CHAPTER 23
Kimberly sits at the table, enjoying the live band and eating dinner. She decided to spend the night alone tonight, leaving Yaya with Barry. It's been a while since she enjoyed a dinner by herself. She's usually with Tom. She's been away from him for almost a week and it seem like an eternity.
As she watches the band, she notices all the couples surrounding her. Sadness strikes her heart. She stares down at the promise ring, remembering the night he gave it to her.
"I miss you so much..." she says to herself, feeling a tear run down her cheek.
With a tap on the shoulder, Kimberly quickly wipes the tear away and turns around. A little boy stands in front of her with one perfect pink lily.
"For a beautiful lady..."
Kimberly stares at the red rose, and looks at the little boy, smiling from ear to ear, who's waiting for her to take it.
"Oh--thank you..." she says.
"Who's this from?" she ask.
"A gentleman who's in love with you..." she felt her heart beat faster.
"Tom..." she utters under her breath, feeling her heart race with excitement.
"Who's the man who told you to bring this flower?" she ask kindly.
The boy points to a man standing far away in a gazebo.
"Tom..." she's all smiles, feeling her heart flutter with butterflies, "He's here to surprise me..." she thought to herself.
She quickly gets up from the table, grabbing her flower and promptly making her way to the other side, where Tom's waiting.
"I'm coming Tom..." she whispers. Her leg still hurts a bit but she fights through it. Pain is nothing to her at this moment. She wanted to be in Tom's arms again.
As she approaches the gazebo, Tom's back was faced her. Her heart races with adrenaline. She drops the flower on the ground and she rushes behind him, giving him the hug of her life. Holding onto him for her dear life.
"I've miss you so much..." she utters, tears of joy slowly running down her eyes and she couldn't stop smiling.
His hands pried her off him. He turns around and faces Kimberly.
She stares at the man in front of her-- terrified. Dennis. Her heart sank, feeling like a fool for what she just done. She shakes her head, feeling as though she just lost a dear friend.
Her tears of joy turn into tears of broken promises, "You're-- you're the gentleman...?" she ask in disgust, couldn't believe she hugged him like that.
Unable to grasps what happen, she quickly turn around and walk away.
"Kimberly, wait--" he rushes to her side. His hands grabs her by the arms, "I'm-- I'm sorry..." he says.
"Sorry isn't good enough!" she blurted out, breaking free from him, "I seriously thought you were Tom..." she broke into tears, unable to hold back.
"I-- I really didn't mean to-- I don't want to hurt you--"
"Hurt me??" she ask with her eyes widen, "You've hurt me enough Dennis... Enough... Please, no more..." she wipes the years from her face and catches her breath.
"Kimberly--" he gently grabs her by the arms, "this wasn't meant to hurt you... I wanted to be with you... Alone." his stares into her eyes.
"I don't want to be alone with you," she tells him boldly, "I have a boyfriend, I think you might have forgotten, you know Tom?" she ask him sarcastically.
"I know you're with Tom!" he snaps, "Please stop reminding me--"
"Then stop bugging me!" she shouts back, "Let me be in peace for the rest of my vacation. That's all I'm asking..."
Dennis puts his head down, "I can't do that..." he utters.
"Why can't you...?" Kimberly's voice cracks, feeling the tears slowly building up again, "I've told you already. I'm happy with Tom... I-- I-- love him..." she tells him, not looking him directly into his eyes.
"Stop telling me you love him!" he barks, "I don't need to hear you say it repeatedly!" he grabs her once more, pulling her closer, "You may say you're in love with him, but deep down you're still in love with me!" he stares her down.
Kimberly's heart beats like a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at any second. She's looking him deep into his eyes.
"You're still in love with me Kimberly..." he utters once more, staring deeply into her eyes, as if he were looking into her soul.
She pushes him away, "I don't love you..." she replies sternly, her heart ticks away, "I used to-- I've wasted so many years, just falling head over heels for a man like you..." she exhales deeply, "the truth is I've just been blinded all those years.. I mean, Who was I to think that a man like yourself would ever love a woman like me...? A man who will never commit, who can get anyone he desire... How can he possible love a woman like myself?" she takes a breather, "Simple answer-- you don't. Nor will you ever." she chuckles, removing his hands from her arms and slowly begins to walk away.
Dennis quickly grabs her once more, pulling her closer to him, he hugs her tightly, not letting her go, "Listen Kimberly..." he whispers in her ear, "please listen to me and listen carefully..." he hugs her closely.
Kimberly doesn't fight him. She felt powerless, as she closes her eyes tightly, tears streaming down her eyes.
"I... I love you... I love you Kimberly..." he utters sweetly in her ear, pulling her tighter and tighter.
Kimberly immediately opens her eyes, tears stop instantly. She slightly turns her head in the direction of Dennis's mouth.
"Am.. Am I hear this correctly...?" her heart quickly beats harder, against her chest. It beats against Dennis's chest. Lost with words. Those were the words she long to hear. But somehow it didn't seem so pleasant as she had imagine it-- but her stomach filled with butterflies. Everything around her stops moving.
