Chapter 5
It took her a second or two to recognise him, his hair was now a two-tone mix of brown and bleached streaks, all tousled curls, but neat… but there was no mistaking those cheekbones or those blue eyes.
His voice had got deeper, and he looked SO good in the designer pants and leather jacket. She clocked the Ferrari parked outside too.
“Um, these are for you…I wasn’t sure if you still lived here” Buffy opened and closed her mouth several times, willing her brain to work.
“Come…come in!” She took the proffered cream and pink roses.
“Oh boy, these are beautiful!” Her heart had missed a beat. Several in fact, and her stomach was doing all sorts of gymnastics, she was finding it hard to breathe and not to shake!
“Coffee?”
“Love some!” he followed her into the kitchen.
“Thankyou…these are beautiful – oh their perfume is exquisite!”
“Like you then…gods look at you…” William looked at her, thinking what a really beautiful young woman she’d grown into. Buffy blushed prettily,
“Look at me, look at YOU!” one word summed him up. BREATHTAKING.
They chatted easily, the years fell away and they laughed and remembered.
And Buffy knew that there was this great big thing she’d eventually have to tell him, but she didn’t want to, she wanted to know about him, what he was doing, where he was going, why was he knocking on her door bringing her flowers after five years…
“So, if I hadn’t have still lived here, what would you have done with the roses?” Buffy asked.
“Um…probably gone and put them on Tara’s grave” Buffy felt another guilty stab; they hadn’t been to her grave for…a good six months, none of the gang had, to pay their respects to a friend who died so young at fifteen in an accident.
“Much to my shame, I haven’t been there for a while…I must go, probably overgrown a bit”
“So, you’ve been busy then”
“Yeah…” here goes, Buffy thought, dreading having to tell him that she was going to get married. The front door flew open, and Willow came in like a grinning whirlwind.
“Hey Buffy…There’s a REAL flash car parked outside – and oh, I’ve got drapes for the rehearsal!” She raised her arm to indicate them.
“Oh gods William!” She stood there, agog.
“Hey, hi Red”
“God, look at you! Is that your car outside?”
“Uh huh!” he nodded.
“Wow…”
“So, what’s this rehearsal then?” Spike asked grinning, thinking amateur dramatics or the like.
“Buffy’s getting married in three weeks!” Willow babbled said excitedly. Buffy felt sick, she couldn’t even dredge up the courage to look at William, and he felt like he’d been punched for that matter…I mean, he didn’t think he could just swan in here after five years and take up where they left off, but Buffy getting MARRIED…oh gods…
“Oh…um, oh. Who –erm, who’s the um…lucky chap?” he forced out, trying to keep it light
“Angel” Willow said still grinning
“Angel? As in Angel Stebson?” William wanted to add, that loser? But he obviously couldn’t.
“I thought that we could tie this heavy one around your waist, to act like the train, and put the lace one on your head like the veil” Willow said, offering the drapes to Buffy.
Buffy hadn’t smiled at all, and William had noticed this.
“Willow…would you mind, I’ve got an awful headache, and I want to rest a while” Buffy turned away from both of them, she was near to tears.
“Oh…erm, s-sure, okay, I can come back later…” she felt a little deflated, and William also stood.
“Well, if you feel ill, I’d better be go-“
“Please William there’s something I um, I want to show you…I’ll see you later Willow” Buffy said pointedly to her friend
“Oh…Ok, bye, bye then, William…great to see you!” Buffy was SO glad Willow took the hint.
“Yes, and you Red, bye” she left. William looked at her.
“Buffy…tell me to mind my own business…but you don’t look like somebody whose about to get married in three weeks” he could ALWAYS see through her.
She turned tearful eyes on him, and he just melted, and put his arms around her, and at once, they both felt like they’d come home. She felt a peace that had evaded her since he’d left five years ago.
The floodgates opened, and it all came pouring out.
“Oh Will…I don’t love him…I hate my dress, and veil, I don’t know over three-quarters of the guests, I don’t even know what it is were eating at the reception as it’s all in French…I’m sick of working and working, and all HE can do is spend my hard earned on beer trying to buy his way into the pool team because he’s got this crazy idea that he’s Paul Newman’s Hustler, when in truth, even I can beat him blindfold with one hand tied behind my back! ………………
He listened patiently while she ranted, just holding her. She finished up, and looked up to his chin! And, and, and you’ve grown!” she smiled up at him, and then she tucked her head under his chin and cuddled in. William held her tight.
“Then you must stop it love…put an end, right now”
“But…well, mom’ll go spare…Dawn will have a fit…dad will loose thousands of dollars over a reception he’s not even coming to, and-“
“AND… nothing. Listen love, you can’t live this altruistic life.
It’s YOUR future happiness, you can’t marry somebody because a receptions paid for, or because your kid sister will have a fit as she’s not going to be bridesmaid” Buffy sniffed.
“I know…so how do I tell them?”
“Bite the bullet babe, tell them now, today this isn’t The Graduate, don’t leave it until the wedding day, even if you don’t love Angel, he deserves to be told, and the sooner the better”
When William called her ‘Babe’ it took her back.
“Your right”
“Look, I’m here for a week at this hotel, and then I should be moving to my new offices on Mulholland Drive”
“Mulholland- Wow! What do you do?” William smiled enigmatically.
“Oh, bit of this, bit of that…if you need anything, and I mean ANYTHING, money, a place to stay, an ear to listen, a sanctum…call me, promise? – Even if this turns out to be pre-wedding nerves, and you change your mind and want to go through with it, and marry the sod, call me”
Buffy nodded and said a little above a whisper,
“I promise” She couldn’t help it; she reached up on tiptoe, and softly kissed his lips.
She mewled, sweet god in heaven! Her legs almost buckled. It took Herculean effort on William’s part not to deepen the kiss. He stayed her by holding her shoulders, but his thumbs massaged the top of her arms
“Buffy…if things change with you, your situation, then we have all the time in the world” She swallowed and nodded again.
“I’ll hear from you, soon I hope…very soon…I hope with all my heart, soon, remember, you promised me” he kissed his finger and pressed it to her lips, and then he left.
Buffy felt elated, and upset and confused and dazed…and the only thing she could think of was being in William’s arms and kissing him. The phone ringing brought her out of her reverie.
“Buffy…are you alright?” Joyce asked
“Um, yeah, yeah why?”
“Only Willow said I should ring you, you weren’t well”
“Oh. I’ve got a bit of a headache, that’s all”
“Ok, I’ll be home early tonight, for the rehearsal”
“About that mom”
“Sorry love, I must go, somebody wants to buy something, I’ll see you later bye” Buffy put the phone down, and pressed ‘speed-dial’ for Willow.
“Hello”
“Will? Sorry to make you yo-yo, but could you come over…I need to talk to someone”
“Be right over” Ten minutes later, Willow came in. Buffy already had them two soda’s poured and she was sitting at the dining table with her head propped on her hand, elbow on the table.
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