Let Me Go
Page 26
The ocean was a dark, ominous grey and the waves crashed with a loud, pounding sound against the shore. Tomasz and Jakub searched the shoreline for intact shells but most of them were broken by the rough surf. I didn’t mind waiting. Being near the ocean was soothing and I always found the beach in this turbulent state just as beautiful as the calm, blue waters of the summertime.
I was lost in thought about some news I’d found out this morning when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I knew the touch before I turned around to see Dylan’s face. “I didn’t startle you, did I, Kasia?”
I put my hand to rest on top of his, still on my shoulder. “How are you, Dylan?”
“I’m good, you?”
“Good.”
“What’s your name?” Jakub asked. He was already turning into a protective little man.
“My name’s Dylan. I’m an old friend of your mom’s,” he said as he crouched down to Jakub’s level and put out a hand to shake. “What’s your name?”
“I’m Jakub Wozniak.”
“Oh yeah? How old are you, Jakub?”
“I’m four years old and my brother, Tomasz, is three and my sister, Rachel, is nothing.”
“Not nothing, Jakub,” I laughed. “She’s just not one yet.”
“I know, Mama, she’s a months old.”
“Close enough,” I said as he ran back to where he and Tomasz were throwing stones into the ocean, seeing who could throw the farthest.
He looked down at me and smiled. “You’ve been busy, Kasia. They’re cute.”
“When did you get here? I know we never talk about it but it always seems like either you come or I come, right?”
“Is it ok that I’m here?”
“Of course, Dylan. I’m really happy to see you.”
Jakub and Tomasz ran over then and gave Dylan a rock, wanting to see how far he could throw it. After he spent a few minutes showing off for them he turned his attention back to me and said, “I have a confession to make. I was on the phone with Tom this morning and when I overheard Darcy tell him that your Jake couldn’t make it, I decided to pop in. Cecilia is in Paris shopping with her mother.”
“Oh.” I didn’t know how to reply to that.
“I just…think of you still, Kasia, and I wanted to see you, to see how you’re doing. And,” he laughed as he threw another rock far out into the waves, “you look as good as I knew you would.”
His statement didn’t make me blush but it did make me smile. “How are you? I mean, really, Dylan. I’m not asking you in the bullshit kind of way.”
“You never bullshit, Kasia. It’s one of many things I remember fondly.” After a pause he said, “I’m doing really well. The company is doing great. My father has all but stepped aside, so it’s mine to run my way.”
“You must be traveling all the time.”
“Not as much as I was but yeah, I’m overseas at least six or seven times a year.” He seemed to contemplate what he was about to say next. “Are you happy, Kasia?”
“Yes, Dylan, I’m very happy.”
“I knew what your answer would be. You look happy.”
“Are you, Dylan?”
“I’m as happy as I can be, Kasia. My life is complicated. I’m complicated, as you well know,” he teased as he bumped my shoulder.
I couldn’t help but ask him, “Are you happy with Cecilia?”
“That’s a complicated question. I’m happy enough. We got married last year. Did you know that?”
“Yes, I did. Congratulations.”
“Yeah, thanks,” he said, his voice lacking enthusiasm. “I’m not unhappy, Kasia. Cecilia is a good person, she’s beautiful, and she fits into my whole Cole Industries life. She’s the perfect little corporate social calendar operator. We both know you would have hated all that crap.” When I nodded he rolled his eyes as he said, “Margot thinks I made a fabulous choice.”
“Yeah, I think Margot and I would have spent the next thirty years butting heads.”
“Probably. She liked you though, Kasia. She bought one or two of your dresses when you were just getting established, you know.”
“Really? I’m shocked.”
“And Anna practically dressed only in Sweet Betty Threads before you sold out of the business. Cecilia was convinced Anna was doing it to irk her but I think Anna just really loved your clothes…and she missed you.”
“She’s doing well, I hope?”
“Anna’s great. I tried to convince her to come to work for me after she graduated but she wanted no part of it.”
“Kate says she’s so talented, Dylan.”
“I know,” he said, beaming with pride.
The boys walked over then, each carrying one unbroken shell. I was impressed they unearthed them on a day like today.
“Boys, lets head back up now, ok?” They walked a few feet ahead of us, stopping every few seconds to pick up a piece of sea glass or a rock that caught their eye.
“I’m so glad I got a chance to see you, Dylan.”
“Me too, Kasia. Do you think,” he said bumping my shoulder again playfully, “that we would have been able to make it if we’d stayed together?”
I was thinking, absolutely not, but I said, “It’s hard to say, Dylan. I think it’s probably for the best that we let each other go.”
We had just made it off the beach and were standing next to my car as the boys climbed into the backseat. “That’s the problem, Kasia,” Dylan said as he turned his gaze to the ground. “There’s a part of me that can’t ever let you go.” He gave my hand a quick, affectionate squeeze and then walked across the street and got into his car without looking back.
