“No, poppet. Remember, you have two kidneys so you will still have one that will clean it, but it will just have to work a little bit harder being on its own. Now, if they have to take the poorly kidney out, that might happen the following day, so no school again that day or for a little while longer. You will be sore after they take the kidney out. So I need you to be extra brave for me. Can you do that?” She nods but doesn’t say anything. She’s not sure she can be that brave — what ten-year-old is? It’s breaking my heart, sitting here, explaining something like this to her.
“After the surgery to take the kidney out, the next thing that will happen is not very nice, baby girl. I need you to be like Supergirl and be the bravest you can be.” Her eyes are wide like saucers.
“Why? Are they taking more organs from my body? I won’t have any left to live if they do and will be an angel like mommy.” My heart just breaks. I have a lump in my throat, and I can feel my eyes welling up. Evelina can’t see with her cuddling into me, but Evander is watching my reactions very closely. I see his eyes well up. I slightly shake my head, and I clear my throat by taking a sip of hot chocolate.
“No, baby. They are not going to take any more organs from you.” Please don’t ask me to pinky swear because I can’t.
“But what they need to do is give you medicine for a few weeks. This isn’t a nice medicine that you drink. It’s a medicine that has to be put into your body with a needle, like when the doctor was taking your blood yesterday.”
“If it isn’t a nice medicine, how will it make me better?”
“The medicine will make you feel yukky and possibly more poorly than you have been already. It has to work really hard in your body to make sure you are all fixed. You will get better though, that’s what the medicine does. After a while, it makes you all better. I know it’s a lot for you, poppet, but we have to get rid of the poorly organ to make you better. Do you think you can be very brave for Evander and me?” She doesn’t say anything, and I can see Evander struggling, but he manages to speak.
“I think Lina is the bravest girl in the world, Dad. I think she can do all this with us helping her. I was so proud of her yesterday. She didn’t cry when the needle was in her arm. You are the bravest ever, Lina.” He gets off his stool and comes over to hug us. I hug them both to me chanting: be strong, be strong, over and over in my head.
I get them both into bed. Evander looks sullen as I tuck him in and kiss his forehead goodnight. “Is she going to be okay, Dad?”
“I hope so, son. I really do. I’ve asked your mom to make sure she’s going to get better. I’m sure she will. We have to be there for her, Evander. We have to be strong for her. Can you do that for her?”
“Yes, Dad.”
“Good boy. I love you, Evander. Goodnight.”
“Love you back from the moon to us, Dad. Goodnight.”
I phone Sonia and tell her how it went. I’m in awe of Evelina. She’s a tough little cookie. She reminds me of her mother so much.
16 years ago
LAST MONTH, I turned twenty. What a birthday that was. It was nothing to do with partying because that’s never been my scene, but everything to do with Evelyn by my side. We could do anything we wanted — we’re millionaires. What did we do? Spent the day in our new offices, just the two of us, as usual.
It has taken us longer than we wanted, but we’ve finally picked out a floor of a building in downtown L.A. to rent. It’s huge. There are fourteen offices, three meeting rooms, a conference room, reception area, kitchen and a couple of bathrooms. It’s on the twenty-sixth floor, and we have fantastic views. It’s just Evelyn and me working here at the moment, but we have no doubts we will be employing people to work for us in the next twelve months. Things are moving so fast now.
I’m busy in my office, which is opposite Evelyn’s. I look up just as she walks in carrying a big chocolate birthday cake with a couple of lit candles. She’s wearing a long trench coat, which I hadn’t noticed her wearing earlier. She puts the cake on my desk and sings ‘happy birthday’ to me. I blow out my candles and make a wish. I wish for an entire life with this gorgeous woman. She slowly walks around to my side of the desk, untying the belt on her coat. When she gets to me, she shrugs the coat off her shoulders, and it falls to the floor. Oh my god. She’s standing in front of me in a basque, barely-there knickers, stockings, suspenders and high, red sparkly Christian Louboutin’s.
