“Yes. Hi,” I say dumbfounded.
“Hi, Savannah. Who have we here?” he asks, giving each of the toddlers a tummy tickle. They go nuts.
“Fletcher and Amelia,” I answer.
“They’re precious. I know that you and Fletcher must be very proud. Congratulations.”
Thankfully enough time has passed that I’m much better at answering Fletcher questions.
“Fletcher passed away not long after we last saw you.”
I can see the shock on Robert’s face. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea. What was it?”
“Suicide,” I answer. That word is still just as hard to say, and most of the time, I have to force it out.
“I’m so sorry to hear that. Honestly, I’m at a loss for words.”
“Please, don’t be. It’s been a very long and bumpy road, but we’re doing okay. These little munchkins keep me pretty busy.” I make a funny face at them, and they burst into another round of giggles. “What are you doing here? It’s like you dropped off of the face of the earth, and now you’re suddenly back.”
“I was offered a job in North Carolina, but it didn’t work out. After my two year contract was up, I came back here. I recently bought into this practice, so I don’t have a lot of established patients yet. Karen, Dr. Gettis, caught some kind of stomach bug and had to go home early, so I’m taking over her patient list for today.”
“Are you still enjoying pediatrics?” I ask.
“Absolutely. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made. What about you?”
“I’m embarrassed to say that I’m still not working. I was going to once the kids turned one, but I couldn’t do it. Plus, I was fortunate enough to be able to stay home with them thanks to the life insurance policy Fletcher had taken out. I’ll be looking soon, though. I need to become self-sufficient before the money runs out.”
“Are you going to work in a hospital or in a doctor’s office?” he asks.
“Originally, I wanted to work at a hospital, but now that I have the kids, an office job will offer much better hours.”
“Hmmmm.” He scratches his forehead. “I hope I’m not being presumptuous, but I need to hire a nurse for my patients. I was going to take out an ad in the paper, but since you’re here… would you consider taking the job? I’ll offer a competitive salary, benefits, free on-site childcare, and maybe a few other perks.”
“Free on-site daycare? Are you kidding me?”
“Not at all. Most of the staff here are young, and a few are nursing mothers who need to be accessible for their children’s feeding schedules. There’s an area in the back with a small kitchen, a snack area, playroom, and a sitter.”
“This can’t be happening,” I say with surprise.
“It is. Let me finish giving these cuties their checkups, and then you can bring them to the sitter while we discuss it more. Is that okay?”
“Yes! Absolutely,” I say, excitement growing by the minute.
They’re given an excellent bill of health, growing and progressing right on schedule. Afterwards, Robert introduces me to the sitter, who is a lovely middle aged woman with one of the kindest faces I’ve ever seen. I instantly like her, and the twins take a liking to her, as well. Once the twins are playing with the other children, Robert and I leave and go to his office. I take a seat while he shuts the door. The first thing I notice on his bookshelf is a scuffed up hard hat.
“I didn’t realize being a pediatrician warrants protective equipment,” I joke while pointing to the shelf.
He smiles. “There are days I could probably use it, but no, it was my dad’s. He was an offshore man for a lot of years, but now he’s living the retired life in Costa Rica with his fifth wife.”
I draw my fingers to my mouth. “Fifth?”
“Yeah, fifth. This one’s only five years younger than I am.”
“Wait, what?”
“Wife number four was thirteen years younger.”
“Wow.”
“He’s always the life of the party,” Robert says in a mildly reproachful tone while shuffling some papers on his desk. “Anyway, let’s talk about the job. The hours would be from seven to four on Monday through Thursday, half day on Fridays. Paid holidays. The in-house daycare. Medical and life insurance are provided for you and your family, spouse included if you…”
“No, it’s just me and the kids,” I answer. He nods.
“I’m thinking we’ll start you off with an hourly wage, and we’ll have a yearly meeting to discuss increases. Sound fair?”
“Yes. Absolutely,” I stammer, still in shock over how easily this is all falling into my lap.
“When can you start?” he asks.
“Now wait, I never officially accepted the job,” I tease.
“You’re going to accept it, and you know it, so admit it,” he teases back.
“You don’t know that. Maybe I’m entertaining other offers.”
“Is that why your face is so lit up right now? Hmmm? You’re pondering all the lucrative offers trying to figure out which one is right for you?”
“Maybe,” I say with a smile.
“Well, why don’t you think about it overnight and get back to me?” He walks around his desk so he can take a seat on the corner closest to me. In doing so, he knocks over a picture of a beautiful Golden Retriever wearing a collar embellished with a faux gem-centered daisy.
“Awww, you accessorize your dog?”
“It’s only fitting since her name is Daisy.”
“How old is she?”
“She’s knocking on eight. I got her as a puppy when I was discharged from the army.”
I lean forward in my chair to pick up a picture frame that faces away from me. A beautiful blonde haired girl with huge blue eyes smiles at me. “Is this your daughter? She’s so precious.”
“No, unfortunately I’m not able to have children of my own. Long story. Anyway, she’s my niece, Elizabeth, but we call her Lizzy.” His face lights up. “Hey, I hope it’s not too much of a faux pas for me to bring this up, but the last time I saw you, you were wearing some sort of princess stuff…”
I’m confused, yet curious as to why he’s bringing it up. I give a long, drawn out “yes.”
