by Cee, DW
LOL. I don’t think I’ll have time to date until I come back to LA.
When will that be?
As soon as this big merger is done, I’m moving back. Roland OK’ed my transfer.
It’ll be good to have you home.
It’ll be good to be home!
Gtg! Emily is calling.
You’re a shitty friend these days.
Sorry. Once I’m married, I’ll help you find an understanding wife.
Hahaha!
Bye
Bye
“Donovan!” There was so much anguish in Jake’s voice when he called this afternoon. It scared the hell out of me.
“What’s wrong?” My heart beat fast, worried sick for him.
“I lost her. I fucking lost her.” He sounded as if he was crying.
“Shit. Tell me what’s wrong and how I can help.”
“I was pissed with her the past few weeks because her ex got back in the picture, and I stopped talking to her. The asshole that I was, I was licking my wounds in my own corner, not realizing she thought I didn’t love her anymore. She just dropped off a letter saying she’s leaving to go teach in Japan.”
“You were just in Hawaii with her over Christmas. You told me you bought an engagement ring. What happened?”
“I...there’s too much to say and I don’t have time.”
“Then stop talking and go after her. If she just dropped off a letter, she can’t be too far ahead of you.”
“I want to but I can’t just leave my patients. What the hell do I do? I don’t know where she went. I have no fucking clue how to search for her. Help me, Donovan. What should I do?”
“OK. You go and talk to Uncle Henry and get some time off, and I’ll come up with something in the meanwhile. Nothing can start without a conversation with your boss. Call me as soon as you know when you can leave.”
We hurried off the phone, and I booked open-ended plane tickets to Tokyo for Jake and myself. I asked my assistant to clear my calendar so I could go with him, but she reminded me that I had a mandatory partners’ meeting. Not attending wasn’t an option.
I tried to call Delaney to see if she could help, but realized I didn’t have her number or even an email address. Had I been that out of touch with her? How old was she now? Since I was twenty-eight, she was nineteen already. I hadn’t seen her in almost a decade. If she walked into my office today, I didn’t think I’d recognize her. The last memory I had of her was the two of us swimming in Gram’s pool. That seemed like ages ago.
“Mr. Taylor? Jake Reid is on the line for you.” My assistant woke me from my walk down memory lane.
“Hey. What happened?”
“The chief will let me leave tonight. What have you come up with?”
“I got us open-ended tickets to Japan, but my assistant reminded me of a partners’ meeting I can’t miss. I wish I could help you but I’m grounded here in New York. Use your ticket and go find her. She can’t be that much ahead of you. For all you know, you two may be on the same flight.”
“God. I can only hope! Thanks, Man. I owe you one.”
“You owe me nothing. I wish I could be of more help. I tried to contact Delaney for you, but realized I don’t have her on my list of contacts. You want to send it to me and I’ll call her and let her know you’re coming?”
“I’ll do it on my way to the airport. I don’t have her international contact info, either. I have to get it from the chief.”
“Call me as soon as you find her, you got that?”
“I hope I can find her. I think I’ve lost her, Donovan. I haven’t explained to you all the shit I’ve done to her these past few weeks. I’ve been too embarrassed to tell anyone.”
“Hey. Don’t feel defeated even before you start the fight. Call me with updates.”
“I will.”
I hated to admit this, but Jake had already given up.
“Happy birthday, Buddy!” Jake was in no party mood. Five months later, Emily was still lost to him. We all did our best to cheer him up.
“Thanks.” He smiled and kept up a “happy” demeanor for his mother, who was worried sick about him. “I know it wasn’t easy for you to get out here. Did you and Jane come together?”
“Can you believe it? We just found out we were on the same flight, but had no knowledge of it until we got here. Unfortunately, we are on different flights going home. I’ll be staying in LA a little longer.”
“Jake, there are a couple of packages here for you,” his mom called out.
He accepted them without much enthusiasm until something caught his eye. Suddenly he shot upstairs.
“What the hell?” Jane walked over. “Why’d he run like that?”
“I’ve no idea, Jane. Your mom brought over two packages and he couldn’t get away fast enough.”
“Should I go up and see if he’s OK?”
“Why don’t I go up? Catch up with you later?”
“Sure.”
I was scared to walk into Jake’s room. Even from down the hall, I could hear his weeping. In all the years we’d been friends, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen Jake cry. Each step I took toward his room made my heart break that much more.
“Hey.” I knocked on his partially opened door.
“Come in.” It cut me up to see him brush off his tears.
“Emily?” I took a guess at the letter that was in his hand.
He handed it to me, and shit, I almost cried reading the damn thing. Jake had told me about Emily and the tough life she’d lived since her father died. She’d written this letter on the anniversary of her mother’s death, to a man she obviously still loved, wishing him a happy birthday. She had no idea how broken up Jake was that she left. She lived in heartbreak believing Jake had stopped loving her. I hurt for the both of them.