I turn in my chair to face her, my jaw on the floor, just taking in the beautiful, gorgeousness that is my girlfriend.
“Like what you see, baby?” I look up at her face. She looks very shy and embarrassed all of a sudden, which isn’t like Evelyn.
Although we still haven’t had sex, we fool around a lot. We’ve almost gone all the way a few times, but one of us usually has the good sense to stop it.
“Fuck, baby. I love what I see, but holy hell, I’m not sure I can keep my hands off you. I never do, but with you looking like that? Well, I’m like the man of steel,” I say looking down into my lap. I think he’s going to bust through my trousers. We both burst out laughing.
“Baby, I want you to have me as your birthday present. I’m ready, Theon, I’ve been ready for a while. I love you with everything I am. I want to be yours in every way, I want to be your first and last, and I want you to be my first and last.” She straddles my legs and sits on my lap, holding onto the back of my chair, getting as close to me as she can.
“Baby, I’m going to explode in a minute with you grinding on me. You know I can never help myself. How many times have I embarrassed myself? Do you really want to do this, beautiful?”
“I’ve thought of nothing else for weeks now, Theon. I’m more than ready. Are you ready?” Am I ready? It’s been killing me holding off.
“Definitely. No doubt in my mind. I want to make love to you.” So we did just that — there in my office. We fumbled at first, and it was a bit painful for Evelyn, which nearly made me stop, as I couldn’t bear causing her pain, but she wouldn’t let me. She clung on to me. It was quick the first time, neither lasting long, but thirty minutes later we were ready to go again, this time on the couch in my office. Slow and steady, staring into each other’s eyes, having that connection as we both climaxed together, never looking away. That was making love. We didn’t stop there. For the rest of the day, that’s all we did, on every surface in our offices. It was the best birthday of my life.
It’s Evelyn’s twentieth birthday today, and although I want to give her a birthday present like she gave me, I have other ideas. We’re not into fancy stuff. It’s never been our thing, so I’m recreating our first date with a few added extras.
I arrive at her house, all done up in my new Armani suit. I’m not one for designer stuff, but Evelyn said I needed a tailored suit for our business meetings. We both went to Armani and they custom-made suits for each of us. I usually just walk into her parents’ house, but I want to do this properly tonight. I press the doorbell and wait for the door to be opened.
“Hello, son, you look too nervous, are you ready for this?” Arnold held out his hand to shake mine. Mine was sweaty. I was nervous.
“Never been more ready, sir,” I say.
Just then Evelyn comes bounding down the stairs and stops when she sees me standing there. I stop breathing — my heart skips a beat, she is breathtakingly stunning. Her long auburn hair is tied up at the back with strands falling down each side of her face, just like it was on our first date. Her make up is neutral, she never wears much, she doesn’t need to, she’s a natural beauty. She has on a figure-hugging soft pink sleeveless dress that falls just above her knees and her red Christian Louboutin’s. She loves those shoes. I love them too, especially when those heels are digging into my backside when her legs are wrapped around my waist. She is breathtaking, and she looks just like she did on our first date, even down to the color of her dress.
“What do you kids have planned for tonight?” he says grinning at me, knowing full well what my plan
s are.
“We are going to the little Italian restaurant at the plaza for pizza and then to watch a movie.”
“Oh, Theon. That’s what we did on our first ever date.”
“It is, baby.” I smile at her. I hand her a big bouquet of her favorite flowers, lilies and there are lots in this bouquet, all in different colors.
“These are for you. Happy Birthday, Evelyn, and you look absolutely stunning. I love you, baby.” I lean in and kiss her cheek.
“They are beautiful, Theon. Thank you.” She puts them on the table in the hall.
“Not as beautiful as you,” I say to myself, but she hears me and turns, smiling. I look at Arnold who is also stood smiling at the pair of us.
At the restaurant we sit in the exact same spot we did on our first date, I have already pre-ordered the same food and drink that we had that night. After dinner, we head into the cinema and are shown to our seats.
“Theon, what are we watching? I didn’t catch what the film was?”
