by Terri Osburn
“It sucks. Not that I had any plans to have kids. I knew years ago that would never happen.” She straightened the blanket across her stomach. “I guess I just thought I’d go out with all the parts I came in with, you know?”
A valid reaction. “Can I ask how you knew you’d never have kids?”
She sighed. “I suppose it’s time I tell you that story. Have a seat. This will take a minute.”
Shocked that I was about to learn something so personal about my boss, I grabbed the chair from the corner of the small room and dragged it to her bedside. “I’m ready to listen.”
Chapter Seventeen
“I think I might have mentioned a fiancé to you once, right?”
Hovering on the edge of my seat, I said, “You did, but then you told me I’d imagined it or that I must have heard you wrong.”
She shook her head. “You didn’t. I met Luke when I was sixteen and fell head over heels. He was a couple years older than I was and came from a rough family that didn’t have much. My mom hated him.” With a smile, she leaned her head back. “That made me want him even more, of course. We ran away together when I turned eighteen, and had two glorious years before he decided the only way we could really be happy was to go back and do things the right way. Luke was determined to win my mother’s approval.”
“He sounds like he really cared about you,” I said, afraid of where this was going. If this man broke her heart…
“Yeah, he loved me,” she said with a wistful sigh. “I was content the way things were, but you couldn’t stop Luke once he got an idea in his head. The stupid man went and joined the military in the middle of a freaking war. He figured we’d be apart for a few years, but once he got home he could go to college on the government’s dime, and then we could start our life together with my family’s blessing.”
Something told me that didn’t happen. “I think I know where this is going.”
“It isn’t hard to figure out from there,” she said. “He got shipped to the front line, and I never saw him again.”
My heart broke for her and I realized Jacob had been right that her compassion when I lost Brian came out of personal experience.
“I’m so sorry.”
Amanda ran a hand through her short blond hair and stared up at the ceiling. “You’re probably the only person I know who understands what that feels like. Our stories aren’t exactly the same, but close enough.”
She was right. I knew how if felt to have your future ripped away. I also knew the frustration of being offered platitudes about how everything happens for a reason, and loving once is better than never loving at all. People could shove those cliches right up their collective asses.
“Did your family come around before he died?”
Shaking her head, she said, “That’s the really messed-up part. Mom had the nerve to tell me that I was better off without that loser to bring me down. I walked out of her house that day and never spoke to her again.”
So she lost more than just the man she loved. “No one should have to go through all that.”
As if snapping out of a trance, she sat up straighter on the bed. “Well, that’s my sad story. Let me be your cautionary tale, my dear. Don’t let one tragedy ruin the rest of your life. I’ve been wallowing in misery nearly as long as you’ve been alive, and all I did was rob myself of having a family of my own.” Tapping the mattress, she added, “And now cancer is going to take the parts I never used anyway. No big deal, right?”
A tear rolled down her cheek and I knew she didn’t want or need an answer. Rising from the chair, I said, “I’m going to hug you now. Is that okay?”
At first she looked at me as if I’d suggested we make out, but then she nodded as the crying started in earnest. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders, careful not to crimp the tube going into her arm. Incredible that we could have so much in common and yet I had no idea. Not that she’d been all that open, but there must have been signs I missed. Moments of commiseration or a look in her eye that would have given me a clue.
At least I’d seen Brian the morning it happened. At least our families loved each other and we’d gotten so many more years than Amanda and her Luke did. Life really did suck a lot of the time.
Once the crying ebbed, she pulled back and wiped her eyes. “Are there tissues around here anywhere?”
I glanced around and found a box on the small counter beside the sink. “Here you go.”
After blowing her nose and drying her cheeks, Amanda took a deep breath. “I didn’t mean to dump all of that on you.”
“Dump away. That’s what emergency contacts are for, right?” Saying the words brought a question to mind. “How exactly did they know that I’m your emergency contact if you were unconscious when you got here?”
She pointed to the cell phone beside her leg. “That’s how you’re listed in my phone contacts. My oncologist said to make sure I had someone in there. I don’t know who called for the ambulance, since I passed out while standing beside my car, but they told me the guy found the phone next to me with my email open. He made sure the screen didn’t go off so that whoever needed info from it could get into it.”
I doubted I’d have thought of that. “Wow, that guy might have saved your life.”
“That’s a bit dramatic, Becca, but I am lucky he was there.” Rubbing the area around the needle sticking out of her arm, she said, “Didn’t you have something to do this afternoon? Did I mess that up?”
Now it was my turn to confess.
“I was going to talk to a guy that I went out with a couple of weeks ago,” I said. “The date didn’t end well, and I was hoping to get a second chance. This is more important though. I never should have made you take that meeting for something so ridiculous.”
“There’s no need to apologize. I’m just happy you’re dating. I’ve been worried about you.”
I had never once gotten the impression my boss was worried about me. “Really?”
