#bye i just noticed the palette switch between them

[emoreooo]

first year vs. seventh year🍓

[dreamlover31]

Love Will Find a Way: Chapter 26

The warm, sweet taste of caramel trickled down her throat from the Styrofoam mug locked between her lips; the ever-present odor of coffee grounds and the chatter of local patrons filtered throughout the small enclosure.

The flaky croissant laid aimlessly on top of the plate; her fingers picking at it like you would a scab that was trying to heal, she sat at a table that was parked towards the back; her eyes surveyed the surroundings and slowly made their way back to the window, where she watched bystanders pass her by without a second glance.

At that moment, she spotted an all too familiar face, the tall medium build man who attended her baby shower extended a small wave; to which she reciprocated. Her dark brown iris’ traced his movements, from when he entered the establishment to the point where he stood in front of her, after an exchange of nervous smiles, Sean pulled out the chair and sat down.

“Hey”

“Hey”

“Hope you didn’t wait too long”

“No…thanks”

“Listen, I’m glad you called…for a minute there I was worried that you’d written me off completely”

“No…I’ve been meaning to call, it’s just that…well things have been a little hectic lately”

“Hey, I get it. So, is Rafael going to be joining us?”

“Sorry, but he’s working on a pretty big case now…it takes up a lot of his time…” Alexa’s face saddened as she lost eye contact with Sean, the change in her demeanor caused a look of concern on Sean’s face; his hand slid across the table and landed on top of hers in a comforting gesture. Immediately, their eyes regained contact.

“Is everything ok? I mean, I know it’s none of my business but…”

“No, it’s ok…I can’t keep things bottled up, can I?”

Sean folded his arms on top of the table as he gave Alexa a reassuring nod, she took a moment to collect her thoughts, from there; the buildup of loneliness and frustration faltered with her telling’s of how Rafael seemed to focus on his job more than the responsibilities at home. The continuation of her account of events caused a few tears to form, at one point, she turned away from Sean and blinked to stop them from streaming down her cheeks; the same hand that held hers earlier made a place on Alexa’s shoulder in another gesture of comfort and sympathy.

“Hey…hey, it’s going to be ok”

“I mean, I know I should be more patient with him. His job asks a lot of him, but at the same time…I feel like I’m going through this pregnancy by myself”

Even though she wasn’t a part of his life anymore, there was something inside Sean that still cared for her, and it pained him dearly to see this strong, courageous woman reduced to a weeping mess. Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, an idea formed in his head.

“You know, Central Park’s not too far from here…maybe we could go for a walk, a little fresh air might do you some good”

Alexa nodded in agreement at his suggestion, one of the baristas walked by their table just as they were getting ready to leave, Sean signaled to the young woman and asked if she could fix a to go bag for the tea and croissant that Alexa had yet to finish.

The woman informed him that she’d be back with his request shortly, as soon as it was recieved, the contents of her meal were placed inside. Outside of the coffee shop, Sean whistled for a cab and instantly one drove up in front of them, upon entering the vehicle, instructions were given to the cabbie to deliver them to Central Park, a good 20 minutes passed just as they reached one of its prominent entrances.

Once he received his tip, Sean headed out first, then went around to the other passenger side door where he carefully lifted Alexa from the cab; the yellow vehicle drove off the moment they reached the sidewalk. During their stroll through the vast landscape with its picturesque scenery, a newfound sense of calmness and wellbeing overtook Alexa, then as if a spark had been lit; she began to converse with Sean about his new life, as well as his relationship with Sonny’s cousin.

Essentially, he became an open book with her, as he shared stories of the intimate and special occasions they’ve enjoyed as a couple; Alexa was reminiscent of the many times that Rafael treated her to romantic dinners or displayed small tokens of affection.

Their light-hearted laughs echoed along the trail, for the first time in a while, she felt the blissful tenderness associated with having someone to share her innermost thoughts and provide comfort/ reassurance. As the hours ticked away, daylight began to fade against the Manhattan skyline, Alexa noticed the dwindling sunlight and quickly glanced down at her watch, then gasped at the lateness of the hour.

