by J. L. Ryan
Later that night, his car dropped Jennifer off at her condominium building. Jacob tried to convince her to invite him upstairs for nightcap and perhaps more. The entire ride back he had spent making allusions to how they made such a great “power couple”. Not in the mood to deal with him and not wanting to risk her job at the hospital by giving him a piece of her mind, she bolted from the car without as much as a goodbye. “How could she have allowed him to manipulate her like that?” she wondered. It took his antics tonight to reveal the creep underneath. He wasn’t worried about her neglecting her patients or research. He was only concerned about alienating her from everyone else so she would be vulnerable to him. How could she not have seen it before? Racking her brain for signs that she had missed, she recalled overhearing some nurses commenting about “poor sweet doctor” being preyed upon by “the big guy” and being completely oblivious. They had been talking about her, hadn’t they? Honestly, Jennifer didn’t know who she was more angry with…Jacob for pushing doubt into her mind that she was not a good doctor because she wasn’t focused enough on her work and making her believe it was her fault patients died or herself for believing him. She had denied herself any life for years due to her own self-doubts. He had merely amplified that doubt and handicapped her emotionally so she wouldn’t stray from her work, stray from his sight and control. Perhaps the best place to lay her anger was at her own feet for allowing it to happen.
She was so caught up in her inner rage that she didn’t see the tall shadow come up behind her as she opened the front door to the building. It wasn’t until she moved into the building and saw a muscular arm reach out to hold the door open that she turned around in fright. She was shocked to see Lorenzo standing in the doorway with an anguished look. What he was thinking she couldn’t guess. They had made plans to be together that day and she had wimped out by leaving him a message with no explanation. Now here she was dolled up from her night on the town with her boss. They stood in the vacant foyer staring at each other in the dark for several moments before Lorenzo turned to leave without saying a word. Desperate to explain, she reached for him but he flung her arm back.
As he brusquely walked out the door, a pouring rain had just started. Jennifer rushed out to stop him, but he continued briskly walking to wherever he had parked his SUV. Unable to keep up in her 2 inch heels, she stopped only long enough to pull them from her feet. The shoes were left there as she raced after him. Even though she was a fast runner and had placed in the last Marine Corps marathon, Jennifer found it difficult to keep up. As he neared his car, she dashed across the street unaware of an approaching taxi. The last thing she saw was Lorenzo’s look of horror as he turned to see the collision. Then everything went dark.
Chapter 8
Jennifer awoke to a throbbing in her head and the incessant beeping of heart rate monitor. Placing her hand to her head and feeling the large lump, she moaned in pain. The sound awakened the sleeping giant beside her bed. Despite everything, Lorenzo had stayed with her. Her mind was still too fuzzy from the accident that she couldn’t begin to understand why after she had ditched him and his son last night. Perhaps he could forgive her not showing up for him, but letting Raphael down – she doubted anyone could forgive that. She certainly didn’t forgive herself.
Lorenzo took her hand and asked how she felt. Instead of saying the expected response like “fine” or “horrible” or any derivative of the two, she simply said “stupid”. Thinking she meant stupid for running out into the street in front an oncoming car, he nodded agreement. “Haven’t you heard of looking both ways before you cross the road?” he challenged.
Her head still groggy and her thoughts jumbled, she tried to explain that it wasn’t being hit by the car that was stupid. It was how she had convinced herself that she was a horrible person for wanting a life, wanting him and his son in her life instead of spending every waking moment under Jacob’s thumb at the hospital. She tried explaining how he had manipulated her into doubting her dedication to her patients and guilted her into going to a hospital fundraiser instead of where she belonged at Raphael’s game. It was stupid to believe she couldn’t be a good doctor if she allowed herself to have anything or anyone else in her life. It was stupid not to realize that she wanted, that she needed love too. And it was stupid of her not to realize all this time that she needed and loved him.
By the time she finished speaking, they were both in tears. The nurse came in to check on her patient to find the doctor and her hot looking companion holding each other as if for dear life. She recognized the signs, so she quickly and quietly left in order to disturb the lovebirds.
As she was signing her release papers, Jacob stopped by her room. Lorenzo recognized him as the gentleman that had dropped Jennifer off the night before. He certainly didn’t like the way the man was looking at her. By the expression on her face, Jennifer wasn’t happy to see him but she motioned for Lorenzo to wait outside.
Jacob tried apologizing for not walking her in, as if that would have prevented the accident. Unable to contain her emotions any longer she let into him for all the years he had spent parading her around like an ornament at charity events. All the while belittling her work and making her doubt her own dedication and ability to saving children’s lives. It had all been for his benefit. With her by his side he could raise money supposedly for her research, but she never saw a dime of that money. She was always scrapping by with used equipment and no personnel. Despite the odds, she still made significant progress. Exhausted from her long overdue rant against him, she verbally gave him her notice of resignation. She would take her research and skills to another hospital.
