[cl] 73. Comet picture
[Set in Gorgeous, between the Season 2 finale and the Season 3 premiere. lawyerlarry is used with permission and much love.]
Portsmouth really was beautiful.
It was quiet, and just the little bit isolated that she needed to get over whatever it was that she and Michael had had. She was tired of the mixed signals, tired of him trying to protect her when he didn’t have to. She was probably better off. She should have never gone back to Miami in the first place. Portsmouth was cool, quiet and had people would never throw her away, no matter what was happening in their life. They always wanted her around. Good people who didn’t need to sacrifice things for whatever reason.
She and Larry were sitting up in the lighthouse, watching the stars, and she was curled under his arm, resting her head against his shoulder. She felt safe here. And right then, that was what she needed more than anything else.
“It’s nice out tonight.”
“It is,” he said softly, leaning back on the seat with her. “We haven’t had a night like this in a while.”
“Well, I’m glad it’s clear out, at least. We wouldn’t be able to see the comet otherwise.” She leaned back in the couch again, reaching for the glass of wine in front of her as she turned her eyes back to the sky. “What’d they say? That this one only comes around every century?”
“Yup. Last time for our lifetime,” he replied. “Is it comets you’re supposed to make a wish on?”
“No, I think that’s shooting stars.”
“Riiiiight, right. I remember now.” There was a period of silence, both of them just soaking in the peacefulness of the area, until Larry reached for her shoulder again, pulling her close. “Look, I know I promised to only make you stay through the comet, but if you’re not ready to go-”
“Larry,” she said softly. “I need to get back to my job.”
“I know. I know you do. But, should you decide that you don’t need to go back to your job quite yet … ”
“I need to go, Larry,” she said softly, resting her head against his shoulder again. “I need to start moving on with my life.”
“I know,” he sighed. “I just like having you here. It makes everything feel a little less lonely.”
“Sam’s still here, isn’t he?”
“Yeah, but he’s always running off to hang out with his friends or see his girlfriend-he’s a big college boy now. He doesn’t want to spend time with his old man.”
“He’ll come around eventually.”
“Maybe.” There was another pause as he glanced down at his watch again, before looking up at the sky. “Almost time.” She leaned back to watch, and soon, she saw it, the white streak making its way across the sky and then disappearing from view. It wasn’t much, really, and far less dramatic than people would anticipate, but it was enough. It was a symbol of something, but Bela wasn’t sure what it was yet.
They stayed there for a few minutes before they both got up and started to make their way towards the edge of the stairs for the lighthouse. Larry was moving down ahead of her, and stopped short before turning around to look at her again. “I still think you should stay for a while.”
“I can’t, Larry,” she said with a bit of a laugh. “Really.”
He sighed heavily. “Okay.” He turned around to continue his way back down the stairs again, and he only managed to move a few more steps before there was a crack! and Larry disappeared from view.
“Larry?” she said with a gasp, before starting to run for the stairs. When she got there, she saw Larry groaning at the bottom of the stairs.
“Help,” he whispered, holding up a hand to her.
She groaned herself, burying her face in her hand. “Not again.”
641 words
Portsmouth really was beautiful.
It was quiet, and just the little bit isolated that she needed to get over whatever it was that she and Michael had had. She was tired of the mixed signals, tired of him trying to protect her when he didn’t have to. She was probably better off. She should have never gone back to Miami in the first place. Portsmouth was cool, quiet and had people would never throw her away, no matter what was happening in their life. They always wanted her around. Good people who didn’t need to sacrifice things for whatever reason.
She and Larry were sitting up in the lighthouse, watching the stars, and she was curled under his arm, resting her head against his shoulder. She felt safe here. And right then, that was what she needed more than anything else.
“It’s nice out tonight.”
“It is,” he said softly, leaning back on the seat with her. “We haven’t had a night like this in a while.”
“Well, I’m glad it’s clear out, at least. We wouldn’t be able to see the comet otherwise.” She leaned back in the couch again, reaching for the glass of wine in front of her as she turned her eyes back to the sky. “What’d they say? That this one only comes around every century?”
“Yup. Last time for our lifetime,” he replied. “Is it comets you’re supposed to make a wish on?”
“No, I think that’s shooting stars.”
“Riiiiight, right. I remember now.” There was a period of silence, both of them just soaking in the peacefulness of the area, until Larry reached for her shoulder again, pulling her close. “Look, I know I promised to only make you stay through the comet, but if you’re not ready to go-”
“Larry,” she said softly. “I need to get back to my job.”
“I know. I know you do. But, should you decide that you don’t need to go back to your job quite yet … ”
“I need to go, Larry,” she said softly, resting her head against his shoulder again. “I need to start moving on with my life.”
“I know,” he sighed. “I just like having you here. It makes everything feel a little less lonely.”
“Sam’s still here, isn’t he?”
“Yeah, but he’s always running off to hang out with his friends or see his girlfriend-he’s a big college boy now. He doesn’t want to spend time with his old man.”
“He’ll come around eventually.”
“Maybe.” There was another pause as he glanced down at his watch again, before looking up at the sky. “Almost time.” She leaned back to watch, and soon, she saw it, the white streak making its way across the sky and then disappearing from view. It wasn’t much, really, and far less dramatic than people would anticipate, but it was enough. It was a symbol of something, but Bela wasn’t sure what it was yet.
They stayed there for a few minutes before they both got up and started to make their way towards the edge of the stairs for the lighthouse. Larry was moving down ahead of her, and stopped short before turning around to look at her again. “I still think you should stay for a while.”
“I can’t, Larry,” she said with a bit of a laugh. “Really.”
He sighed heavily. “Okay.” He turned around to continue his way back down the stairs again, and he only managed to move a few more steps before there was a crack! and Larry disappeared from view.
“Larry?” she said with a gasp, before starting to run for the stairs. When she got there, she saw Larry groaning at the bottom of the stairs.
“Help,” he whispered, holding up a hand to her.
She groaned herself, burying her face in her hand. “Not again.”
641 words