The Day He Came Back

by Ward, Penelope

  ***

  The next morning, Gavin came into his father’s room after breakfast. He hadn’t had a chance to see him last night since Mr. M had fallen asleep by the time we’d emerged from our little sex den.

  “Hey, Dad.”

  Mr. M squinted. “Who are you?”

  My heart clenched. I had feared this would happen. Over the past few months, things had deteriorated with his memory, to the point where the majority of the time, he didn’t really know who I was. But his memory of Renata had been one of the last things to go.

  Gavin sat down next to him. “It’s Gavin.”

  “I’m Gunther.”

  “I know.” He went to reach for his father’s hand, then stopped himself, probably unsure whether that would scare him. “You don’t know who I am?”

  Mr. M shook his head. “No.”

  “That’s okay. It doesn’t matter.”

  “Why are you here?”

  “Well, I came to visit you, and I also came to visit my girlfriend.” Gavin pointed to me. “Do you know who that is?”

  Gunther looked toward me. “No.”

  Gavin didn’t seem surprised. I’d already told him his dad no longer called me Renata most days.

  “That’s her…my girlfriend.”

  “She’s beautiful.”

  “Thank you. I’m very much in love with her.”

  “I was in love once,” Mr. M said.

  Gavin smiled. “Really?”

  “Yes.”

  “What was her name?”

  “Renata.”

  Gavin’s eyes widened as he looked over at me. “Tell me about her.”

  “She was beautiful. And she took care of me.”

  “What else?”

  “She listened to me.”

  “Where is she?”

  He blinked several times, then finally said, “She died.”

  I looked at Gavin, shocked that his father somehow remembered. That was the strange thing about his condition. You never knew when glimpses of long-term memory would sneak in.

  “I’m so sorry,” Gavin said.

  “Who are you?”

  Gavin briefly closed his eyes. “I’m your son.”

  “I don’t know you.”

  “I know. But that’s okay. You don’t remember me, but I’m your son, and I love you. And that’s my girlfriend, Raven. She’s your nurse.”

  He raised his brows. “You’re messing around with my nurse?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good for you.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Thank you. I’m pretty proud of that, too.”

  We sat in silence for a bit as Mr. M’s eyes fluttered. It looked like he was about to conk out, but then he surprised us both when he suddenly looked up.

  “Gavin?”

  “Yes.” He placed his hand on top of his father’s. “Yes, Dad. It’s me.”

  “Such a good boy.”

  “I’m here from London. I’m staying for a month.”

  “Where’s Weldon?”

  Gavin looked at me, relief filling his eyes. “He’s in California. He sends his love.”

  Mr. M then turned to me. “Can I have some ice cream?”

  I smiled. “That can be arranged.”

  I ventured downstairs to get him a bowl of butter pecan from the freezer. But by the time I returned, it looked like he’d fallen asleep.

  “He’s asleep, huh?”

  “Yeah.” Gavin stared at him. “I know you said he’d gotten worse, but it’s hard to experience it.”

  “I knew it would be.” I sat on Gavin’s lap and kissed his forehead.

  He looked up at me. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” I fed him a spoonful of ice cream.

  ***

  That night, Gavin drove us over the bridge to West Palm Beach after dinner. The sunset over the water was breathtaking. How lucky I was to live in such a beautiful place; I was even luckier to have this man by my side tonight.

  “Where are we going?”

  “It’s a surprise.”

  “Let’s see...we’re heading toward my house. Are you taking me home to ravage me?”

  “In your bedroom there? The one I used to sneak into? That actually sounds like fun. Don’t give me any ideas. But no, that wasn’t the plan.”

  We ended up pulling into the old improv club. The parking lot was pretty full.

  “What’s going on here?”

  “Take a look.”

  The sign was illuminated. Ravin’s Improv Club.

  Ravin.

  Raven and Gavin.

  “Oh my gosh. What did you do, Gavin?”

