by Lori L. Otto
“Jack,” she says. “I know this should be fine. I know I should be okay with this. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” I explain. “But one day... I think we may just have to, you know... try. It’s your place, Poppet. It deserves some love, too.”
“I know.”
“I have a key now, you know. I could use it some night when I’m missing you horribly. Then what are you going to do?”
“I’ll try,” she commits. “Maybe we can just start out with sleeping only.”
I roll my eyes at her. “Really?” She nods, an uncertain expression covers her face. “Well, not tonight.” I kiss her again. “I’m already missing you horribly.”
“That’s fine with me,” she agrees.
The restaurant is bustling with people by the time we are seated. We peruse the wine list and move closer together in order to hear one another while we wait for our orders to be served.
“Did you check your schedule for the 25th?” Emi asks as the waiter sets down our entrees.
“What was the 25th?”
“The couples baby shower for Chris and Anna, remember?” I had completely forgotten, the preparation of my trip taking up most of my free time these days.
“Right. Couples baby shower, huh? Is this some new trend or something?”
“A little,” Emi admits as she takes a small piece of chicken from my plate with her fork, popping the food in her mouth playfully. “The baby always gets tons of things, the mom always gets pampered... but I think it’s important that Daddy Chris gets some presents, too.”
This may be the perfect opportunity. “Who’s going to be there?”
“Chris and Anna... your friend, Russell, and his girlfriend. Mae and Andy. Jen and Brian. Some friends from their respective offices. Her parents. My parents and steps. That’s about it.”
Yes, it’s perfect for the last part of the plan. “Of course, I’m free.” All I have to do is get her parents alone for a few minutes to let them know of my intentions. She won’t suspect a thing.
“Great...” she pauses momentarily. “Is your house free, too?”
“Oh, I forgot. You wanted to host it at my place, didn’t you?”
“If that’s okay. You just have a lot more room.”
“That’s fine, Emi.”
“Good, because I sort of already put it on the invitations.”
I laugh as she cringes sheepishly. “Am I cooking, as well?”
“Oh, god, no,” she says. “But I was wondering if we could ask Kelly to make a cake for it...”
“Consider it done,” I tell her. “She loves doing baby shower cakes.”
“Thanks, Jack,” she says, moistening her lips slowly with her tongue before leaning closer to kiss me. “I love you,” she adds.
“You’re just using me,” I tease her. She kicks my shin under the table, glaring at me playfully.
The following morning, my cell phone alerts me of a text message before I’m actually awake. I reach across the bed, wanting to greet Emi before checking the phone. I open my eyes when I find her side of the bed is empty. Suddenly roused, I pick up the phone and see the message from Chris.
“Anna just showed me the paper.”
“What’s going on?” I text back.
“Where’s Emi?” he responds.
I listen intently and hear music playing in the kitchen downstairs. I recognize the smell of coffee, too, as I become more coherent. “She’s in the kitchen downstairs, I think. Why?”
“Page Six reports on one of NYC’s most eligible bachelors... coming out of Harry Winston in Midtown with an engagement ring.”
“Shit. Does it mention me by name?”
“There’s a picture of you, mighty dashing, I might add. And yes, Jackson Holland, II. You’re mentioned by name.”
Shit! I get out of bed hurriedly, pulling on some pants and running my fingers through my hair before heading downstairs. Emi doesn’t really read the paper. She’s never one to be up on the latest news. But the one thing she checks on a regular basis is Page Six.
The phone beeps one last time. “Congratulations!” I toss the phone back on the bed.
Shit shit shit!! I run down the stairs, consciously slowing myself as I round the corner into the kitchen, not wanting to needlessly raise any suspicions on the off-chance that she hasn’t heard the news from someone. I take a deep breath as I watch her from across the room.
Emi’s sitting at the dining room table, legs bouncing, coffee in hand, wide smile on her face... newspaper spread out in front of her.
