The Promotion

by Laura Domino

  Adam leaned forward to make Dan pay attention. “Dan, you try to be nice to the nurses. They’re all very tired.”

  “Oh, don’t worry. Dan and I are good friends. Aren’t we, Dan?”

  Dan closed his eyes.

  “See? Told you.”

  “I’m going to let the very nice nurse do her thing, but I’m coming back after a little while. Dan, we’re not through talking today. Okay?”

  No noise or motion from Dan.

  Most humans are made of mostly water, but Dan was made of mostly stubbornness. He would die when he was good and ready. Not one minute before.

  Adam rushed down the stairs because the elevator would take too long. If Dan needed a trip to Alaska, then Adam would come as close as he could, as fast as he could.

  Trusty Rusty was fairly close to the hospital this time. It didn’t take very long to get to the bookstore, which was busy for a Monday. Adam found his way to the nonfiction section and perused a few shelves of travel books. There were several to choose from that had Alaska in them, but none of the books were what he was looking for. He looked at the stacks of featured books on a nearby table, but none of those were right for Dan.

  When he looked back at the shelves again, deciding whether to keep looking there before moving on to the next store, he saw books on the endcap. Three large photo books were displayed flat along the end of the shelves. One was filled with full-color photos of landscapes and wildlife of Alaska. He opened it and flipped through the pages. It was the best he’d seen. Plenty of close-ups of wild animals he wouldn’t be able to get that close to on a bucket list trip. It would be a big hit with Dan.

  He just hoped he wasn’t too late. If Dan’s health declined more than expected, it didn’t matter how great the photos were. Adam decided to hurry to the cash register.

  XOXO

  Dan’s eyes squeezed open. Barely squinting, he could see the light that poured in from the window and reflected off the hospital sheets, brightening the room without help from electricity. All he could see was her face. He wished she was here again in person.

  The woman didn’t visit much, but when she did, he stared at her. He stared hard, memorizing the curves of her face. Basking in the softness of her voice which still echoed in his mind, he argued with himself about which of his senses he loved more—seeing or hearing. The sadness she wore tore his heart out. He didn’t come here to make her sad.

  He juggled the pain of seeing her worry with the joy of seeing her. It was a balancing act. He never did figure out how to make her happy. She deserved to be happy. She had been through so much. And it was all his fault.

  Pain meds were starting to kick in now. Dan’s eyes closed to create a more restful movie theater for the memories playing in his mind. Her recent visit made him miss their younger days.

  “Dan, how can Adam be graduating from high school? It doesn’t seem real. They grow up fast, don’t they? Dan, why aren’t we married?”

  “Wow. Whiplash time.” Stunned, he looked around the front porch and through the window behind him. No boys in listening range. “Man! From out of nowhere. Are you sure you want to talk about this?”

  “Yes. You come here and celebrate good times with us and then move on to the next job. You come back and regale us with stories and then move on to another job. Why don’t you just stay here with us?”

  “You don’t want me here.” He interrupted her arguing before she had a chance to make a sound. “You don’t. I’m a nice guy to have around when you need to have a party. I’m a party guy. Partying Dan, that’s me. You don’t want me living here.”

  “What if I do? Pretty soon, my youngest will graduate too.”

  “That handsome devil.”

  She smiled. “He looks just like you now.”

  “Poor thing.”

  “So amazing.” She frowned.

  “Okay. I give up. What’s amazing?” It was amazing that everyone pretended not to notice the family resemblance. Amazing that no one said anything in front of the boy.

  “How did we keep the secret all these years?”

  Adam popped around the corner and climbed up the porch steps. “Secret? Interesting. What secret?”

  “Oh, great.” Dan slapped his knee. “We were going to get some ice cream and not tell you. Now our secret is out. Great.”

  “Ice cream?” Adam looked interested. “Why don’t you give me the keys to the Mustang, and I’ll get some for us?”

