by Nic Tatano
Those same green eyes brighten when asked about her current love, Tyler Garrity. “I didn’t realize what I had in Tyler until after my relationship with the Senator ended. But if you look at that photo of us when he was in the hospital, you can see the look of love on my face, so I guess subconsciously I was falling for him then. I didn’t realize how much I cared until I almost lost him. Looking back, I can see I was simply infatuated with the Senator and got caught up in the whole First Lady thing. Tyler is an incredible guy, treats me like a queen. We have everything in common. I respect him like no man I’ve ever known with the exception of my brother Sam and my late father. And the guy’s a superhero… there was a real life white knight in New York City. Who knew? He did more than save little Samantha, he saved me.”
Garrity, who hooked on with eventual candidate Dan Kirkland’s campaign after the party’s open convention, sounds like he can’t believe he ended up with his dream girl. “It was love at first sight when I met her, but like every other woman on the campaign she had eyes for the Senator. Then she became Becker’s girl, so I had to settle for being a good friend. And honestly, it was pure torture when she spent those days with me in the hospital because I wanted her so badly. But I felt like I hit the romantic lottery when she said she had feelings for me. I’m completely blown away that such an amazing woman would choose me over someone who looks like Will Becker. She is so kind… I’ve never known a finer person with such a big heart. She’s the perfect woman for me and I can’t imagine being with anyone else.”
Both Shea and Garrity are tight lipped when asked about future wedding bells but you can tell from the way they look at each other they’re in this relationship for the duration. While he’s been busy with the new campaign, she’s turned her Twitter Girl fame into a business, hiring herself out to anyone who wants to use sarcasm as a promotional tool. Dan Kirkland was her first client, but she has no desire to work in the White House.
As for Becker, he wouldn’t even reveal his location when we contacted him by phone. He plans to run his father’s company and stay out of the public eye.
So America’s dream of a second Camelot was not to be. But like most fairy tales, this one has a happy ending… at least for two of the three people involved.
***
Tyler pops a bottle of champagne as the final returns come in confirming that Dan Kirkland has enough electoral votes to be declared the winner of the Presidential election.
I can’t help but wonder how close I came to making a huge mistake as I watch him stroll to the podium.
“Well, the best man won,” he says, pouring the bubbly for me, Sam and Ripley.
“Amazing how it worked out,” says Sam. “You guys started out working for a guy you thought was squeaky clean and he turned out to be the biggest loser on the staff. Then you end up with a man who is legitimately squeaky clean.”
“And Cassidy ends up with the guy who was meant for her all along,” says Ripley.
I lock eyes with Tyler and smile as he sits down next to me and holds up his glass. “A toast!”
“To the next president?” asks Sam.
“Hell no. To the women we love!”
We all clink glasses and sip our champagne. I lean over and give Tyler a kiss while Ripley does the same with Sam.
“Well, I think I’ve had enough of politics for a lifetime,” I say.
“Oh, come on,” says Tyler. “We make a great team. Kirkland couldn’t have won without you.”
“Ask me again in four years. But right now, all I want is to spend time with you. We make a great team regardless of what we do.”
My phone chirps telling me I have a text. And just when I think all the loose ends have been neatly tied up, I find one more that I had forgotten.
You proved that all was not as it seemed.
Wish to thank you in person.
O’Reilly’s Grill, 501 East 43rd, noon, tomorrow.
***
I peek over the menu every time the front door opens, looking for… someone. Someone who will make eye contact with me and reveal the final piece in the puzzle. I’m waiting for my version of Watergate’s Deep Throat, the person who tipped me off and saved me from what could have been a disastrous relationship that would have cost me the true love of my life.
I find it interesting that my secret source wants to thank me, when it should be the other way around.
A middle-aged businessman walks in, looks around and makes eye contact.
I start to get up but he heads for someone else, and I realize he simply recognized me.
And then the person I suspected all along walks in next.