“Maybe you can help me? Her birthday party is coming up this weekend, and it’s a princess themed party. I have no clue what to get her. Can you give me some advice?”
“Sure. Where are you planning to shop?”
“Can’t I find princess stuff anywhere?”
I laugh. “You’re such a boy.”
“Thanks for noticing. If it were a soldier party, she’d be set for life.” He’s quiet for a few seconds, and I can tell he’s pondering something heavily. “I have no idea if this is appropriate, inappropriate, or just downright creepy, but do you think maybe you could come with me to pick out some things. I’d be happy to pay you for your time.”
I laugh. “It’s fine. I’ll be happy to help you out, free of charge.”
“If you won’t accept cash, maybe I could repay you with dinner?”
I freeze for a second. Am I ready to take this step? Robert is incredibly handsome and charming, yet I’m uncertain. Is it a date? Is it just a couple of friends picking up where they left off?
“Okay, it’s obvious that I messed up. Is it too soon to ask for a dinner date? We can cancel dinner if you wish, but will you please still help me with the gift? I seriously have no clue about princess parties. If you do, my undying gratitude will be yours always.”
Those last two words seal the deal. I hear you loud and clear, Fletcher Reilly. I look at Robert, a huge grin on my face. “Dinner sounds wonderful,” I say with a smile. “It’s a date.”
Epilogue
Fletcher was right about some things; others I’m forced to figure out on my own. I discover that a person can have more than one true love. Fletcher will always be my first true love, whereas Robert is my here and now. Fletcher flew into my life like a tornado, turning upside down everything I’
d ever thought I’d known about living. I needed that jolt—that proverbial kick in the pants. He was the shock to my system that got everything flowing, working, and moving forward. He showed me how to truly live all the way until the day he abandoned his own life because of the incessant pain he kept hidden from us.
I miss him every single day. I’m absolutely convinced that if he hadn’t died, we’d still be happily married and raising our sweet little family together. There would have probably been set backs, but we would have dealt with them as they came along, and we would have overcome them—of that I have no doubt. I wish Fletcher would have had the same confidence. We worked so well together because where one slacked, the other was strong.
I don’t feel that we got a fair shot. We were both damaged goods when we entered our relationship, and we needed to confront our pasts before we could move forward. I found relief by releasing my inner demons. Unfortunately, Fletcher’s consumed him. Regardless, I can’t go back and rewrite history, though I wish every single day that I could.
Robert is such a good man: patient, kind, caring, loving... I can’t even begin to list all of his admirable qualities. I love him dearly. It’s not the way I loved Fletcher, but still the love is pure, true, and powerful. I call it mature, or grown-up love. It’s the anti-Fletcher, and by that I mean it’s not spontaneous and raw, but it’s right for me at this point in my life. For instance, Robert and I started our relationship slowly. We spent time truly getting to know each other. I told him all my history in one fell swoop. I wanted to get it all over and done with before progressing past the whole friend/boss-employee situation. He shared his history with me, though his was considerably less tragic, and once that was out of the way, we determined that we were interested in more. It wasn’t until our pasts were shared and resolved that we finally decided to begin a romantic relationship. I’m doing things conscientiously, contemplating decisions thoroughly before moving forward, and it’s all because of the children. I have them to consider with every decision I make because they are my everything.
It was six months into my new job before Robert and I had our serious conversation about our pasts. Another six months passed before we made the decision to move our relationship from friends who occasionally have dinner together to formally dating. A year later we were engaged, and a year after that, we were married. Having my five-year-old sweethearts beside me when I pledged my love to Robert was one of the most special moments of my life. Three months after that, when Robert officially adopted my children, we became even stronger as a family. Don’t misunderstand me; Fletcher still plays a large role in the children’s lives even with Robert raising them. Fletcher will always be “Daddy,” whereas Robert is “Poppa” to the Reilly-Goodman children. Robert always wanted children of his own, but since he couldn’t, he throws every bit of paternal love into helping me raise a couple of wonderful children, and he’s absolutely amazing at it.
My once empty heart is filled. I love my life, and I do my best to live each day to the fullest. Happiness has found me, and it’s not fleeting; it’s forever. What I have with Robert is the real deal. I’ve finally found my way, but it never would’ve happened without that random phone call from a stranger who turned out to need me just as much as I needed him. Old Maebelle was right. Marriage sucks, but only because one day it will come to an end. Fletcher, our ending came far too soon. Thank you for sending me the signs. May you rest in peace, my love. Until we meet again, a special piece of my heart belongs to you, and will remain yours always.
The end.
Also by Rhonda R. Dennis
The Green Bayou Novels (Romantic Suspense)
Going Home
Awakenings
Déjà Vu
Unforeseen
Between Four and Five: A Green Bayou Extra
Deceived
Green Bayou After Five: Connie’s Wild Night
Between Five and Six: A Green Bayou Extra
Vengeance
Magnolia Blossoms (Romantic Comedy)
Yours Always Page 22