Good Neighbors Ch 117

It was a quick drive home from Aubrey's old apartment. As I neared my house, I saw that the moving truck was already there. Aubrey already had my front door open and started to guide the movers in where to put certain boxes. Certain that she had everything in hand, I parked in my neighbor's driveway and started heading towards her door. I tried to open the door, but it was locked. I quickly grabbed the key and started to unlock the door. As I opened the door, I heard some music playing in the background. As I followed the music, I saw a small box with a bow on the kitchen table. It looked like a box one would package a watch in. I walked forward and looked at the note attached to it.

"Dear Leo," it read. "This gift should hold you over until I catch you later at the address marked inside the box. I expect you to be dressed in that nice suit I left in our closet. Since you don't need to be there for a few hours after you see this note, I expect you to help Aubrey move in for an hour or so before getting ready. See you soon, Romeo."

I smiled a bit before opening the box. Inside was a ticket to the Christmas concert at the local university. I went there once with Missy years ago. They had this wonderful auditorium with a huge pipe organ inside of it. I thought about it a bit before I went back to help Aubrey finish unloading the truck. The rest of the work went fast. After making sure Mike and his brother were paid for the move, I went into my house to make sure Aubrey was comfy. Aubrey was smiling as she started looking around.

"You didn't leave anything here you need, did you Leo?" she asked me.

I smiled.

"I don't think so. But if you need me to remove stuff, just let me know."

She leaned in and kissed me on the cheek.

"You're a real sweetheart, Leo. Don't you have a concert to go to?"

"You're in it too?"

"How did you think she learned about the concert? Except I was supposed to keep you occupied today. You threw a monkey wrench in it when you offered your house to me. You should still have time though."

I rushed back to my neighbor's place and found the suit hanging as she said it would. I stripped out of the grubs I was wearing and hit the shower. I made sure to trim where I needed to trim as well as work on a few other hygiene items. Although my neighbor has seen me in various states where I wasn't as proper, I felt like I needed to make sure everything was on point for her. As I locked the door and headed to the car, I was curious as to what surprise she had for me.

The university that hosted the concert was about fifteen minutes away from where we lived. Missy and I went to a concert there years ago before the company took off. It was a beautiful Christmas, one where we were happier to be together than buying expensive gifts. With the next couple years, we accomplished our goal of buying a house. That was when we first met my neighbor and her husband. We never knew the previous owners of the house, but we were welcomed to the neighborhood and started our friendship. We kept our kink hidden until near the end when Missy started divulging a little to my neighbor. It was as if Missy was prepping her to make sure I was comforted.

As I pulled into the parking lot, I found my neighbor's car. I parked a few spaces away before walking towards it. There was a note on the same stationary the initial note was on taped to the passenger side. I looked at the note before reading it to myself.

"Dear Romeo," it read. "I hope you see this before the concert starts. Missy told me about a certain place you two made promises to each other over the future. Please meet me there before the concert starts. If you are not there before ten minutes prior, I'll meet you inside. But I really need to see you before."

I looked around before I started to remember what happened. That year, we found a private space under a tree in the center yard where we sat down. It was about three months after started the company. We were arguing a bunch prior due to money being tight. It was under that tree that I made the promise to her that I'd take care of both of us. We sealed the promise with a kiss before we slipped into the auditorium. It was a beautiful night. The memory brought a smile to my face as I looked at my watch and saw it was thirty minutes to start time.

I walked quickly through the dormitories before finding the center yard. There sat my neighbor. The necklace we called her collar was on. I noticed as I walked closer that she had her hair colored and made up. It looked darker. She was wearing a long coat and a pair of earmuffs. As I approached, I saw her turn her head before she saw me coming.

"I thought you'd keep me waiting," she whispered.

"I was always taught to be on time for commitments," I answered.

She smiled at me. I ran my fingers along her silky hair.

"I love what you did with your hair," I whispered.

"I asked her to make it beautiful again. She kind of had some ideas how."

I leaned in for a soft kiss before I sat next to her. I held her hand as I looked at her.

"Did Missy tell you the whole story about this spot?"

"She told me you two made up here. The concert was her idea to help her tell you that she believed in you and that she'd have your back. It's one reason I picked this spot. I wanted to tell you the same thing. No matter what happens in the future, I wanted you to know that I have your back. The last six months have demonstrated to me that no matter how much you have been there for me, you need support also. I know that moving in with me was a scary step for you. But I also know that you wouldn't have done it unless you knew it would work. I just wanted you to know that."

I smiled.

"I want to be with you, Beloved. No matter what happens, I will always have your back. Even if you find someone you want to spend your life with besides me, I am still your friend first."

She smiled before she leaned in close.

"I want you. No one else is on my mind."

We kissed deeply before I stood and helped her up to go enjoy some Christmas music. Somewhere in Heaven, I could feel both Missy and Mitchell smiling at us.