I stand up and smile as she weaves her way through the tables. Kristin Becker picks up her pace and gives me a hug, then holds on for dear life.
Finally I pull back. “You okay?”
“Yeah.”
“I had a feeling it was you.”
She sits down. “Well, that’s why I need you as a mentor. You’re a great investigative reporter. You found the truth that we couldn’t for years. After the right guy won the election last night, I figured it was time to tell you. You changed history.”
I slide back onto my chair. “Well, if it weren’t for you, I would have ended up with the wrong man.”
“I’m happy for you, Cassidy. I read that story yesterday about you and Tyler. He’s a great guy.”
“Yeah, I’m really happier than I’ve ever been. And I’m glad you finally found the truth. Anyway, you’re the final piece of the puzzle. I’d like to hear the story if it’s not too painful to tell.”
“No, you deserve to know. My sister and I always suspected something wasn’t quite right with that whole situation, even though we were very young. There was one night when mom and dad got in a huge argument, and we could hear them upstairs. And she said one thing that stuck with us. You took him from me.”
“So you knew your brother was alive?”
“We asked mom about it and she wouldn’t elaborate as to what she meant. She wouldn’t even let us bring up the subject. But as we got older we started to put two and two together. The fact that there was never a funeral or an obituary in the paper was the main thing that raised a red flag. And the priest at the house with my father, day after day. I mean, we’re Catholic but my father rarely made it to church and wasn’t at all religious. So we started trying to check the possibility of adoption but as you know those are incredibly private. When you came aboard the campaign, we knew you might be able to help. Not only were you a reporter, but you had the one connection we needed. Your uncle the priest.”
“How did you know my uncle worked for Catholic social services?”
“We were doing an Internet search on you, reading some articles, and we saw one about your family, how your uncle was a priest who spent a lot of time with you and your brother after your parents were killed. And there was a photo of the two of you from ten years ago, and we recognized him. We were like, oh my God, that’s the priest who was at the house!”
I slowly nod. “See, you’re gonna be a great reporter. What about the number you sent me?”
“We were in dad’s office one day and found a slip of paper with that number on it next to Brian’s name, so I copied it down. I figured it was something important.”
“So, why the secret messages?”
“We figured if we simply contacted you face to face you’d think we were a bunch of rich brats who hated their parents. And my journalism teacher says all great reporters will investigate every lead, no matter how small. I knew you were that kind of reporter because I’d seen a video of a talk you gave to a college class.”
“Yeah, I’m like a dog with a bone when it comes to a story. Every lead has to be investigated.”
“But we were really getting worried when you and dad were getting romantic. Thank goodness you saw his true colors.”
“Well, thank you for pointing me in the right direction and keeping me interested in finding the truth. It all worked out fo
r the best. So, I hate to even ask but… what’s your relationship with your father now?”
“We don’t have one. We’re both twenty-one now so we cleaned out our trust funds and are taking care of our own expenses. We haven’t spoken to him since he told us the truth. We’re legally changing our last names and taking our mother’s maiden name. We don’t want to even be associated with him. By the way, thank you for setting us up as volunteers for your uncle. It’s actually very rewarding helping unwanted children find good homes.”
“I thought it might help with the healing process. And it would be a back door way to meet Brian.”
Her face brightens. “We love our little brother. Of course we can never tell him or his parents we’re his sisters, but it’s great getting to visit him once in a while.”
“He’s a beautiful child. The kid loves everyone.”
“Yeah. Hard to believe his father only loved himself.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
@TwitterGirl
Six shopping days left till Christmas. Seven till the exact same stuff is half price. Do the math and get twice the stuff.
Christmas is in the air as we finish our dinner exactly one year to the date that I got fired. The exclusive restaurant is beautifully decorated with a half dozen trees and twinkling lights wrapped around gold garland and red bows that run along the ceiling. Even with the holidays just around the corner, I can’t help but think of the incredible events that transpired which led us to this point.
