Post by AmbeeBee on Dec 16, 2010 23:03:05 GMT -5
The snow continued to fall outside, drifting slowly to the ground where it accumulated in layers on the already frozen ground. Ainsley stared out the window, not being able to tear her gaze away from the sight before her. Everything was white and it sparkled in the moonlight. Everything was perfect. Oh, if only life could be that way.
“What are you thinking of, Love?”
Ainsley turned, forcing a smile at the tall man behind her holding two steaming cups of cocoa. “Nothing.” She murmured, though her eyes sold her out, and she knew it the second she received that “yeah right” look from her best friend.. “Paul, it was nothing, seriously.”
Paul took a seat beside Ainsley, handing her a warm mug. “I know right through that lie, Ainsley Nicole.” Paul replied, taking a sip from his own cup. “Now what’s the matter? And I want the truth.”
Ainsley sighed, looking down at her cup, finding interest in the swirls made by the already melted whipped cream in the hot cocoa. “I was thinking about Mom…This is the first Christmas without her, you know.”
Paul nodded in understanding. To be honest, he had figured that was the reason for the gloomy mood of his normally cheerful friend. “It is…” Was his quiet reply. The last few months had been exceptionally hard on Ainsley with the loss of her mother, who had battled leukemia for quite a few years. Paul had been there with her through every step of the ordeal, and he would still be there for her as long as she needed him.
“I miss her.” Ainsley whispered, biting her lip to keep her tears from escaping to her cheeks. She kept her focus to the warm cup in her hands, not sure if she could bring herself to look up at those blue eyes of Paul’s.
“I know you do, Love.” Paul whispered, setting his cup down on the table and doing the same with Ainsley’s before taking both of her hands into his larger ones. He gently rubbed his thumbs over the palms of her hands, in an attempt to sooth her. “But she’s in a better place now. God knows she’s not suffering anymore, Ainsley. Your Mum’s happy where she is now.”
Ainsley looked up at Paul, her cheeks stained with the tears she just couldn’t keep in. “But that doesn’t make it any easier, Paul.”
“Oh, of course not. Only time heals the wounds of the heart, Ainsley dear.” Paul murmured, bringing one of his hands to her cheek and gently wiping away the tears. He frowned slightly, hating to see his best friend upset like this. “The hurt will always be there, but in time it will decrease until you barely notice it.”
Ainsley nodded, though she wasn’t so sure what Paul was saying was true. Although he had been with her through everything that had happened, he still didn’t know exactly how she felt. There was no way he could have known.
Paul had never lost a parent, and for that he was extremely fortunate. Ainsley hoped with all of her heart that he wouldn’t have to go through the pain of losing a parent anytime soon. She wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
“Are you alright, Love?” Paul asked after a few moments of silence. He gently moved her bangs away from her eyes, not once removing his gaze from hers.
Ainsley snapped from her thoughts, nodding slowly. “Yes.” She whispered, her voice barely audible. She bit her lip, noticing the look of concern on Paul’s face. She wasn’t sure if he believed her. “I’m fine Paul, honest. Though I don’t know what kind of a mess I’d be of you weren’t in my life.”She couldn’t help but smile as she felt the warm contact of Paul’s wind-chapped lips to her forehead.
“There’s the smile that I adore.” Paul whispered, wrapping his arms around Ainsley and pulling her close to him. He smiled as
Ainsley rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes. He rubbed soft circles on her back.
After a few moments of silence, Ainsley looked up at Paul. “Thank you.” She said softly, looking into his eyes.
“For what?” Paul asked, slightly confused as to why she would be thanking him.
“For always being here for me when I need you.” Ainsley replied, “You’re truly all that I have.”
“Oh, never feel the need to thank me, Ainsley. Being in you presence isn't a chore, but an absolute pleasure. I will always be here for you, always.” Paul replied, cupping her cheek gently and meeting her lips in a soft kiss. “I promise you that, my Love.”
“What are you thinking of, Love?”
Ainsley turned, forcing a smile at the tall man behind her holding two steaming cups of cocoa. “Nothing.” She murmured, though her eyes sold her out, and she knew it the second she received that “yeah right” look from her best friend.. “Paul, it was nothing, seriously.”
Paul took a seat beside Ainsley, handing her a warm mug. “I know right through that lie, Ainsley Nicole.” Paul replied, taking a sip from his own cup. “Now what’s the matter? And I want the truth.”
Ainsley sighed, looking down at her cup, finding interest in the swirls made by the already melted whipped cream in the hot cocoa. “I was thinking about Mom…This is the first Christmas without her, you know.”
Paul nodded in understanding. To be honest, he had figured that was the reason for the gloomy mood of his normally cheerful friend. “It is…” Was his quiet reply. The last few months had been exceptionally hard on Ainsley with the loss of her mother, who had battled leukemia for quite a few years. Paul had been there with her through every step of the ordeal, and he would still be there for her as long as she needed him.
“I miss her.” Ainsley whispered, biting her lip to keep her tears from escaping to her cheeks. She kept her focus to the warm cup in her hands, not sure if she could bring herself to look up at those blue eyes of Paul’s.
“I know you do, Love.” Paul whispered, setting his cup down on the table and doing the same with Ainsley’s before taking both of her hands into his larger ones. He gently rubbed his thumbs over the palms of her hands, in an attempt to sooth her. “But she’s in a better place now. God knows she’s not suffering anymore, Ainsley. Your Mum’s happy where she is now.”
Ainsley looked up at Paul, her cheeks stained with the tears she just couldn’t keep in. “But that doesn’t make it any easier, Paul.”
“Oh, of course not. Only time heals the wounds of the heart, Ainsley dear.” Paul murmured, bringing one of his hands to her cheek and gently wiping away the tears. He frowned slightly, hating to see his best friend upset like this. “The hurt will always be there, but in time it will decrease until you barely notice it.”
Ainsley nodded, though she wasn’t so sure what Paul was saying was true. Although he had been with her through everything that had happened, he still didn’t know exactly how she felt. There was no way he could have known.
Paul had never lost a parent, and for that he was extremely fortunate. Ainsley hoped with all of her heart that he wouldn’t have to go through the pain of losing a parent anytime soon. She wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
“Are you alright, Love?” Paul asked after a few moments of silence. He gently moved her bangs away from her eyes, not once removing his gaze from hers.
Ainsley snapped from her thoughts, nodding slowly. “Yes.” She whispered, her voice barely audible. She bit her lip, noticing the look of concern on Paul’s face. She wasn’t sure if he believed her. “I’m fine Paul, honest. Though I don’t know what kind of a mess I’d be of you weren’t in my life.”She couldn’t help but smile as she felt the warm contact of Paul’s wind-chapped lips to her forehead.
“There’s the smile that I adore.” Paul whispered, wrapping his arms around Ainsley and pulling her close to him. He smiled as
Ainsley rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes. He rubbed soft circles on her back.
After a few moments of silence, Ainsley looked up at Paul. “Thank you.” She said softly, looking into his eyes.
“For what?” Paul asked, slightly confused as to why she would be thanking him.
“For always being here for me when I need you.” Ainsley replied, “You’re truly all that I have.”
“Oh, never feel the need to thank me, Ainsley. Being in you presence isn't a chore, but an absolute pleasure. I will always be here for you, always.” Paul replied, cupping her cheek gently and meeting her lips in a soft kiss. “I promise you that, my Love.”