  He led me toward the entrance. “Let’s go inside.”

  I followed him, and he introduced me to a man named Sam, who was apparently the manager. The club looked almost exactly the way it used to. A spotlight shone on the center of the stage. Even the red linens on the tables were the same. The bar in the corner was illuminated in bluish lighting.

  “Congratulations. Everything looks awesome,” I said.

  “It’s always been my dream to reopen this place,” Sam explained. “Thanks to Gavin, it’s a reality.”

  When Sam excused himself to tend to something, Gavin explained what was going on.

  “I did a little research, located the former owners, and found out they’d been trying to reopen the club for some time. They had the will, just not the way. So I became a silent investor. The only thing I was adamant about was the name.”

  “It’s perfect. I’m so glad you did this. I know how much this place means to you.”

  “It’s the memories here that mean something, not so much the place. You know what I mean?”

  It hit me all of a sudden.

  “You’re gonna make me perform tonight, aren’t you?”

  “Of course. It’s open mic night! I’ve booked us a slot.” Gavin looked over my shoulder. “I think you’ll like the audience.”

  Turning around, I saw Marni and Jenny approaching.

  “Oh my God!” I ran to them. “Hey!”

  “Rich Boy assured us we’d be in for some good entertainment tonight.”

  “I don’t know about that if your entertainment is me, but I’m glad you came.”

  Jenny turned to Gavin. “On the way here, Marni was telling me about the night she first met you when she dropped Raven off at this place.”

  “She was such a joy to me that night,” Gavin teased. He hugged Marni.

  “Yeah. I might have wanted to kill you. For the record, I’m glad she defied me.”

  The four of us got a table and ordered drinks, enjoying the first couple of acts before it was Gavin’s and my turn to perform.

  “You’re not scared are you?” he asked.

  Goosebumps peppered my skin. “It’s been a long time.”

  “But I’ll be with you.”

  The emcee took to the stage to announce us. “Ladies and gentleman, our next performers are two love birds who had their first date at this club more than ten years ago. Give it up for Gavin and Raven!”

  The crowd applauded as Gavin took my hand and led me on stage.

  He handed me a microphone and immediately started.

  Gavin: Oh my God. It’s you!

  Raven: Me?

  Gavin: I can’t believe it.

  Raven: Who am I exactly?

  Gavin: Can I have your autograph?

  Raven: Clearly you’re mistaken. I’m no one important.

  Gavin: They’ll never believe it when I tell them.

  Raven: Tell who?

  Gavin: The dwarves.

  Raven: The dwarves?

  Gavin: Aren’t you Snow White?

  Oh my. This one is crazy.

  I hesitated, and then laughed along with the audience.

  Raven: Okay. You caught me.

  Gavin: They told me you left—went to get milk, never came back. They’ve been posting your photo everywhere. Now I find you in front of this tattoo shop, living y
our life as if you haven’t left seven good men devastated.

  Raven: The truth is…they became too overbearing.

  Gavin: I’m offended on their behalf. Overbearing in what way?

  Raven: You know…overly dramatic…grumpy…dopey.

  The audience was in stitches. Even Gavin had to pause to laugh.

  Gavin: I never took you for such a diva.

  Raven: And who are you exactly to judge me?

  Gavin: I’m Prince Charming.

  Raven: Cinderella’s man?

  Gavin: Ex man.

  Raven: I didn’t recognize you at all.

  Gavin: Yeah, well, someone put a spell on me. I look a little different now.

  Raven: I’m sorry to hear that. Can I do anything to help?

  Gavin: Well, there’s only one way the spell can be broken.

  Raven: What’s that?

  Gavin: I have to kiss a beautiful, fair-skinned woman with dark hair. Know anyone?

  Raven: Don’t look at me!

  Gavin: Why not? You’re perfect for the job.

  Raven: What do I get if I break your spell?