But this point, for tonight anyway, is aimed at Ripley, as Sam is going to propose. She has no idea and I know she’s going to be blown away. The restaurant staff is in on it and I’m standing by with a camera.
“Excellent dinner,” says Sam as the waiter hands him a dessert menu.
Suddenly the waiter looks down at the floor. “Sir, I believe you dropped something.”
That’s the cue.
Tyler gets up and moves to one side of Sam’s wheelchair while the waiter stands on the other. They each grab him under one arm and help him get down on his knees as I pull out my camera.
Ripley’s face tightens. “Hey, what’s going on?”
“I dropped something,” says Sam.
“Well geez, Sam, I’ll get it,” she says, as she tosses her napkin on the table.
Sam pretends to reach for the floor, then opens his hand in front of Ripley. “Oh, this must be yours.”
Her eyes positively bug out as she sees the massive diamond ring my brother is holding. She clutches her chest with both hands. “Oh my God,” she says, her voice barely audible.
Everything in the restaurant comes to a halt. All eyes are on our table.
My brother looks up into her eyes as Tyler and the waiter support him. “Ripley DeAngelo, I have known since I was eight years old that you were the perfect girl for me. It started as a crush, then became love when I understood the meaning of the word. You started out as a special friend and became something much more. You would make me the happiest man in the world if you would do me the honor of becoming my wife.”
Ripley’s still in shock but I see a smile slowly appear. “Oh, hell yeah!” She thrusts her left hand forward. “Ring me, baby!” Sam slides the ring onto her finger, then she kneels down next to him and gives him a big hug and kiss. The crowd applauds as she gets back up while Tyler and the waiter help Sam back into the chair.
“Champagne all around,” says Tyler, as he sits down next to me.
“Very good, sir,” says the waiter, who heads for the bar.
I’m getting misty taking in the scene in front of me. Sam and Ripley, holding hands, exchanging longing looks. “I am so happy for you two. Now lemme see the ring!”
Ripley smiles as she holds her hand across the table, displaying the rock that has to be at least three carats. “Eat your heart out, dear friend!”
“Damn, you’re gonna be walking sideways with that thing. But it’s gorgeous. C’mere.” I get up and she does the same. We hug, long and hard, two best friends forever who have shared so much. I move over to Sam and he gives me the strongest hug ever. When we break the embrace I have to brush a single tear from his cheek.
We sit back down as the waiter returns with the champagne and begins to fill our glasses. Sam and Ripley go back to being locked in, oblivious to what’s going on around them. I rest my head on my palm and savor the scene. I realize I’m going to be losing my brother, sort of.
“You okay?” asks Tyler.
“Yeah. I get sentimental around stuff like this. Guys wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me.”
“Well, every girl always dreams of the perfect guy getting down on one knee asking for her hand in marriage. Nice to watch it come true for my brother and my best friend.”
“You look a little jealous.” Tyler looks up at the waiter and tugs at his sleeve. “Excuse me, doesn’t my girlfriend look a bit jealous?”
The old waiter studies my face. “Indeed she does, sir. I would surmise she might be envious of that rather sizable ring and the situation across the table.”
I look up at the waiter. “Hey, I’m not jealous. That’s my brother and my best friend. I’m happy for them. You’re about to blow a big tip.”
A middle-aged bald guy at the next table taps Tyler on the arm. “She looks jealous to me.”
I whip my head around at him and give him the death stare. “Hey, who asked you?”
“Sir,” says the waiter, pointing to the floor under Tyler’s chair, “I believe you dropped something.”
Tyler leans over and nods. “Yeah, you’re right.” He gets down on one knee, reaches under the chair, and comes up holding a diamond ring as big as Ripley’s.
The air is knocked from my lungs as my jaw drops.
“Caz, you really do miss the obvious sometimes,” says Sam. I look over and see him smiling at me while Ripley has a camera pointed in our direction. Then I turn back to Tyler.
