Scenes From A Love Song: Ain't Gonna Lose You

by Shirin Dubbin

Hello All, I've just arrived at RRP and thought I’d kick off a new series, Scenes From A Love Song. It's where a few RRP authors will share quickies (as in super shorts) inspired by our favorite soundtracks for lovin'. Here goes the inaugural edition…

She put the song on repeat and turned up the volume until the melody merged with her heartbeat. Her mobile phone had grown hot in her hand. Pressing a random button she checked the number she’d stolen from her best friend’s address book. Oh good, fate hadn’t erased it just to mess with her. She checked it again. You couldn’t put much past fate.

And now for a sadistic choice: make the phone call and risk losing someone who’d become closer to her than blood or smash the phone against the nearest wall and risk hemorrhaging away a happy life.

Perhaps she was delusional and Tesla—that’s what she called her best friend’s brother—hadn’t felt the jolt of electricity pass through him the first time their hands met. Not in the same way she had. Maybe he couldn’t feel her presence in a room the way she could his. Perhaps their almost telepathic connection had escaped his awareness.

It was possible she’d flown over the cuckoo’s nest five miles back…but then she remembered the smile on his face whenever she caught him staring. The way he’d watched her from the corner of his eye when he proclaimed he’d be the last of his siblings to marry. He knew they were inexplicably bonded as well as she did. So why was the idiot about to propose to another woman?

The song began again and she hoped this time around she’d find the courage to dial. The memory of the one night they’d sat and talked reasserted itself. The look of wonder on their faces when they’d discovered they both loved watching Oz and basketball. Combined with the perfect harmony that hummed through her as they spoke of prom nights, the almond slant to her eyes and his need to protect those he loves.

That had been a few years ago. Although it was clear their attraction hadn’t diminished the few times they found themselves together—unless diminished meant elevate to levels that knocked innocent bystanders on their asses—neither had found the courage to push past their doubts into something beyond merely knowing.

She’d forced herself to forget. Moving on to date men who actually asked her out rather than sending their sister, her friend, to test the waters. She hadn’t known the question of their getting together had been a serious one. So, she’d laughed and cracked a joke. Rather scathing but funny. Who was she kidding? If there was ever a reaction born of fear it was the joke she’d made that night.

It took a year for her to realize how serious that question had been. Tesla released an album. Several of the songs recounting, almost verbatim, times they’d spent together and the conversation they’d had. Unfortunately, when she’d broached the topic her best friend hadn’t been willing to risk match making a second time. She hadn’t pushed it, not wanting her friend to think she was exploiting their relationship to get next to the famous big brother.

Now Tesla, her Tesla, was about to propose to another woman—and with an amazingly huge ring. Talk about your over compensating. The Girlfriend’s knuckles would scrape the ground once he put that Hope diamond stand-in on her finger. She had to save the Girlfriend’s pretty little hands didn’t she? Of course she did.

A deep breathe. She dialed before she could stop herself. He answered and she burst an aneurism…but recovered when he said her name.

“Hey, how did you--?”
He interrupted, wowing her.
“Oh, I didn’t realize you had my number,” she said.

A smile lit her face at his response. Her courage buoyed and she let him have it.
“Of course you’ve been thinking about me. You’re about to marry the wrong friggin’ woman.”

Omigawd. She was gonna die. Right there. Right then. Better if she did it before he cursed her out. But he didn’t.

“You knew that!” her voice shot up to octaves only dogs could hear. She adjusted to demure. “You knew that, huh? Somehow I knew you did.”

A second smile as she ‘clutched her pearls’ and answered before he could finish his question.
“Yeah, I can catch a flight tonight.”

The song began again. She’d totally forgotten to turn down the volume. He took notice.
“Huh? Oh, you like? It’s a great song. Ain’t Gonna Lose You by Brett Dennen.”

She could hear the smile in his reply. He was so right.
“Yeah, seriously apropos.”
Inspired by: Ain't Gonna Lose You by Brett Dennen

Hope you dug the first SFALS. If so look out for my urban fantasy romance, Keeper of the Way.