After he left, Lorenzo returned awestruck by what he had heard through the thin glass doors. Apparently, the entire floor had heard her accusations as there was applause from the nurse’s station as Jacob stormed off to his office. With a look of admiration, he shook his head. “Well, does this mean you have some time to hang out with a young man who is desperately waiting to hear the news that you are okay, and with his old man?”
“After all this, do you really still want me around? It’s not like we can just go back to the other night and pretend none of this happened,” she replied.
“Yes, WE,” he emphasized, “want you around. And not just for a soccer game. Not just as an overnight guest. Not as just a convenient date for weddings.” Holding her bruised face in his hands, he looked into her eyes and confessed, “I want you, need you in my life. Ever since college, I’ve been in mad love with you but knew you didn’t feel the same. For years I hid behind the status of friend. Too afraid to speak up even when you took off for medical school.” He continued as she stared at him in disbelief, “Seeing you again brought all those feelings rushing back but you still showed no signs of wanting anything other than a platonic friendship. You were only focused on your work. I understand your need to help save lives. I understand your desire to find the cure so other children don’t have to suffer like your friend Hannah. I understand all that and love you for all that and more. You’ve just been too blind to see it,” he confessed.
Whoa! Jennifer didn’t trust her ears on that last part. “Did he just say ‘love’?” she questioned herself. With new tears rolling down her face, she nearly punched him. “Love? You’ve been in love with me and never said a word? Are you sure you don’t want to take that back? Better do it quickly before I hold you to that.” In reply, he pulled her close. The kiss that followed was soft, yet deep and all-consuming.
The pounding in her head was no more. The only pounding she felt was her own heart. She pulled back for just a moment to ask, “And how does Raphael feel about all this?”
Chapter 9
A few months later in Dallas, Lorenzo and Raphael escorted Jennifer into the wedding ceremony for Kyle and his bride. Ever since that day in the hospital they had been together. She had been true to her word and resigned from Georgetown University Hospital. After taking some much needed and deserved time off, she had just a
ccepted a job offer at a private research facility and hospital being built on the outskirts of the DC metropolitan area as their director of pediatric cancer research. The condo in Georgetown sold quickly, as the district never suffered from the housing market bust like the rest of the country. Presently, she was renting a townhouse in Warrenton so she could be close to “her boys”.
Her relationship with Raphael had bloomed quickly. They were completely attached to each other. Even the blonde teacher’s assistant that had been so rude to her at the other wedding admitted that Jennifer was devoted and loving to the boy. The soccer team adopted her as the team “mom” as she always brought them healthy snacks and tended to their bumps and bruises. There had been one instance where Raphael had been hit in the head with the ball so hard that he was knocked out for a few moments. Jennifer hadn’t realized until then just how much she had grown to love him as she begged and pleaded with God for Raphael to wake up and be okay. He was, of course, but she could no longer deny she wanted to be a mother to him.
As for her relationship with Lorenzo…Jennifer wanted to kick herself every day for being blind to his feeling for her for so long, and blind to her feelings for him. He didn’t allow her to wallow in regret though. The time was much better spent making up for lost time, which happen to include making lots and lots of love. Despite their need to be together, she insisted on keeping her own apartment. She didn’t want Raphael to be upset having another woman sleeping his dad’s bed. If they have bothered to ask, Raphael would have gladly told them otherwise.
Jennifer could not believe how blessed she was having Lorenzo and Raphael in her life. As she sat in the church pew flanked on both sides by the men she loved and listening to the words being said by the priest about love and family, she finally realized just how important those things were. Nearly missing her opportunity for true love gave her a greater appreciation for the words being spoken for the bride and groom. Lorenzo wasn’t just her wedding date. He wasn’t just her boyfriend. He and his sweet son were her life.
After the lovely ceremony, the wedding party adjourned to the large, heated tent erected on the local minor league baseball field. Turns out Kyle’s company did considerable business with the team’s owner who had loaned them the location for the reception. After dinner and dancing, Raphael was showing signed of fatigue so they decided to return to their hotel. Lorenzo seemed reluctant to leave and then excused himself for a moment. Confused, she stayed with Raphael as they waited for their coats.
A few moments later the strands of Frank Sinatra’s “The Way You Look Tonight” began to play. Lorenzo returned and without a word ushered Jennifer out onto the dance floor for one final dance. Raphael stood just to the side of the dance floor watching them intently. As she leaned her head against his chest and listened to his heart thumping she became concerned it was beating so quickly. Towards the end of the song, Lorenzo dropped to one knee and gazed up at her with such a mixed expression of fear and longing. She didn’t immediately notice the small box he had pulled out of his suit jacket. Confused, she stared in disbelief as the music faded away and Lorenzo uttered the words he had been waiting years to say to her. “Jennifer, my love, you are my heart and soul. I can no longer live without you. I want, I need you as my wife and my partner in life. Raphael wants and needs you as his mother.” With that the boy ran over to the couple looking up at her with the most beautiful expectant expression. Lorenzo continued, “Jennifer, will you marry me?”
There it was. The question she hadn’t realized she had wanted to hear so badly. Almost unable to speak, she looked into Raphael’s face and then Lorenzo’s and she knew that she was home. With happy tears streaming down her face, “Yes,” she whispered, “yes.”
