by Dale Mayer
“Yea, I might have noticed that,” Shane said with a drawl. “I think it’s a good thing.”
“Says you,” Nash retorted with a laugh.
“No, it is good,” he said. “I think she’s only had eyes for you since you got here.”
“Well, we do have a prior history.”
“Which makes it that much easier to go faster,” he said with a nod. “She’s a good person. She’s a good worker, and she’s got lots of heart.”
“Yeah, she does,” he said with satisfaction. “Now somehow I just have to figure out how to take the next step.”
“You will figure it out,” Shane said. “Just listen to your heart.”
“I’m hoping so,” he said.
Just then a sound behind them had them turning to see Dennis walking toward them. They picked up their coffee and quickly took a place at one of the closest tables. Dennis arrived, carrying two huge platters. “Wow!” Nash said. “Even on my best days, I never eat like this.”
“You could. Any day that you think you need extra food,” Dennis said, “we’ve got it for you.”
“Dennis runs a great ship here,” Shane said, “but really, Dennis, you are the heart and soul of the dining room.”
“Well, that would be Ilse, our head chef in the kitchen,” he said, “but I’m definitely the face of the dining room.”
With that, they grinned, and Nash teased, “You’re such a pretty face too.”
“You’d better believe it,” he said with a big grin. He turned and headed back toward the kitchen. “Now I want empty plates when I come back,” he said. “Stop missing meals around here, or you will pay for that.” He disappeared, still grumbling.
Nash looked down at his plate and said, “I’m still in shock.”
“He’s a good guy,” he said. “Also, as for just stretching, we’ll be working in the hot tub, so you can eat to your heart’s content, as long as you are hungry.”
“That’s the trick, isn’t it?” he said. “Eat because you’re hungry, not because it’s there in front of you.”
“Exactly and today we’re both very hungry.”
It wasn’t long before they had dipped pretty heavily into their meals.
“You know what? I didn’t think I could eat all this,” Nash said. “Now I’m sitting here, wondering if I want more.”
“I couldn’t eat any more,” Shane said. “And, if I’m hungry later, I will get something at coffee break.”
“Good point,” he said.
They looked up to see Dennis walking toward them again, his face wreathed in smiles as he saw their plates. “Good,” he said. “Threats work every time.”
They both burst out laughing and said, “Threats from you? What threats? That you will bring us cream pops, if we don’t eat everything?”
“We are making cream pops in the back,” he said, “but don’t tell the others. There’ll be a rush on lunch like you wouldn’t believe.”
“I already just took note,” Shane said, chuckling. He stood and said, “Dennis, you are a good man. Thanks for the extra care. Now I would like to take this guy down to the hot tub and see if we can turn him into a pretzel again.”
“Hey, you said stretches,” Nash said.
“Yea, stretches,” he said. “Yoga stretches.”
Chapter 13
Alicia went through the rest of the day with a bright happy smile and a sense of peace inside. She couldn’t believe how much of a deluge she’d opened up, because of something she couldn’t do anything about. Now she felt both empty and at peace. She made it through the morning, feeling a certain exhaustion, threatening to ruin her afternoon, but, when she walked into the dining room to get a coffee, Dennis met her and said, “We’re making parfaits. You want one?”
“You’ll make me fat,” she complained.
He said, “How about I make you one with nuts instead then.”
“I’m not sure putting nuts on it will be any help, not when you will load it with whipping cream and all the other goodies to boot.”
“If you want it, I’ll make yours a low-fat version.”
She wrinkled up her nose and said, “What’s the fun in that?”
He grinned. “How about I make you a half-size one?”
“That works,” she said. “Besides, I can use the pick-me-up. I’m quite tired.”
“Got it,” he said, and she poured herself coffee. He returned a few minutes later and handed her a smaller parfait glass, but just as equally loaded with goodies.
“This looks lovely,” she said warmly. “And perfect for today.”
“Perfect any day,” he said. “But I’m glad that today is the day you could really use it.”
She carried it back to her desk and had a lot of people make comments about her perfect-looking parfait. She motioned toward the dining room. “Better get in there before they’re gone,” she said. “You know what this place is like.”
They all laughed, and several headed toward the dining room to get one for themselves.
Then she settled in at her desk.
Dani walked in, took one look, and gasped. “Wow …”
“Yes, it’s awesome,” she said.
“But I might miss out on one,” Dani wailed.
“I am pretty sure, out of anybody in this place,” she said, “you are the one who will get a special parfait made up for you.”
At that, Dani laughed. “Well, I have missed out on all kinds of things.”
“Yeah, but I bet Eggie won’t miss out at all, will she?” Alicia teased.
At that, Dani’s face burst into a bright grin. “No, and we have her sister coming too. She was just put up for adoption herself.”
“Adoption?”
“She’s got a similar medical issue apparently. However, it’s more of a birth defect than a surgical-repair thing. So it’s not necessarily something we can fix.”
“And, if you can, you will, but, if you can’t, you won’t,” Alicia said comfortably.
