“I was wondering if my two other favorite people would come for a visit.” Leon motioned for the pair to join them. Nicky didn’t wait for an invitation. He cautiously sat on the bed next to his grandfather. Leon wrapped his good arm around his grandson. While he had grandchildren and greatgrandchildren, it amazed him that he had Nicky in his life. He hoped, fervently, that he didn’t mess this up. He’d nearly done that with the way he’d handled things. But he’d only been respecting Monica’s wishes. He should have…
That was the past. This was the present. While one will always regret certain aspects of their pasts and choices they made, there was one thing a person had to remember. Everything happens for a reason. We don’t always know why. But one has to accept what life is now. And to embrace it for the what it is and the possibilities the future has instore for us. After all, one can go mad with the ‘what ifs’ of life.
“Before anyone says anything, I have something to say.” Emily noticed how strong her father’s voice had become. Was it because he was now fully awake? Or was it because this was something he believed in. Either way, she instinctively sat up straighter. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Tabby do the same. Nicky merely relaxed into his grandfather’s loving embrace.
“I want to invite my other children here to Middletown. I’ve done all right over the years and so have they. I want to have a family reunion of sorts. I don’t want to overwhelm any of you with four siblings and their spouses, eight nieces and nephews some with spouses and a handful of great-nieces and nephews.” Leon didn’t know what to expect. Nicky squirmed a little in his grasp. He already knew his grandson wasn’t comfortable with most strangers. But these would be his relatives. Hopefully that would make all the difference.
Emily caught Tabby’s eyes. Emerald sparkled with mischief. It was the first time she’d seen that since she’d rescued her fiancée. They hadn’t told anyone else yet. Abby would have been the first, if she had been reachable. Melissa should have been first. But there had been healing needed. Nicky hadn’t even been told. And yet, this seemed the perfect time to inform their son of their plans. And tell her father as well.
Tabby nodded her assent. She had wanted to tell Nicky in private. And there had been a few moments where they had been down by the lake and had the opportunity to tell their son he was to be either ring bearer or best man. Whichever he chose, it was up to him. And yet, the nurse felt this was even better. Her future father-in-law had already been accepting. And had been there to save Emily when she had found herself in trouble. Even if she hadn’t known she was.
“Well, it’ll be bigger than we were planning then.” Leon’s eyebrow rose. His daughter was being cryptic. He knew it was something good, but still had him wondering. “We’d planned on a private ceremony at the bed and breakfast. Not unlike what Melissa and Jarod experienced. But we can make it bigger. But the most important thing…” Nicky held his mother’s eyes. “We need a ring bearer or best man. Know anyone that would want to do that in his moms’ wedding?”
Nicky moved so fast that he caused slight pain to flow through Leon. It wasn’t enough for the patriarch to flinch. But it shown in his eyes. As Emily was tackled in a hug by her son, her eyes apologized to her father. Leon merely smiled. His daughter, the one he had always wanted in his life, was getting married. She was happy. Despite everything that had happened the past few months, she was finding her happily ever after. He would take a thousand bullets and any kind of pain just to know that she was discovering what he had found. It was too bad it hadn’t been with Monica. But again, life works out the way it’s supposed to.
“I take that as approval.” Nicky couldn’t speak. He knew Emily had wanted an answer. He wasn’t certain what he wanted. He knew that both Conrad and Adam had stood up for their moms. Perhaps that’s what he could do. Not be a best man for Emily or his momma, but for them both. Not because of fear of playing favorites. But because he always wanted to be there for both his moms. Forever he wanted to be there for his moms.
Nicky sat back. He turned to his grandfather. “Sorry if I hurt you, Grandpa. I just gots so excited.” He turned back to his moms, not waiting for a response. “I want to be best man. But I want to be best man for both of you.” Nicky felt his momma’s hand on his shoulder. He knew he’d said something good. Both Emily and Tabby had tears forming in their eyes. Things had gone from so horrible to so good that he couldn’t hardly understand how things could change so quickly.