  Dan stood, reached into his wallet, and pulled out a bill. “Better yet, why don’t you get in your own little doozy of a car and let your brother help pick out the ice cream?”

  Adam snatched the money and ran off. “Okay.”

  Dan yelled after him, “Get enough for everyone this time.”

  After the car pulled into the street, Dan turned to her. “Wanna go make out? I think we have time.” The perfect diversion. She’d forget all about their conversation if he played his cards right.

  She laughed and stood, putting her hands on his chest as he put his hands at her waist. “Dan, why aren’t we married?”

  He turned away and took a couple of steps. “Oh, that again?” He threw his hands in the air. “Why aren’t we billionaires? Why aren’t we living in a mansion? Because life isn’t fair. Because we can’t make everything happen the way we want it to.”

  “Dan, we can get married.”

  “No, we can’t.”

  She placed herself inches away from him and gave a sexy pout. “Why not?”

  “Because then it might slip out what I know that you don’t.” He tried to make his voice show concern for her more than secrecy.

  “Now, you have to tell me. What do I not know?”

  “If I don’t leave right now…” He wanted to kiss her to shut her up.

  “You can’t leave. Tell me. What is it?”

  “I’m not good enough for you. But you know that already. I love you. But, again, you’re already aware of that. So what could it be?”

  “I’m waiting.” She wasn’t going to give up.

  He shook his head. “I… I can’t.”

  “Come on. The boys will be back soon.”

  He put his hands back in place at her waist. “You don’t want them to know that I’m their father. It’s too much information. They don’t need to know. I wanted to be their father.” His passion flowed as he looked into her eyes. “I wanted so much to be their father for real.”

  “I know.”

  He whispered, “But he was the better guy.”

  “No. No, Dan.”

  “Yes.” He allowed strength back into his voice. “He sacrificed his life for mine. He did it because he wanted to force me to take my responsibility seriously.” He turned her loose and walked away. “I didn’t.”

  She followed him. “It was an accident. He didn’t mean to drown.”

  “I was so angry with him for coming after me. He was a good man.”

  “He was. Dan, it was an accident. It was a long time ago.”

  “He’s the better man.”

  “What’s wrong? Why are you bringing this up now?”

  “I don’t know. Our boy is graduating. They’re going to be adults. Adults, but young and stupid like we were.” He shrugged. “They’ll make mistakes like we did.”

  She squinted. “What are you saying?”

  “Ice cream is overrated. I’ve got to go.” He stepped away.

  “Dan?” She hurried after him. “No. Wait. Dan, stop.”

  “I love you. Give the boys my part of the ice cream.”

  XOXO

  Adam knocked on Benita’s door, and she answered within seconds. “Come in. Hurry. Sit down.” She shut the door behind him and ran to the sofa. The TV was on a Spanish station. “I can actually understand it. I’m so happy. I can watch Spanish TV.”

  He laughed and sat beside her. “It’s the little things in life, right?”

  She turned down the volume. “Little? This isn’t little. You’ve worked hard trying to get
me ready for my promotion.”

  He’d been debating whether to go with her when she left for Spain or stay. With Dan, his mom, the care group, and his new house, he had too much going on here to leave. And Texas would always be his home. He didn’t know how to be in a long-distance relationship, not even with someone he loved. It was hard to do, but he smiled, trying to be happy for her. “When is the deadline?”

  “He’s going to let us know on Friday.” She nodded. “I’m feeling a lot better about it than I was. I think I really have a shot.”

  Adam didn’t want to throw cold water on her dreams, but he really didn’t want her to leave. They needed a change of subject. “Congratulations. Oh, by the way, you challenged me to read eight pages of the Bible for a week. It’s now the sixth day.”

  She laughed and turned off the TV. “Good for you. I think I’ll start that on Saturday. I won’t be able to focus until after the announcement on Friday.”

  Adam smiled at her turning the conversation back to her leaving. “While I was reading, I came across a verse that kind of stuck with me.”