  Gavin: Well, as in all fairytales, we fall in love and live happily ever after.

  Raven: You don’t seem very concerned about your little friends anymore.

  Gavin: It’s only Grumpy and Dopey I have to worry about. They’re loose cannons. Happy doesn’t care. And Sleepy won’t even notice.

  I had to stop to laugh again.

  Raven: Okay, then. Let’s get it over with.

  Gavin leaned in and planted a long kiss on my lips as the audience whistled. He’d bent me back in dramatic fashion.

  We finally came up for air.

  Gavin: I think we should get married.

  He reached into his back pocket and took out a little box. Wow, he came prepared for this skit.

  When I looked into his eyes, the humor had dissipated from his expression.

  “I hope the audience doesn’t mind if I slip out of character for a moment,” he said.

  Gavin got down on one knee as the audience began to cheer. I couldn’t quite make sense of things until he used my real name.

  He looked up at me. “Raven…”

  I placed my hand over my heart as I stood in stunned silence.

  “Our story is far from a fairytale. But everything happens for a reason, even if that seems impossible to understand. Since we met, we’ve spent more time apart than together, thanks to a very long detour. But the days with you remain the best days of my life. From now on, I want the days with you to outnumber all of the others. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” He opened the small black box. “I love you so much. Will you marry me?”

  The stage lights only amplified the stunning sparkle of the diamond.

  Waving my hands in excitement, I shouted, “Yes!”

  Gavin lifted me, and despite the continued cheering from the crowd, we were transported to our own world.

  I stared at the stunning, cushion-cut ring. “I can’t believe it. How long have you been planning this?”

  “Pretty much since the day you left London.”

  When we finally came out of our love fog and stepped off the stage, someone in particular was still whistling like crazy, long after the rest of the crowd had calmed down. That’s when I noticed who was sitting with Marni and Jenny at our table. He must have snuck in while we were performing.

  Weldon.

  “Your brother is here!” I cheered as we walked hand in hand back to the table.

  “I know.” Gavin smiled. “I invited him.”

  Weldon looked amazing. His hair was still long, but not so unruly. He’d shaved and gained some weight. His eyes had a certain clarity about them. And of course, I noticed the glass next to him: water.

  “I’m sorry I got here late, brother. My plane was delayed. But I didn’t miss the important part.” He hugged me. “You look beautiful, Raven. Congratulations.”

  “Thank you. It’s so good to see you, Weldon.”

  “Well, this is a big day. I had to make it.”

  “How long are you staying?”

  “About two weeks—unless my brother kicks me out.”

  Gavin smacked Weldon on the arm. “Dad’s been thinking of you…well, at least indirectly. When he remembers who he is, he’s been calling me Weldon.”

  “Years of feeling inadequate, and in the end, I’m the one he remembers? Isn’t that some damn irony?”

  “I’m really glad you’re here,” I said.

  “And I’m glad you’re gonna be my sister.”

  Being an only child, I’d always longed for a family. And while my experience with the Mastersons was far from a fairytale, Gavin, Weldon, and their father were truly my family now.

  EPILOGUE

  * * *

  GAVIN

  SIX YEARS LATER

  My girls loved trampling me on the lawn. As I lay flat on my back, my three beautiful spawn giggled over me. Though I pretended to be fighting it, this was most definitely my idea of heaven.

  “You always did like being pinned down,” Raven cracked.

  “Not exactly what I had in mind when I said that, you know.”

  Our three daughters continued to have a blast attacking me. They were each one year apart. It was hard to believe that after growing up without any sisters or aunts, I now had three girls. I’d be screwed in roughly ten years’ time.

  Today was typical weather for the Florida winter: much cooler and dryer, just how I loved it. Holiday decorations had been scattered around the property, and a massive Christmas tree sat on the front lawn. Apparently, we were trying to compete with Rockefeller Center. It felt really good to be home at this time of year. We were outside waiting for Weldon to arrive with a guest for Christmas break. We’d be spending the holidays as a family here.

