The Exception to the Rule (37 page)

I nuzzled closer giving him one last hug and kissing him on the chest. “I missed you,” I said as I rested my chin on his chest.

He smiled widely at me. “I missed you too,” he rolled over and began to kiss my neck.

 My body was still overly sensitive and the touch of his lips on my neck tickled me, I began to giggle. “Jul – ,” he pressed his lips against mine. I didn’t put up much of a fight and we ended up being just a little late to Tricia’s barbeque. 

Chapter 39

 Summer 

Matty was back to looking and acting like the child I knew before he had gotten sick. He was still being monitored very closely and getting stronger each day. His thick dark hair was starting to grow back in. He would finally be starting kindergarten in the fall. 

I was finally feeling one hundred percent myself as well. So much had happened in just a few short months. I had met Julian’s family and felt immediately comfortable around all of them. His mother and father were so warm and accepting. They instantly fell in love with Matty and vice versa. His mother was mesmerized with just how much Matty looked like Julian. She expressed her gratitude to me for helping her son realize that there were more important things in life than just work. His sister and I became fast friends. I felt like I could talk to her about anything from the moment I met her. The same way I had felt when I had first met Julian. 

Matty and I had just returned from visiting Julian in Chicago for a few days. It was Matty’s first time there and he loved it. I actually enjoyed myself as well. The circumstances were a lot happier compared to the last time that I had been there. Julian’s home was absolutely breathtaking. It was a magnificent four-bedroom townhome. It was about four times the size of my home. It had three floors, which Matty was mesmerized by after living in a one-story home his whole life. The humongous kitchen was a chef’s dream. The second floor consisted of a very spacious master bedroom suite, while the third floor contained the three other bedrooms. My favorite part was the beautiful patio area off the dining area. It overlooked the perfectly landscaped courtyard giving it a very Parisian feel - I could definitely get used to living there. I closed my eyes thinking back to our visit:

We were winding down from a very busy day of sightseeing around the city. We finished the day with dinner and then returned to Julian’s. We were enjoying a glass of wine on the patio while Matty was absorbed in a chocolate milkshake.

“So, do you like it here?” Julian asked Matty.

Matty nodded. His eyes crossed as he tried sucking the thick milkshake he was drinking through the straw. Julian laughed at his persistence.

 “Do you like it here?” he asked with a cute boyish smile.

“Of course I do – because you’re here.” I took his hand in mine and kissed it.

It was a perfect early summer evening. Even though I knew that I could get very used to living here, it was still going to be a big adjustment for me, but I was looking at it positively. I didn’t care where I was, as long as it was with Julian and Matty. I smiled thinking about being able to wake up with Julian every morning. 

“What are you smiling about?” he asked.

“You,” I said kissing him softly on the lips.

I closed my eyes and smiled as I reminisced back to that night and what followed after Matty was fast asleep. My stomach fluttered as I thought about how many more nights like that I had to look forward to once we were finally together.

Surprisingly, my house sold quickly, and we would be moving in a month. It worked out perfectly. I wanted to make sure that Matty would be in Chicago by the time school started. I was sadly boxing up my items. It was bittersweet for me to be leaving the place I had lived my whole life. But I knew that my home would now be wherever Matty and Julian were. 

James and Matty had gone to pick Julian up from the airport. He was flying in for the weekend to help me finish packing. Tricia was trying her best to help, but was getting easily distracted with talking. “I can’t believe you’re leaving me,” she said sadly. 

“Tricia, I’m not leaving you. I’ll be a two-hour plane ride and a phone call away.”

“It’s just not going to be the same,” she said.

“Come on, I will coming back a lot to visit,” I said. “You know that I can’t be away from the ocean for too long.”

She still wasn’t smiling; she was taking this harder than anyone. Even Claire and Charles were handling it better. They were upset, but they knew how much I loved Julian and this was the only way for us to be together. 

“Well, I still say you shouldn’t be going anywhere without a ring on your finger,” Tricia said as she taped up one of the boxes.

She had been on my case since the day I told her I was moving about making such a big commitment without being engaged. I reminded her that she had been engaged for almost two years and still had not acted on it.