“Oh, my god, I better get going, Rafael could be home any minute”

“Alright, I get you a cab”

The two of them returned to the entrance where they originally entered, Sean waved down an oncoming cab, after she was seated; Alexa relayed to the cabbie her intended destination. Before it could depart, Sean looked over at her, he expressed how much he enjoyed their time together and reiterated that he was always willing to lend a sympathetic ear; a smile of appreciation graced her face, then she offered that they should set up another time to meet.

“Yeah, that sounds great”

“Alright, I’ll call you with the details”

The cab drove away from the curb as Alexa and Sean waved good bye to each other, from that day forward, the former lovers became practically joined at the hip. Whenever Rafael worked late, Alexa invited Sean for days where they could sample some of the exotic cuisines at the numerous restaurants in Manhattan, enjoy the various theatrical productions on Broadway or gaze at the collection of art at one of the museums.

On one of the nights that she was left in the solitude of the brownstone, Alexa took it upon herself to allow Sean to come over, when he arrived; she smiled gleefully then gestured him inside. He scanned over the layout of the two adjoining rooms and became in awe at the overall design, and placement of every piece of furniture.

“Wow, this place is amazing, did you hire an interior decorator?”

Alexa laughed, “No, we did this all ourselves”

“Still, it’s pretty good”

“Wait until you see the upstairs”

Acting like an impromptu tour guide, she leads Sean up the stairs, the bathrooms and master bedroom were up to par in the sense that they were styled in a normal fashion, but as Alexa put it, the true masterpiece was the nursery.

The light switch flipped on to showcase the oak finished dresser that sat next to the doorway, the changing table planted at the far corner, the antique rocking chair that stood by the window and the crib; with the same oak finish as the dresser, propped up against the wall on the right side of the room. The walls were covered in a coat of light purple and soft blue palettes, Alexa sauntered over to the crib where her fingers grazed along its wooden texture, a soft smile stretched across her face while memories of the day that she and Rafael built the frame of the bed that their daughter would lay came into fruition.

A small toolbox sat beside him as they held up one of the bars, with a small screwdriver in hand, every piece was inserted and screwed into the right slot; while at the same time, his body shifted from one position to another; his posterior became an immediate source of attention to the mother to be, Alexa ogled at him like a horny teenager.

The event that followed the completion of their daughter’s crib involved a lot of tender kisses and the sensuous, passionate exploration of their bodies. Gradually, her mind made it back to the present, she finished showing Sean around before they retired to the living room; they sat on opposite ends of the couch but remained at a close distance.

“I got to tell Lex, you have a good thing going here”

“I know…hey, listen…I want to thank you for everything, I’ve really enjoyed spending time with you and I appreciate you letting me bitch about my problems”

Sean chuckled, “It’s no trouble believe me, I know this isn’t easy for you…but I’m always here if you need me”

“You know it’s funny, I can’t even remember the last time Rafael and I sat down and talked about anything…or even the last time we held each other, every time he comes home…he just passes out on the bed”

The look of sadness that haunted her that day at the coffee shop returned, but Sean moved in and cupped his finger under her chin, he tilted Alexa’s head so that it was facing his.

“Things are going to get better, I promise”

The kindness and sincerity of his words allowed a bright smile to form on Alexa’s face, then as if her body had a mind of its own, her arms wrapped around Sean in a hug. The warmth of another person’s body caused a sensation of closeness and security, as they slowly released from their embrace, Alexa met Sean eyes.

The energy that was coming from his dark blue orbs pulled her into a deep trance, all that she felt was the attentiveness and warm hearted tenderness that had long been forgotten, suddenly, her lips ghosted his. In a split second, Alexa pressed her soft, gentle lips on to Sean’s; an image of Rafael flashed through her closed eyelids and at that moment, Alexa pushed herself away from him.

“Oh, my god, what am I doing?”

“I’m sorry…I should have…”

“No, I’m the one that needs to apologize…you’ve been really nice to me and I’m feeling very vulnerable right now…her voice trailed off, but right then, an overwhelming sense of dread washed over her as a small shiver ran down her spine; Alexa felt like she was being watched. She turned to face the entryway of the living room where a tall figure wearing a three-piece suit and carrying a briefcase stood, the expression on her face was one of pure horror when it became apparent that it was Rafael. The look in his eyes culminated into one of pain and murderous rage.

“Rafi!”

“What the hell is this?!”

