Chapter 59: After the Fall
Terry
came back into the apartment after driving around and calming himself down a
bit. He saw Dom sitting on the couch, her bags sitting under the window as she
waited for her ride to the airport. He sat a respectful distance away from her.
Dom tensed initially and guilt stabbed Terry in the gut. He breathed past it
and said he was sorry.
Dom
didn’t acknowledge him. She kept staring out of the window as if he hadn’t
spoken.
“I
mean it, Dom. I am so, so sorry for hitting you.” He said. “It’s just that…I…I
didn’t want to lose you.”
“And
hitting me…,” Dom replied softly. “…would help you keep me?”
“I
don’t know what I was thinking…”
“I’d
say you weren’t thinking, period,” Dom answered.
Terry
paused for a moment. Finally, he admitted she was right. He knelt in front of
her and gently took her hand. Dom flinched and tensed up, which caused guilt and
shame to bleed inside Terry, but she eventually relaxed.
“I
know I don’t deserve it, but I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive
me.” Terry began.
“I
don’t know if I can do that.” Dom said. “I know I hurt you and I didn’t confide
in you or the group about what my plans were, but that doesn’t give you the
right to treat me like shit and hit me just because you’re angry with me.”
“What
d’you expect?” Terry stood and walked over to the window. “I’m not gonna act
like I’m all good with you signing a deal without us…without me.”
“I’m
not gonna forget about you or the band, Terry.” Dom insisted. “I’m gonna talk
about how good you guys are and help you get a deal. I won’t leave y’all
hanging.”
Terry
scoffed and said, “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
“It’s
like that now?” Dom asked. “So much for the trust, huh?”
“Why
should I?” Terry asked. “It’s not like you were being completely honest with me
or anyone else in the band.”
“Honesty,
huh? How about the fact that you’re jealous and controlling? You kinda
neglected to mention that to me when we got started; Or that you’re a weak
little boy who hits women? I could’ve used a heads up about that,” Dom spat.
“We’re
not talking about me,” Terry groused.
“Well,
I am. You need to pull the two by four outta your eye before you try to gouge
out the wood chip in mine.” Dom paused and took a deep breath. “Look, Terry,
we’ve both done some crappy things to each other. I’m sorry and I don’t want to
leave with things unresolved. Do you?”
Terry
sat, turned away from her and his arms crossed in front of him. He didn’t say
anything or look at her, he just sat there. She called his name but she didn’t
get a response, only more silence. Just then, a horn blew outside. Saved by my ride, Dom thought to
herself.
Dom got up and gathered her bags. She stood in
front of Terry for a moment and said, “Anything else to say, before I go?”
Terry
was silent.
Dom
shook her head and started for the door.
“Don’t
go.” Terry said. Dom looked back and saw the raw and naked pleading on his
face. She stepped to him and they awkwardly hugged.
“I
need to go, Terry,” Dom stated.
He
sighed. “I don’t want you to go. I know you have to, but…just wait a minute.
Please.” Dom sighed and nodded. Terry left the room and came back with a small
package. He held it out to Dom, who reluctantly took it.
“You
don’t have to open it now,” Terry said.”Wait until you get to L.A.” Dom nodded
and Terry gathered her into a slightly less awkward hug. The horn bumped
again. They broke apart and Dom told
Terry goodbye as she walked out of the door.
(c)2015 Courtney & W. L. Sherrod
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