Everything happens for a reason. At least that's what I tell myself when something bad happens in my life. As if work wasn't enough drama for me, the week was worse than ever. Now I have involved someone that had nothing to do with my choices. Aaron had now entered my world of drama. I walked into his office and shut the door.

"I'm sorry that this has involved you now. I never thought having dinner with a friend I have known for years would cause this kind of drama. If I could take it back I would."

"Don't worry about it. It's a stupid rumor that will calm down in a couple days. I'm not worried about it at all. I am however worried about you. How are you?"

"I have been better. Justin thinks I cheated on him, with you."

"You're serious? He knew we were at dinner, he knows I am just a friend."

"I guess there were some pictures that he thought were questionable. I haven't seen the ones he saw so I'm not real sure."

"Mel, there are people in life that we meet and we never see again, but then there are people we meet and spend forever with. He is the person you're supposed to spend forever with. You'll get past this, and you will marry him someday. I promise you that."

"How can I spend forever with someone that doesn't trust me? Why does everyone keep saying he is the person I'm going to marry? I have only been with him a couple weeks."

"Love is not determined by time. It's not something that is on a strict scheduled timeline. When it happens it does, let it happen."

"You know I really dislike you at this moment."

"I know but someone needs to keep you from putting that wall back up."

"What wall?"

"You know exactly what I am talking about. Ever since Matt you have had this wall built up that is taller than you are and you stay behind it. You can't keep doing that to yourself."

"I don't have a wall built up."

"Okay whatever, keep lying to yourself."

            I left his office and went directly into my boss's office.

"I can't do this anymore. I know that it sounds weak but I can't take the notes being left on my desk, the constant accusing of something, and now involving Aaron in drama that has nothing to do with him. I think that it's better for the company and most of all it will be better for me if I turn in my resignation."

"Is there anything I can do to keep you?"

"I honestly think it's beyond that point now. I have been walking around this place for two solid weeks and dealing with all of this drama. I won't do it anymore."

"I'm sorry to see you go, however I understand. When would you like you last day to be?"

"I'll finish out the week."

"I wish there was something that could keep you here. I will get the paperwork done and have it all signed on Friday."

***

            The days leading up to my last day, I told not a single person I was leaving the company. I haven't spoken to anyone all week. Last time I spoke to Justin was the text telling him I needed time. My missed call log was extensive. Stacy called five or six times. Steve had called a couple times. Kia had called nearly twenty times and the last voice message basically telling me if I didn't return her phone call within a couple hours she was going to come find me. Well I guess she had better come find me, I wasn't talking to anyone.

            She held her word. Within two hours she was standing at my front door. I open the door and say, "I'm sorry." She looks at me, up and down.

"How long to do think you can keep this up. You know I will give you so much time then I'm going to come after you. Have you even left the house in a week?"

"Yes. I have been to work all week."

"How has that gone for you?"

"Tomorrow is my last day. I put in my resignation and I couldn't be happier about it."

"That's great news. I guess then you decided to move to California?"

"I have enough money saved and from the advance for the track I did with Justin that I can take some time off."

"Ok that didn't answer my question. Have you talked to Justin? Or anyone for that matter?"

"Nope."

"Have you decided what you're going to do?"

"No."

"I can't stay. I have to work in about twenty minutes. I'm on midnights again however I won't let you fall apart. I am here to hold all your pieces together. If you decide to not be with Justin that's fine, it has to be your choice. But let me tell you something. I think you are scared that this could be your one. I think you are scared that you have found your next path and you are scared to take it. I would be scared if I was in your shoes to. Having to make a decision as big as moving three thousand miles away has to be an enormous weight on your shoulders."

I interrupted her, "Why does everyone keep saying that."

"Saying what?"

"He is my one. He is the one I'm going to spend forever with."

"Mel, I saw you two together. Everyone saw you together. We saw the sparks, instantly. How do you know he is not the one?"

"I don't."