Alexa and Sean leapt from the couch in a manner that two teenagers would if their parents walked in on them making out, she held up her hands to convey to him that he needed to calm down, meanwhile, Sean positioned himself behind Rafael while Alexa kept the focus of his rage on her.

“I know this looks bad, but right now I need you to take a breath and not do anything stupid”

“Why the hell is Carisi’s cousin’s boyfriend in my living room kissing my pregnant girlfriend?!”

Alexa’s eyes welled up, she struggled to explain to him that this minor discretion was the result of her being overwhelmed with loneliness and despair and that Sean was blameless in all of it, but then he intervened.

“Look, this isn’t her fault…I took advantage of a vulnerable, young pregnant woman…right at that moment, Rafael’s fist connected with Sean’s face, as he fell to the ground; Alexa screamed. In a daze, Sean tried to regain his footing while he was nursing his throbbing jaw, meanwhile, Rafael reestablished eye contact with Alexa, his face contorted into one of pain and hurt.

“How long has this been going on?”

“Nothing has been going on…we’ve just been hanging out…and he was there for me when you couldn’t be. Rafi…please believe me when I tell you that I love you and only you” she cradled his face in her hands, eyes pleading with him to listen and believe her words; but alas, Rafael took his hands into hers and pushed them away. In that same instant, he stormed upstairs and into their bedroom, but not before he slammed the door; tears began to stream down Alexa’s face just as Sean was about to approach her.

“Don’t…just don’t”

It was then that Rafael reappeared with a suitcase in his hand, without so much as a cursory glance, his hand grabbed the doorknob; he was halfway out the door when Alexa begged:

“Please don’t leave, I’m sorry…I’m really sorry”

He said nothing.

“Rafi, please say something…just talk to me”

“I’m sorry…I can’t even look at you…I…I have to go”

The door closed behind him, Alexa broke down and started sobbing, Sean attempted to offer to go after Rafael, but was shut down. He insisted that she shouldn’t be left alone but once again, Alexa didn’t waiver; after Sean’s departure, she crept upstairs and curled up on the bed. Throughout the rest of the night, Alexa cried harder than she ever had in her entire life; her pillow drenched in tears…what have I done?

Tagging: @madpanda75 @laceybellerain @southern-magnolia @tropes-and-tales @itsjustmyfantasyroom @karens-imagined-world @beccabarba @thatesqcrush @madamsnape921 @skittle479

[dreamlover31]

Love Will Find a Way: Chapter 26

The warm, sweet taste of caramel trickled down her throat from the Styrofoam mug locked between her lips; the ever-present odor of coffee grounds and the chatter of local patrons filtered throughout the small enclosure. The flaky croissant laid aimlessly on top of the plate; her fingers picking at it like you would a scab that was trying to heal, she sat at a table that was parked towards the back; her eyes surveyed the surroundings and slowly made their way back to the window, where she watched bystanders pass her by without a second glance.

At that moment, she spotted an all too familiar face, the tall medium build man who attended her baby shower extended a small wave; to which she reciprocated. Her dark brown iris’ traced his movements, from when he entered the establishment to the point where he stood in front of her, after an exchange of nervous smiles, Sean pulled out the chair and sat down.  

“Hey”

“Hey”

“Hope you didn’t wait too long”

“No…thanks”

“Listen, I’m glad you called…for a minute there I was worried that you’d written me off completely”

“No…I’ve been meaning to call, it’s just that…well things have been a little hectic lately”

“Hey, I get it. So, is Rafael going to be joining us?”

“Sorry, but he’s working on a pretty big case now…it takes up a lot of his time…” Alexa’s face saddened as she lost eye contact with Sean, the change in her demeanor caused a look of concern on Sean’s face; his hand slid across the table and landed on top of hers in a comforting gesture. Immediately, their eyes regained contact.

“Is everything ok? I mean, I know it’s none of my business but…”

“No, it’s ok…I can’t keep things bottled up, can I?”

Sean folded his arms on top of the table as he gave Alexa a reassuring nod, she took a moment to collect her thoughts, from there; the buildup of loneliness and frustration faltered with her telling’s of how Rafael seemed to focus on his job more than the responsibilities at home.

The continuation of her account of events caused a few tears to form, at one point, she turned away from Sean and blinked to stop them from streaming down her cheeks; the same hand that held hers earlier made a place on Alexa’s shoulder in another gesture of comfort and sympathy.