I kissed Jakub and Tomasz as I buckled them into their car seats and set off for home. I felt melancholy as I drove, thinking about Dylan. I wanted him to feel the kind of happiness that I felt every day. Jake and my children surrounded me with love. I knew I was a very lucky woman.
As I pulled up outside of our house, I noticed that Jake had hung the outside Christmas lights. “Look!” both Tomasz and Jakub screamed in unison.
“Ooh, doesn’t it look so pretty?” I cooed as I took in the mass of multi-colored lights that were neatly strung from every window and doorframe of the brownstone.
As we walked in the door, the boys hollered happily, jumping and clapping, when they saw that Jake had put the tree in its stand in the corner of the living room. Jake shushed them and gestured, smiling, to keep it down as he pointed to Rachel, who was asleep resting on his chest. Yum, I thought, that was a pretty picture. He laid Rachel down in her cradle as he made his way over to me and then the boys, kissing each one of us. “How was the party, guys?”
They both spoke over one another, relaying details about the soccer game they played, about the treehouse, and about the giant, pink frosted cake. Tomasz said, “And we met a friend of Mama’s.”
“Yeah,” added Jakub. “Dylan throwed the rocks really far.”
“Oh, yeah?” Jake asked as he grabbed Jakub and held him up towards the ceiling and then looked to me with a smile and raised eyebrows.
I chimed in, “You know, Daddy can throw them much farther, right?”
Jakub asked, “Yeah, Daddy?”
Before he could answer I waggled my eyebrows as I looked to Jake, smiling and said, “Of course! Daddy can do it much better. Because Daddy is much stronger.”
By then he’d put Jakub down and in response to what I’d said, they were both jumping up and down, flexing their little, toddler-sized muscles.
Jakub grabbed me then, flung me over his shoulder with one hand and joined the boys in jumping up and down. They thought that was hilarious. “Whoa, gentle with Mommy!” I pled. Jake slid me down his body then, slowly, so that I could feel his desire for me.
“I missed you today.”
“I missed you too. Everyone was asking for you.”
“I can think of one person who was probably happy I wasn’t there,” he teased. “How is Dylan?”
“He’s good, I
guess. I don’t think he’s found the kind of happiness I have,” I teased as I poked his ticklish underarm area, “but he’s ok. It was nice to see him, though, Jake.”
He nodded and then kissed me tenderly before turning his attention back to the boys. “Guess who is coming to help us decorate the tree tomorrow night?”
“Who, who, who?” they both yelled as they pounded on Jake’s legs.
“Grandmama and Tata,” the boys whooped and cheered as every name was said, “Auntie Karolina, Auntie Sophia, Uncle Michal, Uncle Alex, his Annabelle, and Uncle Tomasz.” He purposely left out Sophia and Michal’s boys, knowing that would cause a near riot.
Jakub yelled, knowing his father was teasing him, “What about Christian and Lucas? You didn’t say them, Daddy!”
He opened his eyes wide. “You’re right! I forgot all about them! Should we call them and ask them to come?”
“Yes!” they both squealed. As they ran into the kitchen I heard Jake telling the boys to tell their cousins that Mommy was going to make meatballs and spaghetti, and we were going to bake Christmas cookies, and we were going to decorate the tree.
After he had them settled watching a show, he came and flopped next to me on the couch. As I looked up at his face, I thought to myself, as I did every day, that he was probably the most handsome man alive. “What are you thinking, moja miɫość?”
“I’m thinking I have to give you some news before I spill to my mother tomorrow.”
He kissed my head and nestled me close. “Alright, I’m listening.”
“You know how we were planning to take a trip to Bermuda this summer, just the two of us?”
“Yeah, and?”
“Well,” I stretched out the words, “we might not be able to do that.”
He turned me and tilted my head up so I was looking at him. A smile spread across his face as he asked, “We won’t be able to go because we’ll be having a baby?” I nodded, tears at the corners of my eyes, as I smiled back at him. He kissed me, passionately. Then he pulled me back from him, a worried expression on his face. “Damn, Kasia. Why’d you let me fling you over my shoulder like a caveman before?”
“I’m fine, Jakub,” I reassured him. “He or she is the like the size of a lima bean right now.”
“But I take care of my lima beans, woman,” he said as he lovingly caressed my stomach. “Can we tell them?” He said, gesturing towards the room where the boys were watching television.
“I’ll be nearly three months on Valentine’s Day. How does that sound?”
“Perfect. Everything is perfect, Kasia.”
Yes, I thought, everything is perfect. Jakub was perfect for me. I would never, ever let anything or anyone come between us.
I would never, ever let Jakub go.
THE END
For Now…
About the Author
Lily splits her time between New York and Maine these days. When she’s not hanging around with her totally hot, funny, and very understanding husband, she spends her time running, reading any book she can get her hands on, and locking herself away to write.
Please, dear reader, if you enjoyed Kasia and Dylan’s story, write a review to help spread the word for Lily. Also, get in touch! Lily loves to hear from her readers…
www.LilyFoster.com
AuthorLilyFoster@gmail.com
Table of Contents
Other Titles by Lily Foster
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Epilogue
About the Author