’s thick, pulsating stream as a
smile swept over his features, “I thought we were in here for a shower.”
“We’ll never make it on time if we start this,” Eve blurted out
watching him lather the sponge up.
“Yes we will,” Chris urged bringing the foamy whiteness over her damp
skin, “I’ll behave.”
“I’ll believe that when I see it,” Eve let out a soft moan feeling him
move the sponge over her body carefully in a skilled fashion as he
pressed her up against the shower wall gently.
“I’ll be on my best behavior,” he promised her easing the soapy lather
over her skin as he dropped to his knees before her kissing her stomach
gently before easing the soft, white foam over her skin moving over her
body, in firm, solid downward strokes. Eve’s body writhed against his
touch as he continued on moving his attention to her shapely calves. He
pressed a kiss just behind her knee feeling her lean into his touch as
he placed his hand over her hip holding her close to him as his lips
traveled upward over her thigh tracing the sweetness of her skin with
every carefully planned flick of his tongue over her. His lips traveled
upward taking in every inch of her as he felt her palm press over his
shoulder, fingers biting into the skin as she urged him to look at her.
“Chris, don’t start something we can’t finish,” she pleaded with him,
her body arched towards his touch as his fingers slid over her inner
thigh tracing the curve in a slow, torturous motion before tenderly
caressing the petal-soft folds of her womanhood.
“Eve, you should know by now,” he rose from the shower floor to stand
before her, eyes full of love and determination, “I don’t ever start
something I don’t intend to finish,” he promised her sealing his mouth
to hers as a hint of things to come refusing to hold back as thoughts
of being on time were secondary to the passion they shared with one
another.
Un-break my heart
Say you'll love me again
Undo this hurt you caused
When you walked out the door
And walked out of my life
Un-cry these tears
I cried so many nights
Un-break my heart
My heart
“Daddy!” A tiny voice rose above the crowd
as Chris entered the Grille to find the room full of friends and guests
eagerly anticipating he and Eve’s arrival to the party he’d
orchestrated.
“Hey princess,” Eve stepped forward to reach out to the beautiful
little girl before her. She embraced the child tenderly as Chris noted
the striking resemblance between the two of them.
“Where were you mommy?” she questioned with wide eyes as she looked
over at Chris, “Uncle Jack said you’d be here soon with daddy.”
“Daddy and I got caught up at home doing a few things that we both
needed to do,” Eve shot him a knowing glance as the smile she held in
her eyes spoke volumes about the moment they’d just shared.
“You mean like the dishes?” Lauren’s eyes widened curiously as she
looked over to Chris.
“No, not the dishes,” Chris knelt down beside her before scooping her
up into his arms, “but that doesn’t matter because we’re here now and I
have my beautiful little girl here with me.”
“Daddy,” she giggled excitedly as her arms draped around his neck,
“you’re so silly, but I love you anyways.”
“You’d better love me anyways,” Chris tickled at her as a flood of
laughter rose above the air.
“There you are,” Livvie shook her head as she approached the trio, “and
here Jack thought you two were going to skip out on your own
anniversary party.”
“Are you kidding,” Eve laughed lightly, “Chris wouldn’t dream about it.”
“Maybe not, but he wouldn’t dream of being on time either, would he?”
Jack’s voice rose above the crowd in a hint of teasing.
“And ruin the fun,” Chris laughed lightly, “we wouldn’t dream of it.”
“Of course not, but you know our guests are getting a bit hostile,”
Jack offered up with a laugh.
“That’s right, we’re getting hungry and they wouldn’t serve dinner
until you showed up,” a voice rose above the crowd as Chris turned in
the direction of the sound to find Ian standing before him.
“Ian,” he began his voice a bit puzzled as he held Lauren nearer to
him, remembering the circumstances that had brought him and Eve
together. Lauren had to have been the child that Eve was pregnant with
when they’d left town together. She had to be Ian’s daughter, “what are
you doing here?”
“Well hello to you too,” Ian shook his head disapproving, “and here I
thought the invitation you sent me was a good enough way of making
peace.”
“We have made peace,” Eve stepped forward to touch her husband’s arm, a
cool smile pressed over her features, “it’s nice to see you again Ian.”
“As always it’s a pleasure,” Ian reached for her hand giving it a small
kiss, “I hope Ramsey’s just treating you and this little lady right,”
he looked over to Lauren, “because you both deserve the best.”