He looks up into my eyes as he takes my hand. Once again everyone in the restaurant hits the pause button.
“When I almost died it was you I heard in the darkness, telling me to follow your voice. Your touch was the only one I felt. Yours was the hand that guided me back to life. When you realized you loved me, it was the little voice in your head that told you to follow your heart. I am asking you now to follow my voice and my heart, to take my hand in marriage, to share everything for the rest of our lives. Twitter Girl, will you marry me?”
I don’t hesitate for a second. “Tyler, both the little voice in my head and my heart agree, and my real voice has the answer. Oh, hell yeah! Ring me, baby!”
I stick out my left hand and he slides the ring on my finger.
It’s a perfect fit, just like the man who is giving it to me.
I kneel down next to him and hug him for all he’s worth, then give him a big kiss as the crowd applauds.
When we stand up I find Ripley next to me. We hug, tears in both our eyes.
“Lemme see that ring!” she says.
I show it to her and she nods, then whispers in my ear. I lean back and smile as we put our hands side-by-side, turn to our future husbands and say in unison, “Is her ring bigger than mine?” The crowd laughs as we both put our hands on our hips and give the guys disapproving looks.
“They’re exactly the same,” says Tyler. “It was buy one, get one free.”
“So who got the free one?” asks Ripley. Her eyes narrow. “It better not be me!”
“It better not be me!” I add.
“You can’t put a price on love,” says Sam.
@TwitterGirl
Sorry, girls, America’s most eligible bachelor is off the market. I’m engaged to New York subway superhero Tyler Garrity!
***
Six months later…
@TwitterGirl
On honeymoon with the love of my life and new husband, Tyler Garrity. A white knight and superhero rolled into one.
A gentle breeze carrying salt air blows through the open do
or of the balcony, filling our cruise ship suite as we sail across the Atlantic toward jolly old London. After a whirlwind engagement and double wedding, we are relaxing on a three week honeymoon. We wanted to visit Europe and since air travel is such a hassle for our guys, we booked transatlantic crossings and are traveling the old fashioned way, which beats the hell out of the flying egg cartons known as commercial jets. It’s incredibly relaxing, and besides, do you think this girl could survive an eight hour flight on a bag of airline pretzels? So, five days on the luxury ship, eleven days in the UK, then five days back.
When we return, I will find my perfect life all set up and ready to go. As will my brother and Ripley.
Ah, Sam. Leaving him was the one thing I feared would be my only regret.
But then we got a wild stroke of luck when the house next door went up for sale. Tyler and I quickly snapped it up, so we’ll be a hundred feet or so from Sam and Ripley. She’s moving in to our home since it made sense as it is already set up to accommodate Sam’s chair. Meanwhile Tyler, who wanted Sam to be able to visit our new home, had a covered walkway built between the two houses and our new home remodeled. Now we’ll be one big family, like the Ewings in Dallas, although a lot happier than those guys.
And Tyler said we didn’t have to order monogrammed towels since he already had some and we had the same initials. Tyler Garrity. Twitter Girl.
Oh, as it turned out, Tyler and I are the same age but his birthday is one day after mine. Which means I’m older. So Ripley has been calling me “cougar” since we found out because I’ve been doing it to her.
Anyway, it’s my first cruise and I must say it won’t be my last. It’s so relaxing, like the outside world doesn’t exist. Meanwhile, you’d think those Disney cartoon bluebirds actually do exist. Leave your cabin for a few minutes and your bed is made. Drop a towel on the bathroom floor and it is magically replaced by one folded into a swan sitting on your bed. And, of course, there’s the food. Twenty-four hour room service, a buffet on the Lido deck that never closes, a midnight buffet, a chocoholic buffet, two entrees at dinner if I feel like it. And, every afternoon, tea with… wait for it… scones! Even my brother is amazed at the food I’m packing away. But, hey, I’m a growing girl.
