The Best Friend (39 page)

“Uh… well, crap! Olivia. You can’t just say things like that. You don’t understand what a big deal it would be. It would require changing everything. My job isn’t easily transferable; I have patients, and a stake in the practice. I can’t just leave it all…”

Olivia dropped her gaze and stared at her dinner for a long moment. Finally, she mumbled, “Seems like a bigger deal to have to live without him.”

Gretchen’s mouth opened and closed twice before her shoulders dropped forward and she shook her head in defeat. “It does. It seems like a much bigger deal to live without him.”

“Then… let’s go to him.”

“We can’t just show up there. He might not even want us.”

“Can’t we go see? We can come back and do all that stuff you said. But can’t we just go see?”

“We should talk to him about this first. We have to make some plans. I mean, maybe in a few months…”

“I don’t want to wait that long. I miss him now.”

“So do I,” Gretchen whispered. Never in her life had she needed a man. Not even Will. She never needed anyone to get her through the day. Now, all grown up and successful, she sounded like Olivia in her longing for the one man whom she suddenly needed most of all.

“Can’t we just go see?”

It was completely irresponsible, and the wrong thing to do. You don’t show up at a man’s door, thousands of miles away, with a little girl in tow, and ask him to… what? To let them stay there and live with him? It would mean giving up everything she worked so hard for, and many years of diligent career-building. It would change everything, even though it already seemed like everything was irrevocably changed for her.

It meant she would have to lay it on the line, and surrender her heart and soul. The only person she’d ever done that for was Will, and he reacted by rejecting her and refusing to be there in the way she needed him. It was also wrong to get a little girl’s hopes up over it. Or even make Olivia a part of it. But… she simply couldn’t help it. It was, for once, how she felt, and it dominated her life now. It completely controlled her and was ruining everything else.

“What if… what if he doesn’t feel the same? It could hurt us a lot. Maybe you should stay here.”

Olivia’s eyes sparked. “Stay here? That would mean you’re going to see him. I wanna go too! It was my idea!”

Gretchen leaned forward and Olivia crawled from her chair into Gretchen’s lap as they both giggled for the first time since Helen died and Tony left. Hugging and giggling on the floor of the condo, the awful silence was finally broken, the one that practically devoured them for the two months since Tony left.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Tony was speaking before an audience of five hundred today. It was at a fundraising luncheon that focused on research for prosthetic limbs and other body parts. Since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, significant breakthroughs in their technologies had occurred: everything from body-powered/cable-operated limbs to cosmetic devices. It was all expensive, however, between funding the research, and designing the parts, to providing them for those who wanted and needed them. Ironically, Tony was nearly the spokesperson for financing prosthetics, yet he still refused to use them. He had no interest in them for himself, but that didn’t mean he wanted anyone else to go without them. He, of course, was a damn walking billboard for the cause. Sometimes, it seemed a little much to trot out the one-armed veteran, but hearing all the applause, and seeing the tears rolling down women’s faces said otherwise.

What made this particular fundraiser different from the usual was the attendance of the President of the United States. It almost made Tony nervous and edgy, even though he never got anxious at most of these speaking engagements. After a ridiculous amount of security, he was frisked and vetted as thoroughly as if he were applying for work in the CIA. However, owing to the presence of the Commander-in-Chief, today’s proceeds would break
Hero!Fund’s
records. While he was speaking, Tony saw a blond head of hair that instantly caught his attention.

Gretchen? Gretchen and Olivia?
Gretchen held the little girl’s hand as they stood in the rear, resting against the back entrance doors, and fairly close to the Secret Service agents flanking each side of them.

He was so startled, he stumbled over a sentence and had to stop, temporarily forgetting what to say next. Clearing his throat, with his eyes glued to the crowd, he suddenly appeared helpless. Gretchen smiled finally and tilted her head as if to say, “Tony, finish the speech.” He swore he could hear her saying it out loud in his ear. At long last, after standing up straighter, he found his train of thought again and proceeded with his oration.

