Love's Flames

Love's Flames

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. I ran to the hose and turned the water on, spraying the fire out. Cursing to myself, I see how close the leaves were to my house and I know that they were set alight on purpose. But who would do such a thing? I had just moved into my house a week prior. I haven't even had a chance yet to meet my neighbors.

A man comes out of the house next to mine. “What happened?” He asks.

“I'm not certain. I was inside my house when I smelled smoke and I came running outside.”

“Someone set this,” he says as he lifts up a cigarette butt that was used to set my leaves on fire.

“Yeah, that is the same conclusion I came to myself. My name is Lily by the way,” I say as I offered my hand to the stranger to shake.

He takes one look at my hand and scowls. Refusing to take my hand he stomps off to his house and tosses out over his shoulder: “Maybe you better take better care next time.” And then he slams his door shut.

Wow, he just blew me off and acted as if the fire was my fault. I stomp back into my house and shut the door. To get my mind off of what just happened, I start to clean. I start with the windows and as I am wiping away the glass cleaner; I see the man get into his pickup truck and drive away. For the first time, I notice that my new next door neighbor is ruggedly handsome with dark brown hair and blue sparkling eyes.

“Too bad he's such a jerk,” I tell myself as I move onto the next window. I'm still feeling frustrated, so, I go over to my CD player and turn on some Frank Sinatra. As “Fly Me to the Moon” plays I start getting into the swinging rhythm of the song and sing along. I grab my broom and start dancing with it while sweeping.

I look up to see my neighbor staring at me through the now clean windows. “ARGHHH!” I scream as seeing his face has caught me off guard. I run to the door and rip it open. “What do you think you're doing?” I shout at him, not caring that I barely even know this man.

He grimaces at me. “I deserve that. I realized I wasn't very kind to you earlier and I came to apologize. I tried the door but the music was on and I didn't think you heard me. So, I peeked through the window. I am so sorry. Please forgive me.”

I look up at him. He's a whole head and shoulders taller than me. And at 5 foot ten, I am usually the taller one in the relationship, so it's nice to find a guy taller than I am. “You're forgiven,” I tell him while still trying to catch my breath. “I'm sorry I yelled at you. You scared the dickens out of me!”

“Maybe we should start over. First off, my name is Elijah, your next door neighbor. May I come in?”

“Absolutely, please make yourself at home.”

After sitting down across from me he says, “So, Lily, what is it that brought you here?”

“Well, I just divorced my husband and I needed a fresh start. What about you, Elijah? Have you lived here long?”

“Yes, I have lived here all of my life. And before you ask, no, I have never married. I haven't found the right one yet.”

“What do you do?”

“I'm a writer for a nature magazine. And in my off time, I help harvest Christmas trees and Pumpkins for the holidays.”

“Funnily enough, I am also a writer, but I write books. Different kinds of romance, suspense, psychological thrillers: whatever catches my fancy.”

“Wait...What? You write books? And your name is Lily? Your last name wouldn't happen to be Roberts, would it?”

“Actually, yes, it is. Have you read some of my books?”

He gapes at me. “I love your books! They're of my favorite guilty pleasures,”

“Well, it's always nice to meet a fan,” I smile at him.

“This is truly unbelievable!” He says as he hops up from the couch and starts pacing back and forth in my living room. “I had no idea!”

“Elijah, calm down. It's not like I'm Batman or something.” I chuckle. “I am just as ordinary as the rest of the human race, believe you me. I write books, I read books, I review books. The whole lot. I love my job. In fact, I feel as though the written word is so fulfilling in my life. It helps me to expel the demons in my life and let everything out. So then it's out there and I can walk away from my troubles. Better than therapy,” I say as I cackle to myself.

“I cannot imagine you having any enemies let alone demons.”

“You'd be surprised. I did tell you I was divorced. You don't divorce people for being nice.”

He chuckles again. “No, you certainly don't. Does your ex husband know where you live now?”

“Not that I am aware of but with modern technology it wouldn't be that difficult. So, technically, yes he could know where I live. It wasn't a civil split. He was abusive and I couldn't take it anymore.

“Aren't you worried?”

“No, I am not worried. I keep odd hours and I spend most of my days awake and writing. So, I should be able to smell the smoke should it happen again.”

Elijah just looks at me with male speculation. “I think I am going to start keeping an eye on you anyway. You know, for safety's sake, I mean.”

“If it makes you feel better, then go for it.”

“Are you flirting with me, Lily?”

“Are you flirting with me, Elijah? Two can play at that game you know.”

Elijah laughs, “Okay, yes, I am flirting with you. Is it working?”

“It just might be,” I laugh. “But, the real question is, are you flirting with me because I am an author you like or because you like me?” I ask coquettishly.

“Oh Lily, books are great and all but they are nothing compared to the woman behind the books.”

“What exactly is it that you want, Elijah?”

He grins halfheartedly, “Oh, my dear Lily, that is a very dangerous question to ask indeed. What I want, is you, dinner at my place. Whatever happens happens.”

I laugh. “All right. When?”

“How about tomorrow night?”

“That would be good for me as well. Obviously, I am in no shape to do much socializing anyway,” I say as I look down on my grimy clothes and dust sprinkled into my long blonde hair. Ugh, have I seriously looked this way the whole time?