  “Which one?”

  “The book of James. First chapter, twenty-second verse. After six days of reading the Bible, I’ve been noticing that there are a lot of things I knew I’d already read, but it was different this time. There were parts of the Bible that I seemed to be reading for the first time. This crazy, new understanding makes it all feel so fresh. Things are resonating with me like never before. Especially this verse in the book of James.”

  “What did it say?”

  “It said to not only read the Bible, but also do what it says. Do something.” He chuckled. “I read it, and it was just common sense.” He stood and looked around the room. This was a good opportunity to explain why it was important to him. “Let me show you. Where is a notepad or some paper?”

  She went into the other room and came back with pen and a small notepad. “Here you go. What’s up? A new project?”

  He took it, went to her countertop, and began a to-do list. “Later today, I’m going to buy a journal, so I can write down the verses I’m reading and which specific verse I will try to interact with on a specific day.” He wrote a few words on the notepad. “I’m going to do something every day. I want to read it to you and show you how this is going to work for me.” He clicked on the Bible app on his phone.

  Standing by him, she touched his shoulder. Her head was too close. The fragrance of lavender pulled his attention to her skin.

  It was a little distracting, but he focused harder on his plan.

  Oblivious to her effect on him, she watched the words as he read.

  After reading the verse to her, he grabbed the notepad and wrote the verse at the top of a page. “Do you see this to-do list? It’s going to be filled up with things a person can do in one day. Every day. Three hundred and sixty-five of them.”

  “That’s quite an undertaking.”

  He nodded. It would definitely be a challenge. “That’s kind of the point. It wasn’t meant to be easy. That’s why I had to share it with you. It has to be hard enough that I’ll remember the verses I’ve been reading. I’ll have to repeat the verses throughout the day to make sure I do them. But I can spread it out over time and do just one thing each day. It has to be easy enough to continue doing. If it’s too hard, I’ll quit.”

  “I don’t think I can fit the to-do thing in my schedule just yet. Maybe I can begin that when I finish moving into my new apartment in Spain. I should have more time after I’ve gotten acclimated.”

  Adam sighed. “Just listen, Benita.”

  “Okay.” Her gaze focused on him. Finally quiet about her promotion for a moment, she radiated compassion instead. No doubt that she’d earned her right to be promoted. She knew what she wanted, and she knew how to get it.

  But people don’t usually get everything they want.

  “I don’t want you to react at first. Just let me speak.” She wasn’t going to like what he had to say. “I want to be with you more than anything. But I’m going to back off for now so you can concentrate on work without having me around as a distraction. You’re down to the wire. It’s the last leg of the race. You need to get back to being the laser-focused professional that you were when I met you.”

  “Adam, you think you’re getting in my way?” Her face showed confusion in spite of her confidence.

  “The to-do list is a great way for me to stay busy without you. I need to give you space. Room to soar.” He kissed her. “After tonight, no more kissing. No more care group for you. No more volunteer hours. No more seeing each other. Nothing until the announcement is made on Friday.” It was the only way to separate himself from her to protect his heart.

  The woman he loved was leaving. She had no idea how that was going to hurt him.

  “You want me to tell you what happens in the announcement?”

  “Sure.” Even though it was going to be tough to listen to, he did want to know. “Yes. Regardless. Win or lose, I want to know.”

  He watched her for a response, but Benita was quiet in her stoic, professional manner.

  “Okay. Now you can talk. Tell me what you’re thinking.”

  “You are something else.” She shook her head. “When we met, you were nice. You agreed to tutor me in Spanish. After we became a couple, you stopped accepting payment for that job. That was nice. You’ve been helping Charlie. You helped me sign up for volunteer work. You’re a nice guy.”

  Uh-oh. It sounded like she was headed for… “But?”

  “Yes. There is something that I want you to do for me.”

  “And that is?”

  Benita sat on the sofa and patted the cushion next to her. “Sit.”

