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Jeff Is So Perfect
I ran as quickly and as far as my feet would take me. The yellow taxi was clear in my view, and it looked so inviting as I rushed to escape him... And what did he want with me, anyway? We were no more. I might have been the one who ended it, but that was only because my choices had been forced - forced by his decision to go to faraway Japan for business for an undetermined amount of time...
... Undetermined my ass!
"Amy!" I heard him shout. But I didn't look back as I scurried inside the cab. And away we sped.
I took one quick, lingering look out of the rear window to see him standing there on the lonely curb. He looked so forlorn, even lost. I couldn't quite decipher the sadness on his face.
"Oh!" I bolted wide awake, my body straightening into a ninety degree angle as I clutched my chest and tried to catch my breath. Damn it, I realized my body was drenched in a cold sweat, even though I was wearing a tank top and boy shorts.
I felt Jeff stirring beside me, and he reached over for my hand. Just feeling his soft fingers brushing over mine was enough to bring me back down to earth.
"You okay over there?" he asked in a soft voice.
"Yeah," I managed to croak out. I felt some strange remnants of the memory-dream lingering with me. I shook my head in an attempt to literally rid my mind of them.
Jeff sat up beside me and gathered me in his arms, against him. I felt him press a kiss to my still clammy brow. Then, he raised a hand to my cheek, cupping it as he turned my head so I could face him. It was still pretty dark out, but light enough in the spring pre-dawn that I could see his kind eyes.
"You've been having bad dreams a lot lately," he said. "Want to talk about it?"
Lowering my gaze, I had to fight against biting my lip. Such a gesture would be far too telling... And I wasn't about to tell my current boyfriend about my recurring dreams of my ex. Doing so would be a definite faux pas.
"No... Really, they're nothing." Inwardly, I damned myself to eternal hell for that response. Obviously, he was going to dispute it due to the fact that the 'nothings' were waking me up at night.
But much to my surprise, he didn't. Instead, Jeff silently comforted me by holding me against his warm chest. He was just so perfect, everything I could ever want in a boyfriend.
*
Later that morning came far too quickly for my liking. I wasn't a complete mess, but I was tired from waking from my Edge-filled bad dream at four.
I couldn't merely stay in bed and pull the blanket up over my head... It was a big day for Jeff. He was having this huge exhibition at the Jacob Javits Center, and people were coming to see his work as well as purchase it. I had promised him I would pitch in and help in any way I could.
We got there at quarter to ten. I couldn't stop yawning if my life depended on it. Jeff was quite busy, and I loved watching him in action... but I had to take a seat on the edge of one of his prized desks.
After we got back from lunch, I still wasn't feeling any less groggy. For the most part, I played showgirl for my man, since I really couldn't explain his craft.
Around two-thirty, something happened. Jeff came up behind me, encircled my waist with his strong arms and kissed me behind my ear. He whispered to me as well.
"Be right back... Gotta use the little boys' room." He released me.
"Hold on... Could you get me a double latte on your way back?" I asked, again on the verge of a yawn.
"You got it, babe," he said with a wink before trotting off.
And that was when I saw him... Or, more aptly, them. Edge and Barbie were moving leisurely through the crowd, glancing over various pieces of furniture.
My jaw dropped as I stared at my ex-boyfriend. His head turned, and then I just dropped - my entire body, this time, as I desperately tried to hide under the same desk on which I'd been perched.
"Amy? Is that you?" I heard Edge's voice ask. It sounded as though he were directly above me.
"Yeah... It's me," I admitted, straightening up in an instant. I smiled as I faced my ex and his bride. Barbie was looking just as young and lovely as ever, as disgusting as that was. "Just... cleaning a little." I held up a tissue I'd been using, groaning on the inside.
Edge gave me a peculiar look, and I couldn't say that I blamed him.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Oh, I'm here helping out my boyfriend," I said, emphasizing the last word. "He made all this." I gestured toward the furniture surrounding us in the immediate area.
"Really?"
I calmed immeasurably as I suddenly felt that familiar arm loop around my waist. Thank God Jeff was back! I met Edge's eyes for a brief second before turning to my boyfriend and gratefully accepting the coffee he'd brought me.
"Adam, Barbie, this is Jeff Hardy," I said.
"Hi. Nice to meet you," the young Mrs. Copeland said with a smile.
Edge appeared wary, guarded. I didn't miss the look in his eye as he faced my boyfriend. Nonetheless, he was cordial and put out a hand toward Jeff.
"Nice to meet you."
Jeff nodded as they shook hands.
"Are you a friend of Amy's?" he asked.
My ex shifted his gaze toward me for a beat before answering the question.
"Yeah... yeah, I'm an old friend of hers. We go way back."
I thought that very strange, awkward moment would be the last I would see of Edge that day... But I was very wrong.
*
I had an early meeting with my publisher the next morning. Jeff also had a lot to take care of for business, so he was heading home instead of staying with me that night.
I was about to leave when I saw Edge again - alone. He looked drunk, extremely so.
I tried to ignore him, even as he called my name. But he caught up to me as I walked up an escalator.
"Amy, come on... I know you can hear and see me!"
"So?" I shot back. I could barely look at him. "Where's your wife?"
"I don't know... I guess she went back home," he said. "I don't care."
I glared at him.
"Well, you should. What's the matter with you?" I asked, referring to his drunken state. I didn't stop as I headed for the nearest elevator next. All I knew was that I wanted - no, needed - to get out of there and away from Edge.
The task wasn't quite so easy as he followed me inside. We were the only ones in the car, and he cornered me until my back was pressed to the farthest wall.
"I made a mistake, Amy... I love you - you," he murmured.
I gasped with no audible sound, and his nearness was not at all lost on me. And then, my married ex-boyfriend lowered his head to capture my lips.
For the initial few seconds of it, I tried feebly to push him away... but my heart was truly not into it. I realized as I began kissing him back that I had never truly gotten over this man.
Just when I'd thought I was in a good, safe place... I lost my head.