The One who got Away

“Okay, great. Thanks so much.” He hung up the phone and looked down at the blank screen.

“You okay?” I said around a mouthful of melons.

“Yes.” He smiled and turned toward me. “That was one of the best medical offices in the country. They have an entire sector dedicated to research and treatment of PCOS. They want to see you. They think they can help you. There is an appointment set for Monday morning, if you want to go.”

“Are you serious?” I walked over and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Oh, my God, that is so awesome. I can’t believe you went to all this trouble for me. Thank you.”

“It was no trouble,” he whispered into my neck. “I did a bunch of research on your condition, and I came across the facility. I couldn’t not call and talk to them. I didn’t have all your details, so they couldn’t tell me anything definitive over the phone, but with your age range and your health, they really want to see if they can help you.”

“Thank you so much,” I replied, tears welling up in my eyes. “No one has ever taken the time to do anything like this for me before. You are truly the sweetest man I have ever met.”

“I just want to know you’re taken care of,” he said pulling back and looking into my eyes. “I want to know, whether we’re together or not, that you’re safe and happy. I know this is something that can be really devastating to you mentally, and I want to do everything I can to help you.”

I pulled him back close into my arms and hugged him tightly. I never knew that I could feel so intensely for another human being, but I was blown away by how I felt for Jason. He not only took me into his arms at a time no other man would have dreamed of, but he reached out and did everything he could to help me with a condition I didn’t even realize yet weighed heavily on my mind. If these people could help me, I would be forever grateful to this man, a man I could no longer imagine not having in my life.

Chapter 19

Jason

Nervous didn’t even cover what I was feeling about revealing Tiffany to my parents. They knew I was bringing this mystery girl to dinner, but they had no idea that it was Tiffany. I had dressed in a polo and jeans to lighten the mood of the event and stood staring at myself in the mirror. Tiffany was everything I had ever wanted in a woman and more, and I wasn’t about to let her walk into a bad situation. I knew if my parents didn’t approve, they would at least be somewhat diplomatic about it since they really did love Tiffany. I hoped for the best but was completely prepared for the worst, something I wasn’t sure whether Tiffany had prepared herself for. She had been through so much heartbreak over the last several months that the last thing she needed was for the only family she ever really knew to turn their backs on her for good. The fact of the matter was, you couldn’t pick who you fell in love with, and I had loved Tiffany a lot longer than I really realized. She had infatuated me ever since I met her, but she had been with Jordan, so I put it out of my mind and went on with my life. When Jordan broke it off with her, I didn’t even understand it then. Instead, I was just furious and protective over her, wanting to fix her broken heart. It wasn’t until that first date at the restaurant that I realized there was more to my feelings than protection.

I took in a deep breath and reached down to grab my toothbrush. The house was quiet, and after spending almost the whole weekend in my place with Tiffany, I kind of hated the silence of it all. My house was comfortable but eclectic, just like you would imagine a SoHo loft to be. But with Tiffany standing barefoot in my kitchen and swimming in the heated pool on the roof, it made everything feel like home for the first time since I bought the place. The smell of dinner cooking on the stove, the sound of her laughter echoing through the halls was intoxicating, and I almost hated being here by myself now. I had taken her home early in the morning so she could get ready for dinner tonight. She seemed calm and collected, but I could tell there were quite a bit of nerves floating around in her chest. She had kissed me on the cheek and bounced off down the walk into her house. I couldn’t bring myself to drive away until I’d watch her blond hair flowing behind her as she headed down the walkway, smiled, and waved before closing the front door.

I tossed my toothbrush back in the holder and walked out, grabbing my jacket and checking the street for the car. As usual, it was sitting out front but this time, I would be taking a detour to the Greek District to pick up Tiffany before we went over to the house. I didn’t want to give the address beforehand because I didn’t want my parents to recognize who the address belonged to. We drove through the city, watching as tourists flocked the streets, and the city workers got ready to decorate the city for the holidays. It was my favorite time of year, and there was a bit of relief knowing I would get to spend them with Tiffany.