For Keeps
Scott Mitchell and Tiffany Reynolds have been best friends since grade school. Although Scott knew that he and Tiffany would never end up being a "couple," he always hoped that they would end up together one day. He was disheartened when Tiffany chose to move three thousand miles away to New York City to pursue a career in advertising. When Tiffany graduated two years earlier, Scott hoped she would have moved back home to the small California town in which they both grew up in.
However, that didn’t happen, and because of this, Scott was only able to see Tiffany when she returned home during the holidays. This always put him in a sad mood because he wasn't able to see his best friend as much as he would have like to. While he had lots of guy friends, Scott never felt close enough to any of them to share his inner feelings in the same way he was able to do with Tiffany.
As the years dragged on, Scott slowly began realizing that it wasn’t their best friend status that left him wanting Tiffany closer, it was the fact that he had true feelings for her and he never felt at ease to tell her.
That was all going to change and soon. He flipped open his cellphone and replayed her message:
“Hey, Scott. It’s your BFF. I just wanted to let you know that I am heading back in town and I have some news for you…actually two pieces of news for you. I’m sorry that I missed you, but I will call you as soon as the plane touches down. Love you Scott. Talk to you soon!”
He disconnected the call. He didn’t know why he saved it, but he just felt compelled to. That call came in twelve hours, four minutes, and thirty-three seconds ago. He couldn’t wait to have her call back. “I am such a loser,” he moaned to himself. “Here I am pining away for a girl that I wanted nothing to do with when we were ten years old. If I would have known then, what I know now.” He said, shaking his head. He grabbed a change of clothes and went into the bathroom. He started the shower and got undressed.
As the water washed over him, he could hear the sound of his cell phone. He quickly stepped out of the shower, not caring that the water was still running. He wrapped a towel around his body and headed back into his bedroom, reaching the phone before it hung up. “Hello?”
“Scott?”
His heart skipped a beat, hearing her voice. “Tiff? I wasn’t expecting your call so soon.”
“Did I wake you?” She asked.
“No,” he replied, sinking down on the bed. “I was just taking a shower.” He cursed himself for being so vocal, when he heard the hesitation. “It’s good to hear your voice, Tiff.”
She chuckled. He loved the sound of her laughing. “You hear my voice all the time. I call you more than I call my mother.”
“You know what I mean. It’s great to hear your voice, knowing that you’re back in California.” He replied, crossing his fingers. “You are in California, right?”
“Yes, I am. The plane touched down about ten minutes ago. I told you that I would call you right away.”
Scott smiled to himself. It made him feel good that he was the first call she made. “Do you need a ride somewhere? I could come get you and be there in less than twenty minutes.” He looked down at his wet body and shrugged. He would take the fastest shower anyone has ever taken if he had to.
“That’s sweet, Scott, but I’m going to get a rental. Thanks for the offer though.”
“Sure, no problem,” he states, a little disappointed.
The awkward silence builds and he fights the urge to talk too much, but he can sense something is on her mind. “So, what’s new?” He asks, hoping it didn’t come across as a strange question.
“A lot,” she confesses. “In fact, I was hoping that maybe we could talk this evening for supper. If you’re not busy.”
He thought about his busy work schedule, but he could move some things around. “Tonight would be perfect.”
“Great! I will plan on meeting at our place about 6:30.”
He smiled, knowing that she meant Uncle Tony’s Pizzeria. “I will see you then.” He replied, disconnecting. He went back to his shower, feeling excited about the evening. He was ready to tell her the truth and hope for the best, or at least hope that she wouldn’t choose to discontinue their friendship.
***
Tiffany wrung her hands togethe
r. She could feel her heart thumping in her chest and she didn’t know why she was so nervous. She glanced around the restaurant and saw that he was still not there. He was her best friend and the fact that she felt like she was getting ready to see a stranger was weird. They didn’t see each other often, but when they did it was like they had never been apart.
She looked up and saw him rushing into the restaurant. She took a deep breath and stood up. He hurried to her. “I am so sorry for being late.” He kissed her cheek, “It was a busy day at work.”
“No problem. I wasn’t worried. I knew you would show.” She smiled at him. He looked at her and grinned. For a moment she was reminded how she grew up having the biggest crush on him and he never seemed to notice. She cleared her throat, “I figured we didn’t need to look in the menu.”
He smiled, “You would be correct.” He looked at her, “You’re looking good, Tiff.”
She blushed, “Thanks. You don’t look half bad yourself.” Their easy banter would pick up. It always did. The waitress walked over and they ordered their usual Pineapple and Pepperoni pizza, something only the two of them would enjoy. She then turned back to him. “So, how have you been? Any new girlfriends I should know about?” She took a drink of her soda and he laughed.
“Not quite. You know me…I’m involved with my job. Isn’t that enough?”
She thought about that. It was true that he did seem to be a workaholic, but he always found time to make for her. “I have a feeling when you find that someone special then that will all change.”