Tough Tackle

by Harper Lauren

  For the second time that evening, I gasped in shock. I turned to Drake, ready to bombard him with questions. But he quickly held up his hand to silence me. Instead, he led me to the table. Once I was seated, he asked me to look up. That’s the only time I noticed the glass ceiling showing the sky above us, shimmering with the twinkling stars. Everything was just perfect.

  “Uhm, why are you doing all this, Drake?” I asked. Something felt off. What was with the grand gesture? It wasn’t as if he’d suddenly fallen in love with me and wanted to propose marriage or something. I could smell something fishy.

  “Can we eat first and enjoy this feast?” he asked, gesturing to the delicious food in front of us. I felt my stomach grumble. I was certainly starved, so I found myself nodding and settling into a comfortable conversation with him again.

  However, I could sense that he was hiding something. He seemed to be guarded the whole time, which made me even more attentive to his every move and every word.

  Finally, when I was actually beginning to have fun, he took a deep breath and went over to join me. I stood up with him, our faces inches away from each other. I could feel my heart beating irregularly. I was both nervous and excited at the same time.

  “So… care to tell me now what’s going on?” I demanded. I wasn’t going to let him off the hook.

  “Georgia…” he began, the hesitation obvious in his voice.

  “Just tell me, Drake,” I pleaded.

  He raised a hand and touched my cheek gently, all the while his eyes fixed on mine. They seemed to be communicating something that he was not yet saying.

  “I…” he started. It was the first time I had encountered him like such. He’d never seemed like that kind of stammering, uncertain guy. He’d always been mysterious, but definitely brimming with confidence whenever he was around women.

  I waited for him to go on.

  “Georgia, I just discovered who you really are,” he continued in one breath. His words didn’t hit me at once. I had trouble absorbing them yet. He went on, anyway. “You’d looked familiar when I’d seen you this morning wearing eyeglasses…”

  It was sinking in now. I could feel my heart plummeting.

  “… and a face popped into my head…”

  I could barely keep still and keep looking into his eyes. But his gaze was intense, never faltering. I could sense that he was sincere.

  “I did some digging and confirmed it,” he went on. “And now I know that you really are Geeky Georgie, my classmate from senior year at Windfield High.”

  I didn’t respond. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Now the truth was out. What did he make of it?

  “Now that I’ve come to realize who you are, I can’t believe I didn’t see it earlier. There’s still an uncanny resemblance somehow.”

  “I still look that awful, you think?” I said without thinking.

  “No, of course not,” he immediately countered. “I mean, you weren’t really bad-looking then. Just different. And there are similar features now, but a lot of things in your appearance have changed. You know that. You’re certainly much more beautiful now. You’ve really come out of your shell. And more than the physical appearance, your confidence, wit, and natural intelligence are what make your beauty glow even brighter.”

  I was speechless.

  He took my hands in his and we stood there silently for a while under the stars that could be seen through the glass roof. “I’m really beginning to like you, Georgia,” he told me earnestly. “I don’t want what we’ve started to be gone in a snap. And that’s why I want to start over with you. Why didn’t you tell me in the first place?”

  “Would it have mattered?” I said.

  “Of course,” he answered. “Not because I would have been more cautious or because I might have gotten turned off. The truth matters because I know how much pain I had caused you then. There was no excuse for what I did, and I am very, very sorry for hurting you, for doing what I did, and for not even trying to apologize before you’d gone to college.”

  “It’s stupid to even be affected by it,” I muttered. “That was way back in high school. We were all young and crazy and stupid.”

  “Not an excuse,” he said sternly. He placed both hands on my cheeks, gently pulling my face closer to his. He was towering over me but leaning over, looking solemnly into my eyes. “Oh, Georgia, that was way beyond stupid. It was mean and I know that it must have pained you gravely while I went on to forget about it and just keep on living my life.”

  I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. Here I was standing in front of the boy who had caused me to hate high school and erase even the good memories from those days, and he was actually apologizing after so many years had passed. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

  Faced with the reality and the hard truth of the past, everything was suddenly resurfacing. All the negative emotions I had pushed down an invisible black hole had never really vanished. I realized that all this time, what had motivated me to keep on improving my physical looks was this miserable and painful experience. What had driven me to become so addicted to fulfilling my dreams and staying away from most men was also this. Though there were positive outcomes, it was so wrong to have lived like that. I’d had so many emotions bottled up inside of me, controlling me and making me feel imprisoned.

  “I am so sorry, Georgia,” he repeated. He embraced me then, saying sorry over and over again. I let him hug me tight because I would have fallen if not for his support. I felt the tears finally dropping down my cheeks. And when I began to cry, it just kept on coming.

  For a few minutes, we just stood there embracing each other while I sobbed. I cried for Geeky Georgie who had suffered so much while growing up. I cried for who I am today—a person hiding behind a mask, pretending that everything was okay.

  The night was deepening. Eventually I settled down and began to calm. “I’m okay, really,” I whispered to Drake.