“They have the best,” Chris answered tightly as he looked over to Eve
trying to read her reaction to Ian.
“That we do,” Eve slid her arm around Chris’ waist acting as though
Ian’s presence held no weight over her.
“My daddy is the best daddy in the whole wide world,” Lauren added with
a proud smile, “I couldn’t ask for a better daddy.”
“And I couldn’t ask for a better little girl,” Chris hugged her again,
“my little girl.”
“Always and forever,” Lauren boasted proudly as Chris felt his gaze
still upon Ian.
“Well I’d better get back to my wife before she wonders what happened
to me,” Ian cleared his throat feeling the tension in the air as he
looked to Eve, “as always it’s wonderful to see you.”
“You too,” Eve watched him walk away as she looked over to Chris.
Finally turning to Livvie she spoke again, “Livvie, could you and Jack
show Lauren the duck pond out back? Chris and I need to have a moment.”
“Uh oh,” Lauren shook her head as she wiggled in her father’s arms,
“you’re in trouble.”
“Why do you say that?” Chris questioned as he eased Lauren down to the
ground once again.
“Because I know that look with mom,” she shook her head before moving
over to Livvie. She gave Eve a very serious look before speaking up,
“Go easy on him mommy. He means well.”
“I know he does,” Eve smiled at her daughter fighting to contain her
laughter as she watched Jack and Livvie walk away with Lauren. Turning
to Chris she frowned slightly, “what’s going on Ramsey?”
“Why is he here?” Chris motioned towards the direction Ian had headed
off to.
“Because you invited him,” Eve offered up with a frown, “don’t tell me
you’re still jealous about Ian and me.”
“It’s kind of hard not to be knowing what I know,” Chris answered
tightly, “I know what he means to you.”
“After what we just experienced together in the shower before, how can
you say that?” Eve looked at him incredulously, “I thought you were
more secure than that.”
“I was until I saw him, but when he was watching me hold Lauren, I
could see the look of anger behind his eyes.”
“Chris, you’re insane,” she shook her head, “Ian knows we’re happy.”
“As a family that he could’ve been a part of,” Chris pointed out, “I’m
sure he’s less than thrilled to see me with his daughter.”
“His daughter?” Eve blinked back at him in surprise, “Chris, what are
you talking about?”
“With Lauren,” Chris shook his head, “Ian’s a smart guy. Eventually
he’s going to know that you and I kept the truth about Lauren from him.”
“Truth about Lauren? Chris, what are you talking about? Ian’s not
Lauren’s father,” she wrinkled her nose at that, “and for you to imply
that I’d ever sleep with that man is insulting.”
“But Eve....” Chris began suddenly in confusion as he watched the anger
rise over her features.
“Chris, you know me better than that. I never slept with that man and
you know you’re the ONLY one I was with when I was pregnant with
Lauren,” she hesitated her eyes hinted over with some kind of pain,
“but you don’t believe that, do you?”
“Eve, I wasn’t saying that.....”
“You know it’s amazing to see that after five years of marriage you’re
still hung up on this Ian thing,” she shook her head as she turned away
from him, her anger rushing over her as she stalked off to speak with
the other guests leaving Chris standing there in confusion.
“Blew it again, huh Ramsey?” Frank’s voice rose above the crowd as he
moved in beside Chris holding a drink in hand, “even when you have a
good thing, you still manage to have the foot in the mouth syndrome.”
“Go to hell Scanlon,” Chris glared at him, “I don’t need a lecture from
you.”
“Fine, but you’re blowing it all over again,” Frank shook his head, “I
just don’t like to see my friends in such turmoil.”
“Your friends? Since when?” Chris blinked back at him.
“Ouch,” Frank placed his palm over his heart, “and here I thought being
the best man at the wedding meant we’d been able to get over everything
from the past.”
“Best man? In what universe?” Chris questioned doubtful as Frank was
joined by a woman at his side.
“What’s going on?” she asked as Chris’ jaw nearly dropped.
“Julie?” his eyes grew wide seeing her place her hand over Frank’s
shoulder.
“Romeo here is letting his jealous side get the best of him,” Frank
raised his hands in the air, “I give up. If you want to spoil your
anniversary party, it’s your call. Maybe you can talk some sense into
him,” he looked to Julie, “I promised Christina a dance.”
