Maggie was the first to leave Ted's apartment, something about being off to meet her partner in crime and a sardonic laugh. I couldn't tell if she was pleased or not about this, but then again, Maggie had seemed a little darker than usual since JFK's assassination. She told us each to take a bottle of champagne home. Kate begged out soon after, and Dean and I followed her out, sensing Laura and Ted wanted some privacy.
We were standing outside Ted's building. There was a sense of celebration and hope in the air that a New Year brings with it, and I was feeling very much that way myself. A fresh start. I smiled at Dean.
"Let me walk you home," he said, focusing that intense gaze of his on me, and I couldn't say no. I didn't have any good reason to say no. We'd both had a lot to drink, and I was feeling tipsy and happy, and I said, "Thank you, Monsieur." He grabbed my hand as we started walking and I felt that familiar fluttering in my stomach.
We didn't say anything at first. Just listened to the New Year ringing in around us, but then we started talking. I was finally ready.
"You're happy," he said.
"I don't feel so alone anymore. I have a brother."
He pulled me closer. "You're not alone." I loved the seriousness in his voice. The way he said that made it sound like a promise.
"I have to go to France. Soon."
"I'll come with you." He squeezed the hand he was holding, and ran his thumb across my fingers. I loved when he did that.
We started talking about my family then, and how difficult it was for me to hear the truth about them, but how happy I was to have a picture of their faces to replace the faded ones in my memory. And what a gift it was to learn that I have a brother.
"Now because of Omar I finally know the truth," I said. I felt him stiffen at the mention of Omar's name.
I stopped walking and turned to face him. I held his hand tight in mine this time.
"I owe Omar my gratitude – for giving me my family," I said. "And I'll never regret him being in my life because of that." I paused and looked up at him. "But Dean, you should know – I was going to end things with him after our talk the other day. You were right to ask me those things. I wasn't in love with him."
He looked into my eyes. "Yeah?"
I nodded. There could have been a moment, but I pulled him along and we started walking again. I wanted to tell Dean I loved him so badly, but there were still other things to say.
"Tell me about the hearing," I said.
He told me about how Broyles appeared out of nowhere with compliments and a letter from Tripp, and how no one was more surprised than he was to walk out of there with a job and a six-month suspension.
I told him I was sorry I wasn't more supportive during the trial. That I let emotions from an entirely different situation cloud my judgement.
"I should have been there for you." I said, sincerely. "I'm sorry I wasn't."
"I'm sorry things happened the way they did," he said, and I knew what he was referring to.
"Well, if they hadn't, I wouldn't have met Omar." I was slightly teasing, to lighten the mood and he could tell.
"Ugh," he said, playing along. "I don't want you to date any other men." He'd put his serious voice back on, and he moved his thumb over my hand again.
"I'm not interested in any other men," I sighed.
"I'm glad to hear it."
"Yes, I hear Amanda is a good kisser…."
"Wait. What?"
"Oh, yes, Maggie mentioned that they had become quite close."
He was thoroughly distracted now. "Are you serious?"
I nodded with pursed lips, then a Cheshire smile spread across my face.
We arrived in front of my building. I stepped in front of him and he put his arms around me. I snuggled in close and breathed deeply. I'd missed him so much. He pressed a kiss to my temple.
"Happy New Year, Colette."
I knew he was waiting for me to say something, to let him know where we stood. I knew he wanted to be with me, and more than anything I wanted to be with him.
I leaned back in his embrace. "Why don't you come upstairs?" I found myself saying. "It's early still, and I would hate for Maggie's champagne to go to waste. We can talk more."
His eyes crinkled up at the corners when he smiled at me, and my heartbeat sped up.