“I pushed him full force into being a dad. I’m not going to push him into being a husband too,” I said. “I know he loves me; I don’t need a ring to tell me that.”

She rolled her eyes as if she didn’t agree with me. “Yeah, but he’s like your knight in shining armor. I’m just shocked that he didn’t get down on one knee with a beautiful diamond, but instead just asked you to shack up with him.” 

I shook my head at her fairy-tale way of thinking. “Tricia, I’m not shacking up with him, we love each other.” 

“While we’re on the subject of marriage…” I started.

She put her hand up to stop me, as if she didn’t want to hear my lecture about setting a wedding date. I laughed as I walked into Matty’s room to begin packing up his closet. I pulled everything out, finally reaching the back when a stack of boxes caught my eye. I pulled one out and took off the lid. I instantly recognized them as the presents that I had bought for my dad on his last Christmas. I didn’t have the heart to donate them back then so I shoved them in the back of the closet and forgot all about them. I smiled and at the same time felt the familiar sting of tears forming in my eyes. I could almost feel his presence in the room.

“Thank you, Dad, for watching over Matty,” I whispered. I sat on the floor for a moment rubbing my hand over the soft fleece sweatshirt, still perfectly folded in the box. 

“Are you okay?” Julian asked, leaning down and kissing me on the cheek.

“Yeah, I’m fine, I didn’t even hear you guys come in.” I got up quickly, rubbing my eyes and giving him a hug.

“That’s because nobody else came in. Matty talked James and Tricia into taking him for ice cream,” he said.

 “Great; so I guess Tricia is officially off duty,” I said, looking around at the mess.

“I’ll help you,” he said, pulling me closer and kissing me on the lips. “But first, I want you to come with me.”

“What? Where? Julian I have to…” 

He grabbed my car keys that were hanging on the hook in the entryway. He took my hand and led me out the front door. 

 “Where are we going?” I asked with confusion. He completely ignored me. We drove a few blocks up the road along the bay front. He parked the car and we got out.

 “Let’s go for walk,” he said, taking my hand. 

There was nothing I would have loved to have done more than go for a walk with him. But I had my house all ripped apart and was in desperate need to get back to that mess if I had any intention of moving within a month.

“Okay, but only for a few minutes,” I said.

He took my hand in his and we walked for a while. I still didn’t get the point. He was quiet the whole time. He obviously didn’t have anything that he wanted to talk about.

“Okay, are you ready to go back?” he asked after we had walked for about five minutes.

I shrugged, looking at him strangely. I was totally confused by his odd behavior. We exited the beach a few blocks up from where we had started. I stopped for a second to admire the beautiful new home right across from where we were standing. It had been built to replicate an old Victorian house. Matty and I would peak in the windows trying to get a glimpse inside as it was being built. It looked like it was finally complete. 

“Wow, that’s beautiful,” Julian said.

“I know,” I agreed.

I pulled his hand leading him in the direction of the car, but he wasn’t moving. He walked up to the house. I was shocked when he turned the handle on the front door and it opened.

“We just can’t go in there,” I said as he walked in, ignoring me. I was a little wary about just walking in. Finally, my curiosity got the best of me, and it didn’t take me long to follow him. 

I was awe-struck when I walked into the huge entryway. The living room was open and airy with a huge fireplace. The kitchen had all top of the line appliances and beautiful granite counter tops. There were pristine hardwood floors throughout and bay views from every window. We walked upstairs where there were four bedrooms. The first three bedrooms were all similar in size. We saved the master bedroom for last. As I entered I was overwhelmed by the size. There was a fireplace and two enormous closets. The huge master bath was intricately tiled with a double sink, a shower, and Jacuzzi tub. 

There was a set of French doors off the bedroom that led to a balcony overlooking the water. I stepped outside, taking in the view. 

“Wow, could you imagine waking up to this every morning?” I asked looking around.

“Yeah, it’s pretty nice,” he said.

“Pretty nice? It’s gorgeous!” I said.

He smiled at my enthusiasm. “So you wouldn’t mind living here?” he asked.