"This must be a dream..." she shakes her head.
He pulls her away, staring deeply into her eyes, "Kimberly, I love you-- Do you hear me?? I'm in love with you... You're the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with..."
She shakes her head, stunned by what she's hearing, jaws drop to the floor, "I don't believe this..."
"Believe it Kimberly... I-- I know I haven been the best person in the world to you... I-- I know I have put you through hell... And all I really want to do is tell to that I am sorry... From the bottom in my heart, sincerely sorry... I deserve every crap you give me..." he tells her.
She stands in front of him in disbelief. Then without thinking, she pulls back her hand and slaps him hard across the face.
Dennis touches his cheek, "I-- I definitely deserve that..."
She winds her hand back again and lets it swing across his face. Tears begins to run down Kimberly's face. She balls a fist, feeling angry about it.
"Is this some kind of sick joke from you..?!" she barks at him, "Why are you trying to break me, Dennis...?" she cries, "Do you get a sick pleasure from seeing me in pain?!" she cries even louder, hitting him more and more but Dennis restrains her hands.
"No, no..." he replies sweetly, "Before I might have... But I'm different now...I assure you... I love you Kimberly... I've been so blind for many years, suppressing my feelings for you... I've-- I've always been afraid.. Afraid of getting hurt so that's why I turn to women, lots of them-- I always thought it's better to leave them before they leave me, so I won't feel any pain... I always wanted the pleasure, using my second head instead of my first head... But-- but you made me realize and you made me see that love is a beautiful thing..."
"Lies!" she cries, staring at him in horror, "they're all lies!"
"They're not lies, Kimberly... I've-- I've never felt anything like this before... For the first time I honestly know what it feels like to be brokenhearted-- I finally feel the pain you have been feeling--"
"The only pain you'll be feeling is this--" she knees him in the groin, and watches him drop down to the ground. He groans in pain, hunched over agony.
"Okay-- I... Deserved... That..." he groans, trying to catch his breath, still hunched over.
She wipes the tears away from her eyes, looks down at him, "You're a little too late Dennis... I've found a man who has loved me from the start... Someone who has shown me nothing but pleasure-- You've only shown me pain and that's all I will know of you and all that will ever come of you..." the tears slowly welling up once again, "You're no Tom, Dennis..."
She gives him one hard stare before walking away. She cries her eyes out as she walks away. Everything around her felt hazy. Her eyes stings from all the tears. She couldn't believe Dennis confessed that he loves her. Nothing's making sense to her right now. It's like a fuzzy dream, where there's no beginning or ending. There's only the middle and she's stuck right in it.
She could hear Dennis calling her name from a distance but she doesn't look back, "I won't let you break me again..." she continues walking, tears still flowing like a water fountain.
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"You're no Tom..." those words lingers in his mind. It hits him hard in the chest and stomach. He's feeling sick to his stomach.
"You're right Kimberly-- I'm no Tom..." he exhales deeply, sitting on the rocks, staring out into the darkness. He thinks about his plan and how it totally failed. She didn't believe him, nor did she accept his apology. How could she? He's put her through so much pain, it'll take a lot to regain her trust and her love.
His body goes numb, unable to think clearly.
"How will he convince her now..?" he ask himself, not sure what more could be done.
He sits alone in the dark for quite some time, pondering in sorrow and heart break. He checks his watch, realizing it's getting late. He rubs his eyes, thinking he needs to sleep on it.
He slowly begins to walk back, slowly making pass the outdoors bar they have. Suddenly he overhears a familiar voice, a giggle he can never forget-- Kimberly's.
He peers at the bar, wondering what's she doing at the bar. She doesn't drink and Yaya's with Barry. As he moves closer, he notices she's surrounded by three guys. His blood boils with fury.
"How could she..?!" he shouts to himself, making his way to the bar. Jealousy rages inside of him as he sees one of the guys gropes Kimberly's derriere.
Dennis walks over to them.
"Kimberly, that's enough. Come with me!" he shouts, pulling her from the small crowd.
"No!" she shouts, giggling like a little girl, pushing Dennis away, "I'm stay...ing... wif my... new... frwends..." she stutters over her words.
"Yeah! She's staying!" the man who groped Kimberly's derriere shouts, wrapping his arm around Kimberly.
Dennis looks at him, smiling mockingly. With a blink of an eye, Dennis's fist went flying across the guy's face, knocking him out cold.
Everyone stops and stares, gasping and just looking.
"St--St-- stop!" Kimberly shouts, trying to hit Dennis.
"You're going back to the room!" he pulls Kimberly by the arm. He turns to the other two guys, who were shaking in their shoes. They shook their heads and carries their friend off the ground and ran.
"Let me go-- let... Me... Go..." Kimberly screams, trying to break free but she could barely scream.
Dennis stops and turns around, "What are you doing?!" he ask in fury.
