HE'LL BE THERE FOREVER

by

Douglas Campbell

As the bus pulled in Kyle spotted Lena standing alone in front of the station door, the only person willing to wait out in the cold. She smiled and waved, shapeless and comical in her big puffy coat, a stocking cap gripping her head. But he hadn't forgotten the splendor beneath all that bundling: the perfect smooth curves of hips and ass, the soft, smothering warmth of her full breasts.

In half an hour, he thought, we'll be in bed together.

Lena swept into his arms as soon as his feet hit the pavement, and he had to waltz her aside so the passengers coming behind him could get off the bus. In her embrace he nuzzled up under her stocking cap to inhale her flowery hair again and kiss her little ear.

"I never dreamed six weeks could drag like that," she said.

"God almighty," he said, "it was an eternity."

"I want you," she whispered. "Let's go."

He grabbed his backpack and they headed down Bridge Street toward her apartment, holding hands. A polar wind gusted into their faces, pouring through his sweatshirt.

"Christ, I'm not dressed for this," he said. "It was forty degrees warmer in Georgia!"

Lena stopped and pulled him around to face her, then took his head in her mittened hands and kissed him, her tongue smooth, probing, and warm. "You're going to be plenty hot in a few minutes," she said. "That's a promise."

"My god, you're gorgeous," he said. "Come on, let's move!"

They set off again, practically running, but when they reached Riverside Avenue, half a block from her apartment, Lena stopped suddenly and pointed down the street.

"Oh no, there's that poor guy again," she said.

"What guy?"

"That 'Will Work For Food' guy."

Far down the street Kyle saw a tall, thin man holding a sign above his head toward the oncoming traffic and stamping his legs against the cold.

"We've got to do something for him, Kyle."

Kyle hugged himself and started stamping his own legs. "Now? You're kidding, right?"

"No, I'm not kidding. He's been out there for the past week. It's pitiful."

"But what are you going to hire him to do? Your landlord takes care of everything."

"I'm not going to hire him." She spun and faced Kyle. "Do you have any cash?"

"Thirty bucks or so."

"Let's go give it to him."

"You want me to walk way the hell down there, freezing my ass off, to hand all my cash to a total stranger? When I could be in bed with you? Does the word 'promise' ring a bell?"

"But look at him -- he doesn't have anything on but a thin jacket."

"Neither do I!"

"Oh god, I'm sorry." Lena stepped close to Kyle and drew him into her arms. "Sweetheart, you're shivering."

"From head to toe," Kyle said. "I need to get inside."

"Inside me?" Lena said.

"That would be lovely."

She kissed him again, and this time they drew it out, lingering in the rapture, the cold air around them seeming to amplify the focused heat of lips and tongues.

"God, I can almost feel you inside me already," Lena whispered when she pulled away. "Let's go."

They crossed Riverside Avenue, jogging now as they covered the homestretch.

"I don't know what I was thinking," Lena said. "It's just that I've been driving past that guy every evening after work, and I feel so guilty."

"If he's been there a week, he'll be there tomorrow," Kyle said. "He'll be there forever. Or someone just like him. We'll come out tomorrow and give him the thirty bucks."

Lena glanced at him with a mock pout. "I'm not sure I like that idea."

"You just told me how guilty you feel."

"I know -- but I kind of had a special plan for the weekend."

By that time they'd reached the steps that led up to Lena's apartment, both of them red-cheeked and winded from running and talking.

"So tell me the plan," Kyle managed to say, catching his breath.

"I've got six bottles of good wine," Lena said, "and six movies rented. I've got coffee cakes and Starbucks for breakfast, and I figure we can order out for Chinese and pizza. In other words, I thought we'd spend the weekend more or less in bed."

"Wow," Kyle said. "Could you please help me up these steps? My head's spinning."

Lena laughed and ran up the stairs, tugging Kyle along with her. "I was hoping you might have the same plan," she said as she unlocked her door and swung it open for him.

Kyle smiled and touched the tip of her nose as he went in.

"I do now," he said.

§ § §

After many years of wandering and dreaming, Doug has actually managed to hold down a full-time job for the last 13 years with the West Virginia University Libraries in Morgantown, WV.

He lives in 75-year-old bungalow that has taught him many lessons about patience and forbearance. Besides writing, Doug enjoys attempting to play Bach, or a reasonable facsimile thereof, on the guitar.

He can be reached via email at:dcampbel@wvu.edu. .

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