Stephanie blushed and bit her bottom lip since she was nervous then answered his original question “how honest do you want to be Tommy?”
“I’m here Steph because you’re here, I didn’t get to see you on your last trip here, and I’m here because I wanted to see you. I have wanted to see you for over five years. You came here in May all the way from Michigan to see me, for possibility of seeing me, right? So I figure the least I could do was walk down the beach and do my part in meeting you half way,” He said remembering how much he loved it when she called him Tommy. The way it just rolled of her lips.
Shadow slowly got up and walked closer to Thomas realizing her human knew this strange person, this man. As Thomas watched, the two dogs inch closer to each other and Stephanie watched him, his eyes, and his face how they moved and changed shape. She felt like she was dreaming, was she dreaming, how could this be happening she thought to herself. Both tails on the dogs began wagging as they smelled and examined each other. Thomas let go of the leash and Harley walked over to Stephanie who went down a knee and petted her. The old dog still remembered her and was very excited. Thomas reached down and let the husky smell his hand then began petting her.
“That’s Shadow, she my baby. I can’t believe how old Harley looks now, but she’s still cute for an old girl,” Stephanie chuckled as she rubbed Harley’s ears then running her hands down the dog’s back. Thomas kneeled down and petted Stephanie’s furry dog; Shadow glanced between her owner and Harley.
“She’s beautiful,” Thomas said as the two dogs came together and continued their smelling. His chancy plan of using the dogs as a means of breaking the ice with Stephanie seemed to be working.
“I’m so confused, how did you know I was here. I mean I assumed you would find out I moved here anyway, but how did you know I was on the beach,” Stephanie asked then adding “Not that I’m complaining, but jeez I look like crap. You should just go away and let me have a do over Thomas,”
“You want me to leave”? Thomas asked.
“Yes…I mean no not at all…Just turn around and let me be girlie for a second, for my own sanity even if you don’t care” She replied. Thomas slowly turned around.
“Ann and Ben called me…well Ann did” Thomas said with a smile and adding “they are down the beach with Daniel and Layla, so we could talk” Thomas said after he turned around and looked out at the ocean with Stephanie behind him.
Stephanie smiled she thought Ann was up to something, she just had a feeling about it. However, she never expected this out of anything. After a minute of brushing her hair and primping, she told him he could turn back around. “Okay so what do you think?” She asked.
“Wow you’re so much more beautiful then you were two minutes ago” Thomas said sarcastically with a grin then added “but if you feel better than that’s all that matters”
“That is such a man thing to say, Are you nervous” Stephanie asked him. He was still standing away from the fire and appeared nervous.
Thomas laughed, “Yeah a little why do you think I’m standing way over here? It’s so you can’t see my legs shaking”
“Well at least you can stand, I’m afraid that if I get up I might fall into the fire or something because I’m shaking so much” Stephanie said.
“Well I’d catch you,” Thomas said smoothly and walked close to her until they were only an arm’s length apart. “But since you’re not falling I’ll just help you stand up” Thomas said smiling as he reached out his hand and grabbed hers, gently guiding her up. He rubbed his thumb on the top of her hand and looked at it, remembering how soft her skin was.
Then their eyes met two sets of eyes that have not looked at each other in half a decade. They did not say anything, no words were spoken and they just looked at each other, Thomas did not let go of Stephanie’s hand. They studied one another’s eyes and faces, examining every inch. Without realizing it they were holding hands, finger intertwined. It was in that moment they knew that whatever was there years before was still there now.
“You know Thomas when I was driving across the country moving here I remembered all those things you told me about driving out here on Highway 2. All those old stories the things you saw, the towns and people the nature. Being here in May made me understand why you came here after I did what I did to you I guess. It made me understand a little why you love this place…this area, why you always have and why it made you feel safe. It scared me then, the idea of this place always knowing this is where you really wanted to be and live and not knowing what I wanted,” she said.