“Wait and see, baby,” I say smiling and leaning in to kiss her. The theatre goes dark, and the screen comes to life.
She leans in and whispers, “There is no one else in here, Theon, its empty. It must be an old film.” She’s linking my arm, and I smile, feigning surprise. I look around. She has no idea I hired the whole screen just for us. The usher knew exactly what seats to put us in. The film starts, I hear her gasp as her favorite film, and the first film we saw together, Coyote Ugly, starts playing. After our first date and because of her love of the film, we’d created a game based on dancing, and it became a huge hit.
When the film finishes, we don’t move. “Thank you so much, Theon. I have had the best birthday ever. Even after your best birthday ever.” She laughs at me.
“I’m your first and last, baby, forever. I have something to show you.” I stand up, remove my suit jacket and roll up my left sleeve. I hear her gasp when she sees the brand-new tattoo on my inner forearm.
First & Last Forever
“Oh, wow, that’s beautiful, Theon. When did you get that done?
“It was last week. I wanted it to heal so you could see it today. I’ve been hiding my arm all week, and with this heat, it’s been a killer. I’m just glad you didn’t notice and question me.” I lean in and kiss the tip of her nose. “Hold on one minute. Don’t move. I will be right back. Stay put, you hear me?”
She nods at me. I don’t leave the room. I stand at the back … waiting. Just then, the screen comes to life just as I planned. I’ve created a cartoon graphic that replicates Evelyn and me. It shows everything we have done tonight. Me arriving at her house and giving her flowers, us walking arm in arm along the street, in the restaurant having pizza, and then in the cinema watching her favorite film. This is my cue. I have some chocolates in a huge heart shaped box for her hidden in the back row along with a big stuffed sea turtle, her favorite animal, which I grab as I walk slowly down to the front where she is. The screen is playing exactly what I’m doing. I have to time this perfectly. I stand in front of her. She has her hands up to her face covering her mouth, and I can see tears flowing down her cheeks. I pass her the box of chocolates and turtle which she grabs and cuddles.
“These are for you, Evelyn. They are beautiful, but nothing in this world is as beautiful as you are.” The screen behind shows me giving her the chocolates and turtle. I see her eyes going from mine to the screen behind me. I put my hand in my pocket, and I get down on one knee in front of her. I hold out my hand. I know cartoon me is doing this exact same thing with a Tiffany blue box held in his hand just like mine. Evelyn gasps and her hand shoots to her chest just as I knew she would and cartoon Evelyn does exactly that. I open the box to reveal a stunningly simple, platinum, brilliant solitaire diamond ring. I turn to make sure the screen behind is in time with me. And it is. I know as I start to speak, the words will appear on the screen
“Evelyn, you are my life. I want you in it for eternity, even though eternity is not long enough with you. You complete my life, baby. You are beautiful inside and out. I knew the first day I saw you that you were ‘the one’ for me, but never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be your ‘one’. I never in my wildest dreams thought we would ever talk and that was the best day of my life. I never in my wildest dreams thought we would become best friends, and that became the best day of my life. I most certainly never in my wildest dreams thought you would become my girlfriend until that became the best day of my life. Will you make my wildest dreams come true again? Will you make this the best day of my life and do me the greatest honor of becoming my wife? Will you be Mrs. Evelyn Tourney?” I hold my breath, waiting for her answer. She flings herself at me, knocking me to the floor, flat on my back. She leans over my face, feathering it with kisses.
“Yes, Theon. Yes, a million times, yes. I would be so honored to be your wife. To be by your side for eternity — although I agree eternity is not long enough. Yes, to everything, Theon. Yes to all the best days of our lives. I love you so much.”
“Yes.” Kiss.
“Yes.” Kiss.
“Yes.” Kiss. She is smothering me in kisses. The graphic above us has stopped on me putting the ring on her finger, still on my knee in front of her and the words above say, ‘First & last forever, Mr. & Mrs. Tourney.’ We didn’t get that far. I still haven’t put the ring on her finger. I feel for the box at my side and take out the ring. I grab her left hand, and I place the ring on her wedding finger. She’s crying happy tears, as am I. In a theatre, with my fiancée sitting above me, showing me how much she loves me.
