"Hey Red what do you think about going on a date with a girl that looks just like Rafe's girlfriend" Danny asked as the men gathered around a plane fixing and changing things that needed to be fixed.
"A girl that looks like Evelyn... Sure" He said
"Tonight, come to our house. We are all going out and we figured you and Nora might hit it off" Rafe said
"And what about I look like I could handle a date" Gooz asked wondering why he wasn't considered
"Sorry man, but I need you to baby sit tonight. You are great with Tristan" Danny said. Surprising as it may sound, Gooz was one of Tristan's favorite people.
"Fine, just because that's my man. I won't do it for any other kid" Gooz said honestly not caring too much about the date anymore
"Thanks man" Danny said "Hey I know a girl I could set you up with." He whispered to him, so Rafe won't hear.
"Is she pretty?"
"She's a nurse, fresh of the main land" Danny said and Gooz liked her already. There was just something about those nurses.
"Good Job Amanda, you're doing really well" Evelyn said as she supervised Amanda wrap a man's sprained ankle
"Thank you. Back home, this is what they started us off with" She said smiling at Evelyn
Evelyn knew she was supposed to like her, she was Rafe's sister, but everything in her body wanted to fight her. Evelyn couldn't handle the way she held Danny's hand the other night or the way she laughed at all the inside jokes that she herself was still trying to figure out. Point blank, she was jealous of Amanda McCawley.
"So how did you and Danny meet? Amanda asked as the two women were now organizing charts. It was funny how things were running so slow now, when ten months ago this hospital was too small for all the patients.
"I met him through Rafe." Evelyn said
"I know that, I meant when did you guys start to be involved?" she had a grin on her face that Evelyn didn't like, but she decided to tell her anyways, just not all the details
"A month after we thought Rafe died we saw each other at movie theater and we went out for coffee "
"That's it. Boom you're in love" Amanda said
"It just happened." Evelyn said "are you done with those" she asked pointing to the files pushed to the edge of the table
"Yeah" Amanda said
"When I was five, Rafe brought Danny home after school and I thought geez, Rafe's brought home one of his annoying friends again." She smiled "Usually he's friend would tease me for playing with my dolls, but not Danny. One time Rafe had gone out with Dad and Danny came over and I was on the porch playing as usual. I was expecting him to tease me and leave, but instead he walked towards me and started playing with me, until Rafe came home. Of course Rafe told him never to do it again or else he'd become a sissy and Danny naturally always doing what Rafe said, he didn't play with me and my dolls, but he never ignored me, he always said hi and he'd play hide and seek and all" Amanda said smiling at the memories
"When did you Fall for him?" Evelyn asked
"To be honest I liked him since I was five, but I didn't realize what those feelings were until I was ten. For five years I said nothing though, I just got shy around him. And when I was fifteen we went to our school dance and Rafe was with his girlfriend and Danny had taken another senior, but they broke up that night and he was pretty upset. We talked for a while and out of nowhere he kissed me." She smiled
"You were together after that" Evelyn didn't like hearing this but she felt she had to
"Nope, Rafe couldn't let it happen. He didn't want his friends dating his baby sister. But we had our moments over the years until he and Rafe left" Amanda looked at Evelyn
"I know you still have feelings for him" Amanda said
"What makes you say that?"
"Because it's hard not to have feelings for Danny walker, once you fall in love with him, it's no easy task falling out of. Trust me I've tried"
Evelyn didn't say anything
"Just remember my brother really loves you Evelyn. He's a good man too."
"I know that Amanda. Why do you think I'm with him" Evelyn excused herself as she needed time alone.
Rafe stared at the little box he had become so used to. He's gotten Evelyn this ring while he was in England and at one point he thought he would never give it to her because she was with Danny, now she was with him and still he could not give it to her.
"I always thought you'd give her that ring months ago" Red said walking into the bathroom of the restaurant they were in.
"I know, I just can't do it" Rafe said finally putting it away
"Haven't found the perfect time?" Red asked
"No, there have been a few times I could have, but I just can't"
"Is it because of Danny?"
"Him and other things" Rafe said feeling sour
"Hey they sent me in here to find you, come on" Red put a hand on his shoulder "The right time would come"
Back on the Table, no one was having the best date. Evelyn hated seeing Amanda and Danny sit across from her, Danny hated Amanda holding his arm as Evelyn stared him down, Nora wasn't so thrilled about Red and Rafe was just off.
"He doesn't like that" Evelyn said to Amanda who was playing with Danny's hair
"Who said?" Amada asked looking at Danny "You don't care do you?"
"It's a little annoying" Danny said trying not to make her feel bad, but it did annoy him when people played with his hair
Amanda stopped and sat looking at Evelyn who had turned her attention to Rafe.
"So what was the meeting with Doolittle about?" She asked
"He asked us if we wanted to go on a mission." Rafe said
"And you said no" She said a little nervous
"Yeah, but Danny here wanted to go"
"Danny?" Evelyn said looking shocked
"I said no. I only said if it wasn't for Tristan I would have gone. Geez Rafe" Danny didn't know what it was ,But Rafe had been getting on his nerves lately, heck everyone had been getting on his nerves lately.
"It's good you two said no" Nora said trying to cut the tension between the two
"Who wants to go walk on the beach?" Red offered and they all agreed. Maybe that's what they needed a good walk.
"I still can't believe you we left Tristan with Gooz" Evelyn said as they all laughed.
"He can handle him" Danny said.
Evelyn, Danny, Nora and Red walked ahead as Rafe and Amanda followed behind
"I know. It's just weird because it's Gooz" She said
"Are you okay?" Amanda asked Rafe
"Yeah, I'm just thinking"
"About Evelyn"
he shrugged
"Sorry I brought you here. I thought Danny would loosen up to you, but I don't know, he's changed I guess. I can't tell what he's going to do or not"
"Rafe you have to understand Danny is a man now. He's been a man for a long time and you can't just do things for him anymore. I think it's time you stop expecting him to follow your lead" She said
"I think you are right"
Later that night everyone was in bed as Rafe sat in the living room looking at the small velvet box again
"Can't sleep" Nora said coming out of her room
"No. you?"
"Water" She smiled as she poured herself a glass
"Thanks for introducing me to Red, he's a nice guy, but-"
"Not your type" Rafe finished
"Yeah" she smiled as she sat next to him "Is that for Evelyn?" She asked taking the box from him and opening it. "Wow, it's beautiful. When do you plan to ask her?"
"I was thinking maybe never" Rafe said sadly
"What's wrong"
"I died. That's what's wrong. I died and she buried her feelings for me with me. she still cares for me I know that, but she opened her heart to Danny, she had his baby, she clearly loves him and I'm the fool who's in the way" Rafe said bitterly and Nora just listened
"You are her sister; tell me, does she love me?"
"She does, Rafe but-"
"She loves a Danny more."
"You have to talk to her"
"I know. I'm not mad, really. I just have been so selfish lately. It wasn't their fault, you know. I left and they thought I died, I came back I was angry and then she told me she was having his baby. I thought I could live with it. And then Danny saves my life almost getting himself killed and everyday he was recovering he felt guilty because I was by his side. When we got home, he basically made Evelyn feel guilty too and he pushed her back to me." He smiled bitterly "She's with me because they both feel guilty"
"Rafe you have to know it's more than that" Nora said
"I know they both love me, but I've been selfish….. I have to let her go." He said quietly as tears came to his eyes. Nora placed her hand on his to let him know it would be okay.
