by Cee, DW
Picking up some flowers, I took my bike for a long ride, then I parked near Jane’s office, hoping to have lunch with her and get her in touch with my “feminine” side. I parked the bike and was fumbling with my helmet when I saw Jane walk out with Donovan, her arms casually around his arm, cackling their way to lunch. If that wasn’t bad enough, she walked right by me and was so engrossed in a conversation with Donovan, she never noticed me. That knocked the wind and sail and the whole damn ocean out of me. I watched in the rear-view mirror till they turned the corner and were out of my sight.
Friday...
“What’s the matter?” Garret and Josh finally pulled me out of my stupor and out of the apartment. “Nick tells me you haven’t been to class and you’ve been missing from the hospital. Are you sick?”
“Mom and Dad really did a number on us, huh?”
“Hell yes!” Josh answered immediately. “But why do you bring this up and why are you so depressed?”
“I think I’m going to let Jane go.”
“What the hell?” Both my brothers answered simultaneously.
“I thought you wanted to marry this girl.” Josh spoke.
“I do.”
“Then why are you breaking up with her?”
“Did I ever explain to you why I broke up with Emily?”
“Max...you’re a different person now. You’re not lost, you’re not angry, you’re not the Max that Mom and Dad accused you of being. You weren’t ‘a screw-up’ then, and you’re definitely not one now.”
“I don’t think I’m good enough for Jane. She deserves better than the likes of me. There’s already a someone waiting for her, and they may suit better.”
“Isn’t this something that you should talk to Jane about rather than deciding by yourself? What you did to Emily back in undergrad wasn’t fair, and it’s not fair to Jane to say you’re letting her go.” Josh was wise beyond his years, sometimes.
“Look at how well it worked out for Emily.”
“Shit!” Garret said, “Come on. Don’t do this to yourself. I know Mom and Dad were always riding you harder than the rest of us, but you’re a good guy. You love Jane. She loves you. Don’t hurt by yourself. I don’t know what happened, but talk to Jane. I’m sure she’s miserable, too.”
My last vision of Jane—walking with her hand on Donovan’s arm, making jokes, laughing effortlessly—convinced me that I had made the right decision.
(Max) May 30, 2013 Making the Rounds
“What’s with the formal get-together, and where’s Jane?” Garret questioned as soon as we all sat down to a meal at home. I was grateful Hannah had gone out tonight, because I wanted this time to be a special one with just the family.
“Before we start dinner, I wanted to let you all know...and I was also hoping to get your blessing on...Jane.” Garret and Josh, of course, loved Jane but I wasn’t sure what was going on in my parents’ heads. They were always closed-off to us both in the past and present, and I wanted to change that. After experiencing the Reid family, I thought we Davises could try for the same—or at least attempt a decent replica.
“On Jane?” Josh sounded surprised. “You know we love Jane. What kind of approval do you need?”
“I bought a ring today and am going to ask her to marry me on her birthday. I wanted you all to know and to be happy for us.”
“Oh Max!” Mom declared. “You’re getting married.” Mom sounded like she was making a statement, but it also sounded like a question.
“Are you and Dad okay with that? I love Jane and believe we can be happy together.”
“Of course we’re happy for you and Jane. Your father and I think she’s perfect for you. We liked Emily, but you and she were too alike. Jane has that extra sparkle that suits you perfectly.”
“I think so too, Mom.” I was relieved she and Dad approved.
It took a while but Dad finally spoke. “I know your mother and I pushed you three to succeed when you were younger. We probably weren’t the most sympathetic of parents and to be honest with you, if we had to do it all over again, I don’t know that we’d do it any differently. This was and still is who your mother and I are. We’re sorry if we disappointed you throughout the years, but your mother and I are proud of all three of you. You’ve grown into fine young men who will become responsible citizens. We know now that our job is done.”
Mom and Dad came over and gave us each a hug after Dad’s grand speech. I had to chuckle. This was probably the most sentimental Dad’s ever been with us and yet it was still not the most heart-warming of speeches. There were no warm-fuzzies, no tears, no I love yous. But in Dad’s own way, he gave us his style of love, tears, and girly-sentiment. I guess this was a start. Once Jane joined the Davis clan, she’d loosen up my family and if she couldn’t finish the job, our babies would do the trick. I’d wait and see how stern and robotic my parents could stay once they held their first grandchild. We Davises would learn what we could from the Reids, and I saw a beautiful future ahead for all of us.
Next, I was off to the Reid house to get Bobby, Sandy, Gram, and Roland’s permission.
“Hello, Max. It was such a nice surprise when you called to have lunch with us.” Sandy greeted me warmly.
“Hey, Son. What brings you by mid-week, mid-day?” Bobby had a glint in his eye because he knew exactly why I was here.
