When Warren Met Gwen, part eight: the finale

“Ok, that’s it,” Gwen exclaimed vehemently as she hastily donned her sweatshirt and track pants. She grabbed her underwear from the foot of the bed and tossed them into her oversized purse. “That is beyond messed up and I am getting the hell out of here….” she continued as she exited the bedroom and made her way to the front door.

“Wait,“ Warren blundered, gathering the bed sheets to wrap around his midsection as he scurried after her. “That’s not what I meant and I’m sorry. I swear! I mean… I meant it but not in the way that I said it. You’re right – it IS messed up!”

She was scrabbling for her keys, but halted only to glare at him incredulously. She screamed “That’s not what you meant?!?! As if I took it the wrong way? You said what you said! Either you meant it or you didn’t mean it, but I heard you loud and clear!”

“I… I… I know… what I said,” he tried to recover, fumbling with the sheets so as to preserve some of his dignity as he stood there vulnerable and ashamed. “But I got it wrong! I mean… just… just don’t go. Please stay. Let’s have a coffee and let me explain.”

She hesitated, allowing her shoulders to lower from her ears and her arms to sink downward, causing her purse to touch the ground. “I don’t know what to do or think right now,” she almost whispered, as much to herself as to anyone else. “I’m just… so confused… and hurt… I think.”

“Please, Gwen. Give me a chance. Let’s figure it out,” he practically begged.

She sighed, sitting down on the floor, crossing her legs and allowing the weight of it all to settle into her bones.

“Warren… I’ll give you 5 minutes to make this right,” she finally acquiesced. “Because right now, I’m not even sure I’d spit in your mouth if your gums were on fire.”

“Ok, thank you,” he said with a combination of relief and panic. Turning to head back toward the bedroom, he said “just let me go put on some pants and make us some coff—”

“Nope,” she said firmly, cutting him off. “No pants, no coffee. I said five minutes and you’re down to 4:45 now. So spit it out.”

“Jesus, Gwen. Come on…”

“4:40,” she retorted, decidedly demonstrating her commitment to NOT being willing to “come on”.

“Ok ok, it’s just…” he began.

He crouched down on the floor across from her and attempted to sit cross-legged. Facing her, their knees almost touching and, gathering the sheets atop his crotch area, he continued.

“How long have we been together now? About six months?”

She nodded. “Six months and two days,” she confirmed.

“I think we’ve come a long way in that time. I have these… strong feelings for you… I honestly do… I… I haven’t felt anything even close to this way in a long time.”

“Go on,” Gwen encouraged, waving her hand in a motion so as to indicate “get to the point.”

“To be completely honest… I really did mean what I said… I just —“

Interjecting again, Gwen loudly declared “You said ‘Sally’. In fact, the exact words that crossed your morning-breath man-whore after-sex lips were, and I quote: hey…I love you SALLY”.

Her bottom lip trembled and her eyes began to well up. She could feel her cheeks turning red and her nose filling with snot.

“You woke up this morning, you snuggled up to me, and you declared your love for your ex-girlfriend. And now you’re sitting here, naked in your bed sheets and wondering why I’m upset?!?! If you want to break up, this is it. But you picked a helluva way to break the news. Jesus Christ, Warren.”

She wiped her nose on her sweatshirt sleeve and started to get up.

“Please don’t go, Gwen, please,” he urged her once more, letting go of the bed sheets and reaching toward her arms. “I do love you,” he admitted. “I love you so much it almost frightens me a little bit. I know it’s stupid. I know I messed up and BADLY… It’s just that the last time I uttered those words, I said them to her… and you are nothing like her… and this feels… so much better. Stronger. Deeper. I’m so comfortable with you. But then I opened my stupid mouth and an old habit surfaced. I have to believe it comes from a place of comfort, and I messed it all up…”

“Wait,” Gwen gasped, almost stupefied and 
slowly sitting back down, asked earnestly, “You love ME?”

“Of course I do! I’ve been wanting to tell you, but I didn’t want it to be rehearsed. I just wanted it to come up organically. And this morning, laying in bed with you, nuzzled right into your warm body, holding you close to me, breathing into your neck and inhaling the scent of you…up came the feelings and out went the words. And in my half-asleep stupor, and me being me, I foolishly said the wrong name. I know it’s no excuse, but she and I were together a long time. I’m over her, believe me. I love YOU, Gwen. So very much, Gwen. I really mean it, Gwen. Gwen. Gwen. GWEN!”

She took his hand and raised it to her cheek. Leaning into his palm and looking into his eyes, she softly said “I love you too…” and as tears came to his eyes, she continued “… Bill.”

Silence permeated the room for what seemed like hours but amounted to mere seconds.

“You know… that’s just mean…”, he said half-smirking.

“Yeah, but you love me, so I know we’re cool,” she said smiling through happy tears.

“Ok, fair ball,” he acknowledged with a chagrin. Then cupping her face in both hands and leaning toward her, he said aloud “I love you, Gwen.”

Raising her hands to stroke his jawline, she took a deep breath and exhaled “and I love you, Warren.”

They melted into one another, their lips meeting softly at first and then passionately, their hands pulling each other closer.

“Let’s go back to bed and start this day again,” she offered.

“Yes, let’s,” he agreed.

“Just promise me one thing,” she suggested as she stood.

“What’s that?”, he asked.

“Don’t say another goddamn word for at least an hour,” she deadpanned.

He nodded in agreement.

They clasped hands. Gwen rested her head on Warren’s shoulder. And as the bed sheets unceremoniously surrendered to the floor from his waistline, they returned to the bedroom.

Humbled, tired, but content, she knew he was there.