Chapter Two

See Chapter One for disclaimers.

Chapter Two

Two weeks later…..

Betty Suarez loved this time of day. Every Friday for the last couple of years she left work early and headed to Central Park. She loved finding a grassy spot to spread out a blanket and completely tune out the world. She had begun her Friday night ritual after she had been nearly pushed out the door from work.

Daniel had realized something was wrong with Betty after he'd awakened in the hospital. Betty had been there at her bedside along with his father. He knew her looks well enough to know that the worry that had been etched on her face was not only for him. Betty's eyes had been full of pain and heartbreak, but it would be another two weeks before he'd found out why.

Betty had pulled another long night, trying to catch Daniel up on all the work he'd missed since his hospitalization. She kept bringing him files to go over and paperwork to sign. She'd gone out to get coffee more than once during the day and brought them both dinner from the deli across the street. As she made another pass through his office, Daniel's arm came out and caught her by the wrist.

"Whoa there Speedy, slow down, take a break." Daniel said.

"No time." Betty said breathlessly, "these proofs have to be looked at, you've got to meet your father for dinner…."

"Betty all that can wait. Sit down. Please." Daniel asked. Betty sighed and sat down in the chair across the desk from him. Daniel observed that Betty had lost some weight. Unfortunately, it hadn't been the good way. Betty looked tired, her face thin and pale. Her eyes and hair both lacked the usual Betty sparkle. Even her glasses which were usually bright looked dull and lifeless perched up on her nose. Betty cleared her throat as Daniel leaned across his desk.

"Betty, you look like hell." Daniel said, not pulling any punches.

"Gee, thanks Daniel. Would you like me to go find a cocker spaniel so you can kick it??" Betty said sarcastically.

Daniel laughed, startling Betty. "Do you know that's the first time I've seen the old Betty in weeks?" Daniel said smiling. His face sobered quickly," I know Henry's gone." Daniel said. Just hearing his name was enough for Betty. She fiddled with her hands in her lap as the emotions broke free.

"Yes…Henry's gone. And you know what? So is a part of me. I feel like I'm a walking shell. He's GONE!!! Gone with Charlie and their baby….God, I'm so stupid. First Walter and now Henry……Betty sobbed as Daniel moved around the desk. He grabbed Betty's shoulders gently as he bent down to look her in the face.

"No, Betty you are not stupid. That's what love does to you. It makes you crazy, it gives you butterflies in your stomach, and it makes you feel like you could fly all the way to the top of the Empire State Building. But sometimes it does hurt. And I'm sorry that Henry hurt you. I know he didn't mean to, he's just a good guy Betty. And good guys always do what's right, even if it hurts too much for you to bear. It will get better I promise you." Daniel said, pulling Betty into a hug. The hug was pure friendship, two people dealing with their share of heartaches. After a moment, Betty pulled away.

"Thanks Daniel. I really needed that." Betty said.

"Anytime." Daniel smiled, "and from now on, you're out of the office by 3 on Fridays. Go get a manicure, see a movie, or veg out in Central Park. But I don't want to see you here after 3pm. got that?" Daniel said smiling. So thanks to Daniel, Betty was sitting here with her shoes off on a blanket reading a book. She was turning a page when she felt something hit her feet. She pulled the book down to see a blue and yellow soccer ball at her feet. As she looked around, a boy of about five or so came running towards her. He almost lost his glasses off his nose as he tripped over Betty's feet and fell onto her blanket. She gasped as she turned him over.

"Oh my gosh. Hey are you ok?" Betty asked, checking the child over. He pushed himself up and adjusted his glasses.

"Yeah, I'm ok, just clumsy." The boy said. Betty picked up the soccer ball and handed it to him. He looked at her for a moment, mumbled a "thank you" and walked off. Betty smiled at the boy's retreating back as she returned to her book. Five minutes later, Betty looked up in surprise as a shadow fell across her book. The same little boy stood beside her, shyly smiling at her. Betty put her book down and looked at him.

"You ok?" Betty asked. The boy nodded. Betty jerked her head towards the group of boys and girls playing soccer.

"Don't you want to go back? Your teacher might be worried." Betty said as the boy shook his head.

"They won't miss me." The boy said looking over at them, "I'm the worst player and besides, I like talking to you." Betty felt the beginnings of a blush as the little boy sat down on the blanket beside her. The little boy kept staring at her intently, making wonder if there was something on her face.

"What's the matter? Do I have something on my face?" Betty asked. The boy reached over and placed a fingertip beside her mouth.

"Do they hurt?" The boy asked.

"What, my braces?" Betty asked, "Not really, not anymore. I've worn them for a while now, so I'm kind of used to them." She said.

"Where do you live?" The boy asked.

"I live in Queens….it's……"

"It's one of the five boroughs of New York." The boy said proudly. Betty stared at him in amazement.

"Wow, you're really smart. How did you….." Betty started.

The boy shrugged. "It's just something I know." Betty gasped at the words, spoken so innocently from a child, bringing back memories of another; someone from the lost place in her heart who answered her the same way. She looked away from the adorable little boy as he posed another question.

"So do you live with your mommy and daddy?" He asked. Betty turned back to him, braces glittering in the sunshine as she smiled at him and answered.

"Nope, I live in an apartment by myself. My daddy lives a few blocks from me, but MY mommy died and went to heaven when I was little." Betty said.

"My daddy and I live in an apartment too. It's on the other side of town and we hafta ride the train to bring me to school, but it's so much fun." The boy said.

"So where's your mommy then?" Betty asked. The little boy didn't look sad, so she figured that maybe she wasn't dead, maybe his parents were divorced.

"I don't know. I don't remember her. Daddy said she left when I was just a baby and Daddy always tells me the truth." The boy said. He looked at Betty for a moment. "Can I ask you a question?" He said.

"Sure." Betty said, feeling alternately sad for this little boy and lonely for her. Surely this child must be bored out of his mind.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" The boy asked. The question sounded so adorably absurd coming from this little inquisitor that Betty actually threw back her head and laughed.

"No, I don't sweetie. Why?" Betty asked.

"Because I think my daddy is lonely and you would be a pretty girlfriend for him. He misses someone that he used to know here I think, because he always calls her "the one" and then his eyes look like they do when he's been cutting onions up." The boy told her. Betty smiled at him.

"No, I don't have a boyfriend. I did once, but….." Betty trailed off, remembering Henry.

"Now your eyes look like my dad's when he's been cutting onions." The boy said, making a face.

Betty laughed again. The little boy laughed with her.

"You smile pretty." He said as he wrapped his little arms around her neck and hugged her. Betty squeezed him back just as his teacher came looking for him. The teacher yelled for him to come back with his class. He stood up and ran off, only to run back a few seconds later.

"I forgot I'm not supposed to talk to strangers, Daddy said. What's your name?" He asked.

"Betty." Betty said as she stuck out her hand.

"Aiden." Aiden said shaking her hand. His teacher yelled again and he took off, Betty watching him and waving goodbye.

TBC……………….