“Before we get into any conversation, come sit outside. I have lunch ready.”
We sat and talked about school at first, but quickly dispensed with the formalities.
“I came here today hoping to ask your permission to marry your daughter.”
“Yes!” Both Bobby and Sandy answered simultaneously. “Take her. We love her but she’s too old to be living at home, and she’s too difficult for your average man to handle her. You are the perfect balance of laid-back, but firm.” Sandy spoke with an approving nod.
Bobby added, “She loves you, the family loves you, and even Jake was wondering the other day when you two would get married.”
“You’re okay with me and Emily having dated back in college? It’s not too weird for you?”
“Nope. Look at Estelle and Roland—yours is not the only interesting story if we start unlocking closed doors on the Reid sagas.” Sandy mentioned with a wink.
“Plus, thanks to you, we have Emily as a daughter and the twins as grandchildren. Ellie and James wouldn’t be in our lives, otherwise.”
“When will you propose?” Bobby wondered.
“I thought on her birthday?”
“Do you think she suspects a proposal?” Sandy asked.
“I doubt it. We’ve talked in general terms about the future. This proposal should shock her.”
“I’m so excited.” Sandy put her arms around me and gave me a side-hug. “You are perfect for our daughter.”
“Your parents approve of Jane?” My future father-in-law sounded a bit concerned. “When we met them at the softball game, they seemed to like her, but liking someone and welcoming them into the family is a different story.”
“My parents and brothers love Jane.” I reassured them. “Our parents weren’t ever openly loving or affectionate with us. They were always more of an authoritative figure than a friend, but something about Jane made them want to become closer to all of us. She’s brought our family together in a way I can’t explain. My parents and brothers absolutely approve and champion Jane.”
“Well, we’re glad to hear that. Welcome to the family, Max.” Bobby and Sandy took turns giving me a hug.
“Well it’s about time someone took that old maid off the shelf!” Gram answered with a smile when I asked for her and Roland’s permission to marry Jane.
“You know she’s my favorite Reid,” Roland warned. “Don’t do anything to hurt her or you’ll answer to me.”
“Roland, I can assure you that she’s my favorite Reid as well and though I’m positive we will continue to fight, we will also grow closer as a
couple. I love her and will do my best to be a good husband to her.”
“All we can ask for is that you two try your best.” Gram came over and hugged me. “I’m glad you’re adding to our already perfect family.”
After the approvals were given, I thought about leaving but something didn’t feel right. Looking across the street, I knew I needed to let Jake and Emily know since those two were integral in not only getting us together, but also in keeping us together.
“Finally!” Emily ran over and hugged me.
“I don’t care the situation, Emi. You are not to hug any man like you just did.” Jake pulled her off, of course. “Congrats!” He then greeted me with a warm smile and shook my hand. “You and Jane are perfect for one another. She will complicate the hell out of your life, but you will love every moment of it.”
“What made you decide to ask her now? What was the impetus?” Emily asked.
“I finally feel like I have stability in my life. Med school is almost over, Jane is at a good place in her life with the firm, and I love her more than I could imagine loving someone. When you and I broke up, I thought it’d be impossible to find that easy-going love we had. You were and still are the epitome of a perfect woman.”
“That she is!” Jake declared and pulled his wife even closer into him.
“With Jane somehow, both our imperfections make perfection. I know it sounds silly, but I love every last thing about her.”
“That’s so romantic, Max. You don’t know how happy I am for you.” Emily attempted to pull away from Jake, but he held strong. “Of course, I’m thrilled for Jane, but you…” she began tearing. “You know you’ll always have your own special corner in my heart. You were there for me after I lost the rest of my family. You were a friend when I felt lonely. I would have been lost had you not loved me and guided me. And for that, I will always love you in my own special way.”
“Em.” Shockingly, Jake actually let his wife come to me and he allowed me to give her a hug. “We were two lost souls who guided one another. Four wonderful years led us to meet our ideal mates. It’s all come full circle.” I hugged her and kissed the top of her head one last time, then let her go, lest I go into the Reid family with the future patriarch upset with me.
“Okay, now…more good news!” Emily declared. “Jake and I want you and Jane to be the godparents of our new baby. We were going to tell the family immediately, but why don’t we hold off on that news until the proposal is done.”
With Emily’s announcement, everything did seem to come full circle. “Well, then now I have my answer.”
“What was the question?” Emily wondered.
“While searching for a ring for Jane, I remembered that a certain unclaimed engagement ring was still sitting at the bottom of my closet. I wondered what to do with it and now, I think I finally have a solution.”
“What’s the solution, Davis? You better not be thinking of giving it to my wife as any sort of a gift.”