“Hey, baby,” I start cautiously, syrupy. Her smile grows bigger. “There’s no way you didn’t actually read the paper today... is there?”
She looks up at me, doe-eyed, looking guilty. “I don’t know how to answer that.” Her green eyes begin to water, her beautiful smile hidden when she bites her bottom lip.
“Let me see it,” I sigh, frustrated and slightly perturbed at whatever ass clown leaked this story, this picture, to the press. “Maybe it’s a pair of earrings for my mother,” I mumble as I scan the brief article. Another customer in the store said she heard him say he wanted to ask his girlfriend to marry him. I knew I should have requested a private meeting... I just really didn’t think I was newsworthy– at all.
“Jack,” Emi sighs, putting her arms around my waist as I stand beside her.
“No, Em,” I caution her as I try to stifle my annoyance. “Please. Don’t say anything, okay?”
She nods in acceptance.
“Just listen to me.” I squat down to meet her watery eyes, kissing her on the cheek and taking her hands into mine. “Okay, so I’m sure it doesn’t come as a surprise to you that I want to marry you,” I begin softly. When she blinks, a tear falls.
“Stop crying, I’m not proposing right now, okay? Let me get that out of the way.” She looks confused, sniffles, but nods again. “It’s not out of principle or anything... or maybe it is, I don’t know. I wanted to surprise you with the proposal... okay, you know it’s coming now. But will you please let me do it at my own pace, as I’ve planned to do it? And do me a favor and not try to figure it out?”
She nods again.
“You can say something now,” I encourage her.
“You know I’ll say y–”
I cover her mouth quickly with my hand. “Anything but that. Please do not ruin this for me, Emi,” I tell her through gritted teeth before a smile breaks out on my face. She nods and kisses my palm before I replace my hand with my lips and kiss her back. “We are not engaged,” I mumble into her mouth. She giggles sweetly, a few more tears falling quickly.
~ * ~
Emi has been obliging over the last couple of weeks, ‘forgetting’ the upcoming proposal as best as she could. She was positively giddy for the first couple of days, seemingly anticipating the question any time we were alone, but over time she’s gotten back to a place where I don’t feel like I’m disappointing her every night by not asking.
Pacing the foyer at the baby shower, I have a difficult time playing it cool. I don’t think that anyone has informed Emi’s parents of the Page Six article. If they know, they aren’t letting on that they do, but Emi would have probably asked them not to say anything. Regardless, it doesn’t make me any less nervous to talk to them about my intentions.
On my second beer, my heart starts to beat faster as I open the door for Emi’s father and his wife. Her mother called to say she was running a little late. I was hoping to give them a tour of the house together while Emi was being a good hostess to the shower guests. I decide to postpone the tour and offer her dad and stepmom a drink first, instead.
“I’ll take a beer,” her dad says. “I’ve never been to a baby shower,” he mutters. “What do men do at these things?” he asks me.
“Honestly, Mr. Hennigan, I’m not sure myself... but I have a nice deck and some cigars on hand if we need a break.”
“Excellent. And it’s Robert.”
“Elaine, what would you
like to drink?” Emi asks.
“A glass of white wine, if you have it.” I take a beer out of the refrigerator for Emi’s dad as Emi pours a glass of wine for her stepmom, Jen and Anna’s friend, Mae. The doorbell rings again.
“I’ve got it, Em,” I tell her.
“Jack,” Russell says as he enters the house, Nicole following closely behind and hugging me. I see another car pulling up and recognize Emi’s mother in the passenger seat.
“Russ, Emi’s in the kitchen getting drinks for everyone. Why don’t you two join them.” Russ stops on his way to shake hands with Andy and introduce himself to Jen’s boyfriend, Brian. I walk outside to greet Emi’s mom and stepdad.
“Karen, Don,” I say, hugging them both. I’ve spent more time with this set of parents and feel much more comfortable with them... Chris was always closer to his mother. “Come in.”