“Hey…hey, it’s going to be ok”

“I mean, I know I should be more patient with him. His job asks a lot of him, but at the same time…I feel like I’m going through this pregnancy by myself”

Even though she wasn’t a part of his life anymore, there was something inside Sean that still cared for her, and it pained him dearly to see this strong, courageous woman reduced to a weeping mess. Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, an idea formed in his head.

“You know, Central Park’s not too far from here…maybe we could go for a walk, a little fresh air might do you some good”

Alexa nodded in agreement at his suggestion, one of the baristas walked by their table just as they were getting ready to leave, Sean signaled to the young woman and asked if she could fix a to go bag for the tea and croissant that Alexa had yet to finish. The woman informed him that she’d be back with his request shortly, as soon as it was received, the contents of her meal were placed inside.

Outside of the coffee shop, Sean whistled for a cab and instantly one drove up in front of them, upon entering the vehicle, instructions were given to the cabbie to deliver them to Central Park, a good 20 minutes passed just as they reached one of its prominent entrances.

Once he received his tip, Sean headed out first, then went around to the other passenger side door where he carefully lifted Alexa from the cab; the yellow vehicle drove off the moment they reached the sidewalk. During their stroll through the vast landscape with its picturesque scenery, a newfound sense of calmness and wellbeing overtook Alexa, then as if a spark had been lit; she began to converse with Sean about his new life, as well as his relationship with Sonny’s cousin.

Essentially, he became an open book with her, as he shared stories of the intimate and special occasions they’ve enjoyed as a couple; Alexa was reminiscent of the many times that Rafael treated her to romantic dinners or displayed small tokens of affection. Their light-hearted laughs echoed along the trail, for the first time in a while, she felt the blissful tenderness associated with having someone to share her innermost thoughts and provide comfort/ reassurance. As the hours ticked away, daylight began to fade against the Manhattan skyline, Alexa noticed the dwindling sunlight and quickly glanced down at her watch, then gasped at the lateness of the hour.

“Oh, my god, I better get going, Rafael could be home any minute”

“Alright, I get you a cab”

The two of them returned to the entrance where they originally entered, Sean waved down an oncoming cab, after she was seated; Alexa relayed to the cabbie her intended destination. Before it could depart, Sean looked over at her, he expressed how much he enjoyed their time together and reiterated that he was always willing to lend a sympathetic ear; a smile of appreciation graced her face, then she offered that they should set up another time to meet.

“Yeah, that sounds great”

“Alright, I’ll call you with the details”

The cab drove away from the curb as Alexa and Sean waved good bye to each other, from that day forward, the former lovers became practically joined at the hip. Whenever Rafael worked late, Alexa invited Sean for days where they could sample some of the exotic cuisines at the numerous restaurants in Manhattan, enjoy the various theatrical productions on Broadway or gaze at the collection of art at one of the museums.

On one of the nights that she was left in the solitude of the brownstone, Alexa took it upon herself to allow Sean to come over, when he arrived; she smiled gleefully then gestured him inside. He scanned over the layout of the two adjoining rooms and became in awe at the overall design, and placement of every piece of furniture.

“Wow, this place is amazing, did you hire an interior decorator?”

Alexa laughed, “No, we did this all ourselves”

“Still, it’s pretty good”

“Wait until you see the upstairs”

Acting like an impromptu tour guide, she leads Sean up the stairs, the bathrooms and master bedroom were up to par in the sense that they were styled in a normal fashion, but as Alexa put it, the true masterpiece was the nursery. The light switch flipped on to showcase the oak finished dresser that sat next to the doorway, the changing table planted at the far corner, the antique rocking chair that stood by the window and the crib; with the same oak finish as the dresser, propped up against the wall on the right side of the room.

The walls were covered in a coat of light purple and soft blue palettes, Alexa sauntered over to the crib where her fingers grazed along its wooden texture, a soft smile stretched across her face while memories of the day that she and Rafael built the frame of the bed that their daughter would lay came into fruition.

A small toolbox sat beside him as they held up one of the bars, with a small screwdriver in hand, every piece was inserted and screwed into the right slot; while at the same time, his body shifted from one position to another; his posterior became an immediate source of attention to the mother to be, Alexa ogled at him like a horny teenager. The event that followed the completion of their daughter’s crib involved a lot of tender kisses and the sensuous, passionate exploration of their bodies.