His words could have been gibberish, because he couldn’t remember anything he said. He hoped he wasn’t offensive or confusing; and the loud roar of applause, which quickly became a standing ovation, said otherwise. Somehow, he managed to finish it, but all his excited brain could keep focusing on was:
how could they be there,
and
how the hell did they get inside?
And why did they arrive so unexpectedly? It must have been a surprise visit.

He quickly exited from the podium as soon as he could, and immediately worked his way through the throngs of donors and well-wishers. He found himself detained in order to be escorted into a meeting with the President. He nearly groaned out loud his annoyance. He did not want to meet the President at all. He wanted to see his girlfriend and Olivia. His eyes were on them and she smiled and waved her hand, seeming to realize what was expected of him.

Upon quickly greeting the President and accepting a handshake, along with his sincere empathy and congratulations, Tony could barely endure it for five minutes. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally disentangled himself, and skirted the myriad bodyguards while avoiding any other distractions.

He stopped five feet from Gretchen. “How did you get in here?”

“I asked John to get us in. To surprise you.
Surprise.
” She shrugged and smiled weakly as she answered him.

Stepping forward, he swept her up and kissed her, leaning her backwards so much, she nearly did a backbend over his arm. With a laugh, her arms encircled his neck. Olivia giggled beside him and he only released Gretchen so he could hug her. He embraced her in as much of a bear hug as he could manage. Olivia wrapped herself around his waist and grinned up at him.

“Did you just meet the President?”

“What? Oh yeah, things like that happen sometimes. The whole ‘Wounded Warrior’ thing really tugs at people’s hearts and purse strings.”

Gretchen was gazing at him, placing her hand on his arm while Olivia clung to his legs. He finally leaned down and picked her up.

“I can’t believe you’re here.”

“I can’t either.” Her voice sounded weird. Olivia turned her head and they exchanged a strange look.

“What? What is it?”

Olivia leaned back and took his face in her hands. “Can we stay, Tony? Forever? Can we stay with you?”

“Olivia! No. I told you to let me ease into this,” scolded Gretchen.

Tony nearly dropped Olivia, and looked at Gretchen, who instantly blushed. “Stay here? As in… what? What do you mean?”

“Gretchen quit her job!”

Shutting her eyes, Gretchen shook her head while Tony stared at her in puzzlement. “Well, I was going to, you know, work up to that a little more smoothly. But well, she’s right. I quit my job. I still hold stock in the practice, but that can be sold eventually. And the condo can be rented or sold, or whatever, but, well, I guess… Olivia’s way of telling you is just as good as mine… We want to stay here, Tony. We'd rather be here closer to you, then in Calliston alone and without you.”

He nearly dropped Olivia as Gretchen rushed on, “We don’t have to live with you or anything. We’ll get our own place, and we can date, just like we did in Calliston. I know you can’t handle a ready-made family. Or be a father yet... but we could…”

Olivia interrupted her. “What’s the big deal about being with us? I know you’re not my father. But Gretchen takes care of me now. I love her. And I love you. What’s the big deal? It’s just us, Tony. Why can’t we all live together?”

He was jostled from behind as people kept milling about.
It’s just us?
His heart was beating so fast, he feared a cardiac arrest might ruin his moment of joy. Gretchen suddenly stepped closer and took Olivia from him. “We are interrupting you. I’m sorry. This all came out completely wrong. I called the office and John answered; and when I explained I wanted to surprise you, he insisted that I come see you here. And he was right, you’re amazing. I’m so proud of you. But… we’ll wait for you at your apartment. We can talk then.”

She took Olivia’s hand and started to rush away from him. The pink of her face was bright and telltale.

It’s just us, Tony.
Olivia’s little voice echoed inside his head. Just us. Only… there was no
just us
when it came to Gretchen and Olivia. They were… everything. They were the only ones he was trying to prove himself to and make a new life for. They were the ones that motivated and inspired him, and now they were
here.
For him. Suddenly pushing aside the suit in front of him, “Wait!” he yelled after them. The crowd between them turned and stared. Gretchen turned too.