She stares at him, giggling like a girl. She was beyond intoxicated, "Just... Having... Fuuunnnn!" she throws her head back and laughs, "they... My new... Frwends...!" she shouts.
Kimberly almost takes another stumble, but Dennis catches her.
"Those guys are not your friend!" he shouted, "they were trying to get you drunk! So they could take advantage of you!" he tries to get her attention.
She continues to laugh, "Silly... No... You can't..." she makes no sense.
Dennis gives her a weird look, shaking his head in belief. He's never seen her drunk nor does she drink.
"This isn't like you Kimberly... You don't drink..." he whispers.
Kimberly covers her mouth, getting ready to puke. Dennis helps her to the bushes, where she pukes all of liquor out of her system. Dennis pulls her hair back and rubs her back. Once she was done, she rest Her head on Dennis's chest.
"Kimberly?" he looks down. She has her eyes closes. He takes out his handkerchief and wipes her mouth. He taps her cheek gently, "Kimberly?" she doesn't respond.
He lifts her up, carrying her to her hotel room. Once he was outside her room, he lays her on against the wall and checks her pockets for the room key. Came up empty handed.
"Shit..." he utters. He knocks on the door to her room-- no answer, "Yaya!" he shouts, knocking on the door. Still no answer.
"Where the hell are you Yaya...?" he ask himself.
He glances over at Kimberly, who's laying on the floor now. He looks down the hall of the hotel-- no one's coming anytime soon.
Then he pulls out his room key, opening it quickly and pushing the door open. He carries Kimberly into his hotel room, closing the door behind him with his feet.
"Barry??" he calls, "Hey Barry??" he calls again. No answer, "where the hell is he...?" he was getting frustrated.
Dennis ignores them for now. He had Kimberly to worry about. He lays her down gently on the bed, slowly removing her sandals.
"Kimberly...?" he taps her cheek, trying to wake her up, "Kimberly...?" he calls once more. But she doesn't answer. He places his ear near her chest, making sure she's still breathing.
Weights lifted from his shoulders as he hears her heart still beating. Although she smelled of liquor.
"How much did you drink tonight Kimberly...?" he shakes his head.
He quickly goes into the bathroom, grabbing a small cloth and wetting it. He rushes back to Kimberly's side and gently wiping her down.
She rolls over on the bed, mumbling something Dennis couldn't make out. He moves his head closer to her mouth and listen. She doesn't say anything anymore, but as soon as Dennis slowly pulls away she mumbles, "Tom..."
Dennis's heart drops, remembering what Kimberly has said to him, "You're no Tom..." He's all flustered, staring down at Kimberly, who's drunk and out of it.
He goes into the bathroom to wet the towel again. Out of frustration, he throws the towel into the sink.
"Damn...!" he sighs loudly, looking up and staring at his own reflection. He doesn't recognize himself. A feeling of defeat overcomes him. This is one battle he won't win. He looks over his shoulder, thinking of Kimberly. Grabbing the wet towel, he walks back to Kimberly.
She's hunches up like a ball. As Dennis sits next to her, he wipes her down again. He notice her clothes smell of liquor and cigarettes.
He quickly gets up and goes into his luggage, pulling out his t-shirt.
"How... Uh.. How am I suppose to do this..?" he stares at the shirt and then at Kimberly, feeling his heart beat faster.
He sits on the edge of the bed, holding up Kimberly by the waist. Then he quickly strips her shirt out and quickly puts the clean shirt in her.
He let's out a big sigh once he was done and stares at her. A smile on his face as he thinks of how cute she look in his t-shirt. Then pulls the blanket from under her, and covers over her body. He smiles to himself, watching her sleep so peacefully. Like on the yacht.
He takes her hand and kisses it gently, then leaning over and kissing her gently on the lips, "Sleep tight..." he pushes the strains of hair from her face.
As he gets ready to let Kimberly go, she pulls his arm closer to him, nearly causing him to fall in top of her.
"Don't leave..." she talks in her sleep, "don't leave..." she hugs his arm tighter. He tries to pry her hand off his arm but holds on tight.
Then suddenly, she rolls over, hugging by the waist, "stay... Please stay..." she utters, resting her head on his stomach. He stares down at her, watching her sleep so beautifully,
A grin appears before his face. He adjust him, trying to get comfortable, under the blanket. Kimberly quickly hugs him tighter.
"Don't let me go..." she whispers softly, "please don't let me go..."
Dennis peers down at her, noticing a tear rolling out of her eyes. He wipes gently wipes it away.
"Please don't go..." she utters once more, "Please stay with me... Tom..."
Dennis's heart stops beat. He felt as if he just took his last breath. His body goes numb as he watches Kimberly laying beside him, thinking of Tom.
"Tom... I love you..." she utters, hugging tighter to Dennis.
His mind's unease, feeling angry and sorrow mixed with happiness and heart break.
"I'm not Tom... But I can be for tonight..." he whispers to Kimberly, hugging her tightly, not wanting tomorrow to ever come.