"Well then just trust me. If you don't trust your own instincts right now, trust mine. I'll call you tomorrow. I have to go I'm going to be late. I love you. Call him."

            I didn't call him. I felt like this was childish on my part but I had to make a decision before I spoke to him. I had to make a choice and soon because I couldn't keep stringing him along either. He deserved to at the very least know what I was going to do.

            I arrived at work early the next morning to clean out my desk. I accumulated a lot of things after so many years. I wanted to do it before anyone else got there. I didn't tell anyone except my mother and Kia that it was my last day. I wanted to walk out at the end of the day and be done with everything involving this place. Someone else had to have spilled the beans because my desk was decorated in balloons and a sign that said congratulations. I wasn't sure if this was people being genuine or was they ecstatic to get rid of me. I had a bunch of people ask why I didn't say anything and I was pretty blunt, telling them I have had enough drama in the last two weeks alone in this place. I wanted it all to be over with. I made sure I told the ones that were making the most comments about me and my life outside of work that I was still the same person they have worked next to for the last five or so years. I was never going to change. They of course pretended like they hadn't said anything at all. It was fine, I was done with them.

            Aaron felt bad. He blamed himself for asking me to dinner for the reason I was leaving. If he wouldn't have done that then things wouldn't have escalated to the degree that they had. I assured him that, him being my friend and taking me to dinner was the greatest thing he could have done. I knew that no matter what he would be the friend I could lean on if I needed him. I had to do this for me.

I finished the paperwork in the late afternoon. I return to my desk and see that it's covered in roses. There were six dozen gorgeous red roses sitting on my desk. I didn't have a clue who they could be from. I see a small card attached to one of the vases. I sat down, opened it. In his perfect neat handwriting I read the card.

"I know that roads lead us all in different directions. I am glad the road I took, lead me to you. I miss you. I know you need your time but know that I love you. I need you. I Love You.-Justin"

            I feel my legs get very weak beneath me. I can't believe what I just read. The tears are streaming down my face. He loves me. He Loves Me. HE LOVES ME.

I know what I have to do. I know what I want to do. I pick up the phone and call Steve.

"Will you take me to the airport?"

"Yes, of course I will, when?"

"I don't know, tonight. I have to find a flight."

"What's going on?"

"He loves me. He... he... loves... Me."

"Okay?" He was a little confused. "It's about time you see this Mel."

"I know, and I know what I have to do now. He loves me. I love him. I want to be with him. I would move anywhere just to be with him. To wake up in his arms every morning, and lay in his arms at the end of every night, that's what I want."

            Merely three hours later I am in the airport. I'm so scared that I had screwed everything up and he wouldn't want to take me back, but he did send me roses. I had made a huge mess out of everything. Steve is sitting with me. I am shaking as the announcement is made that it was time to board. I had a final question for Steve, "What changed your mind? Why do you think I should be with him now?"

"He called me a couple days ago to check on you. He asked me to keep an eye on you for him. He was worried about you. He wanted to know if he should jump on a plane and just come here or let you have your space." I am sobbing at this point. "He told me that he knows that it's hard to find love when you have been hurt so many times, and he was lucky enough to find you. He said he loved you. That he was in love with you."

"Why didn't you tell me he called you?"

"You needed to make this decision on your own. It couldn't be a decision the rest of us thought it should be. You have to be the one to live with this decision for the rest of your life. He understood that as well. That's when he earned my respect."  He leans over and grabs my hand. "This will all work out. He loves you. Have a safe flight, be careful and I love you. I'll miss you but do this for you."

            The next thing I knew I was in Los Angeles. I walked out of the terminal at LAX. I had no clue what I was going to do now that I was actually here. I had flown three thousand miles and had not a single idea of what to do now. I call the one person I think will help me.

"Hey Rachel, its Melissa. Please don't hang up."

"I should after everything that's happened."

"I don't know what I was thinking. I just thought I couldn't be with someone that didn't trust me. I would never intentionally hurt him. I couldn't love someone that thought I would ever cheat on them."