“Are they here yet?” Karen asks.
“Not yet. And Anna’s parents aren’t here, either.”
“Chris said they were going to follow them here.”
“Oh, good, okay. Would you two like something to drink?”
“No, thank you,” they both answer, politely.
Emi and Jen are both arranging trays of food and talking to the women in the kitchen. The men are all sitting around the living room, talking about last night’s baseball game.
“Karen,” I begin, taking a deep breath. “Since you’ve never been here before, I thought I’d give you two a tour of the house.”
“That would be nice, Jack,” she says, taking her husband’s hand. I tap Robert on the shoulder and ask if he’d like to see the house, as well. I debate going to get Emi’s step-mother, too, but she’s with Emi and I don’t want to raise her suspicions or even let her know that I’m with her parents at all.
I take them immediately down to the basement.
“Listen,” I say to them, my throat suddenly dry. “I’d like to talk to you about something. Um, would you like to have a seat?” They exchange worried glances and then sit down on the couches. I pace the floor in front of them.
“Is everything okay, Jack?” her father asks.
“Everything’s fine. No, great. Everything is great.” My palms sweaty, I inhale and exhale deeply once more before taking a seat on the coffee table, facing the stairs so I can make sure no one comes down them.
“I guess you know that I’m going to Europe on business next weekend, and that Emi’s coming with me.”
“Yes, and she’s so excited,” Karen says. “She has always wanted to go to Europe.”
“I’m glad she’s excited. I am, too.” I smile at them, their expectant eyes giving me courage. “Well, after my business trip is over with, I’m taking Emi to the Canary Islands for a few days. She doesn’t know, though.”
“Wow,” her step-dad says. “I hear it’s nice there.”
“It looks amazing, I’ve never been myself... but I found this amazing place... and... well, I just wanted to let you know that I bought a ring and I intend to propose to Emi while we’re there.”
Her mother gasps, a smile spreading across her face and tears forming in her eyes. I guess she hasn’t heard about the article... or she’ll be up for an Oscar at next year’s Academy Awards with her convincing performance. Emi’s step-father looks at Robert, as if waiting for him to speak. When he doesn’t, his gaze fixed on me, I continue.
“Mr. Hennigan– Robert, I’m sorry– I have been in love with your daughter since the day I met her. It was idle infatuation back then, I’ll admit it, but over the past year and a half, I have had the opportunity to learn more about her, and to fall more in love with her each and every day. You have raised an amazing woman, and I want her to be my wife... to be the mother of my children...”
Her mother sighs audibly, the tears beginning to stream down her rosy cheeks.
“You two haven’t been together very long,” her father says.
“You’re right, we haven’t, sir,” I say, nervous. “Four months, but we had been building a friendship for months before. She makes me feel whole. I hope I do the same for her.”
“Why the rush?” he asks.
“I want to start my life with her as soon as possible. I want her to know that I’m here for her, for good... that I’m not leaving her. I want her to feel that assurance... to feel safe with me. I want there to be permanence. I don’t want there to be any doubt of my feelings for her... and I don’t want her to have any regret, that we’ve wasted time... I know she had regrets about him... about Nate...”
Her dad bows his head to the floor at the mention of his name. “I know he was a part of your family. I respect that... and that he was a part of Emi’s life, that he always will be. I don’t want to change her... I would never ask that of her.
“I promise to take care of her, to be a friend to her, and a good husband and father to our children. I love her very much.”
“And she loves you?” Robert asks the question that catches me completely off-guard.
“I know she does,” I tell him, a tinge of defiance coming out in my voice. I clear my throat. “Chris told me about their relationship. I didn’t know Emi and Nate, together... and I don’t know the woman she was with him. I only know the woman that he left behind. I saw her mourn for him, many times. I saw her broken. I cried for her. And as she began to heal, I encouraged her as best as I could. I was strong for her when she felt weak. I gave her love when she felt there was no more. And in return, she made me laugh... made me love like I never thought I would have the chance to do. She and I share something incredible. I know it’s hard for you all to envision her with someone other than him, but we are in love. And I’d like your blessing.”
