First Love

"Hey sis. It's Damon. Call me back when you get this voicemail. It's dad. Love you."

Listening to the recording for the second time, recoiling at the memories that played in her mind. Thinking of the home she had been kicked out of five years ago. She had been caught sneaking her boyfriend out of her bedroom. The rebel and wild child of the Redmond family. A stain on their prestigious name. Yet she had made something of herself, with the meager allowance her father had allotted her. She recently graduated at the top of her culinary school and was opening up her own cafe next month.

Sighing, she got up from her couch and poured herself another glass of wine. She hoped dad was alright. Her twin brother, Damon checked up on her every now and again. He was everything she couldn't be. They were an exact mirror image of each other. But total opposites in personality and opinion. He was outgoing, funny and serious. Daphne just wanted to be Daphne. Not some cookie cutter perfect image she couldn't sustain. Damon was the golden child. He made straight As in high school and graduated at the top of his class in law school. He took over the family law firm when dad retired last year. 

"If only mom had not died, maybe things would be different.", she thought. Slipping down into her scalding bubble bath and letting it all drift away. She was good at that. Letting all those hard problems go. She will do something about everything tomorrow. Right now she just wanted to relax and think about her cafe. She was excited for the future for once. Life didn't seem so bleak anymore. Now she just wanted a man to complete her plan. At twenty-two, she was more lonely than she'd ever thought she'd be. Closing her eyes she began to drift off.

Bang. Bang. Bang. Three loud knocks rung through her small condo. Waking her up. She climbed out of the now cooled bath. Pulling on a long, black silk robe as she went to get the door. At midnight, she wondered as to who could be knocking. Damon was supposed to be on his honeymoon with his new wife. Her ex-bestfriend, Valentina.

The knocking had ceased as she looked through the peephole. It was her first love, Valentine. Valentina's older brother. He was off limits to her at 17, being that he was four years older than her and Valentina. Secretly me and him would sneak off together. Eventually falling in love. I told no one, not even my best friend. Which ultimately ended our friendship. I stood there with my heart pounding and my blood rushing in my ears. How did he know where I was? I hadn't seen or spoken to him since I was kicked out and left our home town in Magnolia, Florida. He was as sexy as ever. My brain was moving further down south. I closed my eyes and started to remember how it felt for his hands to be on my curvy body. He had more tattoos than the last time. At 6'4, his muscular body was less lean and more chiseled. 

"Daphne, I know you're there. Open the door. Please." he begged.

She let go of all restraint and swung open the door. He gasped. He couldn't believe the girl that got away, had become a knockout of a woman. Her full lips, caramel skin and gold eyes had always made his blood run hot. He'd missed her quick loud laugh and spontaneous nature. Always making him bend to her will. She had gotten him to skinny dip in the creek behind his house, that last summer they were together. He smiled at the sweet innocence of it. The way it used to be between them. He'd taken her virtue the night her father found out about them. He wondered if she had been with anyone since. He thought about his relationships after her and none of them came close to what they'd had. He still wanted her. He watched her eyes roam longingly over his body. Smiling and breathing deep of his familiar scent. She finally stepped aside to let him in. He watched her waist length curly, brown hair swing above her round butt. He wanted to take a handful of it and pull her in for a kiss. Smiling, he sat down on her couch. She sat on the arm of the couch as far away from him as she could get.

"Why are you here? Who told you where to find me?, she implored.

"Your brother finally relented and told me of your whereabouts today. No one would tell me where you had gone all these years. Valentina misses you. I've missed you Daphne. We could have gotten married and been happy together. Had a million babies like you wanted", he remorsefully laughed.

"My dad threatened to put you in jail if I didn't leave and never talk to you again. He said what we did was something he couldn't forgive. His business partner's son, sleeping with his underage daughter. I told him I was over the age of consent and that you were going to marry me on my 18th birthday. He said you just wanted a little fun and to leave a bastard in my stomach.", she said tearfully as she remembered that awful night. Her dad had called her such horrendous words.

She saw the tears running down Valentine's face and she wished she could go back in time to stand up to her dad. She got on her knees and took his face in her hands. He breathed deeply of the vanilla scented wafting from her skin. He picked her up and sat her on his lap. Sobbing and grateful that he had the only woman he had ever loved in his arms. He was going to marry her the first chance he got. But first he had to tell her the other reason why he had come to see her. But she spoke first.

"There have been no men since you, Valentine. I closed my heart off and vowed to never love like that again. I love you still. Always have." she said looking into his brown eyes.

She leaned in to kiss him and he held her back from him. He sighed and held her closer. He wanted to pull off her robe and make love to her repeatedly. He saw that she had nothing underneath and forced himself to continue. He knew there would be time to right any wrongs.

"Daphne." , he paused.

"Yes Valentine. Is there something else you have to say?" she inquired.

"Your dad is dying. Damon told me the doctors only gave him a week to live. He offered me $20,000 to come get you and bring you home. He thought you would do it hearing from me, instead of him. I turned the money down but he wanted me to give you something.", he said as he held out a little black book.

She took it and decided she wanted to see her father one last time. Maybe let the guard down from around her heart again.

"Let me just go and pack a bag. I'll be back in a few minutes.", she told him.

He watched her go and hoped it would be the last time she'd ever walk away from him. She came out of her room in black jeans and a black t-shirt. He opened the door and she turned around to say goodbye to her condo. She had made up her mind to open a cafe in Magnolia. She wanted the life she thought she would have had, with Valentine by her side. They were going to get married tomorrow and she would finally put her foot down in regards to her father. He would no longer control her life. She chose Valentine all those years ago and she chose him now. Always.