“That’s what I was thinking,” she said. “At least now, the two will be together. It broke my heart to think that she wouldn’t have anybody with her.”
“So instead she’s got her blood sister. Nice job.”
“Yes, they are twins.”
“Even more reason to keep them together.”
“Not that I needed any more reasons,” she said with an eye roll.
“Do you ever worry about your ability to look after all these animals, long-term?”
“Sometimes, yes,” Dani replied. “But I also know that I’ll skip meals to make sure that my pets and all those under my care have what they need. Also, pretty soon, Aaron will join the surgery practice downstairs, so that will be a help too.”
“Right,” she said.
“How are you doing?” Dani asked.
“I’m doing wonderfully,” she said. “Had quite a breakthrough this morning with Dr. Simmons, so thank you very much for covering all those visits.”
“Happy to help,” she said. “Also, if it’s helped you, then it’s even better.”
“It was good,” she said. “I’m exhausted, but it’s all good.”
“Lovely,” she said. “Well, in that case, I’m heading out for a horseback ride.”
“Now that would be nice,” she said.
At that, Dani turned to look at her. “Do you know how to ride?”
“Nope,” she said. “Never had a chance.”
“Well, I ride all the time and would gladly teach you,” she said. “Today I’m going out with Robin. Another time maybe.”
“I’d like that,” Alicia said, and she watched as Dani disappeared from the offices. The day was almost done, and Alicia was just tired enough that she wondered if she should see Nash first or wait until tomorrow. But she didn’t want to wait until tomorrow; she wanted to see him again. In fact, she wished she could see him every day, all day. While he was still in here, she had to share him with his medical team. But that was a whole different story. Before
it was time to leave, she got up, grabbed her purse and her sweater, and headed to his room to find him sitting on the side of the bed, looking wasted.
“Ouch,” she said. “You’re not looking a whole lot better than when I saw you this morning.”
He looked at her and smiled. “I’m doing pretty well. Not exactly on top of my game, but I’m feeling decent.”
“I think that’s worth so much,” she said.
“Are you done for the day?”
She nodded.
“That’s too bad,” he said. “I was hoping we could go for coffee.”
“That might work, but we’re both tired today,” she said. “I was just thinking how it was kind of sad that we only see each other during working hours.”
“Also because you don’t live here,” he pointed out.
“Exactly,” she said. “But, once you’re done here, then maybe that’s a good thing.”
“And you live close too, don’t you?”
“I do,” she said. “So, if you’re looking for an apartment building, mine has a couple vacancies.”
“Ha, that would be fun,” he said.
Then she smiled and said, “I just want to say thank you for being there this morning.”
“You’re welcome,” he said in surprise. “I’ll be there every day, if I thought we could arrange it.”
“Oh, I think we’re getting there,” she said with a brave smile.
“Are we?”
“We are. I think so at least,” she said, her smile falling away. “I would hate to think that I was heading down this path, and you weren’t there with me.”
“Oh, I’m there with you,” he said and then added, “Before you go, can I manage one more hug?” He slowly made his way to his feet and opened his arms.
She stepped into them and held him close. She felt tears gathering at the corner of her eyes.
“One of these days, you’ll have to tell me what the breakthrough was.”
“One of these days, I will,” she said. “It didn’t have anything to do with you, just the benefit of seeing my future and not being quite so afraid of it.”
“I can understand fear,” he said. “I’ve been there a time or two myself.”
“I know.” She leaned her head back, looked up at him, and said, “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“I’ll be here,” he said. He leaned over and kissed her gently on the forehead. When he let his arms fall, so she could step back and away, she felt a sense of disappointment. But then look at where they were? Not exactly a place where he could do any more than that. But she wanted him to. She wanted to be held and kissed and told that the whole world was open for them. And it hopefully would be, just maybe, just not yet.
She smiled and said, “Until tomorrow.” Then she turned and walked out of the room, heading home. She was exhausted, and, as long as she got a good night’s sleep tonight, she would be fine tomorrow. Well, she hoped so. As it was, she’d no sooner walked in the door to her apartment when her mother called. “Hey, Mom, how are you?”
“Maybe not quite as good as you,” her mother asked in a hesitant voice. “You sound very up. Yet tired too.”
“I am. Both,” Alicia said gently. “I’ve come to terms with some big issues in my life, and I have a special friend back in my life.”
“Nash?”
“Yes, Nash.” She chuckled and filled in her mom on the surprise of meeting Nash again and on their romance.
“You sound …” Her mother stopped, then, in a rush, she said, “Are you sure about getting so close to him?”
“We always were close,” Alicia reminded her.
“It could be like Jerry all over again.”
Alicia took a long slow breath. “You and I know that it could be. It could also be that I am the one who ends up in a bed, while he’s doing better. We can’t protect our futures by living our lives in fear. When I said I had a breakthrough earlier, I meant it. Coming back to Hathaway House has been really good for me. I’ve come to terms with Jerry’s death finally, and I’m so grateful for the time I had with him.”