“What I never told you was that when I went to surprise her in Vegas, right after our Hawaii trip, we got into an argument, and I left her to fend for herself in the Grand Canyon. It was late December, cold and windy, and she only had on a thin jacket. I walked away not caring what happened to her, assuming she’d go back home with her friends. It was only when I ran into Emily in New York a few weeks later, that I learned what I’d done.” Jake was twirling a ring in his pinky finger. That must have been the ring he’d given Emily when they first started dating. “She has no family and she’s in a country where she barely speaks the language. Who is taking care of her? How the hell did I go this wrong?”
“She still loves you, Jake. You can feel her love and longing in the letter. You just need to wait a little longer. The school year is almost over. She’ll be home soon. You know where she lives. She can’t hide forever.”
“Do you think she’ll forgive me?”
“Absolutely! Can’t you tell how much she loves you? If what you say is true, and you were an asshole to her before she left for Japan, I surely couldn’t tell by reading her letter. She loves you, she misses you, and she wants another chance with you. You’ll get your happily ever after soon.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“I know I’m right!”
I knew all would work out well for my buddy. He found his woman soon after his birthday, and less than two months later, he and the love of his life were getting married.
“Jake, who is that stunning blonde laughing with your bride?”
“That’s the little girl you called your fifth sister.”
“Shut the fuck up! That is not Delaney Reid!”
“That is. She’s all grown up, huh? While you were screwing around with Kate and all the other women in between, our Laney grew into quite a beauty.”
“She was always beautiful, and bright, but was she always that well-endowed?”
“Hey. That’s my little cousin you’re talking about. Uncle Henry would kick your ass if he knew you were ogling his daughter in such a way.”
“Speaking of kicking your ass, I see
that Jane and your bride’s ex have become an item. Shit, you knew I wanted to ask Jane out, and you wouldn’t let me. What the hell?”
“Buddy, we’ve had this conversation before. She’s not the girl for you. I say this not just because she’s my sister. You and she are too fickle, too alike, too selfish—the list is endless as to why it would never work. But I think this match with Max is a good one. And Emily is thrilled with the two of them getting to know one another.”
“When the hell did you become a matchmaking mama?”
“What’s wrong with the woman you have in your arms right now?”
“Nothing’s wrong. She’s just not right.”
“And Kate?”
“Kate and I are done. I’m tired of us.”
“What happened to living in wedded bliss with her for the rest of your life?”
“That wedded bliss ended the moment I got out of my early twenties. I don’t think I’ll ever find my Emily.”
“Don’t look too far. She may be closer than you think.”
Jake walked over to reclaim his wife, and I found myself taking slow steps over to Delaney. In the ten years I hadn’t seen her, she’d grown nearly a foot and her body developed into something close to perfect. I pegged her at 5’8” or 5’9”, her hair was long, blonde and wavy, and her eyes were even more dazzling than I remembered. However, her smile was exactly as I remembered. When she smiled as a child, it reached her eyes and touched her heart and the heart of whoever was near her. That hadn’t changed. I watched her smiling and laughing with Emily, and she still made me want to smile and laugh with her.
I wanted desperately to go over and say hello. Something about our situation had changed and it was no longer an easy-going, brotherly-sisterly relationship anymore. I didn’t feel comfortable enough to walk up with a warm greeting, and show her the same kind of affection I would’ve any other Reid. I didn’t know why that was, but our “relationship” had traveled into unchartered territory. Rather than figuring out what to do about this odd shift, I went over and danced with Jane instead.
Jane Reid
“Jane! You're back!”
“I am back…for good this time, I think.”
“What brought you back to LA? Family?”
“Family was one of the reasons. Another was, I just couldn't take the New York office anymore. It was not a sane environment, and I knew I'd be eaten alive if I stayed there.”
“When did you get back?”
“Last week.”
“Have you seen how big the twins have gotten? They are absolutely beautiful.”
“They are gorgeous! Do you go by and do your godfather duties?”
“If you ask Emily she will probably say no. I love those babies when I'm with them, but I don't feel the need to be with them often.”
“I suppose you're a typical bachelor.”
“You have time for dinner one night? We have a lot of catching up to do.”
“I definitely have time for dinner.”
“Will you excuse me? I need to jump into this meeting.”
“Of course. See you later.”
Walking into the meeting after talking to Jane, I felt unsettled. It wasn’t Jane’s fault. Lately I’d noticed that everybody was with somebody. Most of my friends were either married or dating someone serious. My best friend was married to the love of his life and enjoying fatherhood times two! All my sisters had found their love match and our parents were still going strong. What was wrong with me where I could always land a date, but never a solid relationship?
Seeing Jane today reminded me that I needed to focus on what was important and lasting. My life’s goal had been to get into a good law school, to work at a big law firm, and to make equity partner. So far, all plans fell into place, but I didn’t have the most important part of my life settled. Outside of family and close friends, I had no one to share my life with, and definitely no one I could come home to after a long day of work. Part of the reason why I shied away from Jake’s family was the disconcerting feeling lodged in my heart when I watched his life in motion. It was like a perfectly synchronized watch, with not a tick out of place. It wasn’t that I was jealous of my best friend. I was thrilled for him. At age thirty-two, his life was complete. Every time I spent a day in his life, I found myself more depressed with my own.
