Just Me Again.

35: Called Her By Your Name

MARIA WAYNE

I was confused – who was that girl? And how did she know my name? I went to the apartment and rang the doorbell. After a couple of seconds – the door opened and there stood Silas with a huge smile on his face. I thought he would be upset because I went out with David – but it was the opposite. I narrowed my eyes and smiled, "Hello, may I come in?" I asked him because he was blocking my way. He chuckled and stepped aside making way for me to get in. "Oh, sorry." He said. There was still a huge smile on his face. I smiled back at him. "Where is Kathie?" I asked him.

"She went to play with the Kayden." He told me. I smiled and nodded. Kathie made a new friend – his name is Kayden. At first, Marcus wasn't very sure if he could trust them with her daughter. After all the trouble Marcus and Kathie have been through – he was unsure, but Charlie made sure that they were safe before she insists Marcus to let her play with the neighbor's kid. Kathie is growing up. She needs to make friends and Kayden could be the first one. Marcus finally agreed and Kathie got her first friend, Kayden. I sat on the couch and put my crutches beside me, "Hey, you know what? I met a girl downstairs. She looked at me and called me by my name." I told Silas. "I don't think I ever met her, but she seemed like she knows me." I shrugged. "Maybe, she was someone from the building. Charlie must have told her about me or something because I am sure I have never met her before." I said to him.

Silas was no longer smiling. He sat beside me on the couch. "Maria, I have to tell you something." He said to me. I frowned and nodded, "What happened?" I asked him. I somehow felt that it was something to do with the girl I met downstairs. He sighed, "They girl you met downstairs – was she wearing a loose top and her hair tied in a messy bun?" He asked me. I looked at him unsettlingly – he knows that girl. "Yes," I said to him. I remember she had tears filled in her eyes. I wonder if Silas had something to do with it.

"She was Alice, Maria," I told me. His words were like a blow to my gut. I looked straight in his eyes. I thought he broke up with her, then why was she here? I gulped and forced a smile, "Oh – all right." I nodded. I didn't ask him anything because I didn't want to act so obviously. I didn't want to show him that I was upset. He chuckled, "Stop freaking out and hear me out." He said to me as he put his hand over my hand. I knitted my eyebrows together, was I that obvious? I didn't utter a word and let him speak, "She was here to tell me something." He said to him. He blew his cheek out and let out a nervous snicker, "She told me that she was pregnant." He said to me.

My smile fell instantly. Is that why he was so happy – that he is becoming a father? I looked at him with my eyes wide open while he couldn't stop smiling. "Oh." that was all I could utter. There was so much going in my mind, but I couldn't express any of it. His eyes were glossy as he shook his head, "I am not the father, Maria." His words were like a bandage to my cut. "Maria, I didn't even sleep with her." I was confused as he continued, "I – I thought I did, but we never slept. She told me that I was so drunk and I couldn't stop calling her by your name. She was here to tell me that the baby was mine – but she couldn't do it." Silas said. His face was flushed while his eyes were glossy.

I knitted my eyebrows together. "You called her by my name?" I mumbled. He nodded as he put his hands at each side of my face and nodded, "Yes. I couldn't get you out of my mind. Why do you think I started dating in the first place? Because I thought that you moved on and I was still there. I was hurting every day just by the thought that you will find someone and you will always be happy. I wanted to take my mind of you. I know that it was a lousy move but I didn't know what else to do." He told me.

"You called her by my name? That's rude." I complained. He looked at me with his eyebrow raised. "I just told you that I didn't sleep with her and that what you picked from our conversation?" He chuckled. I nodded, "Yeah, because it is rude." I told him. He paused for a few minutes before sighing, "I know." He spoke softly. "I know and I already apologized to her." He answered me. He mashed my lips together. He smiled and brushed string of hair from my face, "This is what I like the most about you. I care for people you don't even know." He told me.

I just shrugged. "So, you are not the father?" I asked him. He shifted his position on the couch and shook his head, "No, I am not." He replied. "Then, who is the father?" I asked him.

"Some other guy – she cheated on me." He answered. He paused for a few seconds before he turned his head to look at me, "But, I don't blame her for that." He continued, "We both were cheating on each other, honestly. She physically cheated on me and I mentally cheated on her. I knew that I was still in love with you, but I didn't stop dating her. I was being unfair to her." He answered. He looked at me smiled. We both didn't talk for a few seconds and just kept looking at each other. He finally sighed and slapped his hand on his thigh, "Anyways, you tell me – how did the lunch go?" He asked me.

"It went well," I told him. Silas glanced at his intertwined fingers before looking back at me, "You should have called me to pick you up." He told. "There was no need to call you. David dropped me here." I answered him. His head jerked towards me, "He did?" He asked.

I nodded and collected my crutches, "Yes, he did. I will go and change. Can you please bring Kathie back? It is time for her lunch." I said to him. He just stayed on the couch for a couple of seconds while I stood up. "So, did he walk you up to the apartment?" He asked while he looked like he was lost in his thoughts. I looked at him. "No. He had to go to some other place." I answered.

Silas looked at me, "That's not a very gentlemanly excuse." He mumbled causing me to chuckle, "Silas just go!" I told him. He rolled his eyes and got up from the couch to get Kathie while I walked towards the stairs to go to my room and change.

I felt Silas stopping me from walking away by grabbing my hand. Just when I was about to turn around – he walked in front of me and let go of my hand. He stepped closer and put his hand on each on my jawline and placed his lips on mine. I was still confused, but his lips pressed against mine made me feel butterflies in my stomach. He pecked on my lips a couple of times while I stayed still and closed my eyes.

After a few seconds, he pulled away causing me to open my eyes to see him staring into mine. "That's how to end a date." He whispered. I was still mesmerized by the way his lips perfected set on mine. I opened and closed my mouth, but it felt like no words were coming out. He kept looking into my eyes – waiting for me to say something. Finally, I spoke, "It wasn't a date." I whispered back.

A small smile curved on his lips, "I know." He nodded, "And know this too – I will never let another guy take you out on a date." He spoke solemnly. I looked in my eyes for few seconds before he stepped away, "I will bring Kathie back." He said and turned around and walked out of the apartment.