  The past six years felt like a whirlwind. Raven and I got married a year after we reunited, and my father passed away shortly after that. Then, a year later, our first daughter was born. It was one thing after another. Marina was now four years old. Our second daughter, Natalia, was three, and the baby, Arianna, was two. A year after Arianna’s birth, Raven had surgery to remove her ovaries, which brought me immense relief.

  After my father passed, we decided to make London our full-time home. We sold my loft and purchased a house outside the city in Surrey.

  Wanting to keep the Palm Beach estate in the family, we held onto it and used it as a vacation home. Weldon also divided his time between Florida and California. So between all of us, the house still got a lot of use. We kept Genevieve and Fred employed as a thank you for their years of devotion to my father, and now my daughters would get to enjoy the place where I grew up. Even though some of my memories weren’t good ones, I planned to make many new and better memories here.

  Each of our girls looked so different. Marina was the spitting image of me. With the darkest hair and porcelain skin, Natalia looked just like her mother. And oddly, our youngest, Arianna, with her dark blond hair and fine features looked exactly like Weldon (and my mother, Ruth). He loved to give us shit about that, joking about that one time Raven had jumped him in the kitchen pantry.

  Speaking of Weldon, my brother was now walking toward us from the driveway. He’d just arrived from the airport, and there by his side was his new lady friend. I could see from here that she was tall.

  I got up off the grass as my daughters ran to him. With his long, wild hair and crazy personality, Weldon was a huge hit with the girls; they adored their uncle more than their favorite cartoon characters. He had certainly come a long way.

  He lifted our youngest. “You’re looking more and more like me every day.”

  I smiled at the woman he’d brought with him. All I knew was her name was Myra. She had long, black hair with purple and blue stripes at the front. Her arms were covered in tattoos and a ring sparkled in her nose.

  “Myra, this is my big brother, Gavin, and his wife, Raven.”

  “Great to meet
you both. Weldon’s told me so much about you. Your story is amazing.”

  “I’m particularly fond of the second part,” Raven said.

  Myra asked for the bathroom, so Raven took her inside on her way to put Arianna down for a nap.

  Weldon leaned in. “What do you think? Mother would have loved Myra, eh?”

  We both got a good chuckle at that. My mother would have shit a brick at the sight of Myra. And that gave me great satisfaction. I was proud of my brother for cleaning up his act and remaining sober all these years, and I was happy he’d found a woman he seemed to be connecting with. After passing the California bar, he’d finally returned to practicing law, too.

  Raven and Myra were laughing when they returned from inside the house; they seemed to be getting along well.

  Marina pulled on Weldon’s jeans. “I want ice cream!”

  “Damn, you don’t forget anything, do you?” he said. “On the phone the other day, I told her when I got here I’d take her. I can’t believe she remembered.”

  “Oh she doesn’t miss a beat,” I said.

  “Is it okay if Myra and I take them to the center of town?” he asked.

  Perfect. I was actually hoping to find some alone time with my wife today.

  “Go right ahead.”

  After we packed Marina and Natalia into Weldon’s rental car, I turned to Raven as we walked back into the house. “You hear that?”’

  “What?”

  “Absolutely nothing. The sweet sound of quiet.”

  “It’s so rare these days, isn’t it?”

  “Come upstairs with me.” I took her hand. “There’s something I want to show you.”

  “I bet.” She winked. “We’re alone, after all.”

  “Believe it or not, this time, it’s not what you think.”

  “Well, I’m intrigued.”

  Once inside the master bedroom, I opened the drawer to reveal a flat velvet box. I’d taken a trip to the family safe earlier today. Inside the box was one of my mother’s most prized possessions.

  “Oh my God. Your mother’s diamond necklace. Where did you find that?”

  “I’ve always had it. It was in the safe at the bank, along with most of her other jewelry.”