“It’s the reason I came back to work earlier than I planned. I was going to surprise you, but since Marquette knows, I’m sure you’ll know soon enough.” Amanda crossed her arms before remembering the needle. With a mumbled expletive, she put her arms back at her sides. “I’ve put out an ad for two new planners. Marquette is already getting resumes and submitted his own. Some look promising. I shouldn’t have put all of that work on you when I took off, but I needed to keep things as simple as possible while dealing with the treatments. There was no way I could go through the hiring process at the same time.”
“You’re hiring two planners?” I said, unsure how much more new information I could take in one today. “That’s… great. Does this mean we’re going to open to new business again?”
She nodded. “Once we get the June weddings out of the way, we’ll open back up.” The next words out of her mouth might have been the most shocking of the day. “I’m sorry, Becca. I know I’m a shit boss a lot of the time, but I appreciate you sticking with me. I’ll do better in the future.” After a brief pause, she said, “I’ll try anyway.”
Before I could respond, a nurse stepped into the room. “Ms. Crawford, it’s time to take you upstairs.” Crossing to the machine with the empty red bag hanging at the top, she added, “And it looks like perfect timing. Let me get you unhooked, and then we’ll get you moved.”
Remembering that my ride was still here, I said, “I need to tell Lindsey that I’m going upstairs with you. She drove me here and is waiting in the lobby.”
“You’re fine,” Amanda said. “You go and I’ll message you tomorrow when they’re ready to let me out of here.”
“Are you sure? I can stay.”
“There’s no need for both of us to be bored all night. You go find that guy you went out with so I can live vicariously through you in my old, ovary-less age.”
The nurse laughed as I said, “You aren’t old, Amanda.”
“Don’t argue with your boss,” she replied. “Now go.”
&n
bsp; I cast the nurse a concerned look and she said, “We’ll take good care of her, hon. No need to worry.”
Clearly outvoted, I conceded. “All right, I’ll go then. Call me if you need me before tomorrow.”
Amanda waved with her free hand while the nurse worked on the needle in her arm. Getting that out was not going to be fun and I made my exit before any blood appeared. On my way back to the lobby, I tried to process all that I’d just learned, and had the bold idea to convince my boss that there was still time for her to find love. After all, you never knew who was going to drop into your life when you least expected.
A fact I knew all too well.
“How is she?” Lindsey asked when I found her in the lobby.
“Good,” I said. “The cancer treatments have caused anemia, but she didn’t know because the symptoms are the same as the regular chemo side effects. They gave her some blood and are keeping her overnight, but I need to come back tomorrow to get her. Would you—”
“Say no more,” she cut in. “We’ll get her home for sure. Are you okay, though?”
An odd question. “I’m fine, why?”
Lindsey tilted her head as she stared at me with narrowed eyes. “You’re smiling, but not like your normal smile. What’s that about?”
I wasn’t sure how much to share. Amanda had taken eight years and one medical scare to tell me about her past. She probably wouldn’t appreciate me sharing the details with other people. There was one development I could talk about.
“Amanda says she’s going to hire two new planners, and she apologized for expecting me to do all of the work while she was out.”
Eyes wide, Lindsey leaned back in surprise. “Are you serious right now? Your boss? Amanda Crawford? The one who barks at you like a drill sergeant and has never thanked you for anything? That woman apologized to you?”
Some of that was true, but I felt bad about making her sound like such a monster. “She’s been good to me overall. When Brian died, she was probably the best boss I could have had. I doubt anyone else would have given me the time and space I needed the way she did.” Now I knew why that had been the case. “I guess facing down a deadly disease softens a person. Whatever the reason, my life is about to get easier. Or at least my job is.”
“Becca, that’s fantastic. And long overdue.”
“Can you just be nice about it for now? Amanda isn’t perfect, but there are much worse bosses out there.” We made our way toward the hospital doors. “Do we need to go back to the school?”
“I’ll take care of the rest.”
“I’m with you so I might as well help.”
Lindsey shook her head. “No, you go on home.”
She said this as if I would get in my own car and go. “Are you not going to drive me?”
When we reached the sidewalk outside, she stepped in front of me and turned her back to the parking lot. “I’ve got things to do so I ordered you a car.”
What the…? “What do you mean you ordered me a car? Just take me home.”
“I can’t do that.”
This was starting to get weird. “What’s going on? Why do you look like you just swiped a cookie or something?”
With an arched brow, she silently stepped aside. That’s when I saw him, looking as sexy as ever, leaning on the white Buick, arms and ankles crossed.
“What did you do?” I whispered, unable to take my eyes off of him.
“Like I said. I got you a ride.”
The implications in that second sentence sent heat rising up my cheeks. “I’m not ready for this, Linds.”
Giving me a push to get me moving, she said, “You’re beyond ready, hon. I told him what happened back at the school. Coming here was his idea.”
My heart threatened to leap out of my chest. “Are you serious?”
“Yes. Now go. And remember that you deserve this.”
I really wanted to believe that.
“I’ll call you tomorrow,” I said.