  “Hey, it’s not stupid or silly,” he said. “It’s not childish or anything like that. You have every right to punch me in the nose. I’m giving you the permission.”

  It almost made me laugh. Almost. But the overwhelming pain was too strong at the moment. I knew it would soon be released from me, though. But for now, there was just a heavy feeling weighing down on my shoulders. My heart was constricting, though I had no more tears to shed.

  “I forgive you, Drake,” I told him. “I know that’s what you need, right? You didn’t need to go to all this trouble just to prove that. But thank you for the effort.”

  “But Georgia, it’s not—”

  I didn’t let him finish. “I want to go back to my cabin,” I said immediately, cutting in.

  He did not protest anymore. Perhaps he saw the grim expression on my face or the seriousness in my eyes. I was exhausted, drained. I needed to rest before I could think, before I could even begin to consider what to do about him or us.

  He took me back in my place in silence, letting me brood and be by myself. I knew it was written all over my face that I wanted to be alone. I was glad he gave me that.

  I didn’t even bother saying goodbye. I just said thank you and then went inside my room in a daze.

  CHAPTER 13

  DRAKE

  The convention was almost over. Georgia and I never got the chance to talk again. It seemed like she was now avoiding me as if I was the plague. It was pure torture for me.

  As I was packing up my stuff, I received a phone call from my dad, asking how everything was going. I gave him a detailed report, which seemed to satisfy him. He had not even noticed the lack of feeling in my voice. I was too down to even bother getting irritated at him.

  In the lobby, I had no idea another surprise was waiting for me.

  “How nice to see you, my grandson!” the elderly man who looked a lot like my older version greeted cheerfully. He went over and patted my shoulder. He was definitely a lot more affectionate than my father.

  “What are you doing here, G
ramps?” I asked warily. I wasn’t in the mood for family chit-chat or pleasantries.

  “You don’t seem glad to see me at all,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. “I’m visiting our estate on the other side of the mountain, and your dad mentioned you were going to be here. I was hoping you’d join me for a short stay at my vacation house. You surely look like you need it.”

  “No, thanks,” I immediately said, though it sounded tempting. “Besides, Dad would never approve of it.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about him,” Gramps said with a chuckle and a wave of his hand. “When I tell him I insisted that you accompany me, he won’t be able to protest. So what do you say?”

  He was looking at me so expectantly. I did not want to disappoint him, and perhaps spending time away from my reality could do me good.

  “I’m getting old, Drake,” he added. “And my sickness isn’t going away anytime soon. The truth is that I want to live a stress-free life in the mountains and I want to spend more time with the people I care about.”

  His eyes drifted to something in the distance. I followed his gaze and saw Georgia, looking lovelier than ever despite our problematic relationship, approaching our direction. I was stunned at first, until I realized I was standing right in front of the checkout counter.

  “Excuse me,” she said coolly upon reaching me. I stepped aside and without saying anything else, she went to talk to the staff to process her checkout.

  “It’s her, isn’t it?” Gramps suddenly exclaimed. It made me gape at him while Georgia turned around in astonishment.

  “It’s her!” he repeated.

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  “Your girlfriend, the doctor!” he exclaimed. Some other people in the lobby turned to us and began whispering not-so-discreetly.

  I couldn’t tell who looked more uncomfortable—Georgia or me.

  “What’s your name?” Gramps asked, moving forward with a curious glint in his eye.

  “Gramps, this is Dr. Georgia Hill,” I cut in, having no choice but to introduce them. “Georgia, this is my grandfather Ray Walton.”

  To my surprise, Gramps leaned forward and took her hand in his. She watched him with a mixture of mild interest and astonishment as he placed his other hand on top and gave her hand a quick squeeze.

  “It’s a great pleasure to finally meet one my grandson’s special someones,” he said. “I’ve never met any of his other girlfriends in the past…” His eyes narrowed as he glanced at me. “Or maybe he never had one before you?”

  Georgia gave him an awkward smile, but she did look a little bit amused and not annoyed at all. “Uhm, I wouldn’t know,” she answered. “But it’s good to meet you too, Mr. Walton.”

  “Actually, Gramps—” I began to say, but didn’t get to finish my sentence.

  “Georgia, is it?” Gramps said. “What a beautiful name, perfect for a lovely lady like you! And a doctor, too! Your parents must be proud.”

  “Yes, they are,” Georgia agreed with a smile. “Thank you.”

  “Gramps, Dr. Hill is not my---“ I tried again, but failed once more. Gramps actually wheeled Georgia away to one corner and began chatting her up. She seemed to find him entertaining, so I let them be. It was nice to see her smiling and nodding, engrossed in the conversation, and apparently oblivious now to my presence. From time to time, she would laugh. The sound of her laughter was refreshing to my ears.

  Soon I heard her saying goodbye. It was still a long drive going back to Windfield City.

  That was when Gramps remembered me and called me over. “Drake, why don’t you convince Georgia to come with us to the mountain estate? She will certainly love it there.”

  “Uh…” I started.

  “It’s alright, Mr. Walton,” Georgia quickly said. “I really can’t join you. I have to get back to work.”