I laughed. “I would love to give it to my new godchild when he or she is born, if that’s all right with my almost fiancée and her husband?” I kidded.
“Our life really has come full circle, hasn’t it?” Emily asked in awe. “I think that would be a beautiful gesture to keep that ring in the family. Thank you.”
“Do I get a say?” Jake asked his wife.
Emily looked like she was going to say no, but she allowed it.
“Davis, you are very welcomed into the Reid family!”
Now that the hard part was done and I got everyone’s approval, on to the easy part of making my girlfriend my partner in crime, partner in love, and partner in life.
(Emily) July 4, 2013 What the Hell is Wrong with These Two?
“Nick would you take the twins outside and maybe walk around the hospital with them? They’ve been here the entire time and I think they would like some fresh air.” I was not happy with Donovan and Jane. I needed to have a talk with them.
Both Nick and Doug knew that something was not right, and they didn’t question my request. They picked up the twins and left the room as quickly as possible.
“What the hell is the matter with the both of you?” I asked really angry, really hurt for Laney.
That question caught everyone in the room by surprise. Of course, my protective husband got angry for me and glared at the guilty parties.
“I don’t know what you two did, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard my wife use a four letter word. What’s got you so upset, Love?”
“These two were caught by Laney making out in a hospital room.”
“How moronic can you be? You both told me it was over.”
“What do you mean over? You knew about these two cheaters?” I was not only angry and hurt for Laney, but also for Max who had no idea what his girlfriend was doing behind his back.
“Emi. Calm yourself. Our baby is bordering on crying because his mom is upset.”
I picked him up from his makeshift crib and rocked him the best I could.
“Well he feels no differently than his mother.” I, too, felt like crying right now. “Jane, how can you do this to Max?” I asked dumbfounded and flabbergasted. “After all these months, after working out all the kinks in your relationship, you’re going to throw it all away for a brief fling?”
She look like she wanted to fight back, but she knew better. She really had nothing to say in her defense.
“And Donovan what about you? You’re a thirty-two-year-old man who’s been around the block many times. Did you really feel the need to break up a happy relationship? Not only did you break up a happy relationship, you broke Max’s heart and you broke Laney’s heart.”
“Emily,” Donovan said in a repentant manner, “I know that I’m guilty of a lot of things, but I don’t know what Laney’s heart has to do with all this.”
“Are you that dense or are you pretending to be stupid?” I couldn’t believe I was saying all these things. I felt really bad on the one hand, and kind of nervous on the other hand, but I was really pissed off right now. “After trifling with her feelings for months, no make that years, you really had no idea that you would break her heart if she saw you with Jane?”
“And you,” I was also angry with my husband who kept the truth from me. “Why didn’t you tell me what was going on?”
“Well it all kind of happened when you were nearing your term and I didn’t want to upset you, and I didn’t want to put you into premature labor, Emily. I did this all for you.”
“Explain to me now what is going on. What happened and why did Max leave so suddenly?”
“Who wants to start?” My husband looked at both guilty parties .
Jane gave her confession first and explained to me what happened the day of her birthday then Donovan gave me his confession and told me how sorry he was for breaking up Max and Jane.
“Okay then what the hell was that today? If it’s over, if you two decided that it was over why were you making out again in the hospital room?”
“That was his brilliant idea,” Jane said sarcastically.
“Jane, your attitude and sarcasm do not suit today.” I heard Donovan and Jake laughing in the background so I turned to them and gave them an evil glare. They both stopped immediately.
I heard Donovan whisper, “Man I didn’t realize your wife could get so upset. She’s kind of scary when she’s mad.”
“I didn’t know she can get this mad either! I better watch myself. Though I’ve got nothing to worry about. I never make her mad.” My husband chuckled.
“Okay Mr. Godfather to my children, or soon-to-be ex-Godfather of my children, explain to me about this kiss today.”
“I’m sorry, Emily” he apologized over and over again. I was not appeased. “I just wanted to make sure one last time that she and I did not suit. The first time we kissed—the only time we kissed—it was kind of disgusting. It was like I was kissing Becky and she was kissing Jake so we bo
th decided at that point that it was incestuous for us to date.”
We could hear Jake practically singing in the background, “You’re preaching to the choir. This is what I have been telling you since day one.”
“So if kissing Jane is like kissing your sister, why’d you do it again?”
“We didn’t. But stupidly, when I saw Jane again today, I needed to satiate my curiosity one last time. I needed to be 100% sure that she and I had no attraction for one another.”
“You both disgust me.” I was still too angry for words, but I couldn’t help chastising them. “And you know what? You both deserve one another. You’re both the epitome of selfish. You could care less who you hurt in the meanwhile as long as your curiosity is satisfied. If everybody lived by your standards, we’d all be having affairs.”