Stephanie looked down at the two dogs that still busy smelling each other but sitting calmly watching them. She brushed her hair from her face. Then taking a deep breath to calm her nerves and continuing. “I can’t make what I did to you then go away, but I can tell you I am sorry and that I regretted it as soon as you left. I didn’t know what I had then but I know what I want now.”
Thomas was looking at her, into her eyes as she spoke the sound of her voice captivated him. Then he said, “Stephanie I appreciate you apologizing but you don’t need to, it was a long time ago. I should have known you were feeling rushed and unsure back then. You were my friend before anything I knew how you got with guys, I saw you go through a few of them. I also know how I can be, I suppose I just hoped maybe irrationally that I, or we would be different from the others. I always wondered if we could be.”
Thomas paused and looked down and shuffled his feet in the grains of sand, than looked back up into her blue eyes. He took her other hand in his and said, “I can’t say I’m sorry I left Michigan though, because I would not have the life, and the son that I have now if I didn’t. Nevertheless, Steph, I love you, I have loved you longer than I have loved any other woman and never stopped thinking about you. And you came here and stalked me because I think you might love me…maybe,” Thomas said, realizing that he was no longer nervous about being here with her, having her in front of him.
He felt a peace he had not felt in a long time, comforted by her being here. A tear ran down her check as Stephanie listened to Thomas talk. She had no idea what she was doing, no idea what was going to happen but she did love him even before she understood it. Thomas always had a way of making her feel comfortable whether he knew it or not. He was the only man that made her feel okay about being her random, confusing, and spirited self; the only man who could ever handle it. The words that should have come out years ago were on the tip of her tongue ready to reach his ears.
“I do love you Thomas, I have loved you for so long, and I can’t believe how stupid I was still”. She said as tears began streaming down her face and she ran her hands through her hair frustrated with herself.
“We both were” Thomas said then looked at her, wiped tears away with his large hand. She grabbed it and kissed the top of his hand and holding it against her cheek. Then with no hesitation or fear, Thomas put one hand around her, the other on the side of her face and moved closer. He looked briefly into her eyes, lightly ran his fingers on one cheek and then he kissed her. The passion that was always there between the two of them hidden just under the surface finally came out. They would kiss then stop and look at each other briefly, smile and kiss again as the light from the fire glowed on their bodies. Above them the skies cleared all the way, the moon was full and bright and stars filled the sky. The two dogs were looking at them with confused looks but sat quietly. After a bit, Thomas and Stephanie stopped kissing and just smiled, looking at one another…lost in their looks and holding each other.
“So now what?” Stephanie said as she rested her head on Thomas’ large shoulder as he held her.
“You mean for us?” He asked with a sly smile.
“Yeah, so where do we go from here. What are you thinking, I’m nervous but what are you thinking?” She asked.
“Well we both waited or hoped for years for this moment, and we know we are in love…but we have a lot of catching up to do, lives to share. So I guess we go with what we
know already, knowing that it is going to be tough and different from before. Nevertheless, we hold onto each other tight and see just how much more in love we can be…see if we can make this work for good this time around. I think it is safe to assume we both want this to work out so now we just have to get there. I want to hear all about your life and your trip in May and what made you come here. Stephanie I want to show you my life and my world, I want you to be a part of it, or try if you are sure this might be what you want. Just know I am just as complicated as I always was, if not more. How does that sound to you?” Thomas asked.
“I don’t plan on running away again; I don’t want to lose you again Tom. I don’t think you’re complicated at all” She replied with a smile. In all reality she thought Thomas always was the least complicated man she had ever met, he just was the way he was unabashedly.
“Dammit I’m so in love with you kid,” Thomas said then kissing her one more time and adding, “This doesn’t feel real yet.”
“You know Derrick is going to be upset,” Stephanie said.
“I will deal with Derrick, don’t worry about him” Thomas said.
“His girlfriend seems nice, I would like to meet her eventually I only saw her briefly the last time I was here” She replied.