“I think you look completely fetching and obviously you're a lovely dancer. I am almost sorry that I broke up you and Frank earlier,” He grins mischievously.

I blush. “Oh Lord have mercy. I really wish you hadn't have seen that. I was frustrated and was trying to blow off some steam.”

“I do not think I will ever be able to forget that as long as I live. If I may be so bold to say that I think it was utterly delightful seeing you so carefree and in the moment.”

“Now you're really going to make me blush. And on that note, I think its time to get back to doing what I need to get done. I will see you tomorrow night. What time would you like me to come over?” I ask as I cross over to the door and open it to let Elijah out.

“How about six pm?”

“Oh yeah, absolutely.”

He starts out the door then turns back around and smiles at me. “Until tomorrow night then.”

Wow, I am in so much trouble. Charming, handsome, and witty all in one package. I close the door. I turn Frank back on the CD player and continue on with my cleaning.

The next day, after I've gotten dressed up to go to Elijah's house for dinner, I hear a noise outside. It sounds like broken glass and then a huge Ka-WHOOM! I run outside only to be met with the sight of my house on fire. As I am running towards my hose, I am grabbed from behind. I scream and I buck against the person behind me. I claw and I fight against him even as I am starting to lose the battle.

“Shut up, Lily!” I know that voice! Its my ex husband Derek. He whispers maliciously in my ear, “ I told you I would get you back for leaving me but you didn't listen. You didn't believe me so here I am to teach you a lesson.”

I continue to fight. I manage to head butt him with the back of my head. He screams and drops me. I try to run but then he manages to grab my ankle and pulls me down. I start screaming, “Elijah! Elijah! Help me, please!” I kick out at him but he is stronger than me. He starts pulling me closer to him. But, I keep kicking at him. I won't let him take me down.

All around us my poor house is burning. The winds have shifted and now the trees in my front yard have caught on fire as well. My dream, my oasis of peace and serenity is completely on fire. I try to keep them in but the tears start falling down my face. He has taken my dream from me. I am incredibly angry.

I wipe the tears from my face with the sleeve of my shirt and I let him drag me into him. I wait for the right moment...and...BAM! I kick him right in the family jewels. He screams and falls down again but I am not like one of those stupid girls in the horror films that hits their aggressors once and then runs away. I want to make sure he stays down.

So, I kick him in the no no zone once more and then, taking the palm of my hand, I smack it right into his nose. Blood gushing everywhere. He screams out in pain again.

“I can't believe you did this, Derek! You've set my dream on fire and it's all ruined now because of you. You know why I left you! You're a cruel vindictive person and you never treated me right. I have scars from you! Physical ones and emotional ones but I am tired of running away.”

The anger once again wells up inside of me as I stand there watching everything fall into ruin. Derek cries out in pain at my feet. I hear sirens in the background and Elijah comes running out of his house to me.

“Lily! Are you okay?” He asks as he grabs me and looks me over to make sure I am not hurt.

“I am now,” I say as I look up into his eyes, still in shock and crying. He clutches me to him. “You scared the life out of me just now. I was so afraid that I had lost you and any chance to have you in my life.”

I smile weakly up at him, “Why? Were you worried that you weren't going to have any more books to read?”

“No, I really was worried I wouldn't get to have my chance with you. I really do want to have dinner with you.” He looks over at Derek laying on the ground, still sputtering up blood and snot. “Is this your ex husband then?”

“Yes, it was him this whole time. I should've known he would never leave me in peace.”

Elijah lets go of me and walks over to Derek. He picks him up by his collar and gets really close to his face. “You will never ever bother her again. I'm around now and though she didn't need me in this instance, I will be around to make sure she is protected. You better be glad your butt is going to jail where you'll be safe from me.” Then he drops him back onto the ground as the Calvary arrives.

After explaining everything that happened to the police, I watch in shock as the firefighters bravely put out the flames. Derek has been arrested and is being taken away in the police cruiser. I find that I cannot get myself warm and I shiver.

Elijah, who had been giving his statement to the police, comes over and wraps me up in the warmth of his body. “I think we're way past dinner at this point.” He laughs softly into my hair.

I look up at him, “Oh Elijah, I have no idea what I am going to do.”

“I do. You're going to come stay with me.”

“Don't you think we are moving a bit fast? After all, we did just meet yesterday.”

“No, my parents knew from the moment they met that they were meant to be together. I'm not suggesting that we tie the knot. Let's just take this one day at a time. You need a place to stay and I get to be around you. For me, it's a win-win.”

I think over what he's said. I know that there is something there. “Okay, let's do it.”

“Great! Now, how about we go home and I cook us some dinner while you soak in the tub?”

Despite what's gone on today I laugh. “You realize that with words like that you may never get me to leave?”

“That's the point, Babe. I will treat you so good you never want to leave.” He winks at me.

We walk back to his place, now also mine, hand in hand. This has been such a bizarre day that I really want to take him up on his offer of that bath. I soak in the tub for awhile and wrap myself up in his robe until my clothes can be cleaned.

I walk into the kitchen and wrap my arms around him from behind as he is cooking us dinner.

“You know, I am starting to think that maybe those burnt leaves were a blessing.”

Elijah laughs and turns around in my arms to face me. “I'll guess we'll just have to find out.” And then he leans down and kisses me. And everything fades away into the distance except for his lips on mine.

The End