by Cee, DW
With a smile and a mug of coffee, I stepped into the large living room where I found all the Reid men, plus one John Solomon, hanging out.
“John, you have forty-five minutes to get your lady to the Lower East Side for brunch. Call your lady and an Uber driver and enjoy yourselves.” Smart man that he was, he didn’t ask questions. He did exactly as was told.
“Are they back together?” JR asked with a growl. “It pisses me off that he’s here. I don’t want Ellie hurt again.”
Though I wasn’t family, yet, I decided to butt in. “The last thing John wants is to see Elizabeth hurt. I think he’s caught in an unfortunate circumstance.” All the men looked to me for an explanation. “I swore I wouldn’t tell,” was the only one I could give them.
“Why’d you give away your reservation, Nole?” Nicky, who understood my morning plans, asked with a laugh. “Lilah turned you down?” he teased.
“I think you’re barking up the wrong tree.” Ian laughed alongside his cousin. “However, since you brought a smile to my sister’s pretty face last night, I’ll offer you a boon.”
“Anything, please!”
“Delilah’s fiancé was here two days ago, and he and Lilah had a tiff over something. Our cousin came home pissed!”
“What’d they fight about?”
“No clue. Ellie’s probably the only one who knows. Maybe John can ferret that info for you since you gave him another opportunity to be alone with her.”
“Great thinking.” Immediately, I texted John for help.
“Another word of advice,” JR helped, “Lilah is a trusting and trustworthy person. She won’t cheat on her fiancé.”
“I’m not asking her to cheat on that guy.” Ian, JR, and Nicky called my bullshit with all kinds of coughed-up responses. “All right. Cheating is a harsh word. I want her to come to realize that maybe he was the man for her this summer, but I’m the man for her from today on out.”
JR continued, “If you want to spend time with her, utilize her friends and family. Being alone with you equals being unfaithful to her man.”
“So...” I hadn’t thought of that before. This was the problem with not having much experience with women. I understood them very little. “You’re saying if I want to have brunch with her, I should invite all of you?”
“Yep.” Ian agreed with his brother. “We’ll have to see how far you’re willing to impress our cousin. I know she wants to see Hamilton. Perhaps you can buy all of us a ticket to see the sold-out musical. That should be a pretty penny.” The three had a good laugh over my plight.
“Why don’t you throw in a fancy dinner before the show?” Nicky added between snorts.
“We’re all free this weekend, Nolan.” JR revealed. “I have meetings next week. Ian is a travel bum so he’ll be wherever the freebies are. You already know Nicky’s schedule. If you want our help, we’re willing—for a price.”
If they weren’t laughing hard before, they were bowled over now.
Nicky slapped my back and good-naturedly said, “No pressure.”
These guys might have been joking, but they’d given me some valuable advice. With Delilah having pledged herself to another man, I needed to work the friendship angle, first. I remembered now that Dr. Taylor had given me that same advice. Maybe there was something to being friends with someone before pledging to marry.
Once Delilah liked and trusted me as a friend, then her eyes and heart might open to possibilities of a relationship. If family meals and musicals were the ways toward earning her like, then so be it. I’d empty my bank account to become rich in love.
Delilah: “New York, New York...” ~Frank Sinatra
“How’s it going with John?” With so many male bodies in the apartment, it was hard to get a moment of privacy with my cousin.
“I don’t know, Lilah. I’m still upset you brought him here. But, I’m also grateful. I shouldn’t be this happy to see him. He’s only going to break my heart again.”
I couldn’t help the coy smile. “He loves you. You love him. What’s so difficult?”
“Who the hell knows?” my cousin asked. “By the way, you missed out on the best pancakes. In your stead, I enjoyed them.” She grinned. We had all missed her smiles. “What’s next on yours and Nolan’s (rejected) agenda so I can benefit?”
I chose not to understand her meaning. “I want to go to MoMA. You want to join me?”
“Sure. Let me see what the guys are up to; they can join us.”
Before I could stop her, Ellie called over to the guys and invited them. Along with a huge smile, she stuck her tongue out at me and walked away. I’d have to grin and bear a couple of hours with Nolan, thanks to my dear cousin.
Because of the large number in our party, we always had to catch two separate cars and Nolan made sure to not only sit in our car, but also to sit right next to me.
“May I ask you a question, Delilah?”
“If I say no, will you not ask it?”
His lips perked up and I had to say, this Nolan was kinda cute in his own geeky way. “Maybe?” As soon as that word came out, he changed his mind. “Probably not. I just wanted to see if you’d be willing to watch a show with all of us?”