“Does that mean I get to walk both the brides down the aisle?” Leon was beyond happy. He had some phone calls to make. Not only did he have to make arrangements for his family out West to make it to Middletown, he had to call in a few favors. He knew Mitch was on the rampage and that was a good thing. But if Lena had the connections they both thought she did, it would mean she’d be nearly impossible to find. It was shocking they had been able to track her to North Carolina. Unless she had wanted them to. That thought was terrifying and explained how easy it had been for Emily to make the great rescue.
“Well, we haven’t gotten that far.” Tabby finally found her voice. Normally one to chatter on and on, she had been quiet since she’d been rescued. She knew she’d have to, not only find her voice, but her self-esteem. Her self-confidence that had once been in abundance. It wouldn’t be easy, but she was now determined, more than ever, not to allow Lena and whoever else to win. It wasn’t as simple as that. But she wouldn’t give up. Just as Emily had never given up on them.
“No matter.” Leon’s smile never faded. “All that matters is I get to attend your wedding. I get to meet all your friends. And you get to eventually meet your siblings. Something…” The voice choked on the last word. It didn’t need to be said. It was something he had never expected would happen. And yet, here he was with his daughter. The only thing missing was his son. In time, hopefully Rick would swallow whatever demons he was fighting and give his father a chance.
As if on cue, the voice from the doorway startled them all. “So, was I going to be the last to know that my older sister was getting married?” The eyes were cold. It was obvious Rick wasn’t happy. Was it only because of discovering of the wedding? Or was it because of the fact the man in bed was their father and he was having difficulty accepting the fact. “I guess Jasper was right. I shouldn’t have come here. I’m not part of this family. I’ve never been a part of any family. I’m outta here.”
“Go!” Emily turned to her fiancée. “He’s doing what he always does, at least according to you.” Azure eyes closed. It was true. Rick was doing what he did best. He was running from confrontation. He was running from dealing with anything. Not that Emily could blame him, at least in certain situations. But meeting their father? How could he do that? “I’ll keep Dad company until you get back. Then we’ll go to the bed and breakfast and break the news to everyone. Maybe plan a dinner. Wishing you could be there, Dad.”
Leon watched his daughter use her long legs to tear after her brother. The look in azure eyes, he wouldn’t wish anyone on the receiving end of whatever Emily would have to say. “I know, Darlin. And soon I’ll be out of this place and able to properly spend time with my Middletown family.” His pale grey eyes twinkled. He hoped she would understand it wasn’t a slight against either of his families. In fact, it wasn’t dividing them. Just part of his family was West Coast while the other East Coast. It would mean some traveling, but he was used to that. And true family was always worth it.
“I’ve never had a family, not really.” Tabby held Nicky close. “At least not before this little man came along.” Her son, on cue, rolled his eyes. Leon laughed. Though not blood related, Nicky reminded him of his grandson at that age. “My parents never were family oriented. And when I came out…” She didn’t need to go into detail. And didn’t want to in front of Nicky. One day he’d know why his grandparents had little to nothing to do with them. But she wanted to wait a little while longer. Not to spoil his childhood, any more than it already had been.
; “I’ve never understood that.” Leon stared into space. His own parents hadn’t accepted the fact he wanted to join the military. That he wanted to serve his country. It wasn’t they were rich. In fact, his father had held down two or three jobs while his mother had taken in washing and anything else just so they could make ends meet. It was the fact they hated their government. Hated America. Leon was proud of who he was and where he was born and raised. “None of my other children or grandchildren have come to me and said we love differently than society accepts. But if they had, I’d be proud of them. Just like I’m proud of you, Emily and Rick. Even if he is being a butthead.”
Nicky giggled at the thought of his grandfather calling his uncle a butthead. He knew enough to know it was humor the adults were using to lighten the mood. The words Uncle Rick had said were not unforgiveable, but were ones he knew weren’t true. And the way his mother had appeared as she took off after him…Even he didn’t want to be on the receiving end of her wrath. And she’d been nothing but amazing to him. As for the rest, he understood what it meant for society not to accept something. After all, that was part of the reason they’d had that assembly just before school had gotten out for the summer. Intolerance took many forms, sadly.