“She’ll like that,” she nodded as Frank stepped away from her. She
reached out to Chris, “Chris, what’s going on?”
“Julie, what are you doing here?” he questioned in confusion, “the last
time I saw you, you were....”
“Were what?” she questioned blankly, “Chris, you look like you’re
seeing a ghost.”
“I feel like I’m surrounded by them,” he confessed.
“Chris, look I don’t know what’s going on with you and Eve, but don’t
let your jealousy blow it,” she offered up, “you two worked too hard to
find your way to one another to let it go just like that.”
“Julie, I don’t understand. I mean the last time I saw you, you were
leaving town....”
“Leaving town?” she questioned concerned, “Chris, Frank and I brought
Christina over last week to play with Lauren. Remember our weekly card
game? You really have been working too hard lately, haven’t you?”
“I....I guess so,” Chris stammered suddenly unclear on what was
happening around him.
“Chris, look I know it’s none of my business, but you have to let this
thing go with Ian. You know that Eve flat out refused his advances back
during the residency and she chose you. She loves you and she always
has. That should be enough for you to know Ian never held her heart
like you did. I mean I could understand you worrying about Kevin since
he’s her ex-husband, but Ian’s harmless. You know that.”
“But.....” Chris stammered off, “Julie, what the hell is wrong with me?”
“I don’t know, but you need to get your act together. From one
ex-spouse to another, don’t blow this one,” Julie offered up.
“So we were married,” Chris tried to grasp what she was saying.
“Until you and I both realized what a mistake we were making,” Julie
nodded, “I still haven’t thanked you for what you did to bring Frank
and I together again. While I was ready to murder you when I found out
about you and Eve, now in retrospect it all makes sense. You two were
meant to be together and have that family you were meant to have
together.”
“Just like you and Frank?” Chris searched her eyes.
“Bringing him and I together again was the best possible gift you’d
given me, Chris,” Julie smiled at him, “Christina’s never been happier
and neither have I. Besides it’s much better than having a husband
who’s in love with another woman.”
“Julie, I....” Chris began.
“We were a pair that wasn’t meant to be married,” she raised her hand
in the air, “but we make a hell of a friendship, now if you don’t mind
me saying so, quit being an ass and go find your wife.”
“Thanks Julie,” Chris offered up with a newfound determination to find
Eve as he searched the party. His eyes cast over the crowd and it was
full of familiar faces. Frank and Julie with Christina, Karen and Joe
with a baby in Karen’s arms, Kevin and Lucy with two children beside
them, Victor and Mary, and surprisingly Ian and Kate. Chris stepped up
to the two of them, “Ian can I have a word with you?”
“Sure,” Ian looked to Kate, “I’ll be right back,” he gave her a quick
kiss.
“I’ll be here,” she smiled at him watching him walk off with Chris.
“What’s up?” Ian questioned curiously.
“About before. Ian I’m sorry about how I behaved.”
“Chris, look we’re never going to be friends and the truth is you were
the better man for Eve,” Ian took in a breath, “I tried to think I
could sway her from loving you, but the truth was she was too swept
away by you to even think of looking my way.”
“For what it’s worth, I’m still sorry for the way I acted just now,”
Chris began again.
“Don’t be,” Ian offered up, “someone once told me that if Eve and I had
ended up together she’d be left with nothing, but misery,” Ian motioned
over towards Kate, “besides fate has a way of working out for us all.”
“So it does,” Chris thought back to the life he’d recalled before this
night.
“With that in mind, let me give you a piece of advice,” Ian offered up,
“you love her with all you have and don’t ever stop loving her or that
beautiful daughter of yours. Those two are everything and you have it
all within your reach.”
“I know I do,” Chris agreed moving off to find his wife as he
remembered all too well what it was like to live in a world without
her. He refused to go down that road again.
Don't leave me in all this pain
Don't leave me out in the rain
Bring back the nights when I held you beside me
Un-break my heart
Say you'll love me again
Undo this hurt you caused
When you walked out the door
And walked out of my life
Un-cry that tears
I cried so many, many nights
Un-break my
Making his way through the crowd, Chris found Eve standing outside on
the terrace looking out onto the world before her. He closed the doors
behind him as he walked out onto the terrace behind her. Taking in a
breath he contemplated the words that were tugging at his heart.