Gradually, her mind made it back to the present, she finished showing Sean around before they retired to the living room; they sat on opposite ends of the couch but remained at a close distance.

“I got to tell Lex, you have a good thing going here”

“I know…hey, listen…I want to thank you for everything, I’ve really enjoyed spending time with you and I appreciate you letting me bitch about my problems”

Sean chuckled, “It’s no trouble believe me, I know this isn’t easy for you…but I’m always here if you need me”

“You know it’s funny, I can’t even remember the last time Rafael and I sat down and talked about anything…or even the last time we held each other, every time he comes home…he just passes out on the bed”

The look of sadness that haunted her that day at the coffee shop returned, but Sean moved in and cupped his finger under her chin, he tilted Alexa’s head so that it was facing his.

“Things are going to get better, I promise”

The kindness and sincerity of his words allowed a bright smile to form on Alexa’s face, then as if her body had a mind of its own, her arms wrapped around Sean in a hug. The warmth of another person’s body caused a sensation of closeness and security, as they slowly released from their embrace, Alexa met Sean eyes. The energy that was coming from his dark blue orbs pulled her into a deep trance, all that she felt was the attentiveness and warm hearted tenderness that had long been forgotten, suddenly, her lips ghosted his.

In a split second, Alexa pressed her soft, gentle lips on to Sean’s; an image of Rafael flashed through her closed eyelids and at that moment, Alexa pushed herself away from him.

“Oh, my god, what am I doing?”

“I’m sorry…I should have…”

“No, I’m the one that needs to apologize…you’ve been really nice to me and I’m feeling very vulnerable right now…her voice trailed off, but right then, an overwhelming sense of dread washed over her as a small shiver ran down her spine; Alexa felt like she was being watched.

She turned to face the entryway of the living room where a tall figure wearing a three-piece suit and carrying a briefcase stood, the expression on her face was one of pure horror when it became apparent that it was Rafael. The look in his eyes culminated into one of pain and murderous rage.

“Rafi!”

“What the hell is this?!”

Alexa and Sean leapt from the couch in a manner that two teenagers would if their parents walked in on them making out, she held up her hands to convey to him that he needed to calm down, meanwhile, Sean positioned himself behind Rafael while Alexa kept the focus of his rage on her.

“I know this looks bad, but right now I need you to take a breath and not do anything stupid”

“Why the hell is Carisi’s cousin’s boyfriend in my living room kissing my pregnant girlfriend?!”

Alexa’s eyes welled up, she struggled to explain to him that this minor discretion was the result of her being overwhelmed with loneliness and despair and that Sean was blameless in all of it, but then he intervened.

“Look, this isn’t her fault…I took advantage of a vulnerable, young pregnant woman…right at that moment, Rafael’s fist connected with Sean’s face, as he fell to the ground; Alexa screamed. In a daze, Sean tried to regain his footing while he was nursing his throbbing jaw, meanwhile, Rafael reestablished eye contact with Alexa, his face contorted into one of pain and hurt.

“How long has this been going on?”

“Nothing has been going on…we’ve just been hanging out…and he was there for me when you couldn’t be. Rafi…please believe me when I tell you that I love you and only you” she cradled his face in her hands, eyes pleading with him to listen and believe her words; but alas, Rafael took his hands into hers and pushed them away. In that same instant, he stormed upstairs and into their bedroom, but not before he slammed the door; tears began to stream down Alexa’s face just as Sean was about to approach her.

“Don’t…just don’t”

It was then that Rafael reappeared with a suitcase in his hand, without so much as a cursory glance, his hand grabbed the doorknob; he was halfway out the door when Alexa begged:

“Please don’t leave, I’m sorry…I’m really sorry”

He said nothing.

“Rafi, please say something…just talk to me”

“I’m sorry…I can’t even look at you…I…I have to go”

The door closed behind him, Alexa broke down and started sobbing, Sean attempted to offer to go after Rafael, but was shut down. He insisted that she shouldn’t be left alone but once again, Alexa didn’t waiver; after Sean’s departure, she crept upstairs and curled up on the bed. Throughout the rest of the night, Alexa cried harder than she ever had in her entire life; her pillow drenched in tears…what have I done?