  He looked very disappointed. But to my relief, he eventually nodded. “Just call me Gramps,” he told Georgia. “I hope to see you again soon. Maybe you and Drake can come visit me next week or the week after that.”

  “Certainly,” Georgia replied, smiling. My heart began to race, delighted at the prospect of possibly getting to spend time with her again. Or maybe she was just being polite.

  She said goodbye again to Gramps and then nodded at me in acknowledgement. “Goodbye, Drake. Thanks for the time.”

  At least she was talking to me now. “It was my pleasure,” I said, trying to also appear cool and unruffled by what had transpired between us the past few days.

  Suddenly, a low moan made us turn around. It was Gramps who appeared to be falling forward, clutching his chest. We both ran toward him.

  “Gramps, Gramps,” I said, supporting his weight as he straightened up again. There was a pained expression on his face, though. “What are you feeling? Are you alright?”

  “I’m fine,” he whispered, a little breathlessly. “Just sudden chest pain. But it’s nothing to worry about, really. Besides, we’re in a room full of doctors.” He even had the gall to joke about it.

  I didn’t smile, of course. I was deeply worried about him. For a while there, I thought he was having a heart attack. “Maybe we need to call your doctor,” I suggested.

  He shook his head. “I said I’m fine. I just have to rest.”

  I knew there was no point arguing with him, but I was definitely going to call his doctor. “Alright, let’s get you to the car now.”

  Georgia looked concerned. She led him to a nearby chair to sit down and then began interviewing him in a casual way. He didn’t seem to be bothered, although he was usually easily annoyed by doctors. He must like her that much.

  While we waited for his driver-slash-bodyguard Ton to pick him up at the lobby, he relaxed again and was back to his old chatty self. But then, after a few seconds, he paused and seemed to be in pain again. He appeared to have a hard time breathing, too.

  Ton arrived just on time for us to get him to the car. I told Georgia she didn’t have to come with us, but she insisted. We rushed Gramps to the nearest hospital, which was just a small one. I dialed his doctor’s number and was relieved to find out he was also nearby.

  “Gramps has a heart ailment,” I confided to Georgia when we were in the emergency room. The doctors and nurses were all over Gramps once they found out who he was. I also called my dad, but he was caught up in a meeting far away.

  “Update me,” Dad barked over the phone. “I’ll have to take the chopper if things get worse.” Then he hung up, just like that. He may have sounded unaffected, but I guess it’s just his personality. The truth is that he must be worried sick. I was able to prove that later on when he kept on calling me every ten minutes, asking about Gramps’s condition.

  “I’m good,” I heard Gramps telling everyone. He had raised his voice and appeared to be upset. “Let me go now. Drake!”

  I went to his side. “Gramps, relax,” I said. “You can’t let yourself get upset. It’s bad for your heart. They’re just doing their job.”

  He snorted and smirked, just shaking his head the whole time. But he did try to calm down, knowing very well that stress could trigger the end of his life. He obviously still wanted to live.

  Eventually, his doctor arrived and examined him. They talked privately for a while before his doctor approached me. He gave me a prescription and said that my grandfather needed a lot of rest and was not to be put under stress.

  Immediately I called my assistant to arrange for two private nurses to be sent to our Everland estate. However, I learned that it might take a few days. We did have caretakers in the mansion who also serve as house helpers. Nevertheless, we would need actual nurses.

  “Let me help you,” I heard someone say from behind me as I put the phone down. I was already feeling tense, which was very much unlike me.

  “I can stay with you and your grandfather for a while,” Georgia offered, looking into my eyes. There was genuine concern there, which greatly touched me and moved my soul. I was rather shocked that she s
eemed to care. Perhaps it was just the way she was, not that it had anything to do with me.

  “You don’t have to do that,” I said. “I wouldn’t want to ruin your schedule or get in the way of work. We’ll manage.”

  “I insist,” she said. “I really like him…” She glanced at my grandfather. “We… connect somehow… he reminds me of my late grandfather...”

  I paused for a while, not sure of what to say. In reality, I was ecstatic. The prospect of spending more time with her was exciting me in ways I couldn’t really comprehend. All of these emotions were new to me.

  “Okay,” I finally said. “Why don’t you let me drive your car and I’ll ask my chauffeur to take mine. Gramps has his own driver, anyway.”

  She nodded. “Okay.”

  Despite my frazzled feelings about Gramps’s condition, I couldn’t help but be enthusiastic. It was going to be a very interesting week.

  CHAPTER 14

  GEORGIA

  Maybe I was just looking for an excuse to go with him all along, I thought as the truth hit me.

  Lying on the classic four-poster bed in their guest room, I looked around in awe. The whole estate was not just enormous, but extravagantly ornamented in modern rustic style, perfect for a luxurious mountain home. It was like being thrown into a lifestyle show for the rich and famous. But what’s even more striking was the reality that I was actually here in this royal-like room, feeling like an outsider who was trespassing in a queen’s quarters because I was undeniably riveted by the king.