“And I’m proud of you, Nicky.” The young man’s eyes grew wide. “You’ve been through a lot in the past few months. From what I understand, your entire life hasn’t been easy. Dealing with the nastiness and all.” Nicky knew it was a way to refer to his leukemia. It was something he hated to think about. And the fact it could still return one day. “It definitely proves that you are my grandson.”
Leon affectionately ruffled the young man’s hair. Nicky once again cautiously launched himself at the man he was falling more and more in love with. It’s one thing to say to someone this is your relative and expect to love them. Some people can’t be loved, no matter how hard you try. And then there were those like Leon. Who would do anything for his family. And Nicky knew once again he had Emily to thank for this precious gift. He was so glad he’d stopped being a butthead like his uncle.
Tabby was also grateful. Every day, she was becoming more and more grateful that something had spurred her into action. Rarely, if ever, was she the one to make the first move. And yet, something had told her to simply go for it when it came to Emily. Would her soulmate have ever taken the chance? It wasn’t even a matter of them both being women and Emily’s past experiences had all been with men. It was more than that.
Her fiancée was a natural born flirter. But when it came to starting a true relationship, she was more reserved. Even friendships weren’t built without first a little flirting of sorts. It was different, yet the same as flirting with a potential lover. It didn’t matter. That was one of those ‘what ifs’ Tabby was determined to leave in the past. And enjoy the fact she had Emily in her life. For eternity. And the gift of an extended family. She owed Emily everything. Everything.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()
Emily wasn’t certain which way her brother would go. Since moving to Middletown, they hadn’t exactly had many chances to speak with one another. There was only the bed and breakfast, the diner and the Walker Agency that they had spent any amount of time together. She wasn’t a tracker like Sam and Sierra. Her brain wanted to know where he would go. There was an ap for tracking certain smart phones. The kind her brother didn’t have.
There was the possibility that Steve or one of the others at the Agency could track Rick using his cell phone. How Emily hated the fact she didn’t know her brother. At all, they had never known one another. It was another example of how distant a heart can become, even when they are in the same household. In separate wings of the house, but still. They had nearly every meal together…No. That wasn’t true either. With their different extracurricular activities, they had never spent a great deal of time together. It was no wonder they had never been close.
Before Emily could retrieve her cell phone, she remembered one chance meeting. Rick and Jasper had been walking in the park. They had been holding hands. It wasn’t even a meeting as her brother had never seen her. It had been her first exposure to the man her brother was supposedly in love with. Rick’s love she had no doubt of. It was Jasper’s. There was something about the man. Sam had already confirmed he was not one to be trusted, but still. There was more to it than that.
Emily placed the pink demon in drive before making her way across town. It wasn’t that far, luckily, from the hospital. The view from Leon’s room included the park. It was breathtaking from the fifth floor. Emily couldn’t help but wonder what the view was like from the top floor. It was something she would have to investigate before her father was released. Released where?
As Emily turned the corner, she realized, even as strong as Leon was, he’d not be able to travel and would need a place to convalesce. There was no doubt in her mind that Melissa would insist on helping take care of him. He was already checked into the bed and breakfast. It would only be a matter if Leon would allow Emily and anyone else to aid in his recovery. He was too similar to Mitch and Sam in that way.
It would be yet another thing Emily had to discuss with Melissa. It was a good thing the matriarch was able to adjust to things easily. The joke was that everything Sam had put her through while going through her terrible two’s, three’s, four’s and so on had prepared her for what Sam and the others were putting her through as adults.
The parking lot to the park contained what Emily was hoping for. Rick had leased a pickup truck once he had returned with the pink demon. It was similar to the one Mitch had rented while they were in California. She wondered if it was Rick attempting to become more like their uncle or if it was her brother attempting to be more manly for his new love. Either way, she felt sorry for him.