“You know you always did know how to get me worked up,” Eve’s voice
spoke out into the night, “even now when I think about the many times
you and I have been at odds with one another, it never gets easier when
we argue.”
“I was being a jerk,” Chris started uneasy, “I do that sometimes.”
“Yeah you do,” Eve half laughed, “but I still love you.”
“I know and I love you too,” Chris began again contemplating his words,
“it’s just that before today I was so used to a world without you, a
world where you’d left me and I was miserable. I loved you so much, but
you weren’t there, you didn’t know how much you meant to me. Even now I
wonder when I’m going to wake up to the reality that I’ve been cursed
to live in.”
“Chris, don’t you understand you’ve been given a second chance?” she
turned around to face him, “that we’ve been given a second chance and
if we don’t look back, then we can move forward.”
“I want to Eve,” Chris started, “but I have all these memories, all
these thoughts about the way it was...”
“But they can’t hurt us anymore. I’m with you and those memories you
had will fade,” Eve began again, “we’re being given a chance to make
things right, a chance to do things differently.”
“Eve...” he gave her a strange look.
“Chris, I know where you came from, what you did and what I did. I know
what happened, but that can’t change where we are now. I know for so
long we’ve been apart, that you’ve been lost in a nightmare, but it’s
time to let go of that. It’s time for you to hold on to me, to reach
out to me Ramsey.”
“Eve, I’ve been fighting to do that, but I’m so afraid. I know that
when this night is over, you’ll be gone and I won’t be with you
anymore,” Chris began painfully, “I know I’ll have lost you.”
“Chris, you never lost me. All you have to do is open your eyes and see
the truth before you,” Eve began painfully as she reached out to him, a
distance in her voice.
“It’s not real, none of this. Eve I was there at your funeral. You’re
dead and none of this is real,” he blurted out painfully, “this is all
an illusion.”
“No, Chris I’m alive and I’m here waiting for you to return to me,” Eve
started again reaching out to him, “Chris, I know you can hear me.
Chris, please open your eyes and look at me. Forget whatever world
you’ve been sucked into. I need you here with me....Chris please....”
“Eve,” he reached out to her feeling the world fading around him.
“Chris, hold on,” her voice whispered as she began to leave him.
“Eve, don’t go,” he pleaded with her until he was suddenly surrounded
by darkness once again.
Un-break my heart
Come back and say you love me
Un-break my heart
Sweet darlin'
Without you I just can't go on
Can't go on....
Chris gasped as he opened his eyes as he
heard the faint sounds of beeping in the distance. As his eyes focused
he looked around the room finding that there was a heart monitor beside
him. His head was groggy, his eyes aching as he took in a breath.
Something was wrong, something had happened as he heard a voice speak
out to him.
“Chris, can you hear me?” he followed the sound seeing Karen standing
before him, “Chris, do you know where you are?”
“The hospital,” Chris groaned, “but how did I get here?”
“Chris, you’ve been asleep for a while now...rather you were in a
coma,” Karen’s voice explained softly, “we were worried about you, but
it looks like whatever was going on inside of you, has turned about.
Chris, can you hear me?”
“Eve,” he reached out to her, “Karen, where’s Eve?”
“Chris,” she started feeling him pull himself up from the bed, “you
need to relax.”
“I need to see Eve,” Chris started frantically, “I need to be with her.”
“Chris, you need to relax. You just woke from almost a year of being
out of things and I don’t need you running around just yet,” Karen
frowned trying to still him.
“Karen, she was in my dreams. She was with me. Eve and I were together
and...” Chris stopped himself, “it was just a dream. Nothing more than
a dream...”
“Chris, there’s a lot that’s happened since you’ve been out of it.
What’s the last thing you remember?”
“Being at the cemetery,” Chris answered, “I went to have a martini with
Eve.”
“At the cemetery?” Karen frowned, “Chris, I’m not following.”
“Karen, I need to go back. I need to go to the cemetery.”
“Chris, you aren’t going anywhere,” Karen shook her head, “I know you
were upset about what happened, but it wasn’t your fault. You weren’t
responsible for the death.”
“Karen, I need to be with Eve,” he began again, “I need to know if what
I felt in my dream was a sign, some kind of clue...”
“Chris, you aren’t going anywhere,” Karen raised her voice as the door
opened and Karen looked over at the newcomer, “thank heaven you’re
here. He was on his way out to the cemetery again. Maybe you can talk
some sense into him.”