He stopped directly in front of her and touched her cheek where fresh tears began to fall. She smiled up at him, and her heart was in her eyes. Along with hope  and joy. Everything was pinned on him. How did he manage to get Gretchen to love him? “You loved your job.”

She shrugged and shook her head in denial. “I liked my job. But I
love
you.”

“You want to give it all up to be here with me?”

“Yes,” she said simply.

“You’ve worked too hard. You can’t give up everything for me.”

“I can work just as hard here. There are kids who need help everywhere. But there’s only one you.”

“It’s only been a few months.”

“Well, I can’t take it anymore. I’m not as strong as I once was.”

He shook his head. “What about Olivia? And school?”

“It was her idea. Since Helen died, she doesn’t care as much about Calliston. She cares more about being with you. And schools are everywhere. The rest? Just minor details we can work out.”

There was a small crowd surrounding them as they entered the lobby of the banquet room. “I never intended for you to give anything up.”

“I’m not giving it up. I’m changing it. And gaining… you. Everything. I’m gaining everything I ever wanted by having you and Olivia.”

Olivia stood quietly holding Gretchen’s hand. He bent down and picked her up, as Gretchen leaned into him. He had no other arm to hold her with, again, the crux of half of his issues. She smiled up at him, and her gaze silently told him, she knew
what he was thinking. She wrapped her arm around his waist and seemed to say,
It’s okay. I don’t need your other arm.

She needed
all of him
. He finally got that.

“Tony, Gretchen and Olivia,” he said quietly. Testing it out. “My apartment is quite small.”

“We can get a bigger one. Minor details.”

She held his gaze with her eyebrows raised, waiting. Finally, he nodded, “Then, let’s go home. It sounds like we have a lot of minor details to sort out.”

Olivia and Gretchen both gazed up at him. He smiled slowly. It was such a revelation to him. They wanted
him.
He was the one man they both looked up to, and counted on, and wanted…and didn’t mind waiting for. And stranger still, he felt no urge to deny it. Or run away from it. Or try to change it.

He was theirs, and they were his. The rest? Gretchen was right, just minor details to be sorted out. 

Epilogue: Ten Years Later

“How are Donny and your sister, Gretchen?”

Gretchen turned towards Lindsey. “Good. They have a family trip planned to Lake Tahoe, but they’ll be back next week for Olivia’s graduation.”

“I can’t believe it…”

“Tell me about it. She hasn’t yet decided which college to attend. I’m dreading that she’ll pick the one which is furthest away.”

Lindsey squeezed her hand. “If she does, she’ll be fine. She’s… you. She’s you, only reincarnated. She’s a wonderful, lovely, girl ready to take on the world.”

“I was until I fell in love.”

Lindsey chuckled. “Weren’t we all?” she asked, staring at Noah.

“Are you ever going to marry him?” Gretchen inquired, something she did about once a year.

Lindsey’s smile dimmed. “Gretchen, we’re as married, and as together as anyone else in this room. He just gets that I can’t be a wife. But that I am in every other sense of the word… do you know what I mean?”

Gretchen squeezed Lindsey’s hand. “I know what you mean.”

Lindsey and Noah never had kids. They lived happily together in Ellensburg with Noah running his vet clinic and Lindsey using the money from Elliot to do many different things. She financed Jessie’s schooling, and provided the funds for Jessie’s three kids’ college educations, whom Lindsey considered herself a second mother to. She also spent a substantial amount of time and money renovating the local shelter and creating a new one for battered women. Years later, she ran for mayor of the city and won, which gave her more time to address and improve the policies concerning domestic violence, which were being copied and implemented in many other surrounding cities.

Gretchen and Lindsey both turned when Noah stepped forward. They were at Lindsey and Noah’s large home in Ellensburg, Washington to celebrate Jessie’s recent graduation from veterinary college. It had been a long journey for her, managed around her three kids and working, while raising her family. The vet school had to be squeezed in wherever she could find the time. After finally moving to Pullman in the last few years so that Jessie could finish, they had to make the agonizing decision to uproot their family. Will took temporary employment while she finished up her classes and obtained her degree. Now, they were back to their own home with their animals, and Jessie bought half of Noah’s practice.