When we arrive back at her parents’ house, it’s quiet, and she thinks they’ve gone to bed, but as we walk into the kitchen her parents, my grandma and Maggie are all there with champagne flutes raised and shouting congratulations to us. There is a big banner across the room that says: ‘Congratulations on Your Engagement.’
“Oh my god, Theon. They all knew? You did all this for me?” She’s crying again. All I ever do is make my fiancée cry. I kiss her nose and pull her closer to my side with my arm around her waist.
“You are my life, Evelyn. I would walk over broken glass and hot coals to get to you.”
I know some will say we are too young but we are more mature than most twenty-year-olds and we are running a very successful business. We are both very traditional, and we talked about moving in together, but thought we would wait a couple of years. We wanted to do it properly by getting married, then moving in, then starting a family and growing our business. We have a ten-year plan. Getting married was going to happen during the sixth year, but I can’t wait until we’re twenty-six. I want her by my side permanently, as my wife. We both know it will happen, so why wait?
This is the best day of my life.
Present
I GET THE kids up early as we have to be at the hospital for 8 a.m. to get Evelina prepped for surgery. The Evs are sullen, neither of them speaking much. I need to perk them up as best I can. I get Evelina’s Monster High dolls and take them into the living room and put them behind the couch. I can hear them upstairs getting ready, and they come down together. Usually, Evelina is running around like the whirlwind she is, but today she’s holding Evander’s hand, coming down the stairs slowly. I just need to make sure she’s feeling okay and hasn’t got the pains again. I step out of the living room.
“Hey, poppet. How are you feeling this morning? Do you have any pains?”
“Yes, Daddy, and I feel sick. I don’t want any breakfast.” She looks at me waiting for me to demand she eats, but in all honesty, I was wondering how to broach the subject of her not being allowed to eat or drink anything this morning.
“Oh, poppet, come here.” I lift her into my arms where she grabs my neck and rests her head on my shoulder with her legs wrapped around my waist, her usual chimp style, just like her mom used to cling to me. I sit on the couch with her, cuddling.
“Are you worried about going to the hospital?”
“A bit, D
addy, yes. I’m a little scared, but I’m going to be brave like I promised.”
“That’s my girl. We need to get you all better to make this nasty pain and sickness go away forever. You do understand what’s going to happen, don’t you, poppet?”
“I think so, Daddy. We go today. I have a sleep, and the doctor cuts me to see inside. Then tomorrow, I go to sleep again, and the doctor takes out my organ.” She puts her finger on her lips thinking about what organ it is.
“Your kidney.”
“Yes. Because it’s broken, poorly sick, and can’t be fixed. Then I have to have medicine that makes me sick again for a while but then makes me all better,” she says with complete understanding and a proud look on her face. I kiss her forehead.
“That is spot on. Well done, my big brave girl. Shall we see if Evander has finished his breakfast and get on our way?” She nods at me but doesn’t want to leave me, so I get up with her clinging to me, and we go and see how Evander is doing. As we enter the kitchen, I catch him suddenly pick up his spoon pretending to eat. His bowl doesn’t have much in it, but I suspect that’s because he didn’t put much in it.
“You okay, buddy?” He nods.
“You ready to get on the road? Do you want to go to school, son, or to the hospital with us today? It will be a lot of waiting around, but you’re more than welcome to come with us.” I want to give him the choice. Everyone deals with things differently. He might need school and friends to take his mind of what’s going on with Evelina, then again, he might not be able to concentrate and just want to be in the hospital with us. I’m not worried about him missing school as he is way ahead of all the other kids. He perks up a bit when I give him the option. Maybe that’s what was getting him down. He thought I was going to send him to school when he wanted to be with his sister.
“Can I come with you please, Dad? I want to be there when Lina wakes up.”
The Best Day of My Life Page 6