“I’ll do my best,” the visitor offered as Karen stepped aside and Chris
lay back again.
“I need to be with Eve,” Chris argued, “even if she’s gone, I need to
see it myself.”
“Gone? Ramsey, has sleep fried your brain?” Eve shook her head as she
sat down beside him, “I’m right here.”
“Eve,” he opened his eyes to see her staring back at him full of
concern, “but how? Why?”
“Chris, you had some complications after the DL-56 super flu,” Eve
reached for his hand, “I tried all I could, but when you wouldn’t wake
up, I was so afraid. I thought I’d never be able to speak with you
again,” she touched his forehead gently brushing the hair from his
eyes, “yet here you are.”
“DL-56 super flu?” Chris repeated in confusion.
“Chris, the outbreak was terrible, but Karen and I got it under
control. Everything panned out, but when it hit you, Chris something
went so wrong. All your vitals seemed to be in tact, but you wouldn’t
wake up. I tried everything to get you back to me, but you wouldn’t
wake up,” Eve confessed tears straining in her eyes, “Chris, you have
no idea how much I’ve missed you.”
“Eve, I felt so lost without you,” Chris confessed.
“I was here the whole time,” she assured him squeezing his hand, “every
free moment I had I was in here with you driving Colleen and Denise
crazy when I refused to go back to our apartment.”
“Our apartment? You mean we still live together?”
“Don’t think you’re going to kick me out now since I’ve been paying the
full rent for the last six months,” she teased lightly.
“You mean you never moved out?”
“Gee, were you hoping I would?” she frowned.
“But what about Kevin and Ian?” he questioned.
“Who’s Ian?” she shook her head, “Chris, you’re worrying me.”
“You and Kevin never got married?” Chris questioned hesitantly.
“Kevin Collins?” she let out a tiny laugh, “oh boy, I can only imagine
what was going on in that brain of yours all this time. And to think I
thought you had an active imagination before. Sounds like you had
another world going on in that dreamland of yours.”
“You wouldn’t believe it if I told you,” Chris admitted with a sigh.
“As long as it wasn’t entirely an X rated dream about me, I might be
interested in hearing it,” she hesitated before offering up a playful
smile, “although if by chance it was entirely and X rated dream about
me, I might be open to hearing about it too.”
“Really?” a smile tugged at his lips as she squeezed his hand.
“Yes really,” she nodded, “I’ve had a lot of time to think over these
last six months and Ramsey as crazy as this makes me, I came to a very
important realization while you were in your coma, one that might
qualify me for the likes of the mentally insane if I actually tell you
what I’m thinking right now.”
“Try me,” Chris urged, “I won’t hold it against you unless you ask me.”
“I can think of a few things I’d rather you hold against me,” Eve
flirted back with a hint of a smile before growing very serious,
“Chris, when I thought I was going to lose you, when I saw you like
this....well, it did something to me. Not having you in my life, it
made me think of all the times we shared together, all the moments of
laughter we shared and it was when I thought I’d lost you that I
realized something very important.”
“Which was?” he questioned holding his breath as he noted the fear
behind her eyes.
“That I’m falling in love with you,” she confessed waiting for his
reaction before adding, “and if you make fun of me for saying that....”
“I won’t make fun of you,” he reached for her face touching her cheek
tenderly, “not at all. In fact,” he tugged her in closer to him
wrapping his arm around her, “the truth is Lambert, that I’m head over
heels in love with you.”
“Now I know the aftershocks of the coma are lingering,” she half teased.
“No, for the first time in my life I’m thinking clearer than I’ve ever
thought and nothing can keep me from telling you what’s in my heart,”
Chris held her close to him, “there was a point in my life where I
thought I could do it alone, that I could be on my own and be happy,
but I was wrong. I need you Lambert and I always will. Eve, I know
people don’t view me as a nice guy, but I’d give anything for a chance
to show you how much you mean to me, to prove how much I love you.”
“Chris,” she felt a heat rise in her features.
“Eve, you said it yourself that you think you’re falling in love with
me, that what happened made you see we could have something together so
now that we’re both open and honest with one another, what do you say?”
Chris questioned as he cupped her cheek tenderly, “do you think we can
give this a try?”
“There’s nothing I’d like more than to do just that,” Eve confessed
bridging the distance between them as she kissed him gently knowing
that this was the start of something magical between them.
The End