“Hmm I wasn’t aware you ran into each other,” Thomas said curiously. In his head, he knew Derrick and him would have to have a talk eventually.
“Umm, just briefly. It’s a long story,” Stephanie said.
Thomas grabbed her hand and walked her around the fire then bent down to pet the two dogs lying on the blanket together then stood up. “Speaking of meeting someone, are you ok with meeting my son Daniel right now since he’s here?” Thomas asked.
Stephanie smile and ran a finger down the middle of Thomas chest then kissed him quickly on the lips then saying, “I would love to, I actually met him once but I doubt he will remember me.”
“When did you meet him?” Thomas asked.
“One day in Cannon Beach outside the coffee shop” she replied.
“That was you! I remember smelling your perfume at the door. Daniel was telling me all about it; he said Harley was really into you. I guess I know why since she remembered you,” he said with a laugh as he reached into his pocket, grabbing his cell phone and sending a text message to his son who was still down the beach.
“Yeah I thought she was going to chase me down when I walked away,” Stephanie said laughing.
“By the way our other dog Layla is with us also, she’s young and a little rambunctious,” he said.
“It will be fine Tommy” she replied with a smile.
A few minutes later Thomas and Stephanie could see the shadow of three people walking toward them on the beach. It was two adults and a boy and dog that was hopping all over, he could hear his son’s high-pitched voice.
“Are you nervous?” Thomas asked holding Stephanie’s hand.
Stephanie thought about it. Considering everything she had been through over the last few months and how this night was thrust on her unexpectedly she thought she should be nervous. However, she was not, not at all.
“You know, I’m not, I think I should be but I’m not. I am excited I think…worried he won’t like me,” she replied.
Daniel, Layla Anna and Ben got closer to the fire and Thomas could finally see their faces. Harley and Shadow ran over to meet the new dog and new people with tails wagging fast and hard. Anna and Ben walked over, hugged Stephanie, and said hello to her.
“You are a sneaky old lady Ann, what about fate?” Stephanie said as a tear fell from her eye. She quietly said thank you to her older friend.
“Sometime fate just needs a little nudge Sweetie,” Ann whispered in her ear.
Stephanie looked over towards Thomas who was down on one knee talking to his son and smiled seeing the two of them. She watched the two of them talk quietly to themselves and saw the wrinkles that would appear in the corners of Thomas’ eyes when he smiled.
“I’m sorry that took so long buddy,” Thomas said to his son.
“Hey, it’s okay Dad. I get it, I think. Grandma Ann and Grandpa Ben said you had to say things just right so you don’t mess things up, cuz us boys mess things up sometimes. Grandma Ann said you’re horrible with girls,” the little boy replied with a laugh.
Thomas laughed hard, glanced over, and smiled at Ann “Oh did she now. Well maybe she’s right about that sometime”.
Daniel looked over his dads shoulder and starred at Stephanie who smiled at him then looked back at his dad and whispered “she’s really pretty Dad”.
“You think so?” Thomas asked.
Daniel shook his head up and down gently.
“Good I do to,” Thomas said.
After some catching up Ann and her husband Ben excused themselves for the night saying, they were cold and ready to head in for the night. They walked down the beach holding hands. Once they were far enough away they stopped and turned around, looking at Thomas, Daniel and Stephanie by the fire. Their bodies shadows in front of the fire.
Thomas knew that the reason Ann and Ben had left was to leave them alone, it was far too early for them to go to bed. He looked down at his son who was clinging tight to his side and looking up at Stephanie with a certain curiosity. Stephanie got down on one knee so she was eye to eye with the small boy. Daniel looked right at her face and squinted one eye as he did when he was thinking hard about something.
The little boy stuck out his small hand and quietly said, “Hi, I’m Daniel, You’re Stephanie right?”
“I am, It’s nice to meet you Daniel,” Stephanie replied nervously and reaching out to shake his tiny hand.