  Expecting a different reaction, it took him a moment to start moving. He left the notepad and pen where they were. Not knowing where this was going made him nervous. He sat tall, not leaning back. Being near her was what he wanted more than anything, but the dread of another heartache made his instinct to remove himself from the situation incredibly strong. He took a breath to clear out the anticipation of disaster. Attempting to relax and appear comfortable, he looked at the floor, resting his hands on his thighs.

  “I need to meet your mom.”

  He jerked his head toward her, but he found it difficult to speak.

  “I don’t know how to address her when I see her. And I will see her. Do I say, ‘Hello, Adam’s mom’?”

  He chuckled at the thought of her saying something so funny.

  “You have to introduce me to your mom.”

  “Sorry. I’m just surprised that it hasn’t happened yet. I also don’t know why that’s important to you, you know, if you’re leaving for Spain soon. Why do you need to meet my mom?”

  “Unbelievable.” Benita rolled her eyes, probably not realizing she was doing it. “Tell me we are not doing this.”

  “What?”

  “I can’t believe it. You’re the most selfish person.” She stood up and paced as she ranted. “The most manipulative, selfish person. Plotting your schemes to make me do what you want. I joined your club. I visited the hospital with you. I ate at the bakery with you. This to-do list, as you just said, is all about you. All along, it was all about what you wanted.”

  His response would wait since she barely took a breath through her frenzied raving.

  “You tried to meet me and become my friend so you could worm your way into my life, sweetly offering to give me lessons so you could make me fall in love with you so that I wouldn’t leave and you could have your happy little dates with your happy little girlfriend.”

  Certainly, she didn’t really think any of this was true. It had to be all the stress that had built up. Taking it out on him had to be better than allowing this craziness to be seen at work. He’d simply keep looking past it. But knowing she was just venting didn’t keep it from hurting.

  “I’m surprised you haven’t said that I used you for your tutoring to get my promotion. Or that I used you this
whole time. And when I’m through with you, I’ll just kick you aside and move on. Is that what you think? If that’s what you think then, yeah, I wouldn’t want you to meet my mother, either. We’re just two people who are too similar. We want what we want. God help anyone who gets in the way.”

  “Benita.” Was she even hearing herself? He stood, wanting to hold her and calm her.

  “You think I’m not going to win the promotion. You think you’re going to be there for me when I crumble and fall on Friday when the promotion goes to someone else. You didn’t want me to win the promotion. You wanted me to be swept away. You wanted me to be distracted at work and lose focus. Well, I’m not losing focus. And I’m not losing the promotion. I’m not losing anything.”

  Adam, unable to think of anything she would want to hear him say, remained silent. He couldn’t admit her words had wounded him. He shook his head, wanting to say something, but there was nothing he could say to her that would let her know he still cared. He wasn’t giving up on her yet, even with the painful performance she’d just given. He took a breath. “Benita.”

  She fixed her fierce eyes on him while she walked toward him and lifted her chin, pointing a forceful whisper at his face. “I’m not losing, Adam.”

  He saddened at her intense expression, her face red and solemn. Her emotion had drained him.

  She raised her voice to him, “I’m not losing.”

  With barely enough energy left to speak, he quietly pushed the words out. “Benita, are you finished?”

  After a deep breath, she nodded. “Yes.”

  “First, this.” He reached to gently hold her face in his hands. He kissed her, taking his time in a long soothing kiss. “Now,” he whispered against her skin. “Please just listen to me.”

  “Okay.”

  Adam stole a glance of the sofa, and then he looked into her mesmerizing, angry eyes. “Let’s sit.” He sat back against the corner, giving them both room to breathe.

  She joined him, but appeared at the ready to continue her rant.

  “I asked you a question. If you’re leaving for Spain soon, why do you need to meet my mom? You went off on some tirade, telling me how selfish I am. I’m willing to ignore it. In fact, I can’t remember half of what you said.”