by Kaci Hart
She settled into her room and quickly heard a knock on her door. Nick was already waiting for her it seemed.
“I’m coming.”
She laughed when she thought about the scene at the front desk.
Nick gave the clerk his name.
“One moment please sir. I have your reservations here. Let me just grab the keys for you and your friend.”
“Thank you sir.”
Donna took that chance to grab Nick’s ear, whispering to him under her breath.
“Nick, I appreciate you bringing me out here but you know this isn’t acceptable right?
“I know this was all sudden, but trust me, you are going to love it.”
“Really? After all of your posturing and saying you are going to protect me and take care of me. I can’t believe that you would think I’m going to sleep in the same room with you. What happened to your Christian principles?”
Before Nick could respond, the front desk clerk turned around two keys in hand.
“Rooms 123 and 124 will be down the hall and on the right. Your bags will be delivered to your respective rooms for you if you’d like.”
“No thanks you. We don’t have much luggage.”
“Enjoy your stay then.”
“We will. I think.”
He looked at Donna who had a slightly embarrassed look on her face.
“Sorry about that. I thought that you had only gotten one room for us. I know we had been growing closer and I figured you had misjudged our relationship and the kind of woman that I am.”
“Never that Donna. I told you that I respect you.”
She opened the door, locked it, and grabbed Nick’s hand as they headed off towards the beach.
Minutes later Donna looked over at Nick who was relaxing in a hammock strung out between two trees. She preferred to lay on an oversized beach towel and let the rays of the sun embrace her in their warmth. Out in nature like that, she was relaxed and calm, and she loved it. The smell of the fresh ocean filled her nostrils while the soft sounds of the miniature waves played nature’s melody in her ears. Nick called out to her, stealing her attention from the most wonderful scene.
“You see Donna. I told you that a nice, soothing day on the beach was exactly what you needed.”
Donna didn’t even look at him. Instead she stared through her shades at the blue sky, free of clouds.
“Yes Nick, you were right, as usual Mr. Smarty-pants.”
She stuck her tongue out at him, laughing.
“What are you, ten years old now?”
“Whatever buddy boy. So tell me the name of this place again since you are gonna be bringing me here at least once or twice a year.”
“Caladesi Island. You know what, since I was a kid my parents came out here once a year. That was until a few years ago. They still come, but I got a little old to be going on what I started to feel was a romantic getaway with my parents. I always liked it here though and hoped to come back for my own getaways.”
“I can understand why. It’s literally perfect here.”
“It is now that you are here with me.”
“Smooth talker. Don’t get yourself into too much trouble with your flattery of me because a girl could get used to a place like this. I’m glad you like it here because I am making plans for you to bring me here at least once or twice a year so get ready.”
“Once or twice a year you say? So that means you plan on putting up with me for a while, huh?”
Donna didn’t realize the implied statement that she had made until he said it. She had gotten to the point in their relationship where she just expected them to be together for a while.
“That was a bit presumptuous of me wasn’t it? And it must have cost you a fortune to buy our tickets last minute.”
“Nope. It didn’t cost me a penny. I put all the company purchases on our small business card and we get a ton of points for what we buy. When I booked this, I had over six million points.”
“Well that’s a lot.”
“Yeah. What I normally do with them is use them to give holiday bonuses to the employees. Normally gift cards is the easiest. Hmm. Now that I think about it, I might have to stop doing that.”
“Why would you? That’s got to be something employees appreciate yearly.”
“Yeah but I have been seeing this therapist and she would most likely tell me that what I am doing is a plea for love and I don’t want that.”
Donna heard Nick chuckle as he referenced their previous conversation.
“Never gonna let me live that one down are you?”
“Maybe one day, but this isn’t the one.”
“It’s funny when I look back on it. I acted like I knew everything important about you in the span of a few minutes. I’m just glad that I didn’t turn you off with that.”
“Not possible. You know for a fact I was hooked already.”
“Good.”
“Now back to me bringing you out here regularly. I’m glad you are thinking that way. I’ve been doing some thinking myself recently and there is something that I wanted to talk to you about.”
Donna looked to Nick as a more serious look began to creep onto his face.
“Donna I don’t mean to be rude to you or too forward but I hope you know just how beautiful I think you are. I mean that in every way, not just on the outside but who you are as a person as well. It’s well documented that I have been crazy about you since the very first time I met you.”
As he spoke, his gaze was unwavering and all she could do was listen to what he was saying.
