01. I Will Never Love Again
Sean drives Robert to the airport after a two-week stay in a remote hospital in Boston. Robert knows that Sean has something on his mind just as Sean knows that Robert does not want to talk about it.
"You have to slow down Robert," Sean says. "I know you don't want to talk about this but next time, you might not be so lucky."
Robert pauses as he looks at his oldest friend. He knows that Sean can probably see the weariness in his eyes. He does not answer him.
"Don't you ever want to be happy again Robert? You push yourself too hard. You are never around long enough to settle down anywhere."
"That's the bloody point Sean. I cannot sit still or I have too much time to think. If you are asking me if I want to fall in love again, the answer is no. I am done with that. I have tried too many times and failed. "
"So you are just going to give up…"
"Have you ever stopped to think that maybe I'm just tired? It is hard work Sean. It is exhausting when you have to fight so hard to be happy. I have spent my whole life fighting for one woman and lost. Don't you understand how much that hurts…that it is my own bloody fault that I lost the love of my life? Not once…not twice… but three times. I cannot do this anymore okay. I am done... I don't have the energy."
Robert opens the door but Sean stops him. "You are still in love with Anna." It was not a question but a statement of fact. Sean does not know how a man as smart as Robert can be so damn blind. "Have you ever stopped to think that maybe she feels the same?"
"Sean, she is happy. She does not feel that way about me anymore. At some point, a man has to stop beating his head against the same wall, expecting different results. I will always be there for her…you know that…what I will not do is sit around in an empty hotel room and miss her. I have to go. Not a word to Anna. You hear me."
"Robert…"
"I mean it Sean. She does not need to hear that she is the reason I was so distracted that I almost got myself killed again."
"Maybe she does Scorpio. She seems to be the only one who can get through to you."
Robert shut the door of the car and headed in the direction of the airplanes. Sean was getting too old to deal with Robert's pride.
"You two are going to be the death of me," he mutters under his breath.
"He actually admitted that," Tiffany states, as she rubs Sean's shoulders.
"I didn't give him much choice sweetheart. "
"We have to do something sugarplum. Robert is going to run out of lives eventually."
"And what do you suggest we do?"
"We give him a little push."
"Oh no…Tiff…Sweetheart, you are NOT going to play matchmaker. I have seen what happens when you try to meddle in our friend's lives…it never ends well."
"Oh Hogwash. It is the season of miracles Sean. Don't you think that Robert and Anna deserve a miracle?"
"That's not the point Darling. It is not our business."
"Are you saying that you are OK with the fact that Robert is so miserable without Anna that he cannot even allow himself to settle down anywhere…that he constantly puts his life on the line…And Anna…I know she is not technically single…"
"Technically? Sweetheart, she is dating another man."
"But she is not married or engaged is she? Oh come on Sean…You have seen her…she is not happy. Not really."
Sean pauses as he looks at the fire in his wife's eyes. "I know I am going to regret this but what exactly do you have in mind?"
"I am so glad you asked," Tiffany beams as she throws her arms around Sean. "You will ask Robert home for the holidays…and I will invite Anna and Robin and Emma. Don't worry Sean; the girls will do all the work."
"You are a master manipulator, you know that?"
"That's what I'm counting on. I just want our friends to be as happy as we are Sean. Don't you?"
"You know I do."
"Okay…so?"
He kisses his wife deeply and then smiles at her. "You win. But you already knew that didn't you?"
"Of course I did. You always let me win."
Sean rolls his eyes and embraces his wife. This was going to be a very eventful Christmas Season. He hoped he did not live to regret it.