Maybe Jane was the answer to this emptiness. She was an attractive woman, she and I got along well, we’d known each other practically all our lives, and we loved each other’s families. She and my sister Becky were best friends, and her brother Jake and I were best friends. There was only a four-year age gap, Jane was brilliant, she and I could help each other professionally, and our parents were best friends. On the surface, it didn’t get any better than the two of us. It was almost too perfect.
I would take things slowly, spend more one-on-one time with her, and see where it led us. I wasn’t in love with her, and though she was attractive, I couldn’t say I was attracted to her...yet. If it didn’t work out between us, it was worth a try and I’d look elsewhere. For now, Jane was the woman I wanted to set my sights on and see if she returned the attention.
“Jane, you have a moment?”
“Um, sure. What’s up?”
“I just got these tickets to a Laker game, and I was wondering if you wanted to go with me.”
“Like…as in a date?” Her voice went pubescent on me and I bit my lips together not to laugh.
“Yes, as in a date. Dinner at The Palm, floor seats to watch Kobe, Pau and Howard in action? Unfortunately, your favorite player is still injured.” She was spacing out. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea. Did she think this was inappropriate? Was it inappropriate to ask a twenty-seven-year-old woman out on a date? “Hello. Earth to Jane?”
“Wait, how’d you know Steve Nash was my favorite player?” I paid attention.
“I heard you mention it the other day, and bought these tickets with you in mind.” With the way her eyes grew bigger, she was freaking out the both of us now.
Finally she answered, “Sure. I’d like that.”
“Great! We’ll take the company shuttle. I’ll pick you up at six?”
She giggled like a schoolgirl and walked out of my office calling out, “See you at six.” I guess that went well.
Or not...! I walked to the deli to grab lunch, and on my way back Jane was getting off Max’s Harley, and I had to slow my walk once the two of them began making out. One part of my brain thought, back to the drawing board, and the other part thought, game on! She didn’t have a ring on her finger. Last I heard from Jake, the two had broken up. My ego wanted the challenge. My heart didn’t care. If Jane wanted Max, I was willing to walk the other way without hesitation. I held back until they parted and then ran to catch the elevator.
“Jane! Wait up. Hold the elevator.” I thought about ignoring the entire situation outside, but wanted to see where I stood. “Was that you on that sweet Harley?”
“Harley…me…yeah…ummm, that was me.” Jane was hopping around as if she needed to use the restroom. “So, let me explain?”
“OK, Jane Sydney Reid, let’s hear your explanation. I’ve known you since you were born, and know what a clever girl you are. I’d like to know how you’re getting out of this one.” I wanted to laugh aloud and tell her it was all good. It bothered me none that she was making out with another guy. Perhaps this should have been reason enough to walk away from this “fight.” My instinct told me I didn’t want to “fight” for Jane. But as always, I rarely listened to my gut.
“That was Max, we had lunch, and we are kinda back together again, I think.”
“What does it mean to be ‘kinda back together again, I think’? From the way you two were going at it on the sidewalk, it was more than being kinda together.” I couldn’t contain my grin.
“We were together for a while last year.”
“I remember Jake mentioning something like that—some incestuous relation
ship involving him, Emily, you and this guy, Max. Wasn’t he in love with your sister-in-law?” That contained grin was not so contained anymore.
“Was.”
“Now he’s in love with you?”
“Not really. I don’t think so…” She pushed us into my office and shoved me on the sofa. Then she went all long-winded on me. “Here’s the deal, as I know it. Max and I met right before my brother and Emily got married. We dated for a while, but I was still in New York, and between the distance, my work, and his med school schedule, it didn’t work. When you asked me out this morning, I was not expecting what happened at lunch to happen. And I…”
Now I was full on laughing at this hilarious situation, and how much Jane was sweating, trying to get herself out of this two-timing quagmire. “Are you married?”
“No…” She gave me an are you an idiot look.
“Are you and Max together?”
“I don’t know. I think so? I don’t have an answer to that, yet.”
“Do you still want to go out tonight with me?”
“Yes?” She squeaked like a pubescent schoolgirl.
“See you at six. Now, you’ve got to go ‘cuz I need to jump into this conference call.”
Our “date” at the Laker game was fun. Spending time with Jane had always been fun. This easy-going relationship was a dream for any guy who didn’t want complications in his life. My life was complicated enough with work and with Kate popping up here and there more often than I liked or wanted. It had been a while since I’d seen or heard from her, thank God! I wished her the best and hoped she’d moved on to bigger and better.
“Do you remember the time when you and Jake went on a double date to a baseball game and one of your dates got hit by a fly ball?” I stopped thinking about Kate and wondered what the hell Jane was talking about at this moment. “Was it Kelley who got hit, or was it your date?”
“Why do I have no recollection of what you’re saying to me? I don’t remember any baseball game, and I’ve no idea if I had a date with a shiner.”