“I know that this may sound silly because we haven’t been dating for years but you have to know that I’m the kind of guy that goes after something if he knows it’s right. Donna, I know for a fact that you are right for me. I feel things for you that I have never felt for anyone else in my life and I know what that means for me. I’m not the type to date haphazardly but I don’t think I have ever really taken the time to make my intentions known to you.”
Nick looked away from her for a minute. She knew where he was going and it had to be a big leap for anyone to talk about having a future with someone for the first time.
“Nick, you don’t have to be all serious about that. I’m having a great time with you and we can just leave it at that. Everything will work out like it’s supposed to.”
“Nah... I mean it will work out but I won’t just leave it. It’s important to be said to you before we go further in our relationship. You need to know my heart so you can decide if this is where you want to be.”
“Ok.”
“So I need you to know that what I am looking for in my life right now is a wife. Someone I can expect to spend my life with. And I don’t need to date for three or four years. You don’t have to answer this minute because I know it’s a lot but unless you tell me otherwise, I am going to assume that you are looking for the same thing from our relationship that I am. If you decide the answer is yes, then I don’t know how long I can wait to ask you to marry me. If no, I would understand and respect that too. I would just have to re-evaluate a few discussions I have had with the big guy.”
Donna stood up, not saying anything but smiling at him. She walked over to him and kissed him on the forehead. There was another hammock right beside his and she lay in it, holding his hand. Six months ago she would have never even considered the prospect of her being married. Now, knowing that he wanted to marry her, she couldn’t imagine her future otherwise. She knew that if he had asked her then and there, the answer would have been an overwhelming yes.
Chapter 12
Donna pulled her car up to her mother’s house. She was curious as to why her mother was so insistent on her dropping by for Sunday dinner. She had talked to her once while she was away and had forgiven her for giving out her number. Her mother was the type that just couldn’t stop herself from trying to mend faces and making everyone happy. She couldn’t fault her for doing what was in her nature. Truth be told, she always
expected her mother to try to fix her relationship with her father. Donna just hoped she didn’t mention him again that day. Her mother could be downright annoying when it came to something she believed--but Donna wasn’t going to have it right then. She’d made up her mind that if her mother mentioned him, she’d be leaving in a jiffy.
Donna got out of the car and began towards the front door. She knew her mother was used to her coming by on Saturdays so with her going away with Nick, she could see her mother wanting her to still come by. She smiled inside at thoughts of both Nick and her mother. The two people she cared about more than anything else in the world both made her feel important within the past three days. She had hoped that Nick could stop by too but he said that he wasn’t able to make it. That was fine. He’d already met her mother and fell in love with her roast too.
Since Donna had gotten home from her beach getaway, she was still walking on cloud nine. They had a wonderful time and she was certain that their relationship was going to go to another level. That made her happy. Happy enough that she didn’t notice the other car that sat in her mother’s driveway. Had she been more observant, she probably wouldn’t have been as surprised at the scene she saw through the front window.
Is...that...him?
She didn’t know he was out of prison. It must have just happened recently. She was fuming inside at her mother. For her to have him over and then invite her over and blindside her with him there. She didn’t talk to her mom about her dad on purpose. The present situation was so far beyond a conversation. She felt her blood begin to reach a boiling point as she watched them laughing and smiling through the window. Apparently her mother really didn’t care about the stuff that he had done to them in the past but Donna hadn’t forgotten at all. When he looked at the window and their eyes locked, she couldn’t take anymore. She saw the recognition in his face and as he began to stand up, she knew she needed to leave. A conversation was not going to be pleasant. She was leaving.
She quickly turned around, trying to make her way towards her car but she wasn’t fast enough.
“Hi princess.”
She stopped in her tracks, her heart jumping out of her chest. She felt a knot form in her stomach at just the familiar sound of his voice.
“Don’t call me that, Jeff.”
Her mother came outside next.
“Sweetie, it’s your father.”
She looked at her mother in total bewilderment.
“Yeah, I can see that. Mom what is he doing here?”
She demanded an answer from her mother but her father was the one to respond.
“Donna, princess, just listen to me for a minute.”
She turned to glare at her father. With a look of fire in her eyes. She hadn’t seen him in years and it wasn’t long enough. With him in that same house again, she felt like that same little girl, only now she wasn’t going to be quiet. She was going to say what she wanted, when she wanted, how she wanted to. He was going to find out really quickly who she was--and she wasn’t hiding under the table anymore. Ever.