With each step I took, my body felt lighter and lighter until I was afraid I might float right over him. Jacob didn’t move. He just waited. As I got closer, his beautiful lips curled into a grin and the stark beauty of him made me dizzy.
“Hi,” I said.
“Hi,” he replied.
“What are you doing here?”
“I came to see you.”
“Why?” I couldn’t believe I asked such a stupid question, but my brain screaming throw yourself at him was making it difficult to think.
Jacob lifted off the car and tucked a loose lock behind my ear. “Lindsey said you were upset about your boss. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“I am,” I nodded. “And so is my boss. Mostly. I mean, she has cancer, which has given her anemia—or the treatments have actually—so she’s not totally fine but she’s fine right now.” Oh my God, I was babbling. This was not good. “Um… are you okay? I’m sorry about what happened back at the school. And that night at Station Square. I—”
“Becca,” he said, cutting me off.
“Yes?”
“Do you want to get a pizza with me?”
I opened my mouth and then closed it again. Of course, I wanted to get a pizza with him. I loved pizza. But I was a mess.
“You mean right now?”
“Unless you have something else to do, but it looks like your ride is leaving, so…”
“I just…” Looking down at my dirty jeans, I said, “I’m not really dressed to go out.”
“You look great to me, but we can always pick it up and go somewhere else to eat it. Somewhere that we can talk.”
Feeling like the luckiest woman alive, I accepted the offer. “I’d like that a lot.” Then an idea struck. “Actually, I know a place.”
Jacob laughed and I’d never heard anything sweeter. “Did you just say I know a place?”
Now he had me flustered. “Don’t laugh at me. I mean it literally. There’s a courtyard at my building that no one ever uses. We can eat there.”
Brow arched, he said, “So you’re inviting me back to your place?”
“To my building,” I corrected. “That’s it. For now.”
Looking off into the distance as if considering the offer, Jacob looked back down and said, “I can live with that. For now.”
This man could give flirting lessons and I was not a worthy opponent. “Then I’m going to get in the car.”
His deep chuckle paired with those dimples was going to be the death of me. “That’s a good idea. But first…” Jacob leaned down to place a quick kiss on my lips before saying, “You’re really cute, you know that?”
I didn’t feel cute. I felt warm and dizzy and a dozen other things, but cute was not one of them.
“I’m a little rusty at this,” I said. “And you’re really good at it.”
With a tap on my chin, he said, “You’ll get better.”
On the way to my place, I called to order ahead from Joe Cestone’s Pizzeria and we swung by to pick it up. At first, Jacob had said whatever I wanted was good with him, until he heard me add mushrooms as a topping. Then he suddenly had an opinion, and I agreed to only order mushrooms on half.
“You need to pull into the main parking lot up ahead,” I directed when we approached the building. “The courtyard is on that side.”
He did as asked and minutes later we were seated at a small round table with our giant slices of pizza and lots of napkins. The breeze carried the scent of rose bushes, and the sounds of smooth jazz drifted down from an open window on the second floor.
Not sure how to begin, I asked, “Did you get everything done at school?”
“I did.” Jacob took another bite before wiping his mouth. “This is really good.”
“Cestone’s is my favorite.”
We fell back into silence and I started to worry. What if we had nothing else to talk about? What if he thought I was boring? He’d only seen me constantly going out on dates. The poor man had no idea how dull my life truly wa
s.
“You owe me,” he said, dragging me from my thoughts.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“You owe me,” Jacob repeated. “I answered your questions on our date, but I never got to ask you anything.”
That was true. My early and embarrassing departure had robbed him of his turn. “Fair is fair,” I said. “Fire away.” To my surprise, he pulled a slip of paper from his pocket. “What is that?”
“I’m a teacher. I never present a quiz unprepared.”
“A quiz?” I repeated. “Am I going to be graded?”
Anchoring the paper with the corner of the pizza box, he said, “This is more of an entry assessment.”
That sounded worse than a quiz. “What happens if I fail?” I asked, half serious. I didn’t really think he’d get up and leave if I gave an answer he didn’t like, but the way my luck had gone lately, nothing would surprise me.
Leaning close, he said, “Then you’ll have to spend extra time with the teacher.”
Well, that didn’t seem like too bad of a punishment. “All right then. Start the assessment.”
Jacob checked his notes. “We’ll start with an easy one. What’s the number one item on your bucket list?”
That was easy. “To visit Asia.”
“You didn’t even have to think about it,” he said, a hint of shock in his tone.
I took a bite and then dropped the slice back onto the open box lid, which I was using as a plate. “I’ve wanted to visit Asia since I was a little girl. My grandmother was a flight attendant back when they were still called stewardesses, and she had this amazing collection of pictures she’d taken from all over the world. Her favorite destinations were places like Singapore, Tokyo, and Taiwan.” Remembering the hours I spent listening to her stories made me smile. “She made them sound beautiful and romantic and fascinating. I know they’re all different today than when she was there, but I still want to go.”
“I haven’t been to the other two,” he said, “but I’ve visited Tokyo and I agree that it’s all of those things.”