asked shocked, now getting to his feet from where he was seated on our sofa.
“No, but can’t we be calm this time?” I wanted to say, “Can’t YOU be calm this time?” but decided against it. The less focus on his reaction, the better. I was trying to smother the flames, not fuel the fire.
I looked at the beautifully crafted box. As I opened it, I tried not to gasp, but the sound escaped my mouth. I couldn’t help it. They were so very beautiful. Jaw-dropping beautiful actually. I had been sent a magnificent set of rectangular-cut, antique diamond earrings. Next to my engagement ring I had been given from my ex-fiancé, they were the most beautiful gems I had ever seen. I tried not to let my eyes look soft with appreciation and amazement, but even they had a hard time not reacting to the spectacular beauty of the gift.
“What? What is it?” Clint asked, as he walked over to me. He took the box from my hands and looked in. “Earrings. Diamond fucking earrings. Are you kidding me?”
“Clint...” I went to take hold of Clint’s hand, but he flinched and walked away, still fiercely holding my gift, shaking his hand in the air as he did.
“He is doing this on purpose Norah! He is taunting me with these stupid gifts!” Clint shouted, snapping the box shut and tossing it across the room. I watched it fly through the air and hit the window on the other side. My first instinct was to run over and pick up the gorgeous gemstones, but I restrained myself from doing the stupidest thing I could possibly do. Instead, I ignored the box that was now in the far corner of the room, and focused my attention back on Clint, who was clearly beyond angry and distressed. I walked over to him and put both my arms around his body. I needed to calm him down or this would escalate in the worst possible way. It had happened twenty-four times already, and I knew the signs before words were even said.
“Clint stop. It’s OK. I’m here with you. I love you. I want you.”
That’s right Norah, reassurance is key.
Clint broke from my grip, and went to walk over to the box again, but then turned and came back to me, holding on to both of my shoulders. “I want you to tell him to stop Norah. I want you to see him and tell him it’s over and to move on, and to stop pursuing you like he still has a chance. This has to end.”
I pushed Clint’s hands off my shoulders. I understood why he was saying this, but he also knew why I couldn’t do anything about it. His demands meant we were about to go to battle, as on this topic, we did not see eye to eye. In fact, we couldn’t have been further apart in our opinions.
Here we go again! Another argument about Samuel!
“You know I can’t see him or talk to him. You know what will happen if I do, what my father will do. It’s not an option.” I tried to get him to see it from my perspective. Clint knew how much I cared about Samuel’s safety. He knew I would never forgive myself if I was the reason he got hurt.
“I don’t care Norah. I don’t care if he is hurt or worse. I don’t care!” So much anger and hurt was combined in his words as he yelled. I wanted to believe he was just saying this all in the heat of the moment. He couldn’t really be asking me to go against the very fibers of who I was as a person, could he?
“You don’t mean that Clint. You know how I feel about this. I refuse to let Samuel be hurt because of me and my father’s hatred of his family. No, it’s wrong. I will not jeopardize his safety. I’m sorry, I can’t. I won’t.” I tried not to make eye contact with Clint. I already knew how sad and desperate his eyes would be, how they begged me to do something that would make this torture for him come to an end.
“Why do you keep saying that? Why do you care so much about this guy? You shouldn’t feel anything for him Norah. Nothing. He shouldn’t exist for you.” He reached for my face so I could look at his, but I continued to avoid his gaze, keeping my