“You! No! I am not talking to you and you don’t get to say anything to me! Mom I can’t believe you would do this to me. You knew that I don’t want to talk to him and you lured me over here. Made me think you wanted to spend time with me. Why do you do this kind of stuff?”
“Honey..”
“Rhetorical question mom! If you want to spend your time with him laughing and playing house, that’s your choice. You’re an adult. But I don’t have to. I’m an adult too.”
They stood in the yard arguing.
“Please Donna, just hear me out.”
Her mother pled with her.
“No, let me Tina. Just give me a minute Donna and I promise, if you aren’t satisfied...I’ll never bother you again.”
Donna thought about it quickly.
“One minute of my time in order to never be bothered by you again? That’s worth it. Sixty seconds, Go.”
She looked down at her watch to signify that the clock was ticking and then back at her father who had a look of regret on his face. She didn’t know if he regretted the past or was just there trying to talk to her and she didn’t care. She just needed to make it through the next minute.
“Donna, this is my fault. The way you feel. How angry and hurt you are. I was wrong when you were a child. I didn’t want to be that person. I got caught up in the wrong things and I hurt the people I love the most. I hurt you honey but I still loved you. I still do now. I’ve changed and I just want…”
Donna couldn’t keep quiet. Her voice was cold as ice.
“What do you want dad? To be a family again? To give me my childhood back. To stop all the bad dreams I grew up having? You want to say that you love me but I don’t think you know what love is at all. You may be able to change, but I won’t. I refuse to.”
She saw sadness cloud the faces of her parents. She didn’t care. The tears had already started to flow down her face and she had already decided to keep going.
“You know the most messed up part about it? I’m still the only one that is suffering. I had a guy tell me he wants to marry me and as much as I want to say yes I don’t think I can. That’s what you did to me Jeff.”
Her mother rushed to her side but Donna shook her head.
.
“Oh honey, please don’t let that be true. You deserve to be happy.”
“Well you can say please all you want to, but it won’t change the facts. Now I’m sorry Jeff. I interrupted you when you were talking.”
Donna looked back at her watch.
“You’ve got about ten seconds left.”
“Donna, I can only ask you to forgive me and give me a chance to be a better father.”
“Time’s up. I’m leaving.”
Donna got into her car and drove home. She was sobbing and it was mostly because of her father but she also was in pain because she knew what she had said about marrying Nick was true. She would never be able to tell him yes. She could never be his wife.
***
Nick had just arrived at his office Monday morning and was going through his emails. Needless to say, he was really happy. The weekend with Donna had gone extremely well and he had already been looking at rings since then. He wasn’t going to waste any more time. It wasn’t necessary. Now all he had to do was figure out how to do it. He had already planned maybe a horseback ride…maybe a picnic or something she would say was super cheesy but inside she would feel over the moon. He thought about her smile and was ready to go into her office to say hello. He wondered if she had an appointment.
An email from the head of the human resources department changed that. The title was enough to snatch his full attention.
Call me to discuss options for new therapist.
I need to go over the options with you for a new therapist for the office. The program has been going well and I don’t really want to let this go more than a few days if I can. Call me when you have time to go over a few things. Thanks.
Since they had been dating, they were very up front with their relationship in the office. They both had felt that it was important that there be no appearances of anything wrong so transparency was best. Human resources did send him an email when it got out that they were dating just to let him know that they thought it might not be the best idea for him to date an employee of the business. He had acknowledged their concern and told them not to worry. Now he was concerned that they had replaced her without his consent.
New therapist? The email had been sent just a few minutes ago.
What is she talking about?
He picked up the phone and dialed her extension.
“What’s this about a new therapist?”
“Well I got the call this morning from Dr. Faulkner’s office that Donna wasn’t going to be able to work for us anymore. You didn’t know?”
“No I didn’t.”
“Oh. I’m sorry about that. I assumed that as close as you two have been, you would have
been aware of something like this.”
“You and me both.”
“I’ve already taken the liberty of asking Dr. Faulkner’s office for a replacement but he says he doesn’t know how long it will be. Since she doesn’t work there anymore, their workload is increasing on the staff they already have. So should we try to contract someone else?”
Nick needed to find out what was going on immediately.
“Ok. I trust you to do what you think is going to make the most sense. I know that she had been getting a lot of people recently that were taking advantage of the benefit so I would like to get someone as soon as possible, but I’d like them to be local.”