Her mother made an odd sound, a half gasp, half cry.
“I’m happy now, Mom. Isn’t it time for you to be happy too?”
At that, her mother burst into tears. When she finally calmed enough, she said, “There’s no happiness for me. I can never be forgiven for not being there for my son. I’m as guilty of killing him as the disease that ravaged him to the end.” And she burst into tears again.
Alicia sat on the edge of the kitchen chair, her purse sitting beside her on her kitchen table.
When her mother calmed down, Alicia said, “You need to let that go. You did what you could—what you were capable of. Jerry never held your absence against you. He loved you.”
Her mother’s sobbing slowed to hiccups. “I’ve felt so guilty for so long.”
“You need to talk to someone and get professional help. Someone you can talk to who won’t judge you as you let this all out. Find someone like I did.”
“You sound so different.”
“I feel different. Lighter, not so heavyhearted. And it feels like Jerry is closer to me now more than ever.”
“I need to feel that way,” her mother whispered.
“Then talk to someone. Even if you only discuss it with Dad, at least let him know how you feel.”
At that, her mother sobbed quietly.
“You know he’s hurting too. Likely for the same reason,” she said impulsively. “Find a way. It feels good to find peace inside.”
“And that’s how you feel?”
“I do. And I know you deserve that too.”
“I don’t want to talk to anyone,” she whispered.
“Not even Dad?” It was just a hunch, but Alicia knew her parents hadn’t had new relationships and hadn’t remarried. “Isn’t it time?”
“You’re right. It is,” she whispered. Her voice grew stronger as she said, “I’ll call him tonight.”
“Good, Mom,” she said quietly. “Let the healing begin.”
Alicia was definitely different. Something had happened, and Nash was glad for it. He spent the evening playing pool with a bunch of the guys, feeling the strength in his body slowly coming back again.
“When are you out of here?” one of them asked.
“Pretty soon,” he said. “Less than six weeks but then I’m good. At least I hope so.”
“That’s awesome. What about you and your lady? You got marriage plans?”
“I haven’t felt like I could ask her,” he confessed. “Given the shape I’m in here, doesn’t feel like I’m a prime offering.”
“Hey, I think we’ve all been there,” his buddy said. “So many relationships have come through this place that it’s almost a matchmaking service.”
“Well, that’d be pretty funny,” he said. “And I get it, but you know? Love matches may happen here, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll happen to me. What Alicia and I have feels very personal right now, yet I don’t really know quite what to do.”
“Why not just come out and talk to her? Tell her how you feel.”
“Well, we are kind of there,” he said. “It just feels like we need more time together.”
“Sometimes just knowing you have that commitment is what gives you that time together,” one of the other guys said.
Nash nodded, as he thought about that. “It would be nice to at least clear the air, to the extent that we know exactly where and what we are doing, as a couple.”
He slept on it overnight, thinking that maybe he should talk more with Alicia and do something about it, but he wanted it to be special, and yet he knew of no way to make it special here.
As he walked his way through the breakfast aisle, Dani slipped up beside him and asked, “Did you have a better night?”
“I did,” he said, but his smile was forced.
“Still sounds like you’re pretty heavy-duty into something.”
He shrugged. “Just t
rying to figure out how to make something special when there is not anything I can do myself from here. I don’t really want to order in something. It doesn’t feel very personable.”
“Well, my answer has always been a picnic,” Dani said.
He looked at her in surprise. “A picnic?”
“Yes, a picnic,” she said. “You tell Dennis when, and he’ll have it ready.”
“Is that something people do here?”
“No reason not to. I can tell you this much. An awful lot of relationships and a lot of I Dos happened during picnics.”
He smiled at that. “Well, she does like the animals, so maybe a picnic would do …”
“Just let me know,” Dennis said, walking up to the pair and overhearing those last words.
Nash brought it up with Shane later. “So Dani suggested I set up a picnic with Alicia.”
“That’s because she is trying to match another couple in this place,” Shane said, laughing.
“Seriously?”
“Yep, seriously. A lot of relationships develop here, and a picnic has been one great way of making things happen.”
“Maybe,” he said. “I was just thinking it wasn’t enough.”
“I think simple and honest is more than enough,” Shane said. “Too often we try to make a big deal out of something that really should be a simple deal. I’m not saying it’s a small deal, but it should be a heartfelt deal.”
“Right, got it,” he said. “Besides that, how am I doing, recovery-wise?”
“You’re doing much better, but you’ve still got a ways to go on some things to ready you for your new career and your new life outside Hathaway House.” Shane then proceeded to share his analysis on where Nash needed to focus his strengths now.
“Sounds like a lot of work,” he said.
“Yep, but then, as a reminder,” he said, “let’s look at the video I took when you first got here.” He pulled that up and played it for him.
Nash watched in shock. “Wow,” he said. “I really have come a long way.”
“Have you noticed that, since I told you to leave the wheelchair in your room, you’ve become stronger, faster, better, and that your balance is much improved?”