“You have mine,” Karen cries. “I always thought you were such a catch,” she says. “I always secretly hoped you’d end up with one of my girls.”
“Thank you so much.” I stand up to hug her, and she embraces me tightly. Don shakes my hand, giving me his silent blessing.
“I promise to cherish her, every day of my life, Robert. And I’ll take care of her, you’ll never have to worry about that.”
“Jack,” her father says, “I don’t doubt how you feel about her. I see how you look at her. It’s obvious. I just worry that not enough time has passed since...”
“I understand. But I just ask you to trust that we are both ready to move forward with our lives, together. I know this... I have no doubts.”
“Well, of course you have my blessing, then,” he says, standing to shake my hand. “Good luck,” he smiles.
“Thank you, sir.”
“We should get upstairs,” her mother says.
She blots her eyes with a tissue and breathes in deeply.
Chris, Anna and her parents make their entrance just as we come upstairs, so the welcoming of the guests of honor take any eyes off of us.
“Emi, can I help with anything?” I ask, walking into the kitchen to help carry food out. She kisses me, gazing into my eyes, her hand lingering on my cheek, before handing me a tray. I catch a glimpse of her mother and father watching her, smiling.
~ * ~
A few nights after the party, my cell phone, vibrating, wakes me from a rather immodest dream. The clock tells me it’s two-thirty in the morning. The caller ID shows it’s Emi.
“I was just dreaming about you,” I answer, not completely awake. She doesn’t respond. “Emi?” I say, sitting up, alert, “is everything okay?”
“Yeah, um, Jack, um...” she stammers, her voice strained. “I just got an email from my editor.”
“At this hour?” I ask.
“Yeah, I know, but he says that this job I’m working on is going to require me to be at a bunch of meetings over the next couple of weeks.”
“What?”
“Yeah.”
“But we’re leaving on Saturday, Em. In two days, we’re leaving for Europe.”
“I can’t go,” she states. “I’m sorry.”
She has to go. The proposal. Sh
e has to go.
“Surely you can work something out with him,” I encourage her.
“No, he made it very clear. There are three planning meetings a week for the next two weeks. He says I have to be there.”
“Really? Emi, but...”
“I can’t help it, Jack,” she says, her voice distant, final. I sit, silent, waiting for her to continue. Instead, I hear her sniffle, the first sign in her demeanor that she might actually be sad about missing the trip.
“Are you crying?”
“I’m just upset that I can’t go,” she says. “I wanted to go. But now I’m going to be really busy. He added about seven illustrations, too, so even if I didn’t have to be in New York for the meetings, I’d be so busy that I probably wouldn’t be able to enjoy myself anyway.”
“Emi, are you serious?”
“Yes, Jack,” she says curtly.
“What about when you finish? Can you come meet me when the job’s done?”
“I’m not sure it will be finished before you come back,” she says.
“I thought it was due the day before your birthday.” I remembered her telling me that.
“Well, they may have to extend it since he added more work, I’m not sure.”
“God, Emi,” I sigh.
“I feel bad enough as it is,” she cries. “I’m sorry.” Her voice is weary, faint.
“No, I’m sorry,” I tell her. “Please don’t cry. It’s okay. Hell, we can go to Europe any time,” I say, trying to lighten the mood. She, again, doesn’t answer. “Emi, really, sweetie, it’s okay. Why don’t I just change your ticket so you can join me that last weekend?”
“I really don’t think I’ll be done,” she says.
“If you’re not, you’re not. So what? But let’s just hope you are and you can come spend a few days with me in Spain.” It will be fine if I can just get her to Tenerife with me. Everything will go as planned.
“I don’t know,” she wavers.