All You Need is Love............part 3
David woke up in the middle of the night and went downstairs after experiencing one of his worst nightmares to date. He was locked in his filthy 10x10, rotting, damp cell, crouching low as he held his ears, trying to filter out the piercing screams coming from the interrogation room a few short feet away, when he heard the keys jangling outside his door. He knew he was next.... He woke up covered is sweat, his heart racing, and gasping for air, then relaxed slightly as he got his bearings. He was with Nora, he was safe now.
David made his way to the kitchen and opened the back door, inhaling the glorious fresh September night air while walking over to a bench. He sat down and turned his head up to the sky finding all his favourite constellations, the stars that had been kept from him for years.
Nora walked up behind him and bent over to hug him.
"They are still there, where you left them" Nora stroked
his cheek then came around the bench and sat down beside him.
"You should be in bed Nora. It's very early"
"I couldn't sleep either. This bench and I have become good friends. I come out here a lot at night, trying to find the answers in the stars"
"What are your questions sis?" David moves closer and puts his arm around Nora and she leans her head on his shoulder just like they used to sit while figuring out the problems of world, many years ago
"Oh I don't know... there used to be a lot of ‘why me's?' but now I ask how I can let it all go and go on with my life. How do I let go of the anger so I can get my life back?"
"And what do the stars tell you?"
"That I have Rachel and Matthew who need me in the present and really that's all that is important, right? Oh and I'm sure the stars will tell me that my big brother who never let me forget that he's 8 minutes older than me needs me to be here for him too"
"And I need to be here for you too Nora. Obviously there are people around you, friends that you can talk to, but do you?"
"I want to, I really do. But they all have lives of their own and don't really need to hear me whining about what happened to me. I'm lucky to have such good friends like Hank and Bo in my life but I don't want to push them away with my problems."
"Tell me about Bo" David could feel Nora's body tense up as she lifted her head from his shoulder and turned to look at him
"Bo was the love of my life. I loved everything about him - his infectious smile, the twinkle in his eyes, the way he made me laugh, the way he made me love - he was my everything until I made the biggest mistake of my life, a mistake he couldn't forgive."
"What Nora?"
Nora went on to describe the details that lead up to the demise of her relationship with Bo. "It resulted in that lovely little guy upstairs, but I lost Bo. He says all is forgiven now but he's moved on. I miss him so much David."
"Does he know that?"
"On a certain level I think he does but I hurt him so badly. His trust in me is broken- we could never get back what we had"
"Never say never Nora. I'm sitting here with you now"
"And for that, I am truly grateful." She took his hand as they got up from the bench and she led him to the side of the house. Through a gap in the trees they watched as the sun slowly rose filling the sky with light and hope that only a new day could bring.
"Go lie down Nora, I'll be ok" David attempted one of his reassuring smiles but he couldn't fool her. Once again she stroked his face, wanting to reach into his soul to take away his pain
"I want to help you David. I want to listen to your story and help in any way I can."
"I know you do sis and you are. Just being here with you is such a blessing. It's going to take a long time to get over what happened to me, I know that. I'm not looking for an easy answer. Right now, all I want is to be near my best friend, to share in her life and help her find happiness. That helps me a lot."
"But you'll talk when the time is right, right?"
Nora smiled as David's face relaxed for the first time since he had shown up in Llanview. She left him alone back at the bench and went upstairs to check on Matthew. He was asleep and didn't stir as she lay down beside him on his tiny bed and she fell asleep with him nestled in her arms.
Nora woke up several hours later. Mary Ann had already taken Matthew to preschool and there was a note from David saying that he had gone for a walk and not to worry about him.
****************
Sophia: Sir, there's a Mr David Hanen here to see you. Should
I tell him to come in?
"Yea sure. Tell him to come right in"
"Mr Buchanan..." Bo comes around his desk and the two men shake hands.
"Please, call me Bo. Coffee?"
"Thanks. Bo thank you for seeing me without an appointment. I won't take up too much of your time" Bo pours them both a coffee and they take a seat across the desk from each other.
"It's my pleasure David. I was hoping we would have some time to talk. Hank told me your story. I had no idea Nora had a brother who was missing"
"Nora's pretty good at concealing her pain"
"You can say that again. There were many times when we were married that I could have throttled her for not opening up to me... like the time she had a brain tumor"
"What? Is Nora sick?"
"No no no, I'm sorry. That's all in the past thank goodness. She's fine....as far as I know"
"Bo, why did you walk away from her and your marriage?" Bo is thrown off guard and is stunned by David's direct question.
"Well, I umm, I uh, it's a long story. I..."
"She told me the story Bo. Did you just stop loving her?"
"It's not really a question of stopping loving her. She slept with another man!"
"I know that. But you loved her didn't you?
"Yes I loved Nora, I loved her with all my heart"
"And you found it in yourself to forgive her"
"Yes, I did. I realized when I thought she had died in the train wreck that I should have told her. It was agony thinking she had died without my forgiveness."
"You loved her, you forgave her....so what's keeping you two apart?"
"It's not that cut and dry David"
"Because?"
"We've both moved on, that's why!" Bo's agitation didn't bother David a bit. He wanted to hear the truth, the real truth
"Do you have someone else in your life Bo?"
"Yes. Her name is Melanie McIver" Bo took the picture of Melanie off his desk and showed it to David. After looking at the picture he knew he had Bo cornered with no chance of escape.
"And do you love her?"
"Yes I love her. We're engaged to be marry."
"Do you love her as much as you love Nora?"
Bo avoided making eye contact with David and stared at the door behind him for a few seconds then he let his head drop to his chest and whispered "No".
To be continued
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