“Um, sure but I’m moving to Chicago with you; remember, silly?” I said playfully.

“Okay, if you weren’t moving to Chicago, would you want to live in this house?” he asked more seriously.

“Are you kidding me? Of course.” 

 “Well, that’s good to know because they accepted my offer today,” he said.

“What are you talking about?”

“You love this house—it’s yours,” he said.

“Okay, now I’m really confused. What, are you going to keep commuting back and forth to Chicago? As much as I love it here, I want to be with you more and not just a few days out of the month.” I tried to catch my breath. He began to laugh at the state of panic I was getting in. I didn’t find much humor in it. I thought we had it all figured out and here he was changing the plan.

“What’s so funny?” I asked in annoyance.

“You,” he replied.

“I thought we agreed that we weren’t going to do the long distance thing.”

He kissed me on the lips to stop me from talking. “We’re not going to.” 

“Then, I’m confused.”

He pulled me close and wrapped his arms around me. “I’ve been offered a very lucrative position that I just couldn’t turn down. And guess what—it’s only forty-five minutes away from here.”

I looked at him in disbelief. 

“I just need a guarantee before I uproot my whole life and buy you this big expensive house,” he said jokingly as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. My heart fluttered as he opened it, revealing the most perfect diamond ring I had ever seen. 

I had to catch my breath—I was in shock.

“Kat, I love you and Matty more than anything in this world.” 

 My head was spinning as I tried to register everything that was happening.

 “Will you marry me?” I had never seen his eyes look more beautiful.

I was speechless as I looked at him and then the ring, I felt like I needed to be pinched to make sure this was all really happening. “Yes,” I finally managed to get out through the tears of happiness. He slipped the ring on my trembling finger. I wrapped my arms around him and gave him a long passionate kiss. “Is this really happening?” I asked.

 “I told you a long time ago, you were the girl for me and I meant it,” he said. 

“I love you so much and I would have gone anywhere to be with you,” I said. “You’re really leaving Chicago? That hospital is your life.”

 “No, Kat, you and Matty are my life.” 

“I just can’t believe you did all this. This house is beautiful; how did you know how much I loved it?”

“Matty,” he said smiling.

“Did Matty know all about this?” 

“Of course, who do you think helped me pick out the ring?” 

I was shocked that Matty was able to keep it a secret. I looked down at the ring—it was exactly what I would have picked out for myself. It was a beautiful princess-cut diamond in a platinum bezel setting. 

“Did you have any help with this ring besides Matty?” I asked, impressed with his keen sense of style.

“Nope,” he said, trying to keep a straight face. 

“Tricia?” 

He nodded finally admitting defeat. I thought about Tricia and the great acting job that she had done earlier, when she gave her lecture about not going to Chicago without a ring. 

“Does anyone else know about this house?” I asked.

“Just you and Matty,” he said.

“How did I get so lucky?” I wrapped my arms around him tightly.

He pulled me closer and kissed me on the head. “I love you so much,” he whispered.

 My stomach fluttered. My dreams were all coming true. I had everything that I ever wanted; a beautiful child and my handsome prince. I was actually going to have my happily ever after. 

Epilogue

I looked over at Julian and Matty sitting at the table working on a puzzle. As I lay in my hospital bed coming out of a deep sleep, I began to think back on what a whirlwind the past year had been. Matty reached his one-year cancer-free milestone. He had come so far from that little frail boy lying in the hospital not that long ago. He was growing so quickly. It was hard to believe that he was already in the first grade. We moved into our new home and Julian had started his new job. He and Matty were inseparable. Julian and I had just celebrated our one year anniversary and I had never been happier in my life. I closed my eyes thinking back to our wedding day.

It was the perfect autumn day. Claire’s already meticulous backyard looked like it could have been entered in a photo contest. The leaves on the trees were ablaze in vibrant shades of red, gold, and orange. Yellow and burgundy mums were meticulously placed throughout the yard, adding to the perfect palette of hues. I wanted to get married on the beach but Claire was insistent that we have the ceremony in her backyard. I knew how much she wanted to do it and since I was the closest thing to a daughter that she had, I gave in.