When we pulled up, Tiffany came out front, her hair pulled back halfway, wearing a pair of wide legged, flowy white pants and tucked in button up silk top. She walked carefully in her heels and pulled the hair out of her dangling diamond earrings. She looked at me and smiled as she climbed into the car, pulling her peacoat closed and kissing me on the cheek with her cherry stained lips. She looked amazing, like the woman I had seen so many times walking around the office with confidence and allure. I didn’t know if it were me or just the way time healed all wounds, but for the first time since everything started, she looked like her old self again. Her cheeks glowed in the evening light, and she had even painted her fingernails a light pink. She clutched a bottle of wine she had bought my parents and her clutch that I recognized from the party. She was absolutely stunning in a way I had never thought of a woman before.

“You think they will freak?” She looked at me, slightly worried.

“No,” I laughed. “Freaked would be if I brought home a goth girl or someone from the Bronx. Surprised, probably, but no matter what, I want you to know how absolutely beautiful I think you are.”

She smiled and turned to watch the passing scenery out the window. I wanted to protect everything about this girl, and as far as I knew, my parents were still unaware of who my mystery girl really was. I assumed there was a possibility that Jordan had told them, but I didn’t think he would have. However, I did duly note to myself that there weren’t very many things I could actually trust when it came to my brother anymore. For all I knew, he ran right over to their room after Saturday morning’s explosion and told them what happened. At the same time, he didn’t want them to know why he had divorced Tiffany, so he was probably keeping as much to himself as he could for as long as he could. He knew my parents would chastise him for it. I was almost glad he did what he did, not that Tiffany had gotten hurt but because it gave me the opportunity to be with her, show her what love was really supposed to be like and have her show me the same.

When we pulled up, my parents were standing on the front steps, holding each other’s hands. They couldn’t see through the tinted windows of the car, and I looked over at Tiffany, grasping her hand, reassuring her that no matter what, everything would be okay. She smiled through the nerves that we were both feeling and grabbed onto her bottle as I stepped from the car and greeted my parents. My mother hugged me and my father shook my hand before turning to the darkened area of the open door.

“I’d like you to meet my date,” I said as Tiffany emerged smiling at them. “I think you know Tiffany.”

There was a brief moment of silence where everyone stood stunned.

“Oh, my God,” my mother said excitedly as she ran forward and hugged Tiffany tightly. “You are the mystery girl! This is beyond amazing. I just love you so much.”

Relief flew through me, and I let out a deep breath as I read the happiness growing on my father’s face. He walked forward with his arms out, laughing and shaking his head. He embraced her and hugged her tightly.

“This is just the best surprise,” he said quietly. “Seriously, we missed you so much.”

My father turned to me as my mother talked and laughed with Tiffany. He shook my hand and slapped me on the shoulder. We both turned and looked at Tiffany and my mother.

“Does he know?” My father asked the question I’m sure was plaguing his mind since the moment Tiffany stepped from the car.

“Yeah.” I sighed, and we exchanged a meaningful look. “We never meant to hurt him. It was a hard discovery for him.”

“Well,” my father said, putting his arm around my shoulder. “Maybe he should have held on tighter and not made rash, unfair decisions about Tiffany. Everyone deserves to be happy. He’ll get over it. Besides, he brought that redhead from the party the other night. She is sitting uncomfortably in the living room. I had forgotten to take that last wedding photo down, and she saw it. It's in the drawer now.”

My father chuckled as we turned and walked toward the house, my mother and Tiffany trailing behind us. As we entered, I could see the girl stand up and reach for Jordan’s hand. Jordan walked into the light and looked over at me, a stern look on his face. As I approached, he reached ou

t and shook my hand, nodding at Tiffany kindly.

“Jason,” he said. “This is Rosalie. I don’t think you had a chance to meet before.”