Not because Rick was doing things to be like others. It was because he felt he had no choice. That he had never discovered who he was. Or allowed himself to admit to his true self. As long as he was attempting to copy others, he couldn’t be his own man. And if he couldn’t be his own man, it didn’t matter what relationship he was in. If Jasper was connected as they thought to the mob, it wouldn’t be the end of the relationship. At least not the final straw. What would be? The fact her brother couldn’t be true to himself.
Though her feet remained moving in the direction she had seen her brother, Emily’s mind reeled for a moment. It was why the relationship with Simon had been doomed from the beginning. Not because she hadn’t admitted she was attracted to women. It had always been in the back of her mind. No, it was because she hadn’t allowed herself to open her entire heart to everyone. The closest she had come was with Abby. And even with her best friend, there was some holding back.
While it wasn’t exactly earth shattering the revelation, it did make her wonder about some of her past relationships. While Tabby was her true soulmate, had none of them worked because she hadn’t been completely true to herself? She hadn’t allowed for the goodness and the inner demons to meld together? Was that why? It was something to contemplate in the future. Right now, she had one stubborn ox of a brother to make see what he was doing. Running from himself would cause him to run from everything good in his life.
Either Emily had lucked out or she had run into a storm. Jasper and Rick were having words. She’d never seen her brother quite so animated. Most likely it wasn’t an argument with each other. It was probably about the slight Rick had perceived with Emily not telling him first about her engagement. In her defense, he hadn’t only called her briefly since she had been released from prison and had returned from rescuing Tabby. Granted, it was a two-way street, but still…
Emily cautiously approached the quarreling couple. Jasper was the first to realize she was approaching. It was only briefly, but Emily could have sworn she saw his hand twitch. It was as if he wanted to reach for a weapon. She’d seen it a few times when Sam had spoken, briefly, of Jenny before…That was understandable as the former SVU detective wanted to protect her family. What was it
that Jasper had wanted? Was it to protect Rick or was it his natural reaction having been associated with the mob?
Rick followed his boyfriend’s gaze. When he realized it was Emily, he began walking briskly in the opposite direction. “Stop! Rick!” Emily began jogging after her brother. When Rick’s pace began to quicken, the therapist cursed wildly. Even that garnered no reaction. “You’re doing it again! You’re being a big baby who runs from everything. No wonder you are the baby of the two of us.”
The words gained the reaction Emily had hoped for as her brother stopped in his tracks. He wouldn’t turn to face her. That was all right. It allowed Emily to catch her breath. And hopefully find the right words. “I’m sorry for saying that you’re a baby. It’s just you ran off without allowing any of us to say anything. And there’s an explanation. One that I’d hoped you’d understand.”
When Jasper approached them, Emily turned and gave the man a glare. It caused him to stop in his tracks. “I appreciate you only want to be here for your boyfriend, but can you give us a moment or two? You don’t have to leave, just a little privacy.” The glare had lessened, yet there was still something in those azure eyes that caused Jasper to merely nod his head. “Thank you for understanding. I appreciate it.”
“Well I don’t.” Emily turned her attention fully on her brother. She could sense Jasper was still retreating. He might be associated with not so nice people, there was something she was beginning to respect about him. And that was dangerous if he was indeed connected deeply with the mob. “You can’t come here and interfere with my life. You can’t just accept Leon for who he says he is. And you can’t get married without your brother’s approval.”
The laughter was not what Rick had expected. “Boy, are you clueless.” Emily smiled. But it wasn’t exactly a pleasant smile. “I’m not interfering with your life. I haven’t even begun to interfere as you term it. I only wanted a moment to speak with you in private. I would have asked Tabby and Nicky to give us the same privacy. And I do trust Leon is telling the truth. The fact Mitch has confirmed some of what our father told me makes me want to trust him even more. What do you need? A DNA test? Then get one. As for me getting married, I want you there. But if you are going to be an ass, then no I don’t want you there.”
Distance of the Heart Page 34