"Wait, you love him?"

"Yes, I am so in love with him." It felt amazing to say that.

"It's about fucking time. Now how are you going to fix this?"

"I am standing in LAX at this very moment, my flight just landed. I am just going to show up and apologize and see if he still wants to be with me. I need your help though."

"Anything."

"I need the address and I need into that gated community."

"I will arrange for the guards to let you in the main gate, and let me know when you are here and I will let you in his gate."

            I looked like a hot mess. I had cried the entire flight. The thunderstorm in L.A was raging. Between the thunder and the lighting and the rain that sounded like hail pounding down on the cab, it was as if the dark clouds over me had opened up. I had a millions things running through my mind of what to say when I got there. Except when the cab arrived at the gate I didn't even know my own name. Suddenly it kicked in. "Melissa Roberts to see Mr. Timberlake." The guard sent us through. There was nothing stopping me now.

            I text Rachel and told her we at the gate, she lets us in. The rain had got even harder. I step out of the cab and I am instantly soaked. On the front porch I ring the doorbell, and wait. No one answers the door. The rain is running down my hair, face, and back. Finally a shadow appears behind the frosted glass window. The door opens, it's him standing in the doorway.

            "Mel?" He looked confused yet happy at the very some time. "What are you doing here? I didn't know you were coming?" I just stood there, frozen.  I only had three words I wanted to say to him.

 "I love you."

He smiles and says, "I love you" He rushes out the door and holds on for dear life.

"I love you, I love you, I love you." It felt so right. "I have waited my entire life to love someone the way I love you."

"I thought I was never going to see you again."

"I don't want you to ever think you can't trust me. I will always tell you the truth. I will always be faithful, I can promise you that."

"I promise you this now, you will be safe with me. I won't hurt you. I want you forever. I love you."

            We both realize we are still standing in the pouring down rain. "Why don't we go into the house" he says, "It's not so rainy in there. Oh... I have company I completely forgot." We walk through the doors and I see Rachel, Trace, and his current girlfriend Anabelle. They are clapping like they had seen the end of a play or movie. Rachel smiles at me, "It's about fucking time. It's good to see you again." Trace had to put his two senses in there, "Finally, you two are the most stubborn people I have ever known, it's ridiculous." Justin turns to me and says, "She's worth the wait."

            Justin asked if I wanted to shower and change out of those wet clothes, I laughed and said, "I think I will stay wet." Traces spits out the beer he was drinking, "I bet he wants you wet." Justin raises his eyebrows and says, "Your damn right I do."

He carries my luggage upstairs as I follow; I need to change out of my soaking wet clothes. We no sooner than walk into his bedroom and he has his hands all over me, removing every single piece of wet clothing on my body. It felt perfect, as if it was meant to be this way, the roads finally coming together.

We held each other like we hadn't seen each other in years. I lean into him and say, "I'm not going home. I quit my job. I'm all yours."

He leans back to look me in the eyes, "You're serious?"

"Yes" I can see the water start to fill up in his eyes.

"I love you"

"I love you to." With the sigh of relief, "It feels so good to say that."

            I joined everyone for a drink. Introduced myself to Anabelle, she is a really sincere nice woman. I hope Trace doesn't destroy her. She was born and raised in San Diego but now lives In L.A. She is an actress, that's a shocker for L.A., but she is doing very well for herself. She is someone that I can get along with.

"So, what's the plan Melissa?" Trace asks.

"What do you mean, plan?"

"You're in L.A. for good right?"

"Yes, I found an apartment. I am going to look at it tomorrow."

            They all look at each other with a strange look on their face.

"You are not paying for an apartment, I have this entire house." Justin is firm on this. "Not to mention I have a cold bed that needs someone to keep it warm with me."

"Do you think we are ready to live together?"

"I think that we have a lot to learn about each other, but I have spent too much of my life waiting for you. I am not about to let you spend another moment away from me"

"Well then I guess I'm moving in."