Daniel looked at her, his eyes squinting. Stephanie felt like he was judging her.
“I know you,” he replied quickly with a quick smile and adding “one day when me and my dad were here in town. I was next to the coffee shop with Harley and Layla. I think Harley remembered you.”
“I remember that day, I’m pretty sure Harley girl did remember me, and I remembered her right away. I was surprised I hadn’t seen her in a very long time,” Stephanie replied. Then she looked over at Layla who was sitting next to the other dogs and asked, “What’s this pretty little girl’s name”.
“That’s Layla she’s mine, she sleeps with me every night. She’s pretty young yet, gets kind of rowdy”. Daniel said then called the blonde colored dog over who came very willingly with her tail wagging fast.
Stephanie began to pet the yellow dogs head and ears. Daniel watched her curiously, as this strange but nice woman petted his dog. He smiled at her and then began to show Stephanie how Layla liked her belly rubbed.
“Like this?” Stephanie asked looking at the boy as she made up and down movements on the dogs underbelly. Then Shadow came over to Daniel and nudged him and Harley stuck her nose under Stephanie’s arm trying to get her own belly rub.
“Yeah just like that, I think they like it because you have nails…girls like to have long nails,” the boy said.
“Well some do I guess,” Stephanie said smiling.
Thomas came over, bent down and rolled Harley onto her back then began rubbing her belly. Harley rested her head in the sand enjoying the moment. The three of them laughed and talked to the dogs and each other.
“Maybe some time we could all meet at the beach and take them for a walk together. That is I guess if you would be okay with hanging out with me and Shadow,” Stephanie said to the small boy. Thomas had been quiet for a while, letting his son and Stephanie feel each other out. Thomas already knew where he wanted this to go, and what he wanted to happen. However, it was not just about him, it was about his son also. He was mentally crossing his fingers and hoping for the best. This was just the start of possibly a very long process.
“I think that would be okay. Your dog Shadow is very nice, she likes my dogs, and they seem to like her, even moody ol Harley. If they did not like each other, I think we would have issues but I think it will be okay. And
besides my Dad’s in love with you and stuff” Daniel said drawing out the word love but still concentrating his look down at the dog.
Behind him Thomas’, face turned red with embarrassment. He was not mad and Daniel did not lie, he was just caught off guard by his son’s bluntness.
“Oh…well is he now? Are you sure?” Stephanie said with a raised eyebrow, smiling but also feeling caught off guard by the boy.
“Well, I’m pretty sure. He told me that if you love someone, you just tell them and don’t hold back or it will get lost somewhere inside and then it is hard to find again. He told me once he loved you from a long time ago,” Daniel said looking at Stephanie.
“And how are you with this Daniel”? She asked
The boy looked up from petting dogs and smiled and said, “You seem nice.”
Stephanie smiled and looked at Thomas. She found the simple 7-year-old response hilarious but questionable. Nevertheless, she was on new ground now. Tom’s son was not around the first time they dated; it would take some getting used to for all of them. She wanted to however because standing there looking at Daniel with the dogs and his father looking at his son and then at her she felt something deep inside telling her that this was right. That this place, with these people, this man, and his son and their pack of dogs was always where life intended her to be. She was not afraid anymore.
“Hey do you even want me to call you Daniel or is there something else you like better. If you and I are going to be friends I want to call you by something you like,” Stephanie said as she got down on her knees face to face with the boy.
He looked at her and seemed to be thinking then said, “no one has asked me that before”.
“What do you call Dad?” the boy asked looking over his shoulder. His father looked amused.
Stephanie glanced up at Thomas, her eyes narrowed and she smiled as she and he made eye contact. “I call your dad Tommy, Daniel…I have called him Tommy for years.”
“You can call me stud,” the boy said quickly making Stephanie’s eyes go wide and her face blush. To which his father began laughing hysterically and nearly falling down into the sand. Even Daniel began laughing.
Running Northwest Page 44