“What show and who’s all of us?”
“I have eight seats on hold for us at the Richard Rodgers Theater. In about ten minutes, those seats will be let go to other buyers. Everyone else has agreed to attend. Would you like to join us?”
“Richard Rodgers Theater, as in, Hamilton?” My voice squeaked while asking this question.
“Yes. Shall I buy seven tickets or eight?” Was I imagining the smug grin on his face? Damn! He’d placed me in a serious predicament.
“How’d you get that many tickets? I thought the show was sold out.” I asked this bratty question.
“I had the same guy stand in line for me. He just called to say that in about ten minutes, the box office will open and he predicts there will be about ten tickets for resale. I need to give him an answer immediately.”
“Won’t it be expensive for you to buy so many tickets?” He shrugged his shoulders. I so wanted to watch this musical, but I didn’t want to do it with Nolan. My preference would have been to watch it with my fiancé, who had other ideas in mind.
“Not to pressure you, but I need to call my guy in the next minute, Delilah.”
“All right. I’ll go with all of us, under one condition.” I needed to feel like I was in control somehow. “We will each pay our own way. You will not buy the tickets for us.”
“Lilah...” Nicky and JR groaned. “Why the hell would we pay for something that’s given to us as a present.”
“Nope. We will each pay our own way or I won’t go.”
“You can be such a pain in the ass, Lilah.” Nicky lamented.
Nolan’s silent plea was as unmistakable as my cousins’ annoyance. JR called Ian in the other car and told everyone of my “stupid idea.” Each person agreed that my idea was indeed “stupid” and that everyone would fork over money for his and her ticket. With a gigantic grin, Nolan called and purchased all eight tickets. This was going to be a phenomenal night.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t convince my cousins to split the stand-in-line-guy fee.” I whispered to the man sitting next to me, Nolan of course, after the first “Alexander Hamilton” musical number.
Brazenly, Nolan kissed my nose and said, “For a chance to sit next to you, I would’ve paid for all your cousins’ tickets every night we were in town.” Truly, I had no words. What he said befuddled me even greater than the kiss. What was wrong with this man?
“Let’s continue watching the show,” I whispered while trying hard to ignore his presence.
The problem with buying such a large number of tickets was that they weren’t all together. There were three sets of two seats, with James and Ian sitting by themselves in random places. All our views were fantastic. The show could’ve only been better if I’d sat next to my cousins as well. For now, I was enjoying m
yself with a man who gave me too much attention.
“So, what do you think so far?” It was intermission and Nolan and I stood up to stretch our legs. New Yorkers must’ve been much shorter, than they are now, when this theater first opened. With no legroom to spare, we were desperate to feel our legs again.
“Absolutely epic!” I exclaimed. “I can’t imagine how a show can top every expectation. Thank you for having the forethought to hire people to get our tickets. What an exceptional night.”
“Come,” he placed his hand on my back and led me up the stairs. “We need to get circulation back in our legs and I’d like something to eat and drink. We should’ve grabbed food from a street vendor on our way here from MoMA.”
“Sorry. That’s my fault. I couldn’t get away from the Monet watercolors. My parents love Giverny. That place has a special place in their love story.”
“Your entire family appears to have a hell of a love story. I’ve been told of a few of the stories. One day, I’ll have to ask each couple to let me in on their secrets.”
I thought about each of my aunts and uncles. They all had an indelible love. “My family’s neat.”
“They have to be extraordinary in order to produce offspring like you and your cousins.”
“Thank you, Nolan. That’s kind of you to say that about my cousins. They, along with my siblings, are the best. We all love each other.”
Nolan wistfully added, “Your family is a dream for an only child like me. One day, I’d like to be a part of that kind of love and camaraderie.”
“But it won’t be with me, Nolan.” I lost the bratty tone and let him down gently. “I’m engaged to be married to Rhys. I’m not the kind of girl who can promise to marry one man and fraternize with another. I hope you’ll understand. As kind as you are to me and my family, you need to understand my stance. It won’t change.”
What I said altered the man who’d had a smile on his face, talking about family. Nolan grabbed us a few items to eat and drink and kept to himself until it was time to head back to our seats. Even seated, his usual gregarious nature turned blank. It was as if I was sitting next to a complete stranger.
In a small way, my heart broke for him. I didn’t mean to upset him. All I wanted was for him to be clear where I stood in this bizarre situation/relationship.
During the second act, Nolan still wouldn’t acknowledge me. He watched the show without a reaction and oddly, I felt him separating himself from me physically, mentally, and emotionally. Finally, I could stand it no longer. I reached out first.
At the very end when we all rose to give a standing ovation, I placed a hand on his wrist and confessed, “I’m sorry, Nolan. I wish we’d met earlier. From the little I know, you’ll make some girl feel like you’ve handed her the moon. Thank you for showing me what it might have been like to be your girl. Maybe...” I was going to say “in the next life,” but was stopped by a kiss to the tip of my nose again, along with a sweet smile.
That was it. He still didn’t say a word to me, but a message was conveyed. I understood that his heart would still be mine if I chose to take it. I understood that he didn’t care that I was engaged to Rhys. Somehow, his defiance had no malice, but it was resolute. He would continue his pursuit.
I shouldn’t have been…but I was relieved he was back to being the Nolan I knew and didn’t understand.
Nolan: “I’m up all night to get lucky...” ~Pharrell Williams, Daft Punk
I caught a serious break right before I was to leave NY for LA. When I say I caught a break, it was like the Powerball of breaks. This was what happened.
After Hamilton and a great dinner at a two-Michelin starred Italian restaurant, we all hung out as friends. I learned something very important that night. Delilah was as kind as I knew she would be, but she was also a fierce friend. She protected those she believed were being taken advantage of, and for some reason, I was in that category.
When dinner was over, she made sure I wasn’t stuck with the bill when all her male cousins concluded it should be me who picked up the tab. John offered to pay for dinner, but embarrassingly enough, Delilah paid. I didn’t like it, but I did like the mama-bear role. I decided it was to my benefit not to upset her.
To all our surprises, Delilah’s father came into town on Tuesday, the day John, Ellie, James and I were to leave. He stopped by the Reid residence and this was where my Powerball-sized boon happened.
“What brings you here, Daddy? I thought you were coming later in the week.”
“Meeting dates were changed between New York and San Francisco, Baby. How’s your trip going so far? Your brothers are none too happy that you’re here living it up while they’re working their asses off.”
Delilah gave an I-don’t-give-a-damn smile. “How long are you here for, Daddy?”
“Just one night. How much longer are you here for, Lilah?”
“I don’t know. Unless Nicky needs me, I thought I might hop into London to see Rhys. We didn’t end well and I need to talk to him.”
“That’s an expensive way to talk to him, Baby. Use the phone.” Donovan Taylor was shaking his head no. Way to go, Mr. Taylor! I wanted to give him a high-five but I knew this wasn’t my place to say a word. Thus, I stayed as silent as a statue. “Don’t forget our rules that you and Rhys have agreed to. You’re not to see him alone.”
Delilah’s aggravated face was adorable. “If Nicky comes with me, will you let me go?”
“Nicky?” Mr. Taylor asked. “Do you have any reason to be in London this week?”
My future business partner wanted to help his cousin, but he couldn’t lie to his uncle. “Um, not this week, but in three weeks, Uncle Donovan.”
“I guess Nicky’s headed home like you will be.”
“Daddy!” Delilah argued. Lucky for Donovan Taylor, her phone rang. Unlucky for me, it was Rhys. She ran into her room.
“Do you three have to leave today?” Delilah’s dad changed topics. “And when do the rest of you leave? I have the plane with me. If you can hang out a little longer and make a pit stop in San Francisco, you can catch a ride with me.”
Here was the boon I was talking about! “May I, Mr. Taylor?” The invitation wasn’t exactly handed to me, but I was the first to jump at the opportunity. “I have a debate tournament this weekend and would love a flight straight into San Francisco, rather than heading to LA and then to SF.”
He thought about it a split second longer than I wanted and answered, “Why not?” Then he asked his niece and nephews, “Anyone else?”
“We wish we can play longer, but the three of us have overstayed, Uncle Donovan. Ellie, John and I were supposed to be back at the hospital today. We’ll be doing midnight shifts for a while to make up for the five days of freedom.”
“You always were a model child, James.” Delilah’s father slapped his back. “You,” he pointed to John in a scary manner, “did you make my niece unhappy this weekend?”
“No, Sir.”
“Did you make her happy?”
“I hope so, Sir.”
“Are you going to break her heart again?”
“I hope not, Sir.”
Then he asked Ellie, “Are you two back on?” John and Ellie looked longingly at one another but had no answer. “You!” He now turned his attention on me.
“Yes, Sir?” I answered